Under 2s

Our Teina Space

These are the main ideas that shape our teaching practice on the Under Two side:
 

                                              Respect

The child is respected as a free and equal human being. This means that we accept each child as an individual with the right to make her own choices. Children are treated as competent and capable, with their own unique capabilities.

           Freedom of Movement

Quality physical development is vital to the healthy growth of a child’s brain and body, and affects their holistic well-being. Free movement means that we allow each child to develop at their own individual pace. The quality of each movement  (rolling, crawling, sitting, walking etc) is valued, rather than the time it takes to transition to the next phase. The motivation and determination it takes to independently move themselves into the next position is an extremely valuable quality for lifelong learning.

           Relationships

On the Under Two side we value secure, trusting and responsive relationships between children and the adults in their lives.  When a child begins settling at Open Spaces, they are assigned a primary care teacher.  The primary care teacher assumes overall responsibility for daily communication and information sharing with families, the child’s well-being, learning and development. The primary teacher is also responsible for understanding the child on a deeper level, their routines, likes and dislikes, and for sharing this knowledge with the secondary key teacher.

             Free Play

Play is seen as the main process through which children learn. Free play means that our resources are open-ended; they are able to be used in many different ways, and extend the children’s imagination and creativity as they manipulate them in any way they like.