Image of the Child
The ‘Image of the child’ is a guiding principle of the educational philosophy of Reggio Emilia, a powerful and prominent way of thinking about education at St Paul. Our image of a child determines how we work with and form relationships with children. If a teacher believes a child is able to make good choices, then they will let the child make choices, and take ownership and responsibility.
St Paul has developed a statement about children in our community, focusing on three trademark behaviors that we will hold ourselves accountable to. This will ensure our ‘Image of the Child’ comes to life on a daily basis.
Our Image of the Child at St Paul Lutheran School
At St Paul we believe that all children are inherently curious, intuitive, creative, playful, and unique. We recognise that these children come to school with their own passions, experiences and perceptions of the world and are capable of initiating and generating their own learning, and personal and social growth.
This image of the child shapes our relationships, values, and practices as we work to create a safe and inclusive school culture. Our image of the child will be visible in…
- Our relationships with all children in our community; We will be clear and respectful in our expectations and language and be ready to celebrate and restore relationships in the Lutheran tradition of grace and love.
- The environments we create for children; We will strive to create environments where curiosity, mistakes, and challenges are embraced and children feel valued and connected.
- The way we foster learning; We will create opportunities for children to explore and pursue individual and collective interests, as well as aspirations for learning.
