About
Here you will find detailed information about the Seamless Day Program at Hollyburn Elementary School. Use the following links to jump ahead to each section.
Vision and Philosophy
Language and Definitions
The language used in the Early Learning Framework and in the Seamless Day program is intentional as it helps in expressing new ways of thinking about the complexities of childhood care and learning. Using new language can offer different ways of seeing, which can inspire new conversations, enriching discussions and deepening understanding.
Living Inquiries
Living Inquiries is the term used to describe the learning and thinking that takes place when educators, children, ideas and materials correlate. The Seamless Day program provides children with meaningful opportunities for thinking and learning. As the curriculum is child-led, children are encouraged to use inquiry and curiosity to explore their own interests. The term “living” is used as it accurately represents the continuous and dynamic learning taking place. The term “inquire” means to pay attention in multiple ways, through exploring, studying, experimenting and questioning.
Pathways
Each Living Inquiry has various Pathways. This term is new to the Early Learning Framework and replaces the term “Learning Goals.” “Pathways” has been deemed more appropriate as it represents the somewhat unpredictable movements associated with early learning, as opposed to the concept of linear or consecutive learning.
Pedagogy
The term Pedagogy can be defined as the practice, or method, of teaching through exploration and creating environments that encourage questioning and thinking so that learning can flourish.
Pedagogical Narration
Pedagogical narration refers to the method of recording moments of play. It is the process of observing and collecting moments throughout the day and sharing these with children, families and colleagues. Pedagogical narration makes learning visible. It is the driving force for reflective practice and informed planning.
All World Relations
The concept of All World Relations is instilled in a Common Worlds framework. All World Relations is the understanding that humans, creatures, plants, trees and nonliving entities, forces and land-forms are all interconnected. It alludes to the idea that all being and nonliving entities are interconnected and dependent on one another.
Program Development
Why Play-Based?
Play is essential for children's holistic development and should have a central role in Early Childhood Education and Care. The benefits of play are recognized in current research and the lived experiences of children and their educators. Play is considered so essential in the early years that it is embedded into the Convention on the Rights of the Child and is promoted by Public Health organizations world-wide. The Play to Learn philosophy has been studied for decades, and data consistently shows the power and complexity of learning that occurs through play. The B.C government understands the importance of play, its role in high quality care and education, and are committed to providing structural and organizational supports that encourage play in the early years.
Play allows children to gain understanding of themselves and the world they live in and is linked to multiple domains of development. These domains of development include social, emotional, physical, cognitive and language. The Early Learning Framework uses the term Living Inquiries to define areas of learning as well-being and belonging, engagement with others, materials and the world, communication and literacies, identities, social responsibility and diversity.
Not only does play open the door for children’s learning, it also provides opportunities for educators to engage and expand on their learning. When educators observe and join children in their play, they gain insight into their existing understanding of the themes they are exploring. Since play is child-directed, their levels of engagement are high, providing optimal conditions for learning so long as it relates to what they are doing. Educators can ask questions to encourage critical reflection and prompt new wonderings and ideas for children. As the nature of play is very much dynamic and alive, educators continuously assess and reassess children’s motivations, interests, and abilities while supporting the development of new learning.
Means of Documentation and Planning
Play presents itself in many forms and plays a critical role in young children’s development. In order to document the learning taking place, educators carefully observe and record moments of play by paying close attention, listening carefully and recording detailed descriptions of the dialogue and activities in real time. In doing so, the educator forms a deeper understanding of the child's individual needs, abilities and interests.
Pedagogical narration brings observations to life by gathering other means of data such as photographs, videos and artwork. These recorded moments of play make learning visible and can be shared with parents, colleagues and children. It allows for reflective practice and plays a crucial role in planning.
Planning involves creating and maintaining a safe space that encourages curiosity and engagement. From there, educators follow children's lead in terms of interests and activities, and continuously provide more opportunities to further explore their wonders.
Links to BC Education Core Competencies
The BC Education Curriculum Core Competencies are Communications, Thinking, and Personal and Social. These Core Competencies exist for students from kindergarten through high school and benefit them for years beyond their public education.
Communication is the set of abilities students use to impart and exchange information, experiences and ideas, and to explore the world around them.
Thinking is the knowledge, skills and processes we associate with intellectual development and includes specific skills as well as habits of mind and metacognitive awareness.
Personal and Social are the sets of abilities that relate to students’ identity in the world, both as individuals and as members of their community and society. Students need these abilities to thrive as individuals, to understand and care about themselves and others, and to find and achieve their purposes in the world.
The Seamless Day program, with emphasis on holistic well-being and inquiry-based learning, promotes these values and gives students safe and supportive environments to explore the Core Competencies in ways that are meaningful to them. Educators will guide students’ learning by encouraging experimentation and discovery while asking critically reflective questions.
Links to West Vancouver School's Core Values
The Seamless Day program at Hollyburn Elementary School reflects the vision and values of the West Vancouver School District. At West Vancouver Schools, the focus is on who you are and who you want to become. It is believed that inspiring a sense of discovery should begin at day one, and should continue through graduation and beyond. In the early years, there should be focus on self-regulation, inquiry, and community, as well as athletics, arts, and philanthropy. These focal points help maintain balance for children’s development and allow for optimal learning results. West Vancouver Schools are committed to providing nurturing, stimulating and exciting learning environments for Early Learners.
These values and commitments led to the Seamless Day pilot project, launched in April 2021. West Vancouver Schools, being one of only four districts in the province to take part in this initiative, recognized its value and potential, as it aligned so well with their existing philosophies and existing early years programs. The Seamless Day program brings life to West Vancouver Schools’ vision by providing high quality, consistent care. This continuous presence and engagement allows for more calm and predictable routines and support, enabling children to thrive.
Collaboration
Collaboration with Parents and Families
Families are the most important influence in terms of children's well-being and development. Parents and guardians know their children best, so their collaboration with educators is extremely helpful in providing them the knowledge and tools they need to care for children and promote their learning and well-being as effectively as possible.
Strong partnerships between educators and families benefit children in countless ways. By collaborating with parents, educators can create an inclusive environment that feels safe and comfortable for children, instilling a sense of belonging. In the Seamless Day program, we have a bulletin board that displays pictures and information about the children's families. This allows the child to see themselves and their home lives reflected in the care environment.
At the Seamless Day program, educators use the pedagogy of listening in order to form and maintain relationships with parents and families. It is important that parents feel heard and know that their opinion and input is valued greatly. By talking to parents on a daily basis, it gives both parties the opportunity to share and receive important information about the child. This information can be anything from daily circumstances to noticeable patterns of behaviour and everything in between.
Involving parents in documentation is also an important aspect of effective collaboration. By sharing observations, parents can get an insight into their child’s day to day activities, allowing them to feel more involved in their child's learning and development. The documentation shared will have direct links to the Early Learning Framework, allowing for easy understanding and specific examples of growth. Documentation will be shared verbally, through monthly letters home, and by written passages and pictures posted on our bulletin board and website.
Finally, collaboration between educators and families promotes a number of positive messages for children. When they see their parents are actively involved in their learning, children understand that their education is valued. When children hear their parents talking with their educators, connections between caregivers are formed, and greater senses of belonging and security develop. Collaboration between educators and families also models positive relationships and team-work.
Collaboration with Teacher and Colleagues
Collaboration between teachers and Early Childhood Educators is extremely helpful to both parties involved and benefits the children they care for greatly. Sharing information about learning, emotions, and behaviours allow educators to have well-rounded understanding of children and their needs and abilities. The more they can know and understand, the better care and support they can give.
Connecting with teachers also allows Early Childhood Educators to link with themes and learning happening in the classroom. If there is an interest in the classroom (such as plants or outer space), it can then be incorporated into the Seamless Day program and expanded upon when possible. With smaller group sizes, Early Childhood Educators have more opportunities to work on specific skills if teachers suggest more time or exposure may be beneficial to children. Since the program is play-based, it is easier to have fun with learning and do so in ways that are more natural and less structured than in the classroom.
At the same time, Early Childhood Educators share their observations with teachers who may in turn use their insight as reference while planning lessons, making daily schedules, and so on. Since Early Childhood Educators have more specific training in social emotional well-being and holistic development, the teachers they work with can use their knowledge and experience to build a learning environment that is more nurturing for younger children and is better suited to their unique needs.
