Childhood should be a magical time of wonderment and learning. No one knows this more than Sue Stevely Cole, founder and director of Bear Park.
Entering the doors of a Bear Park, it’s surprisingly quiet, belying the fact that within the centres of each one are rooms where children aged from three months to five years are playing, sleeping, learning, laughing and creating.
The family owned establishment has spread its wings across 11 locations – 10 in Auckland and one in Dunedin – with more in the pipeline. “It’s very exciting,” says Sue, who started Bear Park in St Heliers in 1986. “Our latest centre opened in Hobsonville last year and we are extremely excited about the innovative educational designs for children.”
The educational programme at Bear Park is inspired by the New Zealand early childhood curriculum Te Whaariki and the Reggio Emilia Approach from northern Italy, which focuses on the educational method of using 100 languages, or – in layman’s terms – the recognition of the endless ways of self-expression outside of writing and speaking. They recognise that children are capable of learning in many different ways and encourage them to become lifelong learners, curious about the world around them, creating good self-esteem, self value and a thirst for knowledge.
“Children need the freedom to appreciate the infinite resources of their hands, their eyes and their ears, the resources of forms, materials, sounds and colours,” believes Loris Malaguzzi founder of Reggio Emilia.
“We have a strong team of professional and talented teachers who are very committed to the profession of early childhood,” says Sue. “They believe in the importance of the role they play within young children’s lives so are genuine and authentic in their teaching practice.
“Every day there’s something to reflect upon and see the beauty within,” she concludes. “Children have no inhibitions and we want them to have the time and space to be just that – a child.”