Explorers child care is excited to announce their newest Explorers Early Learning Centre in Beaconsfield is now open, located on the corner of Princes Highway and O’Neil Road. Offering premium quality early learning and government-funded three-year-old and four-year-old kindergarten to the local community for children aged between six weeks to six years of age.
The brand-new, state-of-the-art centre features high-quality learning resources, large classrooms filled with natural light and architecturally designed outdoor play spaces to encourage and challenge children’s development.
What is the Reggio Emilia Approach?
Explorers Beaconsfield is largely influenced by the Reggio Emilia philosophy, an approach to education originating in Northern Italy and was created by Lorris Malaguzzi, a teacher and a parent.
This approach to early childhood education has been widely recognised for its innovative program and acknowledged by educational institutes, psychologists, and researchers from all over the world as the most exceptional example of high-quality early learning education.
The Reggio Emilia approach starts with the idea that children use different ways, “one hundred languages”, to express their understanding, thoughts, and creativity. This approach allows children to express themselves in different ways as they grow and focuses on three core principles: the child, the environment, and the teacher.
The Child:
Using a self-guided curriculum, the Reggio Emilia approach centres around children’s curiosity of the world and values them as strong, capable, and resilient. This is achieved through a balance of self-guided and adult-led learning. They are encouraged to explore, question, and interpret the world, creating a solid foundation of experiences during the first five years of their life.
The Teacher:
Teachers play multiple roles and are responsive to the needs of the children. They are partners in a child’s learning process by encouraging exploration, guiding experiences, and problem solving.
The Environment:
One of the most important components of incorporating the Reggio Emilia approach is the classroom environment. The classroom is thoughtfully designed and arranged to allow children to engage with stimulating materials and encouraged to explore and respect the environment. Often referred to as the ‘third teacher’, the classroom becomes a place to explore, play and learn.
Explorers’ education programs are developed by early childhood trained educators, reflecting Explorers’ unique philosophy, commitment to the environment and the local community.
Promoting the development of:
· Literacy and numeracy
· Science and discovery
· Creative expression
· Routines and independence
· Physical well-being
We also include an enrichment program, where children are encouraged to be creative thinkers and expressive, which is why the curriculum is enhanced with a variety of excursions and incursions to further challenge and reward them at no extra cost to families.
The benefits to children are varied but perhaps the most valuable advantage of the Reggio Emilia approach that all educational global models strive to achieve but do not always accomplish; it ignites a love of learning in them.
Places at Explorers Beaconsfield are limited and filling fast! To be one of the first to receive an offer of enrolment and the latest information about Explorers Beaconsfield, please register your interest at eel.com.au or call on 1300 000 335.
