Alison’s update
Chief Operating Officer
Welcome to our February family newsletter for 2023. One of the myths of early childhood education and care is that when children play, they are not learning or that real learning happens when children sit down in a classroom environment.
At Petit Early Learning Journey, we believe play is nature’s way of engaging children in development and learning. An early example is when unborn babies react to the world around them with kicks after a gentle push on a parent’s stomach.
This early interaction called “serve and return” helps build children’s neural connections (Harvard, 2023). It is often likened to a game of tennis between children and their carers and continues after birth through other back-and-forth interactions, such as when children throw a toy and watch their parents pick it up and bring it back.
When adults support and participate in child’s play, it encourages children’s interests and curiosity by letting them know we are listening and understanding their thoughts and reactions. Our educators believe children are capable and resourceful and can initiate their own play-based experiences. However, invitations and provocations to play based on a child’s interests and expressed through their environment make play-based learning fun and rewarding.
At Petit ELJ our educators scaffold and build on children’s learning through play experiences. Our teams provide children with uninterrupted time where children can choose where and what to play. During this time they observe children’s play, asking them questions to stir curiosity, encourage further investigation, and develop their confidence by supporting children to take the lead.
Play is an essential factor in children’s learning and development. It improves a child’s cognitive, literacy and numeracy skills and their social, physical and emotional wellbeing. Through play, children learn all sorts of skills, such as creativity, investigating, independence, confidence, resilience, problem-solving, concepts such as shapes, colours, signs, letters and numbers, and how to socialise with other children, work in groups and develop empathy and fairness.
Our incredible teams document the learning that occurs through play by sharing the children’s ideas, thinking and decision-making and can provide you with more information on how play enriches a child’s learning and development. Please speak with our Centre Directors if you have questions about our curriculum or your child’s learning programs. We are always here to help.
Notice to families: CCS changes are coming soon
From 10 July 2023, the Australian Government and Services Australia is changing how your Child Care Subsidy entitlement is worked out. Child care will be cheaper for most families.
For more information on the CCS changes go to: servicesaustralia.gov.au/changes-if-you-get-family-payments
You can also connect with Services Australia on social media to ask general questions about family payments. Beware of fake social media pages and scams. Search for the Family Update page on Facebook.
Exceptional team member for February
Shannon Ivanovski from Petit Early Learning Journey Elderslie
This month we celebrate Shannon Ivanovski, Assistant Centre Director from Petit ELJ Elderslie who has progressed from educator to lead educator and now to the assistant centre director, where she has made an enormous difference in such a short time.
Shannon’s work ethic, leadership and commitment are invaluable. She consistently provides team members with incredible support, going above and beyond expectations and is always striving to continually improve. Congratulations, Shannon!
What do you like most about being the Assistant Centre Director with Petit ELJ Elderslie?
I love being the Assistant Centre Director at Petit ELJ Elderslie as it feels more like a family than a workplace. The relationships we build with educators, families and children mean a lot to me, and I value being a part of their learning journey throughout their early years.
When did you start working for Petit ELJ and how did you become the Assistant Centre Director?
I began working for Petit ELJ Elderslie in August 2019. I started as an educator in our Willow Way studio before quickly becoming the Lead Educator of Burrows Lane. I then had the opportunity to lead our Burrows Lane, Blossom Hill, Treasure Cove and Willow Way studios, where I built strong bonds and connections with our children, educators and families.
One month ago, the Assistant Centre Director position opened up at Petit ELJ Elderslie, and I decided to give it a go. So now here I am as our Assistant Centre Director!
What is the most important thing you have learnt from the children that you educate and care for?
The most important thing I have learnt is that every child learns differently. Adapting your learning environment to incorporate children’s interests and learning styles is when you will see progress and engagement from the children. Every child is a capable learner and nothing is out of reach or unachievable!
What is your most memorable experience with Petit ELJ?
My most memorable experience with Petit ELJ was at the end of last year. I was a part of my Treasure Cove studio’s graduation ceremony with children I have cared for since Willow Way studio.
Looking back at how much each of these children achieved, individually and as a team, was phenomenal. I couldn’t be any prouder of each and every one of them. Being a part of their learning journey was definitely a highlight and something I absolutely loved being a part of.
Featured educational program
Studio inquiries start for Term 1 at Petit Early Learning Journey Coffs Harbour
Report by Educational Leader, Kylie Thomson
As Educational Leader at Petit ELJ Coffs Harbour, I have been moving between various studios, learning more about every child, including their interests and families, since the new year started.
Over the past few weeks, I have been working alongside our educators to create their studio inquiry, focusing on their children’s current and emerging interests within their play, learning and routine practices.
A studio inquiry is an essential part of our program that facilitates children’s learning. It allows our educators to focus on a subject, rituals, learning and development and influences. It is an important aspect of our children’s play-based learning and within our care. Through our inquiries, we continuously observe, question, and critically reflect on each thoughtful experience, both educator and child-led.
Each studio’s inquiry is chosen based on previous observations of children’s wellbeing, learning and emerging interests. We also consider educators’ and parents’ discussions and work this into our rationales. For example, in Term One at Petit ELJ Coffs Harbour, our studio inquiries investigate rituals and routines, the five senses of sensory, environments and risky play.
Watching these come together has been very exciting, and I cannot wait to see how the children respond. As always, we encourage family feedback throughout the studio inquiry via Storypark and through conversations with our educators during drop-offs and pick-ups.
Another important outcome is our centre’s “Annual Curriculum Goal“, which parents will soon see on Storypark. This is a whole-centre goal, and Petit ELJ Coffs Harbour’s 2023 focus is on “Environments, Sustainability & Community Connections”.
Our leadership team and studio educators will intentionally focus on this outcome as we break down these goals and work together to implement and improve these areas.
I look forward to listening to suggestions and collaborating with our families as we engage more closely on our inquiries and goals as the year progresses.
Community connections
Petit Early Learning Journey Forest Hill Exceeds Quality Area 6 – Collaborative partnerships with families and communities
Report from Centre Director, Belinda Balaam
Our commitment to collaborative relationships within our centre community benefits the children and their families at Petit ELJ Forest Hill. In our recent Assessment and Rating, we received an Exceeding rating for Quality Area 6, where The Australian Children’s Education & Care Quality Authority recognised the connections and positive changes we have made with our families.
About two years ago, we began to feel our family orientation was rushed. We realised it was interrupting the studios and the children and that our families and educators could have a better experience getting to know each other during their one-on-one time.
We discovered we were taking families into the studios where our educators were busy with the children, especially in the babies’ room where they were preparing bottles or putting babies to sleep. Unfortunately, this meant the families did not have time to ask questions.
So, we devised a solution for the first orientation to invite families into our community indoor garden setting, which we also use for family groupings. Between myself, the assistant centre director and our educational leader, we cover the educator who comes from the studio to the garden to meet the family.
The educator sits in the community garden with the family to discuss the child’s routine, set goals and introduce them to their studio’s social story. Every studio has a social story, a mini-picture book that families can take home and read with their children. It contains photos of the studio, its educators, where the children put their bags, drink bottles, outdoor spaces and information about extracurricular experiences.
The idea for the social storybook came about as several educators have children who are on the spectrum and with a large majority of our families having English as a 2nd language. Visuals tend to be a lot clearer for children on the spectrum and assists our bilingual children. And these books are also available inside the studios for all children to access during the day.
When families have their second orientation, this is spent within the studio. We still provide extra hands so new families can look around and ask questions without interrupting the children’s care, play and learning.
The orientation changes are just one of the successful elements we have implemented to support, respect and connect with our centre community at Petit ELJ Forest Hill.
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Latest parent review
Petit Early Learning Journey Burdell 1
“I cannot recommend Petit [ELJ Burdell] 1 enough. Both my sons go there and the attention and care paid to each child is impeccable. The educators are always looking for how to make you comfortable at drop off and have never ever left me feeling let down in any way. If you’re lucky enough to get your kids in here you’ll be blown away by the environment and educators alike!”
– TJ Humphreys
Our culture: Supporting each child’s individual learning and development journey
All children deserve the best start in life. At Petit Early Learning Journey, inspiring children’s learning and development journey is embedded in all we do. Children thrive when we include them and their families in each child’s learning journey…
Experiences from around our services
Worm farming enthrals children at Petit Early Learning Journey Elderslie
The children from Petit ELJ Elderslie’s Burrows Lane and Haven Place studios are learning about sustainability, such as Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. To reduce landfill, they add fruit and vegetable scraps from morning and afternoon teas to our worm farm. Then the worms turn the scraps into nutrient-rich plant food to fertilise our centre gardens.
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