Sippy Downs.

I have been a part of the Sparrow family since 2019 and have been within the Early Childhood Industry for my entire career which started back in 2005. I have always had a passion for helping young children succeed. Even as a child myself, I loved coaching netball and babysitting children whenever I could.

I have a passion for supporting children’s growth and development and empowering children to make their own choices and gain their own understanding of the world around them, while ensuring they are treated with the same respect as anyone else.

My teaching is based on interactions and relationships, opportunities, and the possibilities offered by the physical environment, routines and daily living experiences as well as the structure and flow of the day, and long periods of time for extended play.

I believe children are capable and resourceful learners, individuals within a family, culture and community and participants within a learning environment, which needs to be safe, provides opportunities to develop and grow through their interests, and which encourages and supports exploration and experimentation. Children are active learners who need opportunities to make choices about which aspects of the learning environment to focus on.

Therefore, I aim to provide a learning environment that is planned to encourage learning through interactions with materials, adults and peers, where children are encouraged to develop empathy and concern for others, and express themselves using a variety of mediums, some of which are visual and creative arts, music and movement, language, construction, scientific inquiries, dramatic play, literacy and mathematics.

Independence is encouraged and supported by providing children with genuine choice within the daily program; develop awareness of self as an individual and as a member of a group, through individual and group experiences and projects.

Children work at their own pace and pursue their interests and ideas individually or in co-operation with others, where established learning centres offer small spaces where small groups of children form valued relationships through their interactions with peers and adults, and clearly defined, well equipped interest areas are arranged to promote independence, foster decision making and encourage engagement and involvement.

The most rewarding aspect of my role is hearing the stories the children tell their families, about their day or something new they have learnt. It is a true reward to see a child immersed in an experience and creating their own ideas and understandings while using a variety of provisions within their day.

I am looking forward to meeting all of the new faces and families joining our growing Sparrow Family!