Program Statement

Our program encourages natural curiosity and imagination through emergent curriculum. Thus, children are not focused on educators giving them instructions, instead the children lead the program. Emergent Curriculum revolves around the children and the program is based on children’s interests. Building Opportunities believes a quality program must have a strong emphasis on How Does Learning Happen (HDLH, 2014) Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years. 

 

In Our Programs You Will See:

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Providers view every child as being competent, capable, curious and rich in potential. They create weekly program plans that ensure positive learning environments are based on children’s development and interests, inclusive to all children, including children with individualized plans.

 

Programs incorporate a holistic approach, supporting indoor and outdoor play, as well as active play, rest and quiet time, giving consideration of children with individual needs. The spaces in the home child care premises support group play and individual needs, which encourage children to interact and communicate in a positive way and support their ability to self regulate. Many experiences in the home are accessible to children at all times and provide an opportunity for child - initiated and adult - supported experiences. The home child care premises provides many open ended, free play and dramatic play experiences that foster children's exploration, play and inquiry.

 

Parents are encouraged to meet with providers in creating individual plans to foster the engagement of and ongoing communication regarding the program and their child. Everyday at pick up and drop off times, providers will communicate with parents regarding how their child is doing. Home Visitors will also make parent phone calls with parents and follow up with providers to ensure children are being cared for appropriately to support positive and responsive interactions among the children, parents, child care providers and staff.

 

Building Opportunity staff and providers involve local community partners such as mental health organizations, social services that observe and assist in developing individual programs and/or big brother programs to support children, their families and staff.

 

Providers, Building Opportunities staff and other individuals who interact with children continue to engage in professional learning by working with community partners and attending educational workshops. Providers and Home Visitors document and fill out a yearly professional learning form to ensure they are in compliance with our Training and Development Policy. 

 

Programs promote the health, safety, nutrition and well - being of children. Children with Building Opportunities are fed in accordance with Canada's Food Guide and are encouraged to participate in monthly food experiences. Weekly Menus correspond with what children are fed each day and are posted in a visible place for parents to review. 

 

Our Mission: Building Opportunities stands for building relationships and providing quality care. We want to build opportunities for every individual that is a part of Building Opportunities. We want to create opportunities for providers to become reflective, lifetime learners who continue to challenge themselves everyday when creating & maintaining a safe, stimulating environment for children. We want to ensure children have the opportunity to think, explore, learn and build strong meaningful relationships in these types of environments. We also want to create opportunities for parents to work with providers, build strong trusting relationships and create a strong partnership with not only providers but building opportunities staff too. 

 

 

Our Vision:

• Building positive and responsive relationships

• A strong focus on children’s social emotional, physical, creative and cognitive development in a holistic way

• Environments in which children learn through exploration, play and inquiry

• Encouraging self reflection, discussion, and ongoing collaboration and learning among educators and parents

• Engagement with families valuing their strengths, contributions and unique perspectives

• Using pedagogical documentation to study interpret and help inform children’s learning and development

 

Children’s experiences have a significant impact on the brain and learning. Building Opportunities strives that children enrolled should have the opportunity to reach their best potential. Programs that are reflective of strong relationships and connections with children are not only quality programs, but also ones that ensure children feel a sense of belonging and security. We know these experiences have a positive impact on brain development. 

 

Important aspects of quality programs are ones where parents and providers work together in the best interest of the child. This is one of the many goals Building Opportunities  as a quality program involves creating environments and experiences that are meaningful for children.  

 

Descriptions and examples can be found in “The Four Foundations of Learning”. 

Building opportunities believes the home child care environment should reflect these four foundations.

Home Child Care Provider Expectations : Reflecting The Four Foundations

• Family photo albums that parents receive during enrolment meeting with Building Opportunities staff must contain family photos and be accessible to children on book shelf and/or book basket. (Belonging)

• Children must always have a designated space to put their belongings (Belonging)

• Providers must consider the whole child, creating strategies to support children and encourage healthy development. This includes completing individual plans.  (Well Being)

• Providers must recognize emotions, provide comfort and offer a solution (Well Being)

• Value Self - Reflection (Well Being)

• Ensure children are active and engaged by providing activities encourage exploration (Engagement)

• Develop meaningful planning based on interest and development (Engagement)

• Providers must give children an opportunity to express their emotions and verbally recognize their emotions when guiding behaviour. (Expression)

• Providers must provide opportunities for children to express experiences (Expression)

• Providers must assist children in finding a solution when expressing/dealing with their own emotions (Expression) 

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