Monthly Archives: February 2010

Books and reading

Posted on by under Uncategorized
books have titles, words are important

books have titles, words are important

When we all get together on the mat at the end of the day, the children choose a book and look at it while they wait…a transition activity that has become an important part of our session. Elliott had asked me from across the group what her book was called, and Mia then asked me about hers – and then there was a continuing stream of “what’s mine called?” and a real sense of satisfaction as they took in the title, sometimes repeating the title to themselves or to their neighbour. (Mia went on to borrow this book to read at home).

Reading is often a social activity at this age

Reading is often a social activity at this age

 

Books should be a huge part of a child’s preschool experience, at home and at kinder – they offer so much rich imaginative stimulation to a child’s language, thinking, social and emotional development…

 

 

 

The children can now borrow a book each day from the kinder library, if they bring a book bag – and most have already started to manage the process of borrowing for themselves with just a bit of supervision from mum, nana, a teacher or another parent.

Rhiarnee is learning to manage our borrowing procedures

Rhiarnee is learning to manage our borrowing procedures

The 2010 kinder kids are coming, ready or not…

Posted on by under Transitions

group inside room057Kinder’s back! Our first week was very busy – and not everyone was here! Short meetings with parents and children last week, a working bee for parents, a set-up day for staff and now with 2 sessions down, we are into the year.

Many of the children were enrolled in pre-kinders in Term 4 last year – their familiarity with the place and the people has helped them start to feel like a group who fit together, and who understand the basic routines and expectations of this new environment. The children have their own expectations about kinder too, of course – several have asked when the kinder chooks are coming back!

The home corner is so important for developing play and relationships.

The home corner is so important for developing play and relationships.

The children who haven’t been here before are benefiting from this calm  atmosphere  – and we are all getting to know each other through small and large group activities as well as closer personal support from staff for  beginning friendships.

 

 ONE  SNAPSHOT  OF LEARNING…

Thomas is proud, and Aiden is enjoying the moment too.

Thomas is proud, and Aiden is enjoying the moment too.

Thomas was trying to build a tower – it kept falling over. I asked him if he could show me how he was building it – so he started off again, a bit more slowly this time, and 1-2-3-4 cylinders balanced. Aiden was watching – he saved the tower with some quick reflexes when number 5 started to make it sway, and Thomas shifted the top one just a little bit and then added another – which balanced! Then another…and then he had a home for an echidna. Thomas and Aiden added a triangle piece then went back to the idea of putting the echidna up there – other children were interested in the idea of creating homes for different animals by now and the boys moved onto other ideas – working together now instead of separately.

So, where was the learning? there was maths and language (counting the blocks, naming the cylinders and triangles, recognising the unique properties of each, spatial knowledge, measuring the height – not as tall as the boys but nearly, words like “sway” and “balance”)  fine-motor control, respect for our environment (not focussing on the bash and crash of destroying a tower, but rather interest in using the materials for a constructive purpose), developing enjoyment and confidence in new friendships and shared interests, a growing  sense of agency (an ability to make choices, have ideas, construct or create and make a difference in one’s environment).

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