Meet our passionate, excited and reflective Morrinsville team. Our centre consists of three learning environments, which work closely alongside one another in partnership, to form one cohesive team. Each learning space has specialist kaiako who are professional developed in their age group of passion to ensure the best care and love for your tamariki.
Rangatira:
Morrinsville Management Team
Headed by Daynah, the Rangatira are the guardians of the mana of Old MacDonald’s, the guides for our practice and the drive behind our child centered environment.
Backed by a management team with the heart, experience and passion for early childhood education, the Old MacDonald’s team are supported to remain reflective and forward thinking, striving to deliver the best possible care for your precious tamariki.
Waitakaruru
Age 0-2
In the Waitakaruru, we believe in a kind and respectful partnership between adult and child. We do this through tender care moments, naturally paced motor development, free movement and uninterrupted play. This belief is derived from our understanding of the first 1000 days. This is a research based understanding that highlights the importance of infants developing a sense of safety, attachment and trust. Through this sense of belonging, children are able to build the pathways of becoming life-long learners. To support this research, we implement a true primary care model. Primary care relationships, in which each whaanau has a special teacher who is the guide for their daily care moments, such as, bottle feeding, sleep rituals and nappy changing. This supports and continues to grow and strengthen the heart-centered partnership between kaiako and tamiti.
Piako:
Age 2-6
Striving to ensure the tamariki of Kuranui and Piako feel heard, seen and loved the primary care philosophy of Old MacDonald’s is carried right through to our oldest tamariki. Honouring the gifts each child brings with them from their whānau and the learning experiences of those earlier years, the kaiako of Piako believe that this is a time of growth centred around exploring, navigating and mastering the three literacies. This concept is introduced by Pennie Brownlee as the “developmental unfolding of the child” where people literacy, eco literacy and cultural literacy are explored.
As Kaiako in Piako and Kuranui, we are in the privileged position to scaffold and support these literacies to evolve within our tamariki. Social competency or people literacy is what we consider this to be the greatest indicator for ‘school readiness’. This might look like our tamariki practicing and working through conflict resolution, negotiation, empathy, asking for help, turn taking, standing up for oneself and seeing from another’s perspective.
Kuranui:
Age 2-6
Striving to ensure the tamariki of Kuranui and Piako feel heard, seen and loved the primary care philosophy of Old MacDonald’s is carried right through to our oldest tamariki. Honouring the gifts each child brings with them from their whānau and the learning experiences of those earlier years, the kaiako of Kuranui believe that this is a time of growth centred around exploring, navigating and mastering the three literacies. This concept is introduced by Pennie Brownlee as the “developmental unfolding of the child” where people literacy, eco literacy and cultural literacy are explored.
As Kaiako in Piako and Kuranui, we are in the privileged position to scaffold and support these literacies to evolve within our tamariki. Social competency or people literacy is what we consider this to be the greatest indicator for ‘school readiness’. This might look like our tamariki practicing and working through conflict resolution, negotiation, empathy, asking for help, turn taking, standing up for oneself and seeing from another’s perspective.
Taupua:
to support
Old MacDonald's wouldn't be the same without the help and guidance of our amazing, heart-led humans, who support our tamariki and kaiako every way possible. Bringing a wealth of knowledge, skills and expertise to our team we are able to better support our tamariki to have access to a responsive and engaging environment.