Our place for children stems from the educational
indications of Rudolf Steiner. We draw
from the Steiner approach in all aspects of our interactions with children and
families and it forms the foundations that direct our daily activities and
learning curriculum. We see our
philosophy mirrored within National Quality Framework, and the Early Years
Learning Framework, which sees each child reaching their full potential through being
becoming and belonging.
We believe in nurturing the individual development of each
child. Each child is encouraged to work
from their own strengths and within their individual temperament. This requires keen observation and reflection
from the educator and sometimes collaboration with the parents/families and or
other people or services in order find positive ways to enhance each child’s
individual strengths. This approach assists
children to see themselves in a positive way, with their own strengths and
encourages empathy and understanding of others.
Children’s developmental progress varies from one child to another. In order to accomplish the huge task of
gaining control and agility of the physical body, children require time; at
Nature’s Nest children are not rushed in their development just for the sake of
moving to the next stage. We believe
that children who are allowed to move at their own pace set a strong foundation
for lifelong learning. The core value
underpinning this philosophy is the belief that a child has a right to a
childhood as a unique “soul being” regardless of cultural background, creed,
gender or developmental/physical ability.
We aim to have each stage of growth fully and vividly enjoyed by the
child, unhurried and unhindered.
The early years are seen in Steiner philosophy as a time of
“doing”. To learn about life and the
environment around them the child must be involved in physical and sensory
activity, through seeing and doing. At Nature’s Nest we work from the
understanding that the young child is nourished by a strong routine and rhythm. Rhythm and repetition are fundamental
qualities in a young child’s life. They
bring security and containment and help to build a strong physical body. Celebrating cycles and rhythms of the season,
the month, the week, the day, and the activity helps to create a sense of
wonder and reverence. At Nature’s Nest
this is done through seasonal crafts, songs and festivals, and activity in the
centre is accompanied with songs, verse and storytelling. Responding to the changing needs, varying
learning capabilities and varied age of each child is sustained within the “constant”
of the daily rhythm.
At Nature’s Nest we firmly believe that play is the serious
work of the child "Creative Play is like a spring that bubbles up from
deep within a child." It is
refreshing and enlivening. Creative play
is one of the most important ways a child explores and learns to understand the
world. Play helps children weave
together all the elements of life as they experience it. It is an outlet for the fullness of their
creativity; it is an absolutely critical part of their childhood. A child playing is:
·
Perceiving and exploring situations
·
Learning about themselves and the world
·
Initiating and exacting possibilities
We believe that play is most beneficial for the child if it
is initiated and directed by the child and accompanied by a play facilitator. The ability to facilitate this kind of play
is not a natural gift, but to be learned. The involvement of the educator
alongside the playing child is to facilitate play through structure of
appropriate space and time and with specific materials and toys in which this
play can unfold in an undisturbed manner. Play needs facilitation or
"guidance". Guidance does not
mean adult initiated or adult-directed play activity. To help facilitate / guide children's play,
the educator’s role is to:
·
set up a well-structured play area
·
work with a focus and presence of mind
·
observe and listen to children and make an
effort to understand children's play
·
reduce intervention
·
have trust and empathise with the children
Toys are carefully chosen at
Nature’s Nest; handmade equipment of natural materials have the inherent quality
of beauty, character and history, which leads to wonder and wisdom in the child. Play materials are purposefully chosen to be simple
and not always complete, this allows the child to transform the materials into
anything they want to create. A block of
wood can be an animal one minute and a train the next.
Music and artistic work are an integral part of our daily
rhythm. Songs, games and craft
activities are chosen to reflect the season and particular needs of the child
or group. We use songs to assist
children during transition times (e.g. hand washing, tidying up, etc.). This creates a joyful atmosphere of working
together.
Respect and reverence for our environment is firmly applied through
the practices of recycling and gardening, taking care of our equipment and toys
as well as the practice of “blessings” and gratitude for our daily meals. Attention to the furnishings of the indoor
environment to create a warm and beautiful atmosphere inspires children to care
for the space. Each day time is set
aside for packing up and tidying the space, using joyful songs and rhymes set about to make tidying up a positive
experience. We aim to create an outdoor
play area that inspires movement and intentional activity and that reflects the
natural world.
Nature’s
Nest is non-denominational and respects the individual beliefs of
families. Steiner Education does not
belong to one particular religion.
However, its foundations do stem from a spiritual basis. The main focus for early childhood in a
Steiner educational setting is on reverence and gratitude and the beauty of
life. Every opportunity is taken to
instill in the children a feeling of awe and appreciation for something that is
bigger than ourselves; this is especially so in early childhood, when children
most relate to the spiritual world. It
may be in reference to the higher worlds, God, Providence, the expanse of the
sky, a serene forest, or marveling at a tiny insect, but it is always a genuine
feeling expressed by the teacher/staff, not a religious doctrine or an
intellectual breakdown.
The
children are not told to be grateful,
they are shown gratitude and can feel gratitude. Giving thanks is
practiced at meal times with songs and poems but it is also woven into the
fabric of the everyday indirectly through the actions and words of the staff
and teachers in the centre, it is also celebrated throughout the year by way of
the seasonal festivals with the wider community. This sense of wonder and beauty in the world
that pervades in the Steiner based setting brings about a gracious mood in the
child that can grow and can be cultivated into a social responsibility and an inspirational
purpose as the child grows.
We see the educators at Nature’s Nest as the principal
element to our centre culture. We work
from the understanding that children take in everything in their environment. Children reflect the gestures and mood of
those around them, they do what they see, more than what they are told. The educators at Nature’s Nest use gesture
and model desired behaviour, rather than using too many verbal instructions
which can become meaningless to the young child. The adults in the centre must always strive
to be worthy of imitation by the child. The
educators at Nature’s Nest are encouraged to extend their professional
development in early childhood education and to increase their knowledge and
experience of Steiner philosophy. We make
provision for this by offering regular study groups and training sessions as
well as inviting professional peer leaders to our centre to work with the
staff. We allow staff any time off they
need to complete relevant study or to take personal leave for restoration and
life balance. Nature’s Nest is committed to seeking out
employees that are both qualified and experienced in children’s services and
aligned to or educated in Steiner philosophy.
Our strong foundation in Steiner based philosophy is coupled
with the solid involvement of the community that has allowed our centre to come
into being. Nature’s Nest is a
not-for-profit community organisation run by an incorporated body (SITE Inc).
The management committee, a group of volunteers, oversee the running of the
centre and work closely with the staff to give support in any way that is
needed. Community involvement is a core
element contributing to our centre philosophy.
This is affirmed by our Nature’s Nest Parent Group, our weekly playgroup
for 0-6 year olds (Rainbow Children Playgroup) and our seasonal community
festivals that are enjoyed by general members of the community and Nature’s
Nest and playgroup families, past and present.
We also nurture community involvement in our centre through our working
bees, parenting workshops and children’s craft workshops. We have made connections with the local
Biodynamic & Permaculture Gardening group, local Community Health Services,
other childcare services, local primary schools, artist groups and handcraft
groups (Eurobodalla Woodies, Eurobodalla Fibre and Textile Artists, Pastel
Society). As well as this we have
connected with other Steiner based centres, groups and schools. These connections to the community and to our
professional peers give us a point of reference on which to benchmark our
centre, guide our continuous improvement and ensure that our centre remains a
valuable and high quality service. Our
centre philosophy is reviewed annually as part of our quality improvement
processes.
Free play http://naturesnestcommunitychildcarecentre.blogspot.com.au/
References Gratefully Used:
·
Guide to
the National Quality Standard: http://acecqa.gov.au/storage/2-DE_03_National%20Quality%20Standard_v8_Secn1.pdf
·
School of
thought: Case studies of different philosophical approaches: http://ncac.acecqa.gov.au/educator-resources/pcf-articles/case_studies_philo_approachesJune2010.pdf
·
Developing
a Philosophy of service: http://ncac.acecqa.gov.au/educator-resources/pcf-articles/Developing_a_Service_Philosophy_Sept07.pdf
·
Nature’s
Nest Community Childcare Centre Parent Handbook
·
Periwinkle
Preschool Parent Handbook
·
Fingerprints
Children’s Centre Parent Handbook
·
Steiner
Education - The Waldorf Approach. By Kim Billington
·
Creating
a Steiner playgroup by Kim Billington: http://www.steiner-australia.org/other/playgroup.html
Free play http://naturesnestcommunitychildcarecentre.blogspot.com.au/
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