The Tree House on Ranolf Childcare Centre - Glenholme

TE WHARIKI EARLY CHILDHOOD CURRICULUM

At The Treehouse on Ranolf Early Learning Centre we use the New Zealand National Early Childhood Curriculum Te Whariki.

The curriculum is founded on the following aspirations for children “to grow up as confident and competent learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in the sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society: (Te Whariki, 1996, Ministry of Education).

Te Whariki is based on four principals:

• Empowerment- Early Childhood Care and Education services assist children and their families to develop independence and to access the resources necessary to enable them to direct their own lives.
• Holistic Development –Cognitive, social, cultural, physical, emotional and spiritual dimensions of human development are integrally interwoven.
• Family & Community – Children’s learning and development are fostered if the well-being of their family and community is supported; if their family, culture, knowledge and community are respected; and if there is a strong connection to consistency among all the aspects of the child’s world.
• Relationships – Interaction provides a rich social world for children to learn by trying out their ideas with adults and other children.

From these principals, there are five strands:

1. Well-being (Mana Atua) – The health and well-being of the chid are protected and nurtured.
2. Belonging (Mana Whenua) – Children and their families feel a sense of belonging.
3. Contribution (Mana Tangata) – Opportunities for leaning are equitable and each child’s contribution is valued.
4. Communication (Mana Reo) – The languages and symbols of their own and other cultures are promoted and protected.
5. Exploration (Mana Aoturoa) – The child learns through active exploration of the environment.

The principals and the strands together form the framework for the Curriculum.  Each strand has several goals.  Learning Outcomes have been developed for each goal.  We plan individual learning programmes for each child using the Te Whariki framework.  Parents are informed and involved in the process.

Our IDP’s and Daily programme are planned using Te Whariki

For each child this involves.

Wellbeing:

Can I trust you?

• Having their daily needs met with care and sensitivity.
• Experiencing a safe, but stimulating environment.
• Having their needs responded to
• Being supported through change
• Having people enjoy their successes
• Learning to care for others.

Belonging:

Do you know me?

• Acknowledge that parents are paramount and know their child best
• Building partnerships with their parents
• Having their family’s culture valued and enjoyed
• Having people get to know them and their family
• Experiencing routines that are familiar
• Feeling that they belong and have a place in the centre
• Knowing the limits and boundaries of acceptable behaviour
• Learning to follow directions.

Contributions

Is this place fair to me?

• Encouragement to be part of a group
• Learning to share and wait for a turn
• Having their choices respected
• Understanding their own rights and the rights of others
• Being respected for themselves

Communication

Do you hear me?

• Being supported in their interactions with adults and other children.
• Being able to express a point of view
• Enjoying stories, action games, finger plays, songs, drama, role playing, pretending, handling books.
• Making counting and math games fun

• Finding out about patterns and shapes
• Learning about spatial relationships (over, under, inside, outside etc.)
• Being able to express themselves using a wide range of materials.

Exploration

Do you let me fly?

• Being permitted to play, as it is through play that learning takes place
• Having their curiosity encourage
• Developing their confidence in using a variety of strategies for exploring
• Encouragement to move freely to develop large and small muscle group and to build confidence in their bodies engaging their minds to meet challenges.
• Having their world extended through language, science, maths, physical skills
• Receiving encouragement to persist when difficulties arise
• Learning to make sense of the natural, social, physical and material worlds.

The curriculum is implemented through Play as children are highly motivated by play.  Their intellectual development occurs through play that encourages social relationships, language, number understanding, reading, questioning, problem-solving, early writing.