Rolleston
Hi, my name is Kerry and I have been providing quality home-based childcare in my own home since 2009. I have my national certificates in Early Childhood Education and Care, Level 3 and Early Childhood Practice, Level 4, New Zealand Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care (Homebased), Level 5 and have a current child first aid certificate. I live in my own home in Rolleston in a quiet cul-de-sac with a reserve nearby which is perfect for exploring. I live here with my husband Lee and our two fur babies Rilee and Maxi. I offer a safe, comfortable, loving environment for your child/ren to build a secure attachment. I believe in building a teacher/child relationship from love and trust which is so important in their early childhood years.
Kerry Mitchell
My Philosophy
Is about getting back to basics and reducing the amount of ‘plastic’ within our environment, by using more natural and open-ended resources which is in line with the Reggio Emilia Approach. Play based learning and nature-based learning are both very important in our setting, giving children the opportunity to explore nature and learn about the world around us.
Our learning environment is filled with plenty of toys and resources to capture the children’s interests and gives them an environment where they can learn, discover, and explore. I believe that children deserve the best possible learning experiences and environments so they can be all they can be. Through my own ideas, research, and children’s interests, I am inspired to create homemade resources rather than having what everyone else has got, which makes what I offer more unique in having things that are personalised to our own environment.
Our art and craft cupboard is filled with everything the children need to encourage creativity through different art experiences. I enjoy seeing what the children can create using their own creativity and imaginations! We have a child friendly outdoor area to promote active play which includes a fort and trampoline as well as a wide range of outdoor toys and equipment. Children have a voice, and it is important to promote language in our setting and give them the opportunity to see and hear their voice being heard through conversations, learning experiences and provocations.
We incorporate New Zealand Māori culture in our setting and give children the opportunity to learn Te Reo Māori through our daily karakia (blessing), te kupu o te wiki (word of the week) and using simple Māori words in our daily routine. I use Educa to document each child’s learning journey through learning stories which are linked to Te Whariki (NZ Early Childhood Curriculum) and have daily communication books, so families can see what their child’s day is like.
Each child has their own learning journal which is shared with their own family regularly. Families can contribute to their child/ren’s learning journey through a family story or similar contribution which is something each child can look back on as they grow. We have our own Visiting Teacher who visits each child every month and she also contributes to the children’s learning journals.
If you would like to know more, please get in touch!