Pachamama recently commissioned Child Australia to complete a ‘Quality Project’ on our Pachamama Activity Centre attended by school-aged children and infants.
A Professional Practice Consultant with Child Australia, Connie Borg, visited Pachamama in March 2023.
Over a four hour period, she focussed her attention on observing interactions with children and transitions, engaging with educators and children seeking information about the program, and assessing the ‘overall feel’ of the service. This process, although influenced by Pachamama’s current Assessment and Rating process, was not a ‘mock’ assessment and rating session but rather formed part of Pachamama’s self-assessment process through the provision of a written report summarising observations for reflection.
This exercise was very helpful for Pachamama! We thank Child Australia for their contribution to our self-assessment process and for the insights and encouragement provided. Connie’s feedback to Pachamama was heart-warming, constructive, and enlightening. It provided Pachamama with ideas for further reflection and improvement. Following her time with Pachamama, she offered the below contribution to Pachamamaity.
WOW!
Oh to be a school-aged child who has the opportunity to be a part of the Pachamama family. There are so many lovely things for the children to do both inside and outside that provide challenge, stimulate curiosity, and allow for individuality and group work while nurturing a love and respect of nature.
Pachamama’s fire ball sculpture for children to toast s’mores in the cooler winter months for a special treat.
The Pachamama environment oozes the essence of intentionality, which is crucial for children’s learning.
The educators speak with children respectfully, and genuinely care for and show interest in the children. The children, in turn, show respect and consideration for each other and the educators.
The children spoke highly of the program and explained that sometimes they just don’t want to go home!
Boorda noonook djinanginy (See you later).
written by Connie Borg, Professional Practice Consultant, Child Australia
In 2012, Kristen dedicated her life to co-creating what has now become the award-winning Pachamama. Her passion for the great outdoors, appreciation of other cultures, and understanding of the richness created through diversity have contributed to a new paradigm of early education and childcare in Australia.
Kristen understands how to transform a service that few children want to attend into a centre of excellence that few children want to leave She and her highly qualified and experienced Management Team have made Pachamama a home-away-from-home stepped in nature, creativity and diversity. In six short years, Pachamama has grown from around 20 children attending per day into 200 children attending per day. The Pachamama family includes around 50 employees and 700 active children from 325 families.
We are keen to help other Educators improve their practice by sharing what we have done and the philosophy behind our thinking and reasoning. With 150,000 international social media followers interested in Pachamama, Kristen has committed to writing this Pachamamaity blog to address topics and queries asked of us everyday.
Pachamamaity will focus on the building blocks that make Pachamama what it is with a hope it will inspire readers towards improvement; not to simply replicate, but to uniquely create according to their own passion, setting and community.
