LEARNING SPACES
Ruakanakana
Our Ruakanakana space is for our youngest of learners. Our Ruakanakana space is an enriched environment of love, kindness and calm. We believe that quality communication between the child, primary caregiver and whānau ensures that we provide the best opportunities for each child in our care – encompassing whānau aspirations for their children. Through a calm and natural environment, we live a philosophy that is rich in child-led experiences and encouragement so that our children can develop the skills they need to become confident and competent learners.
Our Ruakanakana space is true to the nurturing processes of primary caregiving. Primary caregiving provides children with a trusting and caring relationship, forming a strong bond with their carer. Through constant and consistent interactions and care, they learn about each other’s rhythms and responses – ensuring that all children feel safe and secure in their environment to blossom.
The flexibility of our spaces allows children to progress onwards in collaboration with their whānau and primary caregiver. We feel that through the provision of a smooth transition in the beginning, the rest of their time with us will be a much more enjoyable and a calm experience for them and their whānau.
Opaoa
Our Opaoa space is an environment of support, guidance and freedom of choice. In this room we continue to offer primary caregiving to those who require and/or desire it and transition children into a key teacher model as they begin to show more signs of emotional capability and overall independence.
We support and encourage children to be free to explore and discover for themselves, while extending their ability in a safe but challenging natural age appropriate environment.
Our Opaoa space is true to child-led learning and we observe individual goals while collaborating and celebrating whānau aspirations for children. We introduce individual and small group experiences as we believe it is important for children to initiate and maintain relationships while learning alongside one another. These skills aid them in further transitions throughout their lives.
The flexibility of spaces, allows for children to transition from primary caregiver to key teacher and also to transition through spaces at their own pace and remains a collaborative process with children, whānau and primary caregiver / key teacher
Awatere
Our Awatere space is an environment of support, guidance and freedom of choice. We support and encourage children to be free to explore and discover for themselves while developing the understanding of limits and boundaries on all aspects of indoor and outdoor child-led play.
Our Awatere space is true to child-led learning and we observe individual goals while acknowledging and embracing whānau aspirations for each child. We encourage individual and small group experience as we believe it is important for children to initiate and maintain relationships while learning alongside one another. These skills aid them in further transitions throughout their lives.
The flexibility of our spaces allows children to transition between rooms at their own pace and when they are age and stage ready. It is a collaborative process with children, whānau and their key teacher.
Wairau
Our Wairau space is where children have the opportunity to discover through play based learning, engaging in small group experiences that incorporate essential skills for a seamless transition to school.
Our emphasis is not just on literacy and numeracy, but providing children with the opportunity to inquire, question, develop skills in understanding other points of view, working with others, self-help skills and confidence building, encompassing the learning dispositions that are intertwined in the Early Childhood and Primary curriculums.
Our Wairau space is true to celebrating all children as being unique individuals. We provide age/stage developmentally appropriate opportunities and ensure evaluation of experiences are robust while ensuring whānau aspirations for children are paramount. Extension for children who require it are provided and encouraged.
Tamariki will have opportunities to visit and collaborate with local primary schools through building and maintaining relationships with their key teachers. When the time comes for children to move on to school, whānau are invited to graduation, which celebrates their child’s learning journey had throughout Omaka Early Learning Centre.
