news&views

views

Growing the future

of our children
Meet Deana Averill
Stories from the playground
Helping your child through a separation

ISSUE ONE September 2010

geraldine.kindergarten@blogspot.com
 NEWS & VIEWS issue no.1

Great
community.
Great
education.
Great
kids!

GERALDINE KINDERGARTEN
News & Views Magazine
25 Wilson Street, Geraldine 7930
HEAD TEACHER: Tania Boland
PHONE: 03 693 8888
EMAIL: geraldine.kindy@xtra.co.nz
BLOG: www.blogspot.co.nz
Geraldine Kindergarten

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Saltmine Design
24 Hislop Street Geraldine 7930
Meet the team...
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Tania Boland Head Teacher, Bachelor of Education (Teaching) ECE;
CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Fi McCafferty Emma Young, Bachelor of Education (Teaching) ECE; Gael Williams N.Z.F.K Union Diploma;
PHONE: 03 693 8237 Louise Sherratt, Bachelor of Education (Teaching) ECE; Liz Mills N.Z.F.K Union Diploma.
EMAIL: fi@saltmines.co.nz All teachers are registered.

Nau mai haere mai he panui
Welcome to our magazine
WE ARE EXCITED to launch the
first issue of News & Views.
Our ambition is to bring you a
magazine each term that gives
great information about the vision,
beliefs, and purposeful learning
that is happening at Geraldine
Kindergarten and empower you
to be part of our Kindergarten
community. Traditionally,
Kindergarten was a hub in the community for families and
volunteers to come together and share in the education of our
next generation. It has been a place to meet other families with
children of similar ages and be part of a community, to share
time and skills, get involved, to receive and give support and
encouragement and to LEARN!
At Geraldine Kindergarten we value the contributions of
our families/whanau, colleagues and community so that rich
learning can happen every day. It is our vision that this
magazine will be another forum that readers can use to
contribute - through sharing their own learning and experiences
(maybe from when they were at Kindergarten), sharing valuable
information about learning, parenting or special skills and
talents; contributing letters to the editor, funny stories and
quirky quotes; sharing useful resources. But most importantly,
that our reader will ako (teach and to learn), with and from
each other.
As teachers our mission is to help children learn the necessary
behaviours and learning tools (Habit of Mind or Disposition)
they will need to lead a fulfilling life and attain success in
further education. As teacher researchers we have spent time
investigating how best to do this and have identified that the
most useful behaviours and tools a child can acquire to be
successful in life are to have a love of learning – to be a learner
from the EDITOR |2
everyday (Habit of Mind: open to continuous learning); and to
be able to consider their own; thoughts, ideas, emotions and
actions, to make judgements about them and to be able to
change them if they want or need to (Habit of Mind:
metacogitation – thinking about your own thinking).
At a recent New Zealand Kindergartens Conference it was
refreshing to hear Karen Sewell, the Secretary of Education,
talk about the importance of early childhood education for
children 0-5 years. She describes early childhood as laying the
foundation and discussed the importance of teaching children
how to think and learn.
‘Children’s success in life depends on their ability to go on
learning,’ says Karen. For children to be successful in this rapidly
changing world they need to be bold, curious, co-operative,
collaborative, resilient and creative, have a love of learning, be
empathetic, innovative, challenge, have wit and enthusiasm, be
inclusive and thoughtful, have the capacity to reason and have
the ability to recognise and resolve problems.
The future for our children is largely unknown and large
numbers of them will be working in jobs that do not yet exist.
Knowledge of the future will be constructed – it is estimated
that the amount of new information created between 1999 and
the year 2002 was equal to that of all history up until that date.
The ways children will learn in the future are largely unknown
to us, so effective education can no longer be focused on the
transfer of knowledge. The most important role education can
play in the future is to help children to grow a love of learning -
to give them the ability to want to go on learning, and as Karen
puts it, ‘To learn how to learn in really powerful ways - doing the
same old things in the same old ways won’t work!’
Tania
TANIA BOLAND, HEAD TEACHER
3| COURAGE & CURIOSITY adventures from the playground

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS:

Let’s do it again,
Wise words:

Getting along well

with other people is
still the world’s most
needed skill. With it
there is no limit to
what person can do. We
need people, we need
the cooperation of
others. There is very
little we can do alone.
WHAKATAUKI
OUR AFTERNOON SESSION provides great who were playing together using the hoop
opportunities for young children to play to achieve the idea they had in mind.
Sometimes you just and be playful with each other, building and
have to take the leap The sounds of excitement and amazement
strengthening relationships as they share
and build your wings were heard as Addison got herself to the
time and experiences together. So when
on the way down. top of the slide to have a turn holding onto
Addison, Charlie and Jacob were playing
the hoop. Leaning down with the hoop she
at the slide, we saw this play as being
KOBI YAMADA waited for Charlie who then initiated
significant to their learning.
another idea to take a long run up and then
The small group were being innovative and reach out for the hoop (Habit of Mind:
setting their own challenges, looking for thinking flexibly). Charlie ran, he ran as fast
ways to get to the top of the slide. Addison as he could. He stretched his arm out in
quietly slid alongside Charlie and Jacob, front but the hoop was elusive and he slid
 |4

Charlie! Addison’s
encouraging words
gave Charlie the
confidence to try
his idea again!

Habit of Mind:

Taking responsible risks

back down
to the bottom.
A surprised look
came over
Charlie’s face as he looked back up.
Addison replied to his anxiousness and said,
‘Let’s do it again! Let’s do it again!’
They did do it again, several times over,
working brilliantly as a team. Charlie ran
with purpose, Addison pulled hard when
Charlie held the hoop as they persisted and
gained success in their task.
In our Kindergarten
we recognise
children as being
risk takers. We see
responsible risk
taking as a willingness to spontaneously
take a chance in a moment. Charlie’s
moment engaged others, inspiring them
to take part in the kind of play that
strengthens relationships built on trust,
all the while having fun together!
LOUISE SHERRATT
Thinking interdependently
Working together
Team work
Where to from here?
We will keep encouraging
children to keep thinking
interdependently, to take care
of each other, and to share
what they know and can do
with each other.
5| OUR KIND OF PEOPLE

Helping your child

through a separation.
I was handed this article* by a
colleague and thought that it had
some good and practical advice for
parents who are in the process of
splitting, or who have already split
and are concerned about the effects
on their children.
• Your children are innocent - keep
it that way. They need to be given
the freedom to love both parents
equally, regardless of the
circumstances surrounding the

Meet Deana Averill

separation. Don’t confide in your
children, even the most well-
meaning one.
• Your children will hold you in the
same light you hold your ex. If you
are angry and resentful at the ex,
this is a reflection on you; your
children will see you as angry
and resentful, regardless of the
reason for it.
• Lead your family. To ask your
children to behave better than
yourself is doomed to fail. Become
the safe-zone where your children
can ask questions as and when it’s
important to them.
• Establish a routine - even if it’s
not ideal. Children want to live
their life with as little interruption
as possible.
• Avoid contradicting your ex. Every
time you contradict the views held
by your ex your children will feel
they have to choose between you.
*ESCAPE Separation Anxiety. For more
information visit www.complexfamily.com
GERALDINE EDUCATIONAL SOCIAL WORKER
HI MY NAME IS DEANA AVERILL and I am
one of two GESWs working in and around
Geraldine. I’m based at Geraldine Primary
school but also cover Kindy, Pre-school
and Woodbury School. If you have
concerns about:
• your child’s emotional well-being
• their relationship with siblings, friends,
school staff or others
• situations that may prevent or are
preventing your child’s learning and
achievements at school
• your relationship with school staff
• parenting your children
• relationships within your family.
Then you can contact me. It may be that
through us working together, talking through
some issues, putting ideas into place that
the situation may be improved. It may mean
that we have to work more closely with
others such as teachers, health care
professionals or other service providers to
help sort things out.
At the end of the day we all want our
children to be happy and healthy so the
earlier we can identify what’s needed to
improve things for them and for your family
the better the outcome will be.
You can contact me on 03 693 8208. If I’m
not available please leave me a message.
All information shared is confidential.
 it takes a community TO RAISE A CHILD |6

SOCIAL SCIENCES:

Making a new floor

ON MONDAY MORNING Caleb’s dad Glenn told
us that he was doing a job in an empty shop on
the main street, and invited us to come down for
a look. So in two groups we walked the short
distance in the lovely sunshine. When we went
inside the building it was really cold and we saw
a big space covered in wet concrete – some
The kids
children said, ‘It’s shiny like ice!’ really
Glenn gave each child the opportunity to
use the trowel to spread and smooth the wet enjoyed
concrete. Some used their fingers to feel the
texture and the temperature (Habit of Mind: lending
gathering what we know through all our senses).
At Geraldine Kindergarten we value the strong
a hand!
links we have to people in our community.
Glenn’s invitation provided us with a wonderful
opportunity to spend some time outside the
Kindergarten environment and see first-hand a
‘real work’ project that is happening in our town.
We hope that the skills and knowledge
the children gained from this experience
will inspire them to create their own
construction projects, and further explore
elements of what we saw in the shop.
The teaching team can support this by providing
opportunities to investigate the properties of
ice, and also provide equipment for making
bricks out of mud and recycled paper.
EMMA YOUNG
7| LEARNING IS FUN so be a learner every day

SCIENCE & VISUAL ARTS:

Let’s get to know

The future is not

some place we are
going but one we are
creating. The paths
are not to be found,
but made, and the
activity of making
them changes both the
maker and the
destination. RECENTLY WE HAD bantams and hens visit us It has been interesting to notice a core
at Geraldine Kindergarten. Children from group of children repeatedly gravitate
JOHN SCHAAR both sessions were involved in feeding them towards these animal visitors. Often these
(silver beet from the Kindergarten garden same children exhibit empathy, patience,
and scraps after kai time) and filling their respect and nurturing towards their peers.
If there is any water containers. While the children interacted with the hens
secret of success, and the lamb they were able to share their
it lies in the The children were also entertained with
ideas and opinions with the teaching staff
ability to get the a puppet show, observed and then painted
and each other.
pictures of our feathered friends, and later
other person’s point
we baked gingerbread shapes using the eggs Some of things we over heard were:
of view and see
we were rewarded with. Another visitor was ‘They’re shuffling in the sawdust to keep
things from his
Dora the lamb. Dora was a very popular their feet warm’; ‘Gosh they drink funny, she
angle as well as
visitor and a very fast drinker too. But splashed me’; ‘Where does the egg come
from your own.
possibly the most exciting activity to develop out?’; ‘Those feathers are soft’; ‘Do they eat
HENRY FORD was the building of the chicken coop. It was oranges?’; ‘That rooster sure is big’;
fascinating to see the children actively ‘They go pook-pook’; ‘That lamb smells!’
taking part in planning and building the coop
with Jessica’s father James.
 |8

the animals
Black & white hen
by Caleb

Making
lunchboxes
healthy
Healthy food assists
children to think and play by
maintaining energy levels.

HEALTHY FOOD IDEAS:

sandwiches
fruit & vegetables
Although we live in a rural community crackers, cheese
not all children are able to have close cold meat
contact with animals. The ability to dried fruit & nuts (not peanuts)
quietly observe and recognise the 1 x home made baking
differences in needs, appearance and 2 x plain biscuits
behaviours of animals can lead to a quiche, fritata, veggie fritters
better understanding of our own and small yoghurt
each other’s needs and behaviours bread rolls, wraps
(Habit of Mind: listening with rice cakes
empathy and understanding). popcorn pretzels
cruskits
We don’t know where the interest
corn thins
will lead, what direction it will take next,
sushi, pizza
or how long it will be maintained. None
of that matters. The experience has been
offered and, as we observed it, enjoyed
by many.
LIZ MILLS
9| BEHIND THE SCENES our Board of Trustees
Why 100% qua lified
reg istered teache rs?
A huge body of research indicates
that qualified teachers are a key
indicator of quality early childhood
education. The research:
• long term social, cultural, and
economic benefits for children,
their families and the nation.
• every $1 spent in early childhood
education saves $13 in later years.
• children participating in high
quality early childhood education
more likelihood to be successful
and stay longer at school, have
better employment prospects and
make a better contribution to
society.
Qualified teachers:
• are focused on engaging children in
learning and interacting with them
• are responsive to children with
special learning needs, different
ethnic backgrounds, languages
and cultures.
• provide more support to parents
and whanau
• recognise children’s abilities and
extend their thinking
• support children as they develop
an understanding of literacy,
numeracy, science, health
and the arts.
• plan, assess and evaluate
children’s learning and constantly
review own teaching to improve
learning outcomes for children
• equals quality education
Preparing children for
their future, not our past
The Geraldine District Free Kindergarten
Association Board of Trustees has the
overall responsibility for the governance of
Geraldine Kindergarten. The Geraldine
Kindergarten are fortunate that the current
Board collectively demonstrate a wide range
of skills, experience and expertise.
The 2010 GDFKA Board of Trustees
members are:
Matt Morrison, President
Sarah Foley-Smith, Vice President
Max De Bonth, Treasurer
Kim Harris
Michelle Schoneveld
Sarah Wilson
Adele Quinn
Ashleigh Pace
GENERAL MANAGER
The Board employs Helen May as the
General Manager who has the overall
responsibility for the day-to-day
management of the Association, within the
policies and delegations established and
approved by the Board.
EDUCATION SUPPORT MANAGER
We contract professional support for both
the association and our teaching staff from
the Canterbury Westland Free Kindergarten
Association. Lorraine Stewart is our
Education Support Manger (ESM) who visits
the Kindergarten on a regular basis.
RESPECT • EXCELLENCE • LEADERSHIP • TEAMWORK • PERSEVERANCE • ACCESSIBILITY
STRATEGIC PLAN
2010 sees your board working hard
on the Strategic Plan. The progress to
date includes:
Our Mission/Purpose: Providing children
and their families with learning experiences
and opportunities in preparation for school
and life, in a community environment.
Our Core Values: Our decisions and
actions are guided by our values,
which are:
• Respect: for self, others and the
environment. Act with integrity.
• Excellence: through positive
learning experiences.
• Leadership: shared and valuing
innovation, passion, risk-taking
and ownership.
• Teamwork: working together
to achieve our goals.
• Perseverance: working with resolve
• Accessibility: opportunity for all
children to attend kindergarten
OUR VISION:
To create a centre of excellence that
inspires a passion for learning and
growing for our children, though local,
national and global communities.
parents NOTICEBOARD |10

Everyone welcome to Playgroup

EVERY WEDNESDAY 1.00-2.30PM
Just to clear up any confusion over the playgroup at
Geraldine Kindergarten – everyone is welcome even if
you are not on our waiting list or currently enrolled.
Kindergarten is open for you to meet with friends or
make new friends, to explore the environment, meet the
teachers and have fun playing. You are more than
welcome to make yourselves comfortable, relax with a
tea of coffee from our kitchen and let the children play.
All we ask is that you support with tidying up when you
are finished.

Visit our Kindergarten blog

GERALDINEKINDERGARTEN.BLOGSPOT.COM
What is a blog? Technically it’s a website where items
are posted on a regular basis and displayed in reverse
chronological order. The word ‘blog’ is an abbreviation
of ‘weblog’ and a person who posts on it is called a
‘blogger’. We find blogging is a wonderful tool for us to
keep in touch with our Geraldine whanau, our
community and our children, here at home or
anywhere in the world and for staying up to date with
our activities and experiences. Why do we have a
blog? Our children are going to be active participants
in the 21st and 22nd centuries. It is our duty as
teachers to prepare them for the new as yet
unforeseen technologies of their future. So why not
visit our blog now to see what else we’ve been up to,
and maybe even leave us a message. It’s easy!
Wilson Street, Geraldine 7930 PHONE: 03 693 8888 EMAIL: geraldine.kindy@xtra.co.nz BLOG: geraldine.kindergarten@blogspot.com