Guraki-Preschool-STEM room
3 to 5 years
Our Guraki room is a place where children are recognised for their individual uniqueness, supported to share their passions and pursue their innate curiosity for the world around them. We celebrate each personality, and recognise the importance of these early years, supporting them to develop a positive sense of self, confidence and resilience as they become a valued member of our little community.
Within Fletcher Early Learning and Montessori Centre the children’s interests, opinions and ideas are embraced and form the foundation of the daily program; and this is evident not only as you first step into the room, but as you become immersed in the environment the children’s voices and discoveries are prominent in our approach. In Guraki we practise flexibility in our approach, catering and supporting different learning styles, and life pursuits that these little people envisage for themselves. Through exposure to a broad range of experiences we begin to assist our Guraki children to discover their interests and develop a greater level of understanding of these topics. This is how we foster and encourage each child’s natural curiosity and empower their desire to continue as a lifelong learner.
Through careful planning our Educators provide a vast array of experiences, embedding aspects of literacy and mathematics, science and engineering, construction, innovation and drama into the everyday program. The design of the experiences varies based on the purpose, the individuals and the interests that are growing at the present time; therefore being responsive and reflective of each child’s sensitive period of learning. Through their play, planned grouptimes and even as they embrace the spontaneous moments, the Guraki room offers the optimal environment to support valuable learning. Our Educators are supported in their own learning and development to engage in meaningful observations and interactions; being attuned to each child to provide high quality of care, support and education.
Throughout the year the children take part in a range of incursions, where people from the community are welcomed into our centre. Furthermore, they are regularly offered the opportunity to engage with our French teacher through planned grouptimes and informally through their play. Yoga becomes a strong part of their day, extended upon through a healthy and balanced lifestyle program where the children regularly take part in preparing portions of the menu for their lunch or baking for afternoon tea. We proudly boast the relationship that our children have with our chef, who regularly visits the room to share her knowledge and passion food cooking. We have also begun to implement a ‘banking program’ into the weekly scope in order for our children to not only develop a sustainable approach through a healthy lifestyle, but being sustainable within the environment and within the community as they gain an understanding of the value of money.
We recognise the growing needs of our Preschoolers, and feel it is essential to provide them with numerous spaces to not only explore and be inspired by, but to be able to apply their knowledge and skills. They have access to their own yard, where it has been designed specifically to challenge them physically, but also provide an abundance of opportunities to challenge their thinking and investigations. This holistic approach of connecting with the natural world forms a strong aspect of our program. This extends further as we offer the opportunity for the children to venture down to our ‘Community Garden’, where they are encouraged to assist in caring for the gardens, planting and harvesting the herbs, vegetables and flowers to decorate the room. Some children become more focused on nurturing our ponies, chickens, rabbits or guinea pigs; gaining a greater awareness and appreciation for the living world. For others this extends to the ecosystem where the tiny creatures live, where only those who take the time to stop, relax and observe seem to find the true beauty that lives around them. Through these beautiful environments our children all become busy and engaged, take greater control of their own learning and resilient in their approach to discovering the answers to their insightful questions. It is through this ability to question and ponder the world around them that we aim to prepare our Guraki children not only for success at school but feel accomplished in life.
Our preparation for life, and therefore school is an extension on the programs implemented throughout the whole centre. Education is a journey, and within our Guraki room we are providing opportunities for the children to gain a greater awareness and respect for themselves, for others, the environment and the wider community. This aim has been derived by our pursuit to support our children in being independent, resilience, capable and innovative thinkers; people who are strong to follow their passions and have the drive to achieve their own dreams.
“ It must not be forgotten then that the basic law of children’s creativitiyis that it’s value lies not in its results, but in the process itself.
It is not important what children create, but that they do create, that they exercise and implement their creative imagination”
-Vygotsky
“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.”
Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics
