Greerton Early learning Centre
Key teachers/Whānau Kaiako
We ensure we nurture enduring relationships with our families and children by linking one teacher with each family from transition into our children’s centre until they move to school. Children build a sense of community because our teachers are committed to long term relationships year after year.
curiosity-focused learning
Nurturing life long learners
We actively encourage curiosity. It has an unpredictability component, it pushes boundaries, asks quirky questions, and has ideas that spark theories that actively engage learning minds. We value unhurried learning, where children have time to explore possibilities and expand their ideas.
Our children’s centre offers care and learning for children up to six in the heart of Greerton Village, Tauranga. We design experiences that nurture children’s resilience, resourcefulness, emotional and social well-being, and a growing sense of themselves as thoughtful, caring, and imaginative learners.
We set up our environment to enable children to experience elements of Surprise and Wonderment in our space (and beyond). Our intention is to provoke children’s curiosity, enabling them to feel a sense of ambiguity and awe in their surroundings. We work to create spaces that are rich with possibilities, where questions are asked and explored and where thoughtful risks are taken.
Essentially, we work very closely with families to ensure we are responsive to each child’s wellbeing and learning.
Exploring nature adventure learning
Smaller groups of children regularly explore favourite natural spaces because we think experiences in nature help us all to become eco-citizens who care about protecting our world.
Groups of ten children and two teachers visit a favourite nature space four days a week
Our Centre philosophy has always encouraged healthy exploration and respect for the outdoors, and we think regular adventures in nature are an essential way to foster and extend these ideas. Being out in an open space, immersed in nature, supports unlimited new opportunities for children to learn. As a result, love of nature grows, and children learn to protect what they love.
During these repeated experiences into our favourite natural sites, like Mauao, Ōtanewainuku, Ngamuwahine, and our farm sites, children develop a thirst for learning and a passion to push themselves to explore possibilities not tackled before. They learn to be eco-citizens and culturally responsive learners and to see themselves in relationship with Te Taiao/the natural world. Children learn the stories of these places and build a sense of connection, a sense that the natural world is precious, and they learn to tread softly in these majestic spaces.
