Terry Aizen – Director of Kornmehl

What have we been learning about…

Over the past few weeks all three groups have been concentrating on developing secure relationships and a sense of belonging to the groups and the Pre-school. The Early Years Learning Framework takes the view that the lives of children are characterised by belonging, being and becoming. From before birth, children are connected to family, community, culture and place.    

At Kornmehl, of great importance is a focus on relationships, collaboration, communication and developing a sense of belonging. Ways in which we begin to get to know the children and to develop positive and trusting relationships is by listening to their stories, experiences and ideas; acknowledging how they might be feeling and supporting them in ways that are caring, nurturing and respectful, such as joining in their play; having fun together as well as sharing moments of just being; showing a genuine interest in what they are doing and celebrating their learning.

This is done in many ways:

• By establishing routines that are predictable and constant, children develop a sense of trust and familiarity that makes them feel secure and safe. This influences a child’s emotional, cognitive and social development and helps children understand the expectations in the environment.
• We are learning who is in our group and how to play safely and fairly, sharing and taking turns.
• We are learning about our environment, where things belong, where to find materials we are looking for and how to tidy up together – team work! It is delightful to see the children starting to initiate their own learning, by self-selecting resources to use or choosing learning areas in which to investigate and play.
• We are becoming independent in looking after our belongings and knowing where our locker and bags are kept.
• We are learning how to use materials and equipment respectfully, and the importance of leaving areas tidy and looking beautiful for the next person who comes to play.
• We have been singing and playing name games and learning to find our name cards in the morning and sign in.

Building relationships and partnerships with families

During these first few weeks of the year a great deal of time and thought is devoted to developing relationships with the children in our care and their families. This is done through informal chats, Parent Partnership forms, discussions, the Daybook, the Parent Social Night, Communication books and formal meetings if required. The Parent Club also provides opportunities for parents to network and be involved in the daily life of the Pre-school.

Through a widening network of secure relationships, children develop confidence and feel respected and valued. They become increasingly able to recognise and respect the feelings of others and to interact positively with them.

Educators who give priority to nurturing relationships and providing children with consistent emotional support can assist children to develop the skills and understandings they need to interact positively with others. They also help children to learn about their responsibilities to others, to appreciate their connectedness and interdependence as learners, and to value collaboration and teamwork.

Learning outcomes are most likely to be achieved when early childhood educators work in partnership with families. Educators recognise that families are children’s first and most influential teachers. They create a welcoming environment where all children and families are respected and actively encouraged to collaborate with educators about curriculum decisions to ensure that learning experiences are meaningful. Partnerships are based on the foundations of understanding each other’s expectations and attitudes and build on the strength of each other’s’ knowledge.

In genuine partnerships, families and early childhood educators:

• value each other’s knowledge of each child
• value each other’s contributions to and roles in each child’s life
• trust each other
• communicate freely and respectfully with each other
• share insights and perspectives about each child
• engage in shared decision-making. 
(EYLF p.g.13)

Parent information night

We invite ALL parents to join us on Thursday 21 February at 7.30 pm in the Pre-school for a relaxed, fun and social evening.

Parents will have time to meet each other, relax, eat and chat as well as spend time with their child’s teachers to hear about the program and routines for each group. Parents will also get to participate in  hands-on creative experiences, just as your child does during the day.

Working in collaboration and partnership with parents and families is critical to achieving our learning outcomes for each child. Partnerships are based on the foundations of understanding each other’s expectations and attitudes and building on the strength of each other’s knowledge (Framework, p.12.)

Open Day

The Pre-school will be holding an Open Day on Wednesday 6 March for all prospective families who would like to visit our Pre-school to see what we offer, walk around our lovely classrooms, meet the Director and chat about our programs and philosophy. The morning will run from
9.30 am to 11.00 am. Please book in to attend the Open Day at: www.emanuelschool.nsw.edu.au/enrolment/open-days/

Kornmehl family picnic

Our annual family picnic will take place on Sunday 4 March at 9.30 am. Each group will be meeting at Centennial Park in a different space. This is to facilitate parents being able to meet each other more easily, connect and get to know parents in their child’s group.  Please bring along your bikes, food, picnic blankets, balls etc.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible at this lovely social event.

Parent Club and Class Parents for 2018

This year our Parent Club will be run by Gail Stein.

Our class parents for 2019 are:

Dolphins: Lynn Shakenovsky

Starfish: Vicky Lazarus

Seashells: Ella Lizor

Shopping co-ordinators: Anita Weinberger and Gabi Kahn

I thank you all in advance for your commitment and support for the Pre-school.

Our first Parent Club meeting for the year will be held on Friday 1 March at 2.00 pm in the Pre-school. All parents are invited to attend.

Happy Birthday

We wish a very happy birthday to Levi Wasserman (4) and Levi Abitz (5). We also wish a happy birthday to our special educator Laura Meltzer. We hope you all had a lovely day.