Our Curriculum
Our centre’s learning framework is based on New Zealand Early childhood curriculum- Te Whāriki, is the national curriculum document for early childhood education (ECE), to be used with all children from birth to school entry.
Underpinning Te Whāriki is the vision that children are 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.
The whāriki or woven mat is used as a metaphor for the ECE curriculum, in which four curriculum principles are interwoven with four curriculum strands. Together, these principles and strands give expression to the vision for children that are at the heart of Te Whāriki.
Teachers in our centre weave together the principles and strands, in collaboration with children, parents, whanau and communities, to do our programme planning to create positive learning outcomes for children.
Te Whāriki is based on Four Principals:
Empowerment | Whakamana – The early childhood curriculum empowers the child to learn and grow.
Holistic Development | Kotahitanga – The early childhood curriculum reflects the holistic way children learn and grow.
Family & Community | Whānau tangata –The wider world of family and community is an integral part of the early childhood curriculum.
Relationships | Ngā hononga – Children learn through responsive and reciprocal relationships with people, places, and things.
Our Philosophy
Manākitanga - Kindness
Manākitanga means to extend aroha (love and compassion) to others and respect for the environment. In simple terms, it is caring and sharing.
At Debs Place, we recognise the importance of providing a loving, nurturing supportive environment where the child is at the “heart” of everything we do. Our teachers role model respectful practices and compassion as a way to encourage children to learn to care for others. Our teachers value and promote sustainability by modelling environmentally friendly practices.
Whanaungatanga - relationships
Whanaungatanga is about relationship, kinship and a sense of connectedness. It provides people with a sense of belonging through forming and maintaining relationships and strengthening ties between whānau and communities.
We encourage and value whanaungatanga by working in partnership with our whānau and wider Addington community to build and sustain respectful relationships.
Wānanga and Ako
Wānanga is a safe space where children are able to participate and engage.
Ako recognizes the knowledge that both teachers and learners bring and it acknowledges the way that new knowledge and understandings can grow out of shared learning experiences.
At Deb’s Place, our environment is planned to allow children safe spaces to explore and opportunities and challenges that empower them to imagine, to theorise, to questions, to inquire, to discuss their ideas, to work alone or with their peers and to listen to the thoughts of others. We acknowledge ako, where new knowledge and understandings can grow out of shared experiences.
Community Engagement
We love to get out an about in our local Addington community. We enjoy going on excursions to the park, library, and even the local coffee shop.
We have been fortunate to have many whanau members, and members of our community come into preschool to share their knowledge and expand our children’s sense of community.