Transitioning to School Workshop
Monday May 16th 2016: Transitioning to School Workshop held at Otorohanga Kindergarten (School representatives from local schools and the Otorohanga Kindergarten. The following notes are taken from the presentation powerpoint.......... The foundation skills are a set of physical skills which support a child to cope with and engage in formal learning. For instance, some of the foundation skills focus on strengthening the vestibular system which controls balance. Balance enables a child to be able to sit at a desk or table and concentrate on their work rather than focussing on sitting up straight. Activities such as hanging and swinging from the monkey bars and walking across planks helps to strengthen the vestibular system. Another skill is spatial awareness. If a child’s spatial awareness is not developed, you may find them banging into people and things within the classroom. Activities such as music and movement and other physical games are great for helping to develop spatial skills. I would like to show you a small clip from the DVD ‘Get ready for school’ which talks about the foundation skills for learning. In this section a bucket on the left represents a child that has all the foundation skills for learning with holes that are plugged with all the foundation skills and the other bucket represents a child with foundation skills missing. It then shows you the effects a lack of foundation skills has for a child (and the teacher) within the classroom. www.getreadyforschool.co.nz Play is nature’s way of teaching children how to solve their problems, control their impulses, modulate their emotions, see from others perspectives, negotiate differences, and get along with others as equals. There is no substitute for play as a means of learning these skills. Peter Grey, Free to learn Dispositions are habits of mind that we all develop. They are our ways of making sense of, and acting in the world. Dispositions will look different for each child, and will change as children grow and develop. Some of the dispositions that support children as they enter school are: Having resilience: Coping with change, trying again, understanding and accepting other’s points of view. Being purposeful: Making and following a plan, sharing ideas, staying focussed. Having confidence: Speaking up to be heard, giving new things a go. Being able to manage themselves: Looking after themselves and their needs, caring for belongings, making good choices. Being curious: Trying new things, asking questions, exploring ideas. Having courage: Overcoming challenges and coping with change, taking chances. Being responsible: Looking after themselves, respecting others and the environment, taking ownership of problems and tasks. Being trustworthy: Being dependable and able to be trusted, knowing the rules around different places and ways of being. These are just a few of the dispositions that children display and develop. At kindergarten we take note of; and support children’s dispositions as we know that these dispositions will play a large part in supporting them as they transition from an early childhood education to more formal learning as they enter school. Children develop their dispositions from their everyday interactions and experiences. At Kindergarten this is through play. Teacher’s place a huge value on building robust relationships with children. Parents and whānau. We know that the key to any learning begins with these solid relationships that then allow us to understand what it is that children know and bring with them. We foster children’s dispositions in the following ways: Being close to children and letting them know that we are genuinely interested in what they are doing or saying. Observing and listening to children allowing them to try and find their own solutions before offering help. Being aware that children learn from our actions and responses. Playing and learning with and alongside children. Listening to and respecting children’s ideas and preferences. Allowing children opportunities to lead and have some control over decision making. Verbally reinforcing and acknowledging the dispositions that children exhibit. Documenting children’s learning by looking through a dispositional lens, allowing those who read the documentation to see how these dispositions look in practice. What might a smooth transition process between kindergarten and local schools in our community look like? He waka eke noa A canoe which we are all in with no exception The transition from Early Childhood to school is supported when the school: Fosters the child’s relationships with teachers and peers and affirms their identity Builds on the experiences that the child brings with them Considers the child’s whole experience Pictorial Book of areas of interest within the school ie. classroom, teacher, playground, bag area, toilets, ex kindergarten children who have already started at the school Teachers use these with children once whanau have identified which school their child will attend Used in discussions with children about what they might know and see when they start school visits Displays child’s most recent learning stories Stories specifically linked to key competencies in school curriculum New entrant teachers can see how learning at kindergarten links to learning at school Intended to be used as a starting point for getting to know the child – begin forming the relationship Enables a better understanding of the child, their interests, prior knowledge, ways of learning Research tells us that the more a family knows and understands about how a child transitions the smoother that process will be. Transition information evening held every second term for families of children who are four. Evening involves sharing information about:- what is important for their child to know before starting school What families need to do to start the process – making the right choice of school for their child What we are doing to prepare the child for the changes to come A tool for the child to share knowledge of their own learning with teacher and peers Intended to set the scene for children so that they have some knowledge of the school environment before they start Is welcoming of family and whānau
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
Demonstrate in Practice knowledge and understanding of how akonga learn criterial and Indicators
Criteria 8. demonstrate in practice their knowledge and understanding of how ākonga learn Indicators i. enable ākonga to make connections between their prior experiences and learning and their current learning activities ii. provide opportunities and support for ākonga to engage with, practise and apply new learning to different contexts iii. encourage ākonga to take responsibility for their own learning and behaviour iv. assist ākonga to think critically about information and ideas and to reflect on their learning
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