geraldine kindergarten news and views issue 12

7/28/2019 Geraldine Kindergarten News and Views Issue 12

1/12

news&viewsviews

geraldinekindergarten1.blogspot.com

Childrens working theoriesThe childs developing brain

A students world

Learning at the carpentry table

ISSUE 12 July 2013


2/12

NEWS & VIEWS Issue 12

GERALDINE KINDERGARTEN

News & Views Magazine25 Wilson Street, Geraldine 7930

HEAD TEACHER: Tracey Nelson

PHONE: 03 693 8888

EMAIL: [email protected]

BLOG:

geraldinekindergarten1.blogspot.com

GK NEWS & VIEWS ARCHIVES:

kindergartengeraldine1.blogspot.com

DESIGN & PRODUCTIONFi McCafferty

24 Hislop Street, Geraldine 7930

PHONE: 03 693 8237

EMAIL: [email protected]

Greatcommunity.

Greateducation.

Greatkids!

Greatcommunity.

Greateducation.Greatkids!

ContentsEDITORIAL:

The childs developing brain 2

IT TAKES A COMMUNITY TO RAISE A CHILD:

Gone fishing 3

A DAY AT KINDERGARTEN:

Childrens working theories 5A students world at Kindergarten 6

ALWAYS MORE TO LEARN:

Learning at the carpentry table 7

BEHIND THE SCENES:

AGM 2013 Report 9

HOME & KINDERGARTEN COMMITTEE:

A busy year so far! 10


3/12

A FEW WEEKS AGO Ashleigh and I wereprivileged to be part of a large audience inGeraldine who heard Nathan Mikaere-Wallis(X Factor Education Ltd) speak on thedeveloping brain.

The key message throughout Nathans

speech was how important the first threeyears of life are for a childs developingbrain. His workshop included some of theinteresting facts below:

Our genes only contribute to 30% of ourbrain make up; the other 70% comes fromthe transcript the brain develops from theway it interacts with its environment in thefirst three years. From the experiences

young children and babies have in thosefirst three years, the brain decides whichpart of it to keep and what it no longerrequires. The time when our brain is beingused to its fullest potential is when we areengaged in conversations, so the more ayoung child is interacting with a nurturingadult the brain thinks, This is a complexworld, Id better wire my brain to deal withall these interactions, and consequently

shapes itself. These interactions in the firsttwo to three years of life are ideally withthe person that they are most emotionallyattached to, i.e. a primary caregiver.

Nathan highlightedour upside downeducation systemwhere earlychildhood has the leastamount of funding and teacher

acknowledgment. Yet all the researchproves the first five years are the mostimportant. Nathan advocates for earlychildhood educators as the architect orsculptor of the brain, the rest of the schoolsystem as merely the polishers. Thisaffirms all we do here at Kindergarten.

Encouraging children to self-managerather than being managed by externalsources such as rewards or punishmentwas seen to be the most critical factor inhow successful a child became at 35 yearsof age. This was more important thanqualifications or IQ.

The reassuring news for all of us isgood enough parenting will ensure thatour childs brain will develop just fine.Neglect and abuse, however, will stop thedevelopment of the frontal cortex, i.e. the

area of the brain that controls intelligenceand self-regulation.

TRACEY NELSON

ABOVE:Althea and Hayley are bothusing their brain at its highest capacity

as they are engaged in conversation,

problem solving on the iPads.

It costs approximately $300,000

per year to keep a prisoner in jail.Approximately $3,000, as a one-offinvestment in every young child inNew Zealand, would decrease thelikelihood of them ending up inprison.

Babies are born with a brain thatweighs 350g. By adulthood itweighs 1.4kg, but by three yearsof age it already weighs 1.2kg.

Most outcomes in terms of thedeveloping brain threeplus yearsof age.

NATHAN MAKERE WALLIS

Interestingfacts:

The childs

developing brain

Editorial |2


4/12

WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE TO have ourKindergarten situated close to so manywonderful places of interest. As part ofour commitment to whanaungatanga/relationships, and following childrens

islands of interest, we have plannedto take small groups, a maximum of12 children at a time, with a teacher anda minimum of two adult support people,to visit places of interest on as manyFridays during the term as possible.Kindergarten policy stipulates the ratio ofone adult to four children (1:2 near water).The visits will be related to and enhancethe learning that is already happening at

Kindergarten. However, there will beoccasions when it is beneficial andappropriate to introduce the group tosomething new. We call this the

provocative curriculum. There will alsobe the opportunity for changes, allowingfor these experiences to be, authentic,spontaneous and fun.

If you are able to help with these outings,

please add your name to the weeklyroster on the sign-in desk. Somesuggestions and places visited so far, havebeen: park, library, museum, river-bedwith Fish & Game representative, artist,and Talbot Forest.

On Friday, 17 May, after a continuedinterest in fishing, researching facts onfish using the ipads, making fish with:

wood; ropes; sticks and paper; and sharingfishing stories at Kindergarten grouptimes, Louise, Liz and four parents(we were lucky that other whnau met

Nohonga tahitanga/establishing a sense of community.

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Gone fishing


5/12

us there, too) walked from Kindergarten

with 12 children to the Waihi riverfootbridge area.

The eager bunch of fisher-people weremet by Hamish from Fish & Game NewZealand. Hamish was well prepared, havingsamples of river life in containers ready forus and charts to help us identify what wewere looking at. There was a link made toKaitiakitanga, practises related to

environmental management, one ofthese practices being resource indicators,where resources indicate the state of theirown mauri/wellness. Hamish explainedhow stream life was an indicator of ahealthy stream and asked the childrenwhat there might be more of (fish) ifthese small creatures were there in largernumbers (the smaller creatures beingfood for the fish).

Next the real fun began. Ben and Hamishdressed in thigh waders, Hamish carryingthe expensive fish attractor on his back as

they waded in to attract. It wasnt long

before two eels and a brown trout werecaught. Once back on dry land, the catchwas placed in a tank. The childrens facespeered in at the fish and we had a time toobserve and talk. Hamish helped an eelrelax by using a special chemical, and wewere able to touch it, feel the sliminessand learn that fish should never be heldwith dry hands. The hour and a half was

jam-packed with learning and a

heightened awareness for what is veryclose to home. By recognising and valuingchildrens interests as authentic andimportant we were inspired andencouraged to find out more. Isnt thatwhat being life-long learners are all about?Connecting with our communities regularlycan only happen with your support. Kia orama tou awhina/thank you for helping.

LIZ MILLS

Deana Averill is GeraldinesCommunity Family Supportworker and comes toKindergarten every Tuesdaymorning from 8.309-30amfor an informal coffee session.

We hope you will come alongand join us.

You may have questions aboutparenting or behavioural issues,blended families, separation,thoughts about school, agenciesavailable in our community andin the wider community, how totalk about difficult issues withchildren... and more.

FamilySupport

it takes a COMMUNITY to raise a child |4


6/12

WHEN REFLECTING ON professionaldevelopment sessions presented by KerynDavis, I realised how fortunate our childrenare in the way that we teach now compared

to my first few years of teaching. When Lizand I trained, we studied topics and themesthat were determined by the teachers.A classic example was that for the season ofspring we made daffodils. These were madeby us, the teachers, cutting out the petalsand leaves and instructing/ encouragingchildren how to attach these to a straw andthen to glue a patty pan onto the petals afterthey had coloured them in. Yes, they learnt

that daffodils came up in the spring, but itwasnt the authentic learning that happensin our environment today.

The teaching style is quite different now,with us teachers supporting children in theirinterests as they play/work together. OurEarly Childhood curriculum (Te Whriki p44)states: Knowledge, skills and attitudes areclosely linked. These three aspects combine

together to form a childs working theory...

A working theory can develop in any areaof play, as a child has an idea, or an interest.If a child is curious about something they are

going to have a thirst for knowledge. Whatbetter way to do this than engaging inconversations with both their peers andadults. They can observe, listen, participate

and contribute with their ideas. It is throughthese interactions that they begin to makesense of how things work. Here are someof the childrens working theories aroundvolcanoes:

Its made of sugar and water.

It has hot, hot rocks.

Lava is very hot. It has rocks allaround so the water cant get to it.

Volcanoes are made out of rock andthe lava makes it come out. Actuallyearthquakes can make volcanoes.

If the lava goes down the hill itwill burn all the trees.

Working theories can become more complexas children change or add to their ideas afterlistening to others or revisiting experiences.It might take a few discussions before they,most likely in a roundabout way, come to thecorrect solution. A question to ponder: Dowe have to give them the correct answerstraight away? GAEL WILLIAMS

Childrens working theories

When hanging out the washingwith two children the sun

disappeared behind the clouds.I wondered, Where has the sun

gone? One told me, I think itsgone away because its sick of ustalking. The other child told me,

I think it is going to sleep.

5|

A childs voice

a DAY at Kindergarten


7/12

AS PART OF OUR ROLE as a teacher atGeraldine Kindergarten we are invited tosupport students from providers of EarlyChildhood study. They attend the centrefor 45 weeks at a time and have a greatopportunity to be involved in all aspectsof teaching and learning. During theirtime, they get to know the children andfamilies very well.

I have been really fortunate to have somewonderful students who have all broughtsomething special into the Kindergarten.Students have only a very small window

to introduce themselves and to get toknow the children, often choosing anactivity to find out things and buildrelationships. Last year one graduatesimply offered some coloured paper and abook that instructed how to fold paperplanes. She quietly sat and chatted withthe children and got to know a child whotalked about going in a helicopter. The

paper planes were visible for quite sometime because this particular student tooktime to totally engage with the children.Notably, she worked at the childrens paceeven as she questioned if she should keepdoing it. Children will keep returning tothings that not only they enjoy doing, butwho they like doing things with.

My Term 1 student, Brigetta Smith, beganby introducing caterpillars to our bareswan plants. She set up an area at thechildrens height and placed books linkingto the butterflys life cycle. This sparkedan interest for children and we saw

parents stop and read with their childrenas they made comparisons with thepictures and the reality. She wrote:

I have watched the amazing lifecycle ofthe Monarch Butterfly. We have all

watched with great wonder the changes

that have taken place and, through the

interest and queries of the children, have

learnt some amazing facts along the way.

To help find some of the answers

to these questions, the children and

I have looked up information on the

computer, in books and asked our friends.It is through watching the physical

changes and the finding of information

that the children are beginning to

understand more of the wider world and

how it works (natural science). They are

problem-solving by finding ways to

answer their own questions, contributing

as they work with and alongside their

peers in active discussion, and are

developing verbal communication skillsfor a range of purposes.

I have really enjoyed my time exploring

all of this with the children and their

whnau and want to thank them for

sharing their knowledge and experiences

with me.

Brigetta was amazed that the childrenwere interested for as long as they were;as they were with the planes. Childrenenjoy wallowing in activities and what isexciting is pondering all the possibilitiesof how to find out more. LOUISE SHERRATT

A students worldat Kindergarten

|6

Just ONE sneeze can travel up toSIX metres (610cm, to be exact),spreading mucus laden withviruses and bacteria into the air.This is why we need to teach our

children to catch their sneeze inthe crook of their elbow. Visitwww.sneezesafe.co.nz for moreinformation.

610cm


8/12


9/12

The INCREDIBLE YEARSParenting Programme is comingto Geraldine! So what is theprogramme about?

Its designed to develop positivefamily relationships, empowerparents to make change and tomanage difficult behaviour withpractical step-by-step suggestions,and help in handling everydaysituations parents face.

This programme is free; it will runduring the day from 14 August

4 December, 9.30am-12:30pm inGeraldine. Daycare for your non-schoolers is available. Please talkwith one of the teaching team orDeana Averill if you are interested.

|8

Callingall parents!

at the carpentry table?

As children work together to co-constructtheir ideas, they are practising skills that can

be transferred into real-world settings.

As children play at the carpentry tablethey are:

making decisions about design, shape andwhat materials to use, where they utiliseproblem-solving skills

gaining increasing control over theirbodies through development of hand-eye

co-ordination, manipulative skills, muscularstrength and development of fine andgross motor skills (e.g. holding a nail inplace requires small-muscle coordination,vital to aid the development of earlywriting skills)

developing mathematical and scientificknowledge, for example, the understandingof length, size, balance and force

learning to observe, predict andexperiment

building vocabulary for negotiation, askingquestions, expressing an idea

fostering creativity with a broad avenue ofpossibilities

learning/and or practising the concepts ofsharing and cooperating as they worktogether using the same materials

As children complete projects to their liking,they are building self-esteem. This is even

more powerful when their constructions areused in other play experiences.

These are just some of the possible learningoutcomes while children are engaged in playat the carpentry table. Encourage yourchildren to take pride in their creativemasterpieces (wherever they are created),show an interest and question theoriesbehind their creations! The carpentry area

provides a space where your children areable to learn skills and knowledge to supportthem on their journey through life.

ASHLEIGH McPHERSON


10/12

9| BEHIND THE SCENES from the Board of Trustees

R ES PEC T E XC EL LE NC E L EA DE RS HI P T EA MW OR K P ER SEV ER AN CE ACC ESS IB IL IT Y

Annual General Meeting 20132013 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

President: Matt MorrisonTreasurer: Max de BonthH&K Delegates Jess Talbot

Esther SabeyCommittee: Ash Pace

Allan ShortSarah PatrickSarah Vincent- Weaver

HIGHLIGHTS FROM 2012/2013

Congratulations to the teaching team forjoining the International Habits of MindLearning Community of Excellence. Thiswas an amazing effort and a special thank

you needs to go to Louise Sherratt forher leadership and input into this award.A wonderful celebration was held on June11 to mark this occasion. Over 50 familiesattended a shared lunch and it was greatto see so many people in theKindergarten. A special thank you goesto Michelle Prouting (for organising thefood), the Home & KindergartenCommittee and the teaching team for

making this day such a success. It wasalso great to have the opportunity tostrengthen our links with the High Schoolon this day. We were privileged to haveBianca Sheed and the Geraldine HighSchool Kapa Haka Group perform for us.

Interior painting has been completed.

The Home & Kindergarten Committeehas completed its second year and thesewonderful people need to be publicly

acknowledged and thanked for thefantastic job that they do for ourKindergarten. This committee plays a vitalrole in the success of GeraldineKindergarten and on behalf of the BoardI would like to thank them very much.I would also like to pay tribute to Karen

Pace, who has recently stepped downfrom her role as co-ordinator of thiscommittee. Karen has contributed somuch over the last two years and herwork has been greatly appreciated.

The 2012 Annual Plan has beencompleted and our General Manager,Helen May, has undertaken an appraisalprocess based on this Annual Plan. Sarah

FoleySmith and myself oversaw thisappraisal process and we were verypleased with the outcomes.

New Zealand Kindergartens held theirNational Conference in Wellington, inAugust. Gael Williams, Helen May andmyself attended this event. It was anextremely well organised conference thatprovided great opportunities to network

with other associations and learn moreabout our role of governance.

Tracey Nelson appointed to the role ofHead Teacher (November 2012).

Ashleigh McPherson achieved her fullteacher registration.

MATT MORRISON, GDFKA BOT PRESIDENT

Extract From Matt Morrisons AGM Report. Full copies of the

AGM papers are available to view at the Kindergarten.

2013 TERM DATES

TERM 1: 22 January - 19 April

TERM 2: 6 May - 12 July

TERM 3: 29 July - 27 September

TERM 4: 14 October - 20 December

Check outthiss

ite:


11/12

R ES PEC T E XC EL LE NC E L EA DE RS HI P T EA MW OR K P ER SE VE RA NC E ACC ESS IB IL IT Y

In the first term of the year we saidfarewell to our Home & KindergartenCommittee Co-ordinator Karen Pace.We greatly thank her for the fantastic andpositive leadership she brought to the

committee, and we wish her well with herfuture endeavors.

Janene Adams has now taken on the roleof Committee Co-ordinator, and we lookforward to organizing many more funevents in the future.

Term Two started with a fun Disco at theGeraldine Primary School Hall, which was

organized by the Home & KindergartenCommittee. We had a fabulous turn out ofchildren along with parents, and fun washad by all! The committee had greatenjoyment in organizing this event, and we

hope to hold another disco in the future asthe feedback has been very positive.

Thank you to everyone who purchased a2013 Kindergarten Tea Towel from thefundraiser leading up to Mothers Day.This has been a great fundraiser, and hasbeen well supported by the kindergartenfamilies. More tea towels will be availablefor purchase later in Term Three.

For your diary:

For yourinformation:

Keep your calenders clear inOctober this year, for the Home& Kindergarten Committee majorfundraising event:

THE HOME ANDKITCHEN WALK 2013

This will be on Sunday 13 Octoberand our main sponsor this year isMilestone Homes. This event is agreat profile raiser for theKindergarten within the community,and offers the opportunity to viewsome fabulous kitchens in new andolder homes.

If you are interested in joining ourcommittee to help run this special

event and meet new people at thesame time. Or, if you have a kitchenwhich you would love to have onshow on the day, contact Janene at693 7693 or 022 614 1590.

BEHIND THE SCENES from the Home & Kindergarten Committee |10

A busy year so far!

See our noticeboard in theKindergarten entrance for anyupcoming events, meeting detailsand a list of the committeemembers. We welcome anyonewho would like to become moreinvolved with the Kindergarten to

join us and have fun whilemaking a difference. Pleasecontact Janene at 693 7693 or

022 614 1590.


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Wilson Street, Geraldine 7930 PHONE: 03 693 8888 EMAIL: [email protected] BLOG: geraldinekindergarten.blogspot.com

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geraldine kindergarten news and views issue 12

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