The commitment of staff to Te Whariki, our programme and professional development, celebrates holistic learning and development. This makes links with the everyday experiences and special events of family/whanau local communities and cultures. The planning of the daily programme is based on providing a rich and stimulating core curriculum along with planned learning experiences and enquiry based learning.
Each area of the core programme offers opportunities for children's learning and development to be extended - often through play. It provides learning opportunities in which the children are encouraged, supported and scaffolded by each other and the staff.
Core programme examples
- Dramatic play and puppetry
- Literacy, books and board stories
- Mathematics and construction
- Puzzles and toys
- Music and movement
- Visual arts
- Play dough and messy play
- Active play
- Carpentry
- Sand and Water play
- Nature, science and technology
- Trips and outings
- Heuristic play
Planning and evaluation of the programme takes place collectively by the staff at our planning meetings, which are held at the end of every month. The programme is planned and evaluated in conjunction with the principles of Te Wháriki, the Early Childhood Curriculum and is based on the Learning Stories format. All facets of the programme are displayed in the preschool foyer, mat room and nursery walls.
Te Wháriki meaning, ‘The woven mat’ was chosen as the name for th New Zealand early childhood curriculum framework because it represents the diversity of the early childhood sector. Each centre therefore has to use the curriculum framework to weave it’s own wháriki with it’s own unique features. This is our wháriki – what is unique and special about the Lincoln University Early Childhood centre.
Woven into our pattern is:
- The location, the centre, our indoor and outdoor environment, the University, and Lincoln community.
- The values, knowledge, personal and professional skills and cultures of the parents.
- The unique abilities of the children.
- The training, philosophies, personal and professional skills, culture, values of each of the staff.
- The four principles underpinning Te Wháriki.
- The five strands that provide the learning goals.
Lincoln University Early Childhood Centre has the unique opportunity of working in a highly multicultural community whilst being committed to biculturalism. We aim to facilitate and resource children’s learning by providing a warm, loving and positive environment that is rich in natural resources. As educators we encourage children to develop respect and value for our Tangata Whenua.
The special characteristics of teaching and learning are reflected in the documentation of children’s Learning Stories, photographs, daily journal and enquiry based learning. The effectiveness of teaching and learning is measured by each child’s voice, parent voices and the educators’ professional interpretation and assessment of children’s learning. Cultural sensitivity, planning journals and the revised DOP’s are key indicators in evaluating our success.
Lincoln University Early Childhood Centre plans, implements and evaluates curriculum for all children in which their health is promoted, wellbeing is nurtured and they are kept safe from harm. We provide opportunities for learning and development for each child, irrespective of gender, age, ability, ethnicity, or background. We encourage parent and child input in the programme.
The negotiated (emergent) curriculum and spontaneous play is extended into the programme and are an important part of the daily programme. Children are encouraged to show interests and knowledge from home and community. Links to local community and family are encouraged by trips to University Departments, places of parent’s work, local library and places of interest suggested by whanau, children and staff.
Profile books
Every child has a profile book which records their learning journey during their time at Lincoln University Early Childhood Centre. Your child's primary caregiver will write learning stories about your child and these will be presented in your child's profile book. We send these books home on a regular basis for you to read and share with your family. Whanau input is a invaluable to these books and so feel free to contribute photo's or stories about your child from home. Each learning story also has a comments section at the bottom so that you can add your perspective. Sometimes learning stories link to things that have happened at home and it is always exciting for us to see where these interests have come from.
We encourage families to cover their children's profile book with photos or pictures, this gives children a sense of ownership and pride in their book (it also helps children to recognise their book). Children can access their own books and we often spend time reading children's profile books with them which helps them to develop a sense of who they are and sense of pride in their accomplishments!