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Pre Kindergarten St John’s School Scarborough
Mrs Olivia Harnwell & Mrs Marty Singleton
Welcome to St John’s Pre Kindergarten in 2019
We are very much looking forward to sharing this exci8ng journey with your family. Pre Kindergarten is o=en a child’s first experience in an educa8onal seAng and we believe it should be a happy and posi8ve one that fosters a love of learning. We strive to create a caring, safe, s8mula8ng environment to nurture your child’s disposi8on to wonder, to explore and construct meaning about the world. We celebrate childhood by providing a developmentally appropriate program that values and respects the uniqueness of each.
Pre Kindergarten Educators: Our program provides a qualified Early Childhood Educator (Mrs Harnwell) and an Educa8on Assistant (Mrs Singleton).
Where: Pre Kindergarten is located on school grounds and uses school facili8es. Access to the Kindergarten room is via the Church car park, through the gate aNached to the presbytery and down the ramp to the ECE Grounds.
What to bring to each session:
-‐ Large bag with enough space to hold the following items... -‐ Change of seasonal clothes including underwear in a reusable waterproof bag. -‐ One piece of fruit to share with the class. -‐ A healthy and nut free morning tea with water boNle. -‐ A labelled sun hat with a wide brim or legionnaires tail. -‐ Apply sunscreen at home. We will reapply at Pre Kindergarten.
Those aNending a full day will also need: -‐ A packed nut free lunch (separate container from that of morning tea). -‐ A small muslin wrap or blanket during relaxa8on 8me.
“Wonderment refers to those experiences that capture the imagination, and inspire awe,
curiosity, thought and innovation” -Dinham & Chalk, 2017.
Session Times
Pre Kindergarten operates on Thursdays and Fridays during each school term.
Morning sessions run from 8:50am - 11:45am. Full day sessions run from 8:50am - 2:50pm.
Food Op8ons: We recommend packing a healthy morning tea and lunch in separate containers. We encourage op8ons such as fruit, chopped vegetables, cheese, dried fruit, yoghurt or crackers for morning tea. Lunch might consist of a sandwich, roll or wrap. Try to keep packaged and sugary foods to a minimum where possible.
N.B. St John’s Catholic Primary School is a “nut aware” school. Please remember that many children are allergic to nut products. Food with nuts or traces of nuts should not be brought to our school for snacks or lunch. This includes peanut buIer and Nutella.
Encouraging Independence: We will foster independence by encouraging the children to do things for themselves such as packing their bags, unpacking their lunch boxes, opening drink boNles, dressing themselves and using the toilet independently. You can encourage your child to be independent by providing morning tea containers, lunch containers, water boNles, clothing and footwear that are easy for your child to use independently. Velcro is excellent for shoes.
Toilet Training: We understand that not all three year olds are completely toilet trained. We are happy to support the children in this learning process and if children are not completely toilet trained we encourage the wearing of “pull ups” to assist with their independence. Parents will be contacted and asked to aNend in the case of soiling.
Labelled Clothing: Please ensure that all items belonging to your child, including shoes are clearly labelled. Children should aNend wearing clothes that are weather appropriate, comfortable and that you do not mind geAng wet, painted or glued. We use aprons and every precau8on will be taken to protect your child’s clothing but accidents do happen.
Birthdays: Birthdays are a special 8me in the lives of young children. To celebrate your child’s birthday you may like to send in cupcakes for each child. Children need to know that there are “some8mes” foods and on special occasions we eat these. In line with this thinking, we are happy to have children celebrate birthdays at schools, but we ask that you only send one treat. It may be a small cupcake or fun-‐sized chocolate bar. If your child has allergies, could you please provide us with a supply of labelled, alterna8ve birthday treats that can be stored in the classroom.
Toys: It is best if personal toys are le= at home. Bringing toys to Pre Kindergarten may create arguments and the accidental damage or loss of a toy can be very upseAng for your child. We will set up plenty of beau8ful provoca8ons and play seAngs for the children.
SeIling-‐in: One of the first things a Pre Kindergarten child needs to learn is how to be away from his/her parents or primary caregiver. This may take a liNle 8me for some children. It is very important that each child feels happy and comfortable in the Pre Kindergarten environment. The staff will work closely with parents/caregivers to ensure that your child is given the best chance to seNle in at their own pace.
Sickness: If your child is unwell please do not send them to Pre Kindergarten. Coughs, colds and flu can spread very quickly in an early childhood environment. Please let us know if your child has an infec8ous/communicable disease so that other parents can be no8fied. The Public Health Department recommends exclusion from school for many common infec8ous diseases as listed below... -‐ Chicken Pox: Un8l scabs have healed;
-‐ Conjunc8vi8s: Un8l discharge from eyes have ceased;
-‐ German Measles/Measles: Un8l four days a=er onset of rash;
-‐ Glandular Fever: Un8l child is well;
-‐ Hand Foot and Mouth Disease: Un8l all blisters have crusted;
-‐ Head Lice: Un8l treatment has commenced;
-‐ Mumps: At least nine days a=er onset of symptoms;
-‐ Ring worms: Un8l the day a=er treatment has commenced;
-‐ Scabies: Un8l mites and eggs are destroyed;
-‐ Whooping Cough: For two weeks from onset of illness or five days a=er star8ng an8bio8c treatment.
Medical Condi8ons/Allergies: Please let the school office and class teacher know of any allergies or medical condi8ons so that an ac8on plan for your child may be put into place if necessary.
Change of details: Please no8fy the school immediately of any change of residen8al address, emails or phone numbers for yourself and any other people nominated as a contact. This is impera8ve throughout your child’s schooling in case of emergencies.
Parent Roster: It is always lovely to have you join us in class as ‘Parent Helper’. We suggest that this occur once your child is comfortably seNled into the class though. There may be a 8me when your name is drawn out of a hat (once) for washing the numerous towels and bathroom mats too so we hope you are ok to help out in that regard.
Parent Ques8onnaire: We respect that parents have a lot of valuable informa8on about their child which can help us in our planning. We would appreciate it if you could complete a ques8onnaire that will be provided in the informa8on pack when you commence Pre Kindergarten and hand it to the teacher ASAP. Informa8on and views provided to us by you are confiden8al.
Guiding Children’s Behaviour: Responsible freedom is encouraged through the development of self-‐confidence, self-‐reliance and self-‐regula8on in a safe and secure democra8c seAng where children have clearly defined limits. Our role is to encourage posi8ve behaviour and interac8ons through posi8ve reinforcement. We believe in a child’s right to talk about their feelings and frustra8ons with uncondi8onal acceptance. Children will be given verbal reminders of appropriate behaviours and if necessary will be given assistance to appropriately assert themselves to others.
Our Pre Kindergarten program will cover all learning domains within the “EARLY YEARS LEARNING FRAMEWORK FOR AUSTRALIA”. Fundamental to the Framework is a view of children’s lives as characterised by Belonging, Being and Becoming.
BELONGING... Experiencing belonging – knowing where and with whom you belong – is integral to human existence. Children belong first to a family, a cultural group, a neighbourhood and a wider community. Belonging acknowledges children’s interdependence with others and the basis of rela8onships in defining iden88es. In early childhood, and throughout life, rela8onships are crucial to a sense of belonging. Belonging is central to being and becoming in that it shapes who children are and who they can become.
BEING...Childhood is a 8me to be, to seek and make meaning of the world. Being recognises the significance of the here and now in children’s lives. It is about the present and them knowing themselves, building and maintaining rela8onships with others, engaging with life’s joys and complexi8es, and mee8ng challenges in everyday life. The early childhood years are not solely prepara8on for the future but are very much about the present.
BECOMING...Children’s iden88es, knowledge, understandings, capaci8es, skills and rela8onships change during childhood. They are shaped by many different events and circumstances. Becoming reflects this process of rapid and significant change that occurs in the early years as young children learn and grow. It emphasises learning to par8cipate fully and ac8vely in society.
Early Childhood philosophy at St John’s:
A Catholic early childhood program endeavours to provide an environment and educa8onal experience that is concerned with the development of each child as a whole person and which acknowledges his/her innate spirituality. It seeks also to foster a religious awareness through meaningful everyday life experiences.
The religious educa8on experience endeavours to complement and support that which is offered through the home environment. Early childhood educa8on lays the founda8on for further schooling and provides the ini8al interface between home and school in a child’s life. Recognising parents as the first educators of their children, early childhood educa8on seeks to build upon home learning.
In establishing programs for young children it is important to remember that Catholic schooling is inten8onally directed to the holis8c development of children from within, assis8ng them to become fully integrated humans.
Children will learn to:• separate from parents with confidence;• mix appropriately with other children and
adults; • express themselves through language; • par8cipate in movement and art ac8vi8es; • prac8ce their independence skills such as ea8ng,
washing and looking a=er personal belongings; • share with others and wait their turn; • choose ac8vi8es for themselves; • listen to others; • follow direc8ons and express their own needs; • explore the learning process in their own 8me;
and• co-‐operate with the Pre Kindergarten rou8ne.
Children will: • spend some 8me indoors and outdoors at each
session;• par8cipate in shared snack 8me and eat their
own lunch together; and • par8cipate in structured, whole group mat
sessions.
The aims of Early Childhood Educa8on are: • To encourage children to become self-‐reliant
and to be able to make choices;• To promote learning in the areas of language
use and its associated skills; • To assist each child to develop the appropriate
skills in the spiritual, social, emo8onal, language, intellectual, crea8ve and physical domains;
• To provide an environment and educa8onal experience which acknowledges the innate spirituality of every child, fosters the child’s ability to wonder, experience awe, overcome difficul8es, to love others and God;
• To ensure children develop a strong sense of iden8ty;
• To ensure children are connected with and contribute to their world;
• To assist children to develop a strong sense of wellbeing;
• To encourage children to become confident and involved learners;
• To support children to become effec8ve communicators; and
• To encourage children to develop a posi8ve self-‐image.
What does the program provide?
Our Pre Kindergarten program provides an exci8ng range of developmental experiences to encourage fun and laughter, effort and concentra8on, outdoor and indoor play and ac8vi8es, together with peaceful, quiet 8me amongst the excitement of a busy day. The program caters for solitary, small group and whole group experiences.
How do we surround the growing mind with what it needs for growing? In Pre Kindergarten, our teaching philosophy recognises the need to build upon and challenge children’s exis>ng knowledge, experiences, ideas and understandings within a purposeful learning environment that is rich in possibili>es. This is achieved through dedica>ng me>culous aCen>on to children’s personal, social, emo>onal, physical, spiritual, crea>ve and cogni>ve aspects of learning when planning, teaching and assessing.
We are very much guided by the educa>onal goals within the Melbourne Declara>on that have shaped our na>onal curriculum documents, including the Early Years Learning Framework. We believe in promo>ng excellence to ensure every child is not only a successful learner but also a confident, crea>ve, ac>ve and informed ci>zen. We know this vision can be achieved when together… we look carefully… move with thoughNul inten>on… follow our intui>on… and find joy in meaningful inves>ga>ons. Our teaching philosophy values the need for children to be co-‐researchers who are immersed in collabora>ve inves>ga>ons where
they build their knowledge over >me in a beau>ful, s>mula>ng, purposeful and personalised environment that uniquely nourishes the spirit and all of the senses. It is in this environment that children can be supported and challenged to excel in learning and have the confidence to take risks.
We believe that purposeful play must be at the heart of our Pre Kindergarten program as it is through play that children can express themselves, act out scenarios, reverse roles, assimilate reality, achieve what they thought was impossible and find solace in play. These play experiences allow children to experiment with language, develop and refine their physical skills whilst also enabling them to acquire interpersonal skills such as sharing, coopera>ng, turn taking, empathising and considering others. Disposi>ons of dedica>on, self-‐discipline and determina>on also arise when children are afforded with >me to immerse themselves in play. These play-‐based learning experiences are intricately interwoven into an array of meaningful learning explora>ons that invite inquiry with clear learning inten>ons.
St John’s Pre Kindergarten Teaching Philosophy
“A child’s mind, like a flower, is a living thing. We can’t make it grow by sticking things onto it any more than we can make a flower grow by gluing on leaves and petals. All we can do is
surround the growing mind with what it needs for growing, and have faith that it will take all it needs to grow” -Author unknown.
Connec>ng with nature is another integral component of our teaching philosophy. Extensive research over the years has documented the developmental benefits of nature play. Cogni>vely, children can demonstrate improved concentra>on, higher-‐order thinking and problem-‐solving skills when targeted curriculum outcomes are carefully embedded in nature pedagogy. Crea>vity is nurtured when children are able to read, write, draw, invent plans and make maps to express their ideas. Nature play promotes the development of gross and fine motor skills, balance, coordina>on and also encourage risk taking. In terms of sustainability, deep connec>ons to nature enable children to develop their love and respect of the earth. Provision of recycled materials and loose parts foster a sense of agency when children are involved in open-‐ended inquiries when they are given >me to ins>gate their own play. Finally, nature play has a profound effect on children’s mental health and well-‐being by
reducing stress and encouraging a sense of aCachment to a place.
The early years are a >me when children first aCempt to make sense of the world. It is therefore cri>cal that this is acknowledged and accommodated by providing children with individual and collabora>ve learning experiences. Individually, children are challenged with a personalised and equitable program tailored to their individual needs. Through independent endeavours and with guidance from Gardner’s Mul>ple Intelligences Theory, children can explore their unique giWs and talents. Our early childhood program respects diversity and difference by ensuring every child is given fair and equitable opportuni>es to exceed. We love sharing stories that reinforce our differences and celebrate our unique iden>>es. In collabora>ve play-‐based learning explora>ons, children connect, engage and inspire each other.
Parents and other significant adults undoubtedly play a cri>cal role in fostering a sense of belonging and connec>ng home and school environments. Con>nuous, honest and open communica>on is therefore paramount. The Pre Kindergarten educators always ensure they are available to parents/caregivers at the beginning and end of each school day, weekly newsleCers, emails and phone conversa>ons also enable these communica>on lines to remain open.
We are mindful of our role as early childhood educators to surround the children’s minds, bodies and souls with what they need for growing. We have faith that through implemen>ng our teaching philosophy, the children will procure all that they need to grow and prosper. We are looking forward to a truly beau>ful year together in Pre Kindergarten!
Mrs Olivia Harnwell & Mrs Marty Singleton
Children learn through play because it is a natural and spontaneous activity for a child. It allows for children’s differences and encourages
an individual approach. Play enables children to learn through trial and error and experimentation. It gives teachers the chance to observe
and assess individual progress in an informal learning environment.