Our Team
Our kaiako (teachers) are wonderful and amazing people, who have been selected based on their experience within the Early Childhood Education field, their professional knowledge of teaching and nurturing young children and their philosophy of education and knowledge of child development.
We value professional development, and encourage our team to participate in a variety of courses, in order to grow and keep up to date with new developments in the educational field.
At Greendale Kids, happy and content staff are as important as happy children. We work at keeping our staff for long periods to ensure stability for the children and a consistent learning environment.
Curriculum
We are committed to follow the aspirations of the New Zealand National ECE Curiculum, Te Whāriki,
“For children to grow up as competent and confident learners and communicators, healthy in mind, body and spirit, secure in their sense of belonging and in the knowledge that they make a valued contribution to society”.
Te Whāriki envisages kaiako in early learning settings working in partnership with parents, whānau and community to realise this vision. The expectation is that, in their early years, children will experience a curriculum that empowers them as lifelong learners.
Te Whāriki supports this work by providing a framework of principles and strands. The principles are the foundations of curriculum decision making and a guide for every aspect of pedagogy and practice. The strands are 5 areas of learning and development, where the focus is on supporting children to develop the capabilities they need as confident and competent learners. Each setting takes these principles and strands and, in partnership with parents and whānau, uses them to ‘weave’ a curriculum whāriki that is specifically designed for their children.
Philosophy
At Greendale Kids our teachers are committed to providing a rich curriculum inside of an engaging physical environment that provides children with opportunities to learn physically, socially and emotionally.
Through establishing strong relationships with important adults in a child’s life we can create a holistic approach to their individual learning journey that will eventually carry them through life.
Connection, communication and contribution are our priorities. We work proactively alongside the children, whānau and support networks inside our community. We do this by recognising and responding to the needs of each child’s whānau (Family Health), Tinana (Physical Health), Hinengaro (Mental Health) and Wairua (Spiritual Health), only then can we create a path to success and achievement.
We are committed to consistently evolving our practice and creating opportunities to share our knowledge with others.
Our Environment
Nursery
0 – Walking
In our nursery environment, we are passionate about providing a safe, secure and nurturing place for children, at all times. It’s important that children feel comfortable and supported as they begin to explore, find their feet and discover the world around them. We respect that parents are the first teachers, so we work closely with you to ensure your child gets the best out of their day.
Our nursery area is away from the hustle and bustle of the toddlers. This is a homely, quiet environment where it feels like “time stands still.” We know how important one on one time and security is for this age – this is why we have a consistent, caring, loving team with a high staff-child ratio.
Toddlers
Walking – 3 years
Our toddler area offers a warm, caring, fun environment for your toddlers to spread their wings and explore. Your toddler will just love the space and resources we provide for learning and developing while having fun with their peers. We support childhood learning with a curriculum that is developmentally appropriate and supportive of all children during this age of discovery and wonder.
Your little adventurer will experiment with all the messy stuff such as painting, playdough, water and sand play, finger paint and clay. Toddlers also love to climb and test their new found large motor stills. We have a range of equipment such as ladders, boxes and planks just the right size for them.
Sustainability
We introduce sustainable habits and practices to our children by encouraging them to reduce, reuse and recycle. We supply all of our food scraps to a local pig farm.
Using Storypark significantly reduces the amount of paper used for forms and newsletters.
We use local suppliers and partners where possible, supporting the sustainability of businesses in our community.
We believe every little bit helps to ensure sustainability for our precious future generations!
Connecting Children with Nature
The natural world is a giant, open-ended learning laboratory. Children are innate scientists and love to experience the sights, scents, sounds, and textures of the outdoor environment. At Greendale Kids, we are always looking for learning opportunities that embrace nature.
Through free play, children spontaneously connect with nature right here in our own playground and outdoor environment. For example, children are often busy building masterpieces with dirt or sand, searching for twigs and sticks, watching worms wriggle through the soil, gazing at clouds, jumping in puddles, or listening to the birds sing.
Our toddlers thrive on using their imagination as they become ‘explorers’ in their own environment, doing this means they are encouraged to investigate and learn names of animals, insects, plants, and their purposes on our earth. We love seeing the children learn to care for their centre environment, their community, and the great big world we live in!
Contact us, book a tour or join our waiting list,
we’d love to hear from you!
We understand that your child’s education & care is a priority and that choosing the right centre can be a big decision. We would be delighted to share in your child’s learning journey. Feel welcome to contact us in whichever way is most convenient for you, or visit our centre and meet our Teaching Team!
