Exploring Children’s Strengths in Dolphins
And just like that first term has come to an end.
Some key areas to exploring children’s strengths and meeting the wellbeing, nurturing and safety needs, in first term include-
- Family communication and connection and children’s sense of belonging;
- Indoor and outdoor environments are safe, challenging, and welcoming;
- Routines are flexible to children’s individual needs; and
- Children’s interests, strengths and needs are incorporated into their environment.
Family connection and children’s sense of Belonging
We are committed to working in partnership with families to create;
- Open, honest, and respectful relationships ; &
- Incorporating families’ cultures and beliefs.
We encourage families to share ideas
Children’s individual interests and needs to help us create an environment children can blossom in.
Indoor and Outdoor Environment
Our overall atmosphere is intentionally welcoming, inviting, and engaging.
For the children it needs to be an environment where they are free to develop their skills and interests to become independent, confident, successful learners.
We aim to create a feeling of safety and comfort- a place where all children feel a sense of belonging; and, have plenty of natural resources for children to explore!
Routines
We strive to ensure routines are flexible to children’s individual needs day to day, but children do generally know what they can expect and when.
This ensures children have a sense of security and belonging through out their day.
Child’s Voice
As educators there is an important reason why we aim to include children’s voice, ideas and interests into our programming and environment.
By listening to;
- what children are sharing with us;
- respecting their ideas;
- their questions; and
- opinions.
We can help them to feel as though they matter, it will encourage decision making and autonomy.
When we as educators learn to;
- listen to and become familiar with children’s individual strengths,
- interests and needs it becomes much easier to extend, and build on these unique qualities and incorporate them into our activities, environment, and experiences throughout our planning cycles.
Short and long- term goals
During this first term we completed our developmental milestone checklist with each child.
This gave us an overview of where each child is sitting with their development, and areas we need to focus on.
From these checklists we will map out each child’s learning track and begin their learning journey.
Encouraging more verbal communication
With young children, verbal communication is not their main form of communication.
It does not take long for young children to realize the importance of language for the people around them, and therefore develop a need to communicate verbally.
We encourage verbal communication when communicating with peers.
We have been focusing on using;
- Inside voices;
- Using manners;
- Linking words together to create sentences; &
- Using words instead to communicate our needs.
We do this by role modelling and having the children mimic what we say to expand their vocabulary.
Specialised Programs
Our three unique programs are embedded thoughout the centre and are modified to each age group.
- Mindful kids resilience;
- Empowering Our Youth Aboriginal Inspired; and
- Bush Kindy nature inspired.
Mindful Kids
Is our resilience program that is designed to develop a well-rounded approach to emotionally resilient children.
The focus for this program is to teach a grit and growth mindset which sets children up to cope with diversity, change and challenges which come their way.
We modify this program for the toddlers by talking openly about emotions and taking the time to recognize each one by the use of;
- flashcards;
- facial expressions;
- body language;
- stories; and
- through song.
We sing our growth mindset song on a daily basis, which helps the children practice a positive mindset.
Empowering our Youth
Is our Indigenous inspired program that unites our youth and teaches them about our native culture.
Uncle Allan Lena is a traditional Elder that we collaborate with on a regular basis.
Uncle Allan teaches educational interactive lessons on dreamtime stories, music, bush tucker and animals.
He then collaborates with educators to extend on these teachings until his next visit.
Bush Kindy
Each month we have a new nature element focus.
We then plan activities and experiences for children using the monthly nature item.
The children have been really enjoying it and gives them time to experience and enjoy nature elements in their day-to-day learning environments.
We have a busy fun filled year ahead in the Dolphins room as we further build upon each child’s individual needs, strengths, and unique abilities!
That is all for now, from Miss Lauren and Miss Ruby.
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