Our Early Learning Framework

Owl's framework for early learning and care is based on the Expert Panel Report, "Early Learning for Every Child Today" (ELECT).

The deliberations of the expert panel converged on six overarching principles.

Early child development sets the foundation for lifelong learning, behaviour and health.
Partnerships with families and communities strengthen the ability of early childhood settings to meet the needs of young children.
Respect for diversity, equity and inclusion are prerequisites for honouring children's rights, optimal development and learning.
A planned curriculum supports early learning.
Play is a means to early learning that capitalizes on children's natural curiosity and excitement.
Knowledgeable, responsive early childhood professionals are essential.

Our Approach

Our registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs) use play-based learning to maximize each child's developmental potential. Play-based learning " builds upon children's natural inclination to make sense of the world through play, where RECEs participate in play, guiding children's planning, decision-making and communications, and extending children's explorations with narrative, novelty and challenges" (p. 90).

Our program uses play themes as a starting point to guide learning and to provide a basic structure and program calendar to meet the needs of Owl members. Play themes are based on our obervations of the children and may be adjusted or repeated in response to their interest and natural curiosity. RECEs provide support and guidance as children plan their learning, engage with others, reflect on what they have learned and identify opportunities for new learning.

RECEs engage children in six primary areas of learning that support children as they move throughout the early years (i.e., 0 - 6 years).

creativity/innovation,
health & physical activity,
language (including an introduction to French and other languages)
numeracy,
personal and social development, and
science.

The areas of learning support development in the five domains - cognitive, emotional, language/communication, physical, and social - that are defined in Early Learning for Every Child Today. Click on the link below to see examples of skills for each learning area promoted during play-based and teacher-led activities.

Learning Areas-Developmental Domains-Skills

What is Emergent Curriculum?

Emergent Curriculum is a nontraditional style of teaching that allows children to discover the world around them through their own interests and passions.

Daily Schedule

Unlike a theme-based model where the daily schedule for each program room is quite structured, our play-based learning schedule allows for the basics: washroom routines, eating, rest time, outdoor time. The remainder of the day will focus on various learning centres. As a result, children can move through the different learning centre (such as creativity corner, block centre, dramatic play, etc). Having more flexibility allows the children to learn at their own pace and to extend their projects to continue throughout the day as need be.

More flexibility

It can be difficult to engage a group of children in a structured circle or learning activity, especially if we are taking them away from thier play-based learning activities and asking them to sit quietly and participate. In this scenario, the RECE often has to remind children to sit still and be quiet so everyone can hear. This type of learning environment is not effective for all children.

In a play-based learning philosophy, circle time activities will be done throughout the day and in smaller groups as children are interested. The calendar and days of the week might be reviewed over morning snack, while various cognitive games could be done at different times with different children. RECEs will use various strategies for their circle activities to see which strategies maximize the children's learning.

What is webbing?

The teacher's planning web is a diagram developed during brainstorming that is intended to be a reminder of the wide range of possible subtopics that the children can investigate about a given topic or play theme. The teacher's web includes concepts, ideas, information, and vocabulary related to the topic or play theme that the children are interested in. The teacher's planning web ensures that she thinks of a myriad of possible areas to extend the children's learning about a given topic.

Sample Teacher Planning Web

As the children begin to explore a new topic or play theme, the RECEs will engage them in planning through the creation of their own topic web. This allows the RECE to explore the children's current knowledge on a topic and what they would like to learn. The RECE will ask the children why they know about the topic, what more they would like to learn, how the different concepts relate to one another and who they could talk to or where they could visit to expand their learning.