Basic Pedagogical Principles on Child Education and Care
1. Parents are the child’s primary educators, since they are the ones with a deep knowledge of their infant, such as (what his/her routines are, what s/he likes to do, etc). Our goal is initially for parents and children to feel comfortable in the school setting in order for strong relationships and honest communication and collaboration to be developed. Furthermore, our goal is to collaborate in parallel in order for the infant to develop in every aspect and to develop smoothly and effortlessly.
2. Human Relationships One of our primary goals in the Nursery school is the development, enhancement and the continuous strengthening of all kinds of relationships (parent-child, parent-educator, child with educators, child with other children relationships, etc). Our initial goal is everyone´s emotional safety in order for the adjustment procedure and separation anxiety to be carried out smoothly and correctly. Our further goal is for children to gain communication bases and strong relationships which will become a strong foundation for their lives afterwards.
3. Babies are born competent and they have an inner desire to learn. Every child has its own past, present and future, thus its own unique pace and way of learning and development.
4. The environment and organization of space are very important for a child´s all-around learning and development. Children at that age constantly have new needs. The arrangement of space is differentiated according to the children’s needs and developmental competencies. The child has the need to experiment in its own space, try, play, and discover in order to learn. Through different activities, time and space is given to the child to discover and explore its surroundings.
5. Analytical Program of Infants. The development and learning of infants is conducted effortlessly through play and routines. Play (individual or group) comprises the first and main learning means for children, through which they discover the world around them. Routines as pedagogical activities and through the starring role of children make up daily learning experiences.
6. Space and Time. Every child needs its own space and time until it adjusts and feels comfortable in its new environment. Through the development of relationships, adjustment program, experimentation, engagement in routines as well as the guidance of preschool teachers, the smooth transition of the child to the school environment is achieved.
7. Observation. The Preschool teachers observe the child every day in order to identify the needs, interests but also the possible developmental issues that might be presented in the child´s development. Through observation, they form their analytical program, inform parents, reflect on their practices and possibly revise and document the child´s learning and development. The communication forms constitute the primary medium of the daily observations.
The infant groups include mixed –aged children under 2 years old. We have the interaction of children as a goal by promoting that philosophy (the younger ones to get help from the older ones, to imitate the language, movement, skills, and the older ones to develop initiatives, self-confidence and leadership skills). According to Vygotsky, development is interwoven with interaction. Additionally, through these groups, cooperation and the development of social as well as communicative skills are developed.