The well-being of children is extremely important to Educara. We provide a safe and nurturing environment, always maintaining the child to caregiver ratios set out by the Ministry of Education. Our programs meet and exceed all health and safety requirements of the Ministry of Education and local government bylaws.
Being Montessori based, our programs naturally incorporate avenues for self-help and self-care, following the child’s need, interest and ability. One of the most important components of the Montessori philosophy is to “follow the child”. As caregivers we are there to guide and observe children, not to impose our will or choice of activity upon them. To quote Maria Montessori – “The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one’s self.”
Therefore, we promote positive self-help and self-care, reinforcing a child’s sense of accomplishment and independence.
Our program also supports children’s self-regulation, coaching them to deal with stress and remain calm, alert and ready to learn. Our classroom environments and caregivers promote calm, focused, interested children who are alert, able to modulate their emotions, pay attention, ignore distractions, inhibit their impulses and understand the consequences of their actions.
We understand that well-being does not only apply to the time the child spends in our care. Therefore, we encourage our staff to reach out to all families. For those families who may be experiencing stressful and challenging circumstances, Educara is committed to helping them make connections to formal support (e.g., Family Services Ottawa) and informal support through connections with other families. groups and community members.
To ensure our staff can better understand and ameliorate social and emotional well-being and resilience for children and families, Educara regularly uses PA days for participation in professional training. Further, we continuously connect with community partners and families through informational and special events throughout the year.
