To encourage the children to interact and communicate in a positive way and support their ability to self-regulate
Our program’s core values revolve around securing a peaceful community to facilitate Engagement, Belonging, Expression and Well-Being (How Does Learning Happen?). Children are embraced as valuable members of our community. We believe children are capable of complex thinking and embrace every moment as a teachable moment. We value and follow all best practices policies and procedures including the Behaviour Guidance Practices and Procedures. Our ECES provide children with the vocabulary and tools to support them in their social and emotional development, and establish expectations that are developmentally appropriate and realistic to each child’s individual ability. Early Childhood Educators support and foster children’s ability to self-regulate by setting developmentally appropriate expectations and experiences.
Procedures:
All program staff reviews the centre’s Behaviour Guidance Policies and Practices on a yearly basis. Staff members are required to attend ongoing workshops to provide strategies and practices to support children in their ability to self-regulation. Supervisors conduct quarterly behaviour guidance assessments. Staff and administrators review Centre’s Program Statement and Philosophy to ensure staff members are confident in the implementation of our Program Statement Practices.
Responsive Early Childhood Educators support children’s ability to self-regulate by:
Limit transitions in the daily schedule.
Use breathing techniques and allow children time to reflect.
Use singing techniques to engage and direct children.
Provide open ended loose materials for children to explore at their own pace.
Providing choices that are appropriate for the developmental stages of the children
Being engaged with the children to guide them through their play.
Fostering children's play and inquiry
"Play is the work of childhood" (Maria Montessori). It is a child's very personal way of expressing themselves, interacting with their world and learning to master the possibilities in it. Our play based, emergent curriculum consists of a variety of stimulating activities which help in developing the individual child’s social, emotional, intellectual and physical growth. Our daily nature walks around the island promote active exploration. The children take part in community excursions around the Island Beach, Farm, Franklin Garden Park, Pond and look for habitats around the island (i.e. butterfly, ladybugs, spiders, tadpoles, caterpillars, snakes etc). Natural Science studies include; the life cycle of the Monarch butterfly, the life cycle of the tadpole, birds and the Mallard duck. Children participate in the Waterfront Clean up and in the spring Earth day clean up. Learning materials consist of loose open-ended materials for children to; challenge themselves, discover, and investigate properties/relationships and concepts. We believe all children are capable of complex thinking and confident in their own skills. We promote exploration and self expression through: music, creative art, dance, body movements, sand and water tables, dress up, storytelling, field trips, and special events within the Island Public School.
Procedures:
Early Childhood Educators are required to utilize the web system to document the children’s, learning, interests and inquiries ECES are required to use the web system to develop weekly program plans along with documentation of the planning process. The Centre maintains two sets of portfolios for each child, a hard copy portfolio and a digital app portfolio. Early Childhood Educators are required utilize the ELECT to conduct pedagogical documenting of the children learning in each child’s digital portfolio. Digital portfolios also contain the child’s developmental assessments, sleep patterns, health updates, as well as family/emergency information. Each child’s digital portfolio is made accessible to families to communicate their child’s development at home.
Our program offers child-initiated, adult supported experiences
In alignment with the Ministry of Education “How Does Learning Happen?”,”Think, Feel, Act” strategies, ECES view individual children as competent, capable of complex thinking, curious, and rich in potential. Early Childhood Educators are flexible as they move from the role of leadership to the role of co-learners. In our centre learning is reciprocal, and together children and educators take part in developing meaningful learning experiences based on children’s curiousity and inquiries.
ECES support learning:
By observing, listening and pausing teachers support and provoke children’s play
Offer choices, invitations to learning
Deliver inquiry based learning plan and provide meaningful play based experience
Asking meaningful questions to stain high-level conversations
Teachers are inclusive, reflective and compassionate
Follow the children’s lead
Extend and expand children’s learning
Celebrate, showcase and document children’s learnin
Ensure children’s documentation is reflective of what children are learning
Procedures:
ECES are required take part in conducting self-evaluations and they reflect on their practices as they take on new roles as pedagogical practitioners. The Centre requires ECES to participate in ongoing professional enhancement/development and activities to empower them and ensure they align with the philosophies, practices and statements of the program. Supervisors support ECES by ensuring resources and workshops accessible.
Our Registered Early Childhood Educators plan for and create positive learning environments and experiences in which each child’s learning and development will be supported
ECES take a responsive planning approach. Our responsive approach to program planning includes; asking meaningful questions, following the child’s lead, view the Early Childhood Educators as co-learning and utilizing the environment as a teacher. Children are valued as members of the classroom community.
Each child is represented in the classroom through family photos and learning documentations. Professional ECES use pedagogical documentation to program plan and showcase children’s competence and learning. ECES support children’s optimum development” (ELECT), through a child centred play-based emergent program. Our ECES include children and their families in developing the program. Our curriculum unfolds moment by moment over time. ECES follow the children’s lead and use their interests as a vehicle for planning children’s development. The learning materials are accessible for children to freely explore at their own leisure.
Procedures:
We required all our Early Childhood Educators to attend weekly meetings to reflect and discuss further strategies and to ensure children’s individual needs and program expectations are acquired. To secure a safe, stimulating developmentally appropriate learning environment, Early Childhood Educators conduct weekly assessments of the environment and materials which includes: On sight custodians, daily, monthly and seasonal playground inspections, and monthly fire drills. Our environment is an inclusive learning space where all children are valued.
We provide a variety of play that includes; indoor, outdoor active play, as well as rest time, and give consideration to the individual needs of each child
Early Childhood Educators support children’s development through a peaceful, caring climate, where each child is nurtured and valued. Our well-balanced program incorporates a full day program that includes indoor and outdoor learning, active play, meal times and rest periods. We take full advantage of our beautiful beaches and visit them all year round. Emphasis is placed on outdoor exploration, and nature walks that include, visits to the community Far Enough Farm, Gibraltar Point Lighthouse (one of the oldest landmarks in the city), Franklin’s Garden, beautiful gardens, nature paths, and wet lands. Indoor active play offers opportunities for children to enjoy music, creative art, creative dance, and body movement. Activities include the use of open ended learning materials and props, sand and water play, dress up centre, and storytelling. Our preschool room also offers children opportunities to engage in quiet reading with soft toys, sand/water play and a variety of sensory experiences. Regular nap and rest time is provided according to family direction and discretion. Early Childhood Educators are mindful of the children’s individual needs; children who are not able to sleep are offered a quiet space for quiet play.
Procedures:
Our program plans include activities to facilitate children who do not require nap time, and inclement weather options. The program offers children and staff with rain gear to facilitate outdoor rainy day experiences. Indoor supplies and materials are brought outside to provide an Outdoor classroom; outdoor findings are brought into the classroom for further exploration.
Fostering the engagement and ongoing communication with parents about the program and their children
ECES are committed to establishing positive relationships with all families. Our open door policy allows families to feel welcome at all times. Our Educators engage in ongoing communication to share information regarding the children’s home language, culture, interests and development. Family members are invited into our classroom to share hobbies, cultural traditions, special recipes, family pets, etc. Families are kept informed of the day’s events through HiMama digital app program. The HiMama app allows families to have access to their child’s portfolio. The app also keeps families informed and engaged of daily events and pedagogical documentation as they unfold. The digital app also updates families with information regarding children’s health, calendar of events, menus, program plans. We validate each family’s culture and values, families can use HiMama to share documentations and images of their child’s home life experiences and milestones with the Centre.
Procedures:
To support children and their families in their preschool transition the centre invites families to yearly open house orientations. Existing families are solicited to serve in advisory committees and the Board of Directors. Our open door policy invites parents to engage in our program by sharing hobbies, traditions or stories with our children. Ongoing communication with parents is kept consistent and the HiMama digital communication tool is used to share pedagogical documentation with families.
Early Childhood Educators involve local community partners and allow those partners to support children and their families
ECES support children and their families through day to day communications and use the “Continuum of Development” (ELECT). We work in partnership with the Public Natural Science School staff and administration. We support children in their educational journey into the school system. ECES work along-side the island school teachers to establish shared learning experiences for the childcare and kindergarten children. The children visit the island school library for story time and take part in special Island School events. The preschool room is situated next door to the Island School Kindergarten class. Our preschoolers take part in shared learning experiences with the Island School students and develop connections with Island School teachers and students. Other community excursions include discover walks to the community beaches, Franklin Garden, ponds, fields and natural wooded paths.
Procedures:
Staff routinely shares resources and materials with the Public Natural Science School Kindergarten teachers. ECES are required to work in cohesion with the kindergarten teachers to ensure eligible children succeed in their transitions from preschool to Junior Kindergarten. Our parent board of directors and school administrators are involved in developing policies and procedures. The program statement is viewed as a living document, families and Board of Directors reviewed the centre’s program statement and is invited to provide input in the future to enhance the document.
We support staff and others who interact with children in relation to continuous professional development
We recognize the value in continuous learning for our Early Childhood Educators and volunteers. We believe Early Childhood Educators and volunteers are a vital component in the delivery of quality care. We fund ongoing professional development and growth. The program allows time for Early Childhood Educators/Volunteers and the supervisor to routinely take part in pedagogical discussions and reflective practices. Early Childhood Educators and Volunteers are required to attend at least one professional learning workshop as well as “How Does Learning Happen” professional development training offered by Toronto Children’s Service and the College of Early Childhood Educators. Furthermore, program, supervisors and our community partners provide ongoing coaching and mentoring opportunities to further enhance professional development and growth.
Procedures:
Professional development participation is part of the Early Childhood Educators policies and their professional agreements. Each staff is required to attend at least one professional development session per year. Gibraltar Point Day Nursery Supervisor has completed the Pedagogical Leadership workshop. ECES are required to meet once a week to discuss “How Does Learning Happen?”, share ideas, reflect and plan. The supervisor will work closely in mentoring and coaching staff in their pedagogical journey.
Documenting and reviewing the impact of our strategies on children and their families
Gibraltar Point Day Nursery takes pride in delivering a safe, healthy, nurturing learning environment for children to succeed, develop and reach their full potential. We foster children’s continuum development by following the “ELECT” framework. Early Childhood Educators establish positive and responsive relationships with families to support the health, safety and well-being of the children. Our aim is to shape warm nurturing relationships with children in our care. We work with our families and community to foster kindness, empathy, respect, build character, positive identity and belonging. Early Childhood Educators carry themselves with professional dignity, and through honest, respectful, genuine, interactions among peers, the community, families and children. The Ministry of Education developed “How Does Learning Happen?” to promote a shared understanding of what children need and what can be done to help them grow and flourish. Our goals and foundations for learning follow in alignment with the Ministry of Educations’ “How Does Learning Happen?” and ELECT (Early Learning for Every Child) Framework.
