Working in Early Childhood for 15 years, I am passionate about Early Childhood education and strive to support children and educators in reaching their full potential. My philosophy is to develop positive self-esteem in children through play-based learning, believing that learning is happening all the time and is interwoven through all developmental domains. These include physical, social/emotional, cognitive and communication.

Therefore, my goal is to make this ongoing learning experience safe, positive and fun, nurturing the whole child as I strive to guide them into the next stage of development with confidence in themselves and an excitement for continued learning.

I value strong partnerships with families to support their child as they develop skills that will help them thrive and create strong foundations for their life ahead.

I am proud to lead a team of educators who are as dedicated, as they are professional in their approach to early learning. Their qualifications and experience give our centre a solid foundation where some have been at the centre for many years which provides the centre with stability and a family feel.

—Miss Katherine

The Whiz Kids program is holistic and encompasses key areas of the children’s learning and development. The programs are:

• Whiz Kids Move: helps the children to develop their fine and gross motor skills through daily movement activities. The children learn about living active and healthy lives, lessons they will carry for life.
• Whiz Kids Explore: children are encouraged to use their senses to engage with the world around them. They get their hands dirty and learn about early scientific principles. Together they conduct experiments and learn about the physical and natural world they live in.
• Whiz Kids Create: with a focus on music, art and languages, the children develop their creative thinking. From drawing and painting to banging on drums, self-expression is encouraged.
• Whiz Kids Self: this program supports the children’s social and emotional development, ensuring they feel safe and have a strong sense of belonging. 

Whiz Kids Sustainability: through hands-on lessons about recycling and hygiene, the children learn about sustainability practices and caring for the environment.

The Whiz Kids educators value open and honest communication with parents. They know that parents are the most important people in a child’s life and their engagement in their daily activities is critical. To support this, the educators are available to discuss the children’s learning with parents on a regular basis.

The educators use the conversations with parents to support the children’s learning. They start to build connections between home and the centre to enhance the children’s wellbeing and desire to learn.

Parents are also encouraged to get involved in the centre through activities such as cooking. They can participate in cooking experiences alongside the children and even share their family recipes.

Throughout each day, the educators update Kinderloop, the parent communication app, with information such as the children’s nutritional intake. Parents can access this information to feel more connected to their child’s day at Whiz Kids.

Aligned with the Early Years Learning Framework, the Whiz Kids Educators follow a holistic curriculum that ultimately helps to prepare the children for the transition to school. Called Whiz Kids Learn, the curriculum was developed by experienced educators and based on the understanding that every child learns in their own unique way. 

The curriculum is designed to embed a lifelong love of learning in every child. They engage with books, develop their language skills and learn about the magic of science. The curriculum is taught across four different learning spaces:

• Picasso’s Room (0-2 years): with routines tailored to each child, the focus in the Picasso’s Room is on building relationships between the children and their educators. They learn and play while developing their sense of belonging and wonder.
• Mozart’s Room (2-3 years): the toddlers in the Mozart’s Room participate in interest-based activities that lead to ongoing investigation and new discoveries. They start to develop self-help skills and social skills, such as sharing with their peers.
• Einstein’s Room (3-4 years): with a focus on play, the children take steps towards learning the skills they will need to succeed at school and beyond. They learn early reading and writing skills as well as phonemic awareness. They also develop their confidence as they learn more about themselves and the world around them.
• Pascal’s Room (4-6 years): the preschoolers participate in a school readiness program that prepares them for the transition to big school. Beyond literacy and numeracy, the children also develop self-awareness, problem-solving and social skills, among others.