Educational Practice at the Pre-primary
Learning opportunities include: The Open Classroom, Workshops, and Out Trips. In all three, a child centred approach provides a caring environment where children can thrive.
Child Centred Learning
Child centred learning is at the heart of all the learning opportunities.
Child centred learning puts children at the centre of the education process. Educators become facilitators rather than directors of education. In a child centred environment children are valued as individuals, they are active participants in their education and their entire well-being is considered in planning and providing education.
Each day at the pre-primary school there will be choices and opportunities to learn in traditional subject areas such as reading, writing, math science as well as bioregional themes such as understanding and connecting with the natural world.
The Open Classroom
The open classroom provides opportunities for indivual and small group exploration of learning areas and centres.
There are opportunities to explore reading and language activities, mathematical games, puzzles and experiences, hands-on science activities, small and gross motor experiences, dramatic play and various rotating themed learning centres. Children choose individually from the opportunities displayed on a choice-board, which is changed periodically from day to day.
Workshops
Children sign up for the workshops they wish to participate in.
The workshops for each day of the week repeat in the following weeks so that children come to know which workshops they enjoy. This empowerment to choose is fundamental to the Oak and Orca philosophy. Educators encourage children to try out new workshops but they don't have to go if they are not fully enjoying it.
Out Trips
Children may walk, take the city bus or cycle in trailers to visit places for a variety of purposes.
Out trips are a regular occurrence. Most out trips explore things that are going on nearby the school, a trip to summit park or a walk to see some construction. Many trips involve exploring the natural areas, parks and beaches. We believe a connection with the natural world is vitally important for a child's growth. Other trips visit places of cultural, natural or social interest. Examples include museums, grocery stores, observation of machines working etc. Back at the school, the same themes are explored through art, drama, reading, writing and other activities.
Learning through play
Much of the learning at the Pre-primary level is learning through play.
At this age, children learn so much by acting out adult roles, building replicas of their environment, drawing what they have seen and experienced, etc. These activities are fully encouraged at Oak and Orca, so much so that educators get fully involved in the play by joining in and gently directing the play towards learning goals.
