Kaylee Elliott

 Hi! My name is Kaylee Elliott and I run an approved day home through Hanna Family Day Homes Inc. I have a passion for early learning and believe that every family should have access to quality, affordable childcare. I am currently in my last term of Red Deer Polytechnic’s Early Learning and Childcare Diploma program and am working towards earning a Bachelor of Education with an emphasis on early childhood education. 

I see children as capable, competent, curious individuals who bring with them unique funds of knowledge and believe that stable, responsive relationships are the foundation for learning. Children begin learning from the moment they are born, and their families are their “first teachers” and know their children better than anyone else so it’s vital that educators partner with families to provide the best care and education possible. All children should be able to see themselves and their families in their early childhood environments and should be able to make connections between what they know, and what they are learning. 

I believe that children develop holistically and at their own pace. With this in mind, I take a strength-based approach to help children reach their full potential. My goal is to create spaces and opportunities (through exploring the natural world around us) for all children to participate and make meaning in their own unique ways. Children learn through their experiences and interactions with others, with their environment and the materials within it, therefore I use a play-based learning approach and believe it’s my role, as an educator to facilitate learning by providing a responsive environment that gives children opportunities to explore and make meaning through multiple forms of representation using an emergent curriculum that follows their interests and developmental needs. It’s through intentional planning practices that a child-led, emergent curriculum can be developed. I am inspired by the practices of the Reggio Emilia approach, and I have incorporated Alberta’s Early Learning and Childcare Framework (Flight) into all of my programming. My vision for working with children is that I can instill within them a lifelong love of learning by fostering their curiosity, encouraging them to ask questions, and helping build their confidence and ability to find the answers.