EARLY LEARNING at MACEWAN
Curriculum
Our curriculum is informed by Flight: Alberta's Early Learning and Care Framework. Flight was written for the Alberta government by a team of faculty from MacEwan University's Early Learning and Childcare program.
Play-based learning
Unlike traditional curriculums that focus on achieving a list of predetermined objectives and outcomes, we focus on creating an environment that fosters children's learning and development through play.
Play gives children the opportunity to express their understanding of their experiences, learn and practice skills, discover new challenges and communicate their ideas. It also helps them develop their motor, cognitive, social and emotional skills. Children decide whether they want to play independently or collaborate and dive into shared interests with other children.
We actively create opportunities for playful exploration, problem solving, and creativity. Children are encouraged to express themselves and their ideas through art, drama, storytelling, music and movement.
Mighty learners
Children are mighty learners. They are strong, resourceful and capable and our curriculum revolves around this sentiment. Children have the right to be listened to, to be treated with respect, and to participate in daily decisions that affect them. At ELM, we see learning and care as something we do alongside the children rather than something we do to or for them.
Inquiry-based curriculum
Our educators are involved in play and exploration alongside the children. This gives educators the opportunity to listen, observe, provoke and stimulate the children's thinking. Educators look beyond the object a child is playing with to consider the ideas, questions, theories and goals that are captivating the child. These observations inspire the creation of new projects, activities and learning experiences for the children.
Learning stories
The following learning stories illustrate how educator's curriculum decisions are shaped by co-learning alongside the child.
Documentation
Documentation of the children's daily experiences is an essential part of our program. Educators document the children's play and learning through photos, video and audio recording, anecdotal notes and artifacts made by the children. Children's thoughts, ideas and expressions and development are captured by the documentation.
This process enables us to deepen our understanding of how children investigate and explore the world around them and serves as a method to communicate with parents and the community about the work of the children and the centre.