PHILOSOPHIES AND APPROACHES TO EARLY YEARS
Every day is planned around the child's learning and interests. I set up activities that follow the children's interests to enhance their learning. The importance of play should never be underestimated. Children develop creativity, imagination, expression and communication skills.
EARLY YEARS FOUNDATION STAGE
The Early Years Foundation Stage focuses on children aged birth to five years of age. There is a brief summary of the EYFS below as well as a link to the full document.
Themes and Principles
There are four themes in the EYFS that are seen as an underpinning for working together for children. As a childcare professional I agree that all 4 of the themes are vital for a positive experience for the child. The four themes are:
A Unique Child
Positive Relationships
Enabling Environment
Learning and Development
The EYFS seeks to provide:
quality and consistency so no child gets left behind
a secure foundation of learning
partnership working between parents and/or carers
equality of opportunity and anti-discriminatory practice
The learning and development requirements are divided into the seven areas of learning. All of the areas of learning and development are important and inter-connected. The Prime Areas are vital for children's growing curiosity and developing the child's love for learning as well as building the child's capability to form relationships.
Prime Areas:
Personal, Social and Emotional Development
Physical Development
Communication and Language
The specific areas are as follows.
Specific Areas:
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding the World
Expressive Arts and Design
The three characteristics of learning:
Playing and Exploring
Active Learning
Creating and Thinking Critically
The EYFS requires practitioners to take observations and plan for children's next steps. This will be done through Famly. There is also a legal requirement for an assessment to take place when your child turns two. This will be carried out by myself and you will be involved in this process at all stages.
HYGGE IN THE EARLY YEARS
Hygge is the Danish approach to life that focuses on having a happier and more simple life using elements of warmth, cosiness and nature to make the most of every day of the year. As I moved through the training, I learnt about changes I can make to our learning environments, outdoor provision and daily rhythm to bring in more calmness.
A big part of my training looked at supporting the wellbeing of the children and myself. I gained an understanding of how I can promote more self-care and some activities I can try to connect with nature.
I am a Hygge in the Early Years Accredited setting.
NATURE BASED LEARNING
Outdoor learning is a statutory requirement of the EYFS and the commitment to outdoor and indoor learning must be equal. Not only that but working outdoors and connecting with nature is also good for mental health and wellbeing. We have a duty of care to children and must offer outdoor learning opportunities. I am currently completing the Wanderlust: A Nature Study Programme training to extend my knowledge on nature based activities.
MONTESSORI INSPIRED
Children soak up everything in the world around them like a sponge. Therefore we need to give young children a vast range of positive experiences. Children need freedom to develop into curious learners but they also need limits in order to keep them safe.
Children enjoy mastering a skill which is why at The Rutland Nanny I believe the children should lead their own learning with support from myself and the environment. This helps them to develop the independence needed for later in life. “If teaching is to be effective with young children, it must assist them to advance on the way to independence.” Maria Montessori (The Discovery of the Child).
Children even from a young age love to be independent by fostering this independence the child learns how to be responsible for caring not only for themselves but others and the environment around them as well. "Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed." - Maria Montessori
Respect for children is a big part of what Montessori believed in I do this through freedom of choice, allowing children to do things themselves and ensuring I respect children's concentration. If a child is engaged in a task then wherever possible I will allow the child to finish that task and not rush them onto a new activity.
“All that we ourselves are has been made by the child, by the child we were in the first two years of our lives.” (The Absorbent Mind)
GENTLE CHILD-LED APPROACH INSPIRED
Teaching children to do the right thing through positivity and patience instead of punishment or fear. This approach is based upon empathy, respect, understanding and boundaries. Its an ethos that encourages us to look beyond certain behaviours and speak to children and understand the reasoning behind the behaviour and working together to change it positively. Validating children’s feelings and needs is vital in raising happy and emotionally intelligent children. Recognising what is normal such as having a temper tantrum or not sleeping as the child not having the understanding and control over certain behaviours rather than labelling the child as bad. Its not just about looking at the child’s behaviour its also about looking at oneself and role modelling the behaviour we would like to see. All of this does not mean children are allowed to get away with anything. It is about teaching boundaries through better ways of doing things.