Parent Information Notes

Slide 1 - Good Evening, my name is Miss Payne and I am your child’s Pre-Kindy Teacher this year. First of all, I
want to thank and welcome you all to tonight information night. This evening we will be coming a range of
topics central to the theme of religious education such as the aims of religious education, what does religion
look like in the early years, links to the EYLF and how it can prepare and support your child for the future. By
first I would like to invite you all to join with me in a prayer. You can read the prayer off the book marks you
received at the door or on the overhead projector.

Slide 2 – Prayer

Slide 3 – Religious Education is an extremely broad concept. Yet offers children such a rich and deep
connection to who they are and their faith. Our first point of contact to teach religious education is draw on
the children’s experiences. This is where children awe at the many gifts that God has given, reflecting on
experiences of family, love, care, forgiveness and community, exploring a range of human interactions and
demonstrating socialization into the early years community. To extend their prior knowledge and experiences
we offer a space of ‘wondering questions’. Wondering at the personal of Jesus in the Gospels, wondering at
Jesus’ love for them and hearing and being immersed in stories about the life of Jesus. This is then supported
by understand the catholic like or living like Jesus by naming ways that people can show love and be
considerate like Jesus, identifying way of forgiving like Jesus and wondering at the ways they can use their gifts
to help people

It is through all these that children we are offering experience to knowing that prayer is the way that people
develop a relationship with God, recognizing religious symbols including the cross, liturgical colors and holy
water, knowing simple ways of praying- Making the sign of the cross, engaging in informal prayer experiences
and participating in rituals.

Slide 4- So what does this look like in a classroom of 3 year olds? By taking time to design spaces for children is
our number one priority. It is through these environments that educators are able to go from the child’s
interest and lead. Each child is invited to interact in an environment rich in learning opportunities. We ensure
that all areas are play base so that they provide a rich and effective way for children to learn. That they are a
place of curiosity and wonder

Slide 5- How it this going to support your children for the future? We are all striving to do and offer the best
we can for these children. To support them for the future religious education offers a unique skill set. I would
like you to turn your eyes to this table. The Catholic Education department create this table to help
partnerships between schools and families. highlights through this table how by teaching children religious
education is preparing them to be Catholics for the future.

• Secure, respectful and reciprocal relationships such as planning a sacred space for children to visit and
be with
• Partnerships with families these also include things such as a take home bear or going to church with
my family journal
• High expectations and equality. This is directed towards the planning cycle however it is the view of
starting from the children strengths and prior knowledge to extend and support the individual
learning.
• Respect for Diversity this is where we get to celebrate the gifts of all. Their celebrations, their
cultures and their unique and individualizes. And exposing them to rituals and liturgies and religious
celebrations.
• Ongoing learning and reflective practice. This is where I believe that religious education really
supports our children for the future. This also allows me as Educator to reflect upon my own beliefs
and seek guidance from external resources.

Slide 6 – As a Catholic teacher I endeavor to offer you child a place or wonder. A place of curiosity and a place
to support and guide their faith. Using the ‘Let the Little Children Come to Me’ resource these are some of
topic that we will be covering over the year. The first topic we will cover is ‘I Am Me’. This is where a variety of
planned experiences expose children to who they are and what they can do. For example, shadow play, self-
portraits and other investigation experiences to help the identify their uniqueness. From this I will introduce
stories of Jesus and how he used his unique self to show love and care for others by following the children’s
interest. In the final weeks, we pull together their experiences and knowing Jesus and make the link between
understanding catholic faith. This is achieved by introducing children to the school priest Father Plasco, using
Godly play to retell their story of receiving the sacrament of baptism and bringing to families what we have
learning by offering an invitation to all friends and families to join us in a ritual.


Slide 7 – I’m sure your head is swirling with questions and if not right now they will come. And I would like to
support you and your families in these questions. At the bottom of your bookmark you can find a QR code.
Simply scan this on your phone camera and it will send you to a link to contact me, through phone, email or
organising a family and partnership meeting. Finally, I thank you for allowing me to be a part of this journey
with you, your child and family. Enjoy the rest of your evening and I look forward to seeing you soon.