Karen

Karen is a trained and experienced Primary School Teacher having taught in the junior school for over 19 years. Now a ‘stay at home’ mum and popular Home Educator, residing in Johnsonville with her husband and daughter.

Karen’s home environment is wonderfully resourced for children of all ages. Karen provides rich learning experiences that extend on children’s interests and are supported in an environment that provides for both indoor and outdoor play. The covered outdoor space provides for play in the sunshine with shade and protection from the rain and wind on cooler days. Outside you will find a playhouse, swing, water wall, and picnic table where the children often come together for shared morning tea and lunch. The children also have an opportunity to develop a relationship and learn about animals, as Karen houses chickens in her backyard too.
Creating art work using paint, glue and a variety of collage materials is also a regular occurrence. The children also enjoy pretend play, where tents are set up indoors and outdoors, so they can go camping and fishing. Baking opportunities are also an option, whether real or pretend with play dough. Karen is lead by the children’s daily interests, so reading stories, singing, dancing, doing puzzles and playing games happen on a daily basis.

On a daily basis Karen and the children enjoy exploring their local community (parks, playgrounds) and all it has to offer, and making connections to everyday happenings. This learning is later transferred back into Karen’s home with further exploration and investigations.

Karen is a firm believer that children learn best in the home with their family. That they need a warm, nurturing environment where they can establish strong familial bonds. Karen also believes that those secure relationship bonds can be developed in a small group with one carer, in a safe place, where their learning and developmental needs are seen and met in a Ioving and fun way. Karen places great value on children learning through play and exploration, as they learn about the world around them and provides a programme that matches the individual child’s interests and needs. It is clear Karen is passionate about creating an environment where “Children in my care become part of my family and I strive to provide that loving and secure relationship for them.”

Karen has been fully safety screened including a face to face interview, police vetting, identity verification have has been fully inducted.  A full risk assessment has been undertaken to ensure she is safe and suitable to work with young children.