In 2013, the Ontario government released the Ontario Early Years Policy Framework.

Their vision for early years programs:

“Ontario’s children and families are well supported by a system of responsive, high-quality, accessible, and increasingly integrated early years programs and services that contribute to healthy child development today and a stronger future tomorrow.”

The HDLH? Pedagogy for the Early Years (2014) builds on this vision and is a key component. How Does Learning Happen? consists of 4 foundations: belonging, well-being, engagement, and expression. These foundations are important to help children grow and flourish.

Belonging: refers to a sense of connectedness to others, an individual’s experience of being valued, of forming relationships with others and making contributions as part of a group, a community and the natural world

Well-being: addresses the importance of physical and mental health and wellness. It incorporates capacities such as self-care, sense of self and self regulation skills.

Engagement: suggests a state of being involved and focused.  When children are able to explore the world/environment around them with their inborn natural curiosity they are fully engaged. Through this type of play and inquiry, they develop skills such as problem solving, creative thinking and innovation, which are essential for learning and success in school and beyond.

Expression: or communication (hearing and listening) may take many different forms.  Through their bodies, words, and use of materials children develop capacities for increasingly complex communication.  Exploring materials in their environment supports creativity, problem solving and math. Language rich environments support their ever-growing communication skills, which are fundamental for literacy.

By focusing on the 4 foundations through all aspects of our early learning program, we are ensuring that we are supporting optimal learning and healthy development for all of the children we care for.

The following is a list of goals we strive to achieve each day and how we approach achieving them:

• Promote health and safety, nutrition and well-being: The health and safety of the children, staff and volunteers at MDNS is very important to us. All staff are educated on the center’s Policies and Procedures and are First Aid and CPR certified. Staff also complete daily checks of: toys, equipment, classrooms, and outdoor play spaces.  Monthly fire drills are conducted by the supervisor and all staff, children and parents present at the time are expected to participate. Staff complete visual wellness checks of children upon arrival, as well as familiarize themselves with all medical conditions, allergies, food restrictions, exceptionalities and medication requirements.  We ensure our menu follows the Canada Food Guide and our cook is trained and has a Food Handler Certificate.  Alternative arrangements are made for children with food allergies and restrictions.  Menus can be found on the Lillio app and are posted outside the kitchen.  Copies of the menu can be provided upon request.  Food from outside the center is strictly prohibited.  Exceptions will be made for dietary needs that we are unable to meet.  In this case, the food must be store bought, in the original container and clearly labelled with the child’s name.

• Support and promote positive and responsive interactions among children, parents and staff: MDNS recognizes the importance of working together as a team to ensure high quality care. We communicate with parents face to face, email, phone, social media and through the Lillio app about the children’s daily routine: diapering, toilet training, sleeping, meal time, play time, milestones, and any concerns that may arise. Children’s artwork is displayed throughout the classrooms and center.  Photos are also taken and shared with families in order to allow parents a glimpse into their child’s day here at MDNS.  We believe in modelling positive behaviour and lead by example.  We support and encourage positive and responsive interactions among everyone that is part of MDNS: children, families, staff.  Families may also be directed to resources outside of the center if necessary, such as support services, early years services, speech service, etc.

• Create a positive and inclusive learning environment and experience for which all children will be supported: The staff at MDNS believe that each child is unique. We understand that children learn and grow physically, cognitively and socially at their own pace.  Staff strive to provide an environment where children are free to learn, explore, try, and develop.  Children’s communication skills are enhanced each time they socialize with peers, staff, community volunteers and placement students.  All Early Childhood Educators are reflective and learn about the children they care for through listening, observation, documentation and discussion with others, in particular the families, in order to completely understand the child as a unique individual.  They make observations of the children in their care to learn how children are learning through their experiences in the world around them. MDNS staff will use these observations to foster meaningful interactions and engage the children every day.

• Promote a balance of indoor and outdoor, creative and imaginary play while incorporating rest/quiet time and taking individual needs of each child into consideration: The environment plays a big role in how children learn and grow. Through the observations that staff make, they create environments based on their interests.  Provocations encourage children to explore and imagine.  A variety of age appropriate toys and materials are made available to the children here at MDNS.  The space of the classroom includes dramatic play, book area, puzzles and games, sensory, creative, building, and outdoor play.  All of these areas help support fine and gross motor as well as literacy, social, numeracy and self regulation.  All children who attend the program for 6 hours or more will make use of outdoor space/or community parks every day (weather permitting) for at least 2 hours.

• Support staff at MDNS with continued professional learning: We encourage and support our educators to develop and expand their skills and knowledge through professional development opportunities. These can be offered through Lunch and Learn, webinars, and Professional Learning days hosted by the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.  Staff members are expected to attend monthly staff meetings and to complete at least 10 hours of professional learning a year. The program statement, policies and procedures are reviewed at the start of employment/placement and annually by all staff, volunteers and placement students.

• Document and review the goals/strategies and make changes if needed: All staff at MDNS (volunteers and placement students included), are required to read and review our program statement prior to interacting with the children and to review annually and/or anytime the statement is modified or updated. The observations made daily of the children and the daily communication with other staff and families help with daily program planning.  Documentation of children’s progress and work is a very valuable tool to provide insight into how the children act and think.  Observations are made while children are in active play and are made in many forms: photos, notes, documented conversations.  Documentations are living documents and can be continually referred to and expanded upon in order to provide the best early learning environment for the children MDNS cares for.  The supervisor and staff of MDNS will be involved in continuous conversation with various agencies related to the Early Childhood Education policies and practices.

• Involve community partners and build on these relationships: MDNS involves community partners in supporting children, families and staff. We welcome regular visits from the inclusion consultants, program consultants and other staff of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville. We happily welcome the local librarian and other community members who have talents and activities to share with our children.  MDNS supports volunteers from the community and placement students from high school and college/university.  We recognize that hosting placement students and volunteers, supports and helps grow the field of early learning.  From time to time we will take walking trips in the community to local businesses.  All volunteers and students are required to submit the proper documentation before commencing their placement.
• Encourage children to interact and communicate in a positive way, to support their self regulation and to help foster and support the children’s exploration, play and inquiry: Self regulation is defined as the child’s ability to gain control of bodily functions, manage powerful emotions and to maintain focus and attention. Staff at MDNS will support a child’s self regulation by providing experiences, support and encouragement that will help them learn to self regulate. We will provide a learning environment that has a variety of activities and curriculum that encourages choices and it will be supported by attentive and interactive educators.  The staff will introduce new ideas, skills and concepts in order to help broaden the child’s knowledge and life experiences.