In kindergarten, we provide a play-based learning program. This encourages the children to explore, discover, negotiate, take risks, create meaning and solve problems – all the important foundations for developing literacy, numeracy and social skills in their later life.
There will be times when the children come together as a group where they will learn to listen to each other, share information, follow rules and partake in group activities. Play based activities do not replace intentional teaching, rather complement and enhance it. The curriculum is planned within a structure based on the Early Years Learning Framework, research, concept development, teacher content and the interests and voices of the children.
In the kindergarten, the educators design and implement learning experience to support children’s learning and development. An inquiry-based program is provided to allow opportunity for children to explore, raise questions and discover answers with the help of peers and educators.
Children develop social and emotional skills through their relationships with their parents and educators. Children who experience warm, responsive and trusting relationships are better able to manage their feelings and cope with the ups and downs of life.
The educators also help the children become independent by encouraging them to take responsibility for themselves and their possessions whenever possible. When children practice self-help skills such as feeding and dressing themselves, they develop their large and small motor skills, gain confidence in their ability to try new things and build their self-esteem and pride in their achievements.
Over our Kindergarten programs we have a number of practices embedded including….
Read MoreRisk Play
At Windsor we believe in children exploring challenge within their environment as a way of extending their learning and development. What this can look like in our kinder environment is children engaging in risk taking experiences. Our yard is full of wondrous trees to explore, children will approach them, engage with them and climb them. We allow the freedom of this exploration without limitations as children are aware of their own limits. Educators are on hand to supervise and assess if children may need help however children are also encouraged to ask for assistance if they feel they require it. Within our environment we also engage with real tools again as it allows us to view children as competent and active citizens in their own right, an alternative version sets the foundations but the real thing allows expectations and respect to be truly explored. This also translates into our excursions where we welcome challenging environments for the children to explore such as going to the beach or adventure parks where children find their own ways of risky play such as sliding down a skate ramp.
Anti-Bias
A continuous journey for us at the centre is ensuring that Anti-Bias principles and goals are embedded into our curriculum. Here experiences, interactions and discussions with the children will be setting the foundations for positive social outlooks for community, people and the wider world. Children and families engage with respect and kindness around topics such as gender, racism, sexuality and disability. They share their understandings and explore resources that help to unpack the themes and working towards strengthening their voice to stand up to injustice when they are faced with it themselves or see others surrounded by it.
Reconciliation
Here at Windsor we ensure that children and families are an important part on our journey towards reconciliation. Each room is exploring their own welcome to country which can include singing a welcome to country song, engaging with different Aboriginal languages and paying respects to Elders, Communities and land that we work and play on. Our curriculum will also contain a number of resources and experiences that will explore the connection to Country. We will also be engaging with different organisations throughout the year to run sessions at the centre and have excursions which will help strengthen our knowledge and understandings. All of this coupled with our ongoing exploration of Anti-Bias principles are working towards the creation of our own Reconciliation Action Plan.
Excursions
We are an active part of the community regularly attending excursions to our two local parks, visiting local business, for example, Op shops, pet shops, Australia post, etc. and in and around Melbourne. Children are able to experience different learning environments, foster new friendships, develop road safety skills, create opportunities for discussion and understandings around social issues in the community and play in alternative spaces. We allow children to understand their world first hand. In kinder we will also do larger excursions such as Brighton Beach, St Kilda Adventure playground and Royal Botanical gardens.
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