Yellow Group Kindergarten Teacher

Stephanie is our Yellow Group Kindergarten Teacher. Her belief in experiences for the individual child can be seen throughout her program and the interactions she shares with each child.

​

Stephanie's Philosophy

I believe that all children’s learning styles are just as important as one another. Some people learn better in small group or individual settings, others thrive on collaboration with other children in a larger environment.

I believe it is important to have varied experiences throughout the services which offer these different styles as children tend to gravitate towards activities that are compatible with their preferred style. This ensures all children are engaged and can feel secure and supported in their learning.

With our everyday lives becoming busier all the time, it is important to offer children time throughout the day where they can have uninterrupted time for self-reflection. As an adult, mindfulness activities are something that help me, and in my experience in both my own mindfulness and that of the children I have worked with in the past, mindfulness activities such as yoga, quiet drawing/colouring activities and guided meditation have been very useful in allowing children to be more aware of their emotions, their breathing, their bodies, and in improving their impulse-control and concentration.

The environment the children are in throughout the day is very important. Working with children of various abilities throughout the years, I have found that a more open, less cluttered space to spend your time in ensures that there are less distractions, it is easier to concentrate and more conducive to children fully absorbing and processing the activities they are engaging with.

Most of all, I believe that it is important to foster strong, nurturing relationships with all children and families, getting to know each person individually and the things that ‘make them tick’, while at the same time positively role-modelling respect and appropriate behaviour so that the children may also build these relationships amongst each other. Each person is very different, and has different needs, wants, hopes and dreams.