This year we’re looking forward to a year of progress in the centre by continuing to develop our program and upgrading our learning environments. The staff & children have been starting to implement some educational principles adapted from the ‘Reggio Emilia’ approach to early childhood education.

The basis of the Reggio philosophy, which originated in Italy, is a view of children as strong and capable learners, who learn not in isolation but in collaboration with each other. Teachers, while guiding and supporting children’s knowledge and interests, are also learners in the process. Families are instrumental in the philosophy and the exchange of information about children between parents and the centre is very important. In essence Reggio is about relationships and valuing the different perspectives children and families bring to the centre.  There is special attention given to portfolios of children’s work and daily journals in each room, which are a representation of this.

An aesthetic environment is also an important part of any Reggio inspired program, and the focus is on making the children’s areas inviting, home-like and respectful through the use of real-life equipment and careful display of children’s work and conversations. Staff regularly document the children’s discussions and activities through photography and written word and use these as a basis for further planning.

We hope that families will help play a part in this. One thing you might like to do is visit Mia-Mia Child Centre in the grounds of Macquarie University. Mia-Mia is well known for its excellent Reggio Emilia influenced program and you can see the environment, staff and children at work behind special observation 2-way mirrors. Please see Will or Lisa if you’d like to attend a visit - they happen once per month on a Friday morning.

To download the Changes to Child Care Benefit - Budget 2008-09 Fact Sheet, click here.

Recently the Sydney Morning Herald published an interesting article on the child care bonanza. You can read the article by clicking here.