Brandon Friendship Centre Inc.

Play is the key component to our Pedagogy learning

Our Motto at the daycare is “LET THEM GET DIRTY" and this is done throughout the day. The teachers observe and provide new experiences with an invitation of messy materials each day. Our children learn a large variety of language skills, through touch, feel, taste, and hear with the materials presented in all areas at their own development level by being allowed to play in a relaxed schedule. Due to our Play based/ Emergent Program we are flexible with changes in schedule and routines on a daily basis.  Our play space in our centre reflects nature, each area has nature pieces relating to our Mother Earth such as rock, sticks, shells etc. that allows for imagination, creativity and curiosity. We have a creative area, art studio, medium area ( water/sand/goop), home living area as well as a snuggle space for 1-1 time.    By allowing the child to take lead of their activity, we believe that the child is learning to explore, and create their world around them using the 7 teachings that we encourage others to follow (respect, truth, humility, courage, love, strength, wisdom) throughout the day that are taught to us by our Elders” UNKA” and “KOKUM”. The parents, staff, and the children will learn continual values that will be carried out as the child grows older within their community.

 We believe that by taking the time to communicate with each child, parents, and a teacher team on a daily basis, we are building relations with the entire family. We believe that each child is unique and due to our variety of multiculturalism in our daycare we encourage parents to teach us about their customs, special events and beliefs to ALL the children and staff. We teach similarities and differences with the different cultures, by having parents organize culture events such as Ethiopia’s birthdays, Chinese New Year, Ukrainian Christmas, and family celebrations ( new child), We have translators for the parents that have language barriers at parent meeting and throughout the day when administrative needs are required. We also are very proud to have teachers from around the world; they share with all of us how we can all live so far away but have similarities, such as body parts the same, but skin color different etc. We promote friendship through greeting at the door to and from entering and exiting the daycare. We have parents participate in the Brandon Friendship Centre events that the children involve themselves with throughout the year, as well as a formal graduation for the children that are leaving the program the end of the year.

 A Relationships between staff and children promotes learning and development by giving each child individual time with their teacher. Our ratio’s allow our teachers to pair up with different children monthly to be able to spend quality time with the child during free play and get down to the child’s level, listen and reflect back to each child’s interests and expand on this throughout the day. With the new discussions from the child, the teacher will create a Personal web that reflects the child’s needs, strengths, supports and interests.  At the end of each month, a group teacher will have a parent interview discussion with the progress of each child’s daily activities with the parent that is shown on a bulletin board for the month. We take pride in our documentation of the child’s learning and we have created a picture portfolio for each child that is reviewed two times a year with the families of the child’s growth and development throughout the year.   When your child leaves the program the portfolio goes with the child.

 There are 4 circles planned by the different teachers throughout the day that are ongoing and child incentive. A child can go to all 4 circles or no circles at all it is the child’s decision for play is ongoing learning and exploration continuously throughout the day. The child has the power to decide what he or she wants to do. This allows for a safe comfort zone so the children learn to bond with each other. The older children assist the younger children with self help skills. This provides independence skills, builds a self esteem boost and a sense of accomplishment.