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Philosophy
Maple Woods Early Learning offers a progressive and high quality childcare program that is child-centered and inquiry-based for children from infant to age four. The pedagogy supported at Maple Woods is emergent curriculum inspired by the Reggio Emilia and Forest and Nature School philosophies. Educators, along with children and families co-construct curriculum with the view that children are competent, capable, curious, and rich in potential. We use Ontario’s document, How Does Learning Happen? as a guide and we support its four foundations, belonging, engagement, expression, and well-being in our daily program. We strive to provide an inclusive environment, adapting our services and programming to the needs of children and families. We recognize and celebrate all families and their unique diversities regardless of their race, colour, religion, nationality, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, political ideology, socio-economic status, or beliefs. At the core of our practice and philosophy is trusting relationships. We strive to develop deep relationships with children and families in order to demonstrate authentic caretaking and allow children a safe space to learn and develop. Maple Woods is passionate about instilling a sense of care for the environment among children and we promote an eco-responsible ethos in the day to day operations of the childcare. The learning environment is viewed as an educator itself and is set up with purpose and intention. Children will have the opportunity to make choices, discover, create, and make meaning of their learning.
Guiding Values
Relationships
We believe that trusting relationships among educators, children, and families are the foundation to a high quality early learning and care environment. We value authenticity, clear communication, empathy, honesty, respect, and a sense of belonging that contributes to the well-being of children. We desire to build a strong community and maintain positive, lasting relationships. As an important part of our program, we acknowledge the Neutral, Anishnaabe, and Haudenosaunee peoples as the original caretakers of our land in Wilmot Township. We want to work with indigenous peoples as allies in honouring truth and reconciliation justly as a community of young children and educators.
The Environment
We believe that we have a responsibility to be caretakers of the land and to develop a reciprocal relationship with nature. We value intentionality in the play materials offered to children and daily habits and routines that promote a healthy ecology. We view the learning environment as an educator as it invites inquiry, experimentation, discovery, independence, and promotes a healthy sense of self among children.
View of Children
We believe that children are competent, capable, curious, and rich in potential. Children are co-constructors of curriculum and are unique in their experiences and perspectives. Children learn through play as they engage in their own research and test theories, experiment, hypothesize, create, collaborate, and explore. We believe children need authentic feelings of belonging, opportunity to engage in their experiences, the ability to express themselves and be heard, and a nurtured healthy well-being.
Pedagogy
We believe in supporting practices that are based from current research in the field of early learning and care. We are passionate in developing relevant and meaningful experiences and environments for children as we engage as educators through observation, reflection and provocation. Children’s ideas and interests are supported and children are encouraged to use critical thinking skills as they test theories and explore. As Registered Early Childhood Educators we are professional and knowledgeable in child development, therefore we engage in continuous professional learning and are committed to best practice in our daily contributions.
