At Hawthorn Child Care Centre each room runs an educational program led by, and for, the children.
We follow Belonging, Being & Becoming – The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia, the national Early Years Learning Framework for early childhood educators.
The EYLF has described childhood as a time of Belonging, Being and Becoming:
Belonging – is the basis for living a fulfilling life. Children feel they belong because of the relationships they have with their family, community, culture and place.
Being – is about living here and now. Childhood is a special time in life and children need time to just “be” – time to play, try new things and have fun.
Becoming – is about the learning and development that your children experience. Children start to form their sense of identity from an early age, which shapes the type of adult they will become.
The framework has five Learning Outcomes and we as educators will assist your child to develop:
- A strong sense of their identity
- Connections with their world
- A strong sense of wellbeing
- Confidence and involvement in their learning; and
- Effective communication skills
Children’s learning is ongoing, and each child will progress towards the outcomes in different and equally meaningful ways.
At Hawthorn Child Care and Early Learning Centre we develop and use emergent educational programs in every room. We observe children as they play; engage with them; extend their ideas; assist them to try new and challenging experiences; and extend on their own ideas to provide new learning opportunities. We use these experiences to develop our program along with feedback from families and significant community events. Programs are written as a guide only and are designed to be flexible to support the children’s spontaneous interests and input from children and families.
We believe that working together with families and the community provides children with the best foundation for learning and development within the early years. Your child’s educators will use the SeeSaw app to explain and demonstrate the learning happening within your child’s room, and to keep you up to date with events, as well as giving you the opportunity to provide feedback and suggestions to their planning.
We look forward to working with you to create the best opportunities possible for your child.
Mitcham Preschool
Hawthorn Child Care Centre currently offers a bus service for parents who wish for their children to attend Mitcham Preschool. We work in unison with Mitcham Preschool to ensure a smooth transition between preschool and childcare.
Working closely with Mitcham Preschool enables children to have parallel access to our educational program run by early childhood teachers, while also having access to Mitcham Preschool. This means that children have the added benefit of accessing Hawthorn Child Care’s facilities and programs outside of preschool program hours. Hawthorn Childcare Centre and Mitcham Preschool have had had a strong relationship over the last twenty years and will continue to maintain a strong relationship into the future.
For access to Mitcham Preschool please click here.