Kia ora koutou. I hope you are all well and safe. For this month, we would like to welcome Casey who joined our Karori Kids whānau.
BUSY KARORI KIDS TAMARIKI
This month our tamariki have been actively involved in walks and visits to the library. This has becoming regular activities for tamariki to address the current interest in books and walks. Having this experience in the Centre promotes community awareness and communication. It also gives them the ability to enhance healthy habits and how to be safe when they are outside. “Keeping themselves healthy and caring for themselves; they are kept safe from harm” “Enjoying hearing stories and retelling and creating them” are the learning outcomes of well-being and communication (Te Whāriki, pg.27 & 42) and these have been achieved.
We have celebrated New Zealand sign language week. Children were asked to express their feelings in sign language. The visit to the library also extended the children and teachers’ knowledge about the NZ sign language. “Using gesture and movement to express themselves” is the learning outcome for communication in Te Whariki.
The children especially the Thunderbirds group have been involved in refining fine motor skills through colouring, drawing, painting and collaging activities. A lot of our tamariki for this month have also been involved in construction. Magnetic shapes, lego and wooden blocks have been widely utilized. This experience has provided our tamariki to develop creativity, imagination and concentration.
“Expressing their feelings and ideas using a wide range of materials and modes” is another learning outcome under the communication strand of Te Whāriki.
Tracy has also been engaging our tamariki about their holidays which made children shared their enjoyment and experiences with their whānau. This promotes children’s undertanding and connection about people, places, and things (Te Whāriki, pg.24)
The celebration of Mother’s Day was also another highlight for this month. Our tamariki were excitedly involved in creating arts and crafts for their Mums. We would like to thank all our children’s mums for attending the Mother’s Day celebration at Karori Kids. It is indeed a delight to see you all participating an important event at Karori Kids.
Internal Evaluation
Internal evaluation update: “How effectively are we in providing an inclusive environment that sustains the languages, cultures and identities of our akonga?”
We are now in the process of implementing our action plans. As an outcome of our data gathering, two major plans have been agreed to do:
creating provocations/programmes that reflect the culture, identity and language; strengthening the assessment practices - making sure that teachers reflect a culturally responsive pedagogy.
Workshops/Seminars
Food Safety- The teachers have now been engaging in workshops/training to ensure that we provide food safety handling. Gina invited the cook from Elim International Childcare Centre to give us an overview of the Food Safety Practices. In the staff meeting, the teachers were all given certain topics to report the National Programme 2 guidance.
Gina attended a ECC webinar on Pay Parity. The webinar includes the Ministry of Education’s Pay Parity Funding Review Consultation
Gina attended a webinar on Incorporated Societies Act 2022 which talks about guidelines to changes under the new act.
Reena, Gina, Regan and Catherine attended a Professional development seminar “celebrating creative and inspiring practice and innovation for ECE in challenging times. The encouragement to all educators to continuously seek Matauranga Maori as we respond to challenges of climate change resonated with the team.
Teacher’s in Training and Holiday
Reena will be having her student training in other Centre so she will be away for almost a month and Catherine will be having a holiday for a week for the month of June.
Autumn/Winter clothing
We would like to remind our whānau to make sure that their children have appropriate clothing for this cold season. Having a pair of gumboots and a waterproof of jacket are highly recommended to have at Karori Kids.
We will also continue to undertake weekly walks to keep our bodies healthy and to ensure that we address our children’s interest in walks.
Working Bee
Our working bee on Saturday, the 20th of May went well. Thank you to all our whānau who came and supported us in this rewarding experience at Karori Kids. Thank you for all the amazing work you have done for Karori Kids Inc.
Reminders
Please remind your children to keep their toys at home; this is to minimise choking hazards, disputes and lost property. Aside from named news items on Mondays only.
Policies Reviewed: The code of good governance and health check
Reminders: Up to date immunisation records
Please make sure you provide the Centre a copy of your child’s immunisation record if they have a new one.
General
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continuous support at Karori Kids. Kei te mihi, kei te mihi, kei te mihi ki a koutou katoa.
He waka eke noa
