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Meeting Amy from BestStart Somerset Street!
Kia ora! My name is Amy and I am a new teacher in training at Best Start Somerset Street in Hamilton.
I am in my second year of studies through Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood New Zealand. I am a mother of 4 children and i have a loving husband who is an Occupational Therapist. My Teaching Philosophy Tamariki come from different backgrounds and cultures. They are all unique and have different strengths, weaknesses and needs. Kaiako at early learning services are with these tamariki most of the day. I believe that kaiako must build strong relationships with both tamariki and their whanau.
I believe in talking with whanau about who their child is and involving them in the learning process. I believe that every parent wants to hear fun anecdotes about what their child did each day. I believe this shows we are building a relationship with their child. Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory suggests that children develop based on the interactions they have with people, places and things.
I believe that kaiako have a huge influence in the development of the tamariki in our care as we choose what they are exposed to in the centre. I believe it is our job as kaiako to expose tamariki to new things while letting them explore these things in their own way. I believe in free play, exploration, and imagination. I believe that kaiako must respect and understand the cultural background of the tamariki in their care, learn about each child and see how they can implement this knowledge into their practice. I believe that music has an important place in the centre as tamariki learn well through songs and actions. I believe in inclusive education and understanding that some tamariki have challenges that I need to cater for in my practice.
Ngā mihi nui,
Amy