Getting ready for school Working with kindergarten ...€¦ · Early Learning Association Australia Inc Level 3, 145 Smith Street, Fitzroy Vic 3065 | PO Box 1246, Collingwood Vic

Early Learning Association Australia Inc Level 3, 145 Smith Street, Fitzroy Vic 3065 | PO Box 1246, Collingwood Vic 3066 Phone 9489 3500 Rural 1300 730 119 Fax 9486 4226 Email elaa@elaa.org.au Web www.elaa.org.au

Getting ready for schoolWorking with kindergarten programs and schools

• Organisejointfunctionsandvisitstolocalschoolsduringthekindergartenyeartobuildchildren’sfamiliaritywithschool.

• Developportfolioswithphotos,drawingsanddetailsof activitiesfromthekindergartenyear.Parentstypicallyreceivetheselaterinthekindergartenyear;theymaychoosetoshare theirchildren’sportfolioswiththeschoolthattheirchild will attend.

• Communicatewithschoolsaboutindividualchildren’sneeds.Parentsshouldalwayshavetheopportunitytodecidewhatinformationwillbesharedbetweenkindergartensandschools.

KINDERGARTENS PLAY A VITAL PART IN TRANSITION TO SCHOOLKindergartenprogramsencouragechildrentolearnthroughplayanddeveloptheirconfidenceandskills.Earlychildhoodteachersprovideeducationalenvironmentsthatsupportchildrentodeveloptheskillsthatlaythefoundationsforlaterliteracyandnumeracy.Kindergartenprogramscanbeofferedinindependentkindergartensaswellassomelongdaycaresettings

Kindergartenprogramsareagreatresourcewhenitcomestohelpingyouandyourchildprepareforthebeginningofschool.Someactivitieskindergartenswilloftenorganisetohelpwiththischangeinclude:

How kindergartens help prepare your child for school

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ELAA FAMILY INFORMATION SHEET 2

Early Learning Association Australia Inc Level 3, 145 Smith Street, Fitzroy Vic 3065 | PO Box 1246, Collingwood Vic 3066 Phone 9489 3500 Rural 1300 730 119 Fax 9486 4226 Email elaa@elaa.org.au Web www.elaa.org.au

GET INVOLVED IN YOUR KINDERGARTENResearchshowsparentinvolvementinawiderangeofkindergartenactivitieshelpschildrendevelopasenseofbelongingintheircommunity.Someoftheseactivitiesare:

• Helpoutinthekindergartenroom,e.g.readingorplayingwith the children.

• Attendsocialfunctionsandinformationsessions.

• Assistwithfundraising.

Someparentstakeonagreaterrolethroughinvolvement onkindergartencommitteesofmanagement.Thiscanleadtoparticipationlateronyourchild’sschoolcouncilandisagreatrolemodelforchildren.

Havingkindergartens,schoolsandparentsallworkingtogetherisvitalinhelpingchildrentoadjusttothechangesthatstartingschoolbrings.Parentswhoengageintheprocesshelpustosupporttheirchildren.Wealwaysseekpermissionfromparentsbeforeweshareinformationabouttheirchildrenwiththeschools.Thisensurestheparentsareawareofwhatisgoingtohappeninvolvingthemintheprocessratherthanthekindergartentalkingtotheschoolwithoutparentsknowingwhatisgoingon.

WehaveformedasmallnetworkwiththeprincipalsofthelocalCatholicandstateprimaryschoolstoplanactivitiestosupportchildren’stransitiontoschool.

What you can do to help prepare your child for schoolTALKING TO YOUR CHILD ABOUT STARTING SCHOOLYourchildislikelytohavetheirownviewsaboutgoingtoschool.Tohelpthemprepareforthechangesschoolwillbring,talktochildrenaboutschoolandshareaccurateinformationaboutwhathappensthere.Someideasfortalkingtoyourchildaboutschoolinclude:

• Exploreyourchild’sexpectationsofschoolandencouragetheircuriosityaboutschool.

• Readbooksaboutstartingschool.

• Answeryourchild’squestionsaboutschool.

• Talkabouthowtheschoolroutineswillbesimilarordifferent to kindergarten, child care and/or home.

• Shareyourownpositiveexperiencesofschoolandhaveapositiveattitudetoschool.

WHAT YOU CAN DO WITH YOUR SCHOOLMostschoolshaveopendaysandorientationprogramstohelpchildrenbecomefamiliarwiththeschoolgroundsandteachers.Whileorientationprogramsareimportant,thereareotherwaysforschoolsandparentstoprepareyourchildandfamilyforschool.Seethecasestudiesforsomegreatwaysschools,preschoolsandfamiliescanworktogethertoprepareforschool.Youmayfindthefollowing ideasalsohelpful:

• Gettoknowasmuchaboutyourchild’snewschoolasyoucan, andifpossible,talkwithadultsandchildrenyouknowwhoalreadygototheschool.

• Ifyoucan,trytofindopportunitiesforyourchildtoplaywith otherchildrenwhoattend,orwillattend,theschoolFindoutwhatopportunitiestheschoolprovidesforcommunicationwithfamilies.

• Discusswiththeschoolhowtheycommunicatewithpreschoolsettingssuchaskindergartenandlongdaycarecentrestosupportchildrenstartingschool.

• Keepaneyeoutfor,andtrytoattend,schoolactivitiessuchasorientationactivities,informationsessions,schoolvisitingdays,informationsharingopportunitiesandschoolsocialevents.

• Someschoolsallowyoutovisittheplaygroundwithyourchild afterhoursorduringclasstime.

Oliverhasalwayslookedforwardtobeingabig school boy, and told me that he wouldn’t even need to have a birthday partythisyear,becauseI’ll be with my friends every day.

Lastyearwespoketotheschoolalot.Wehadmeetingswiththeviceprincipalonenrolment,agoodchatwiththeteacherwho,intheend,wasOllie’sclassteacher,andJameshadaninformalchatwiththeprincipalwhenbuyingOllie’suniform.Oliverattendedthreeorientationactivitiesbeforetheendoflastyear.Therewasaparents’meetingaswell.

Ourkindergartenalsodidalotofpreparation.Theytalkedtothechildrenaboutschool,andhadanexcursionattheendoftheyearinwhichtheyvisitedallofthelocalschools.InOliver’skindergarten program booktheyincludedaphototakenofthechildrenwhowouldbeathisschoolstandingontheschoolgrounds.Thekindergartenteacherpreparedtransitionreports–wereceivedacopyofthatreport.

Startingschoolhasbeenabigchangeforourfamily.Wehavehadtochangeourroutineandbecomeevenmoreorganised.Oliverlovesschool,andissoexcitedaboutplayingandlearning.

Emily Lee-Ack, Warrnambool

Family Case Study

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ELAA FAMILY INFORMATION SHEET GETTINGREADYFORSCHOOL

Early Learning Association Australia Inc Level 3, 145 Smith Street, Fitzroy Vic 3065 | PO Box 1246, Collingwood Vic 3066 Phone 9489 3500 Rural 1300 730 119 Fax 9486 4226 Email elaa@elaa.org.au Web www.elaa.org.au

KINDERGARTENPARENTS SCHOOL

Kindergarten and schools as partners in your child’s education

Charlieistheyoungestofmythreechildrenandwas fortunatetohaveakindergartenexperiencethatmade abigdifferencetohislife.Heisabrightandfunnyboywhohasexperienceddifficultieswithauditoryprocessingand aspeechdelay.Charlie’skindergartenteacherrecognisedCharlie’sadditionalneedsquickly.ShespentalotoftimeworkingwithmetodevelopskillsIwouldneedtohelp Charliedevelopsohecouldattendalocalprimaryschool. Shequicklyworkedoutthatbyhavinghimsitnearthe frontandfrequentlymentioninghisnamewhiletalking totheclasshelpedCharlietobetterunderstandwhatwasgoingon.Iworkedwiththeteachertoinstiltheconfidence inCharlietoraisehishandforadditionalhelpwhen he needed it.

LateronIsatdownwiththekindergartenteacherwith alotofnotesandmaterialfromtheyearandtogether weworkedoutwhatinformationshouldbesharedwith theprimaryschool.Byusingthesamestrategiesthatwedevelopedatkindergarten,welaidthefoundationfor Charlietodowellatschool.IalsospenttimeintheclassroomintheearlydayswhichhelpedreassureCharlieandbuildhisconfidenceinthenew,biggerprimaryschoolenvironment.Twoyearson,Charlieishavingagreattimeatschool,with thestafftherecontinuingtoactivelysupporthim.OnedayCharliecamehomesayingthathehadn’tbeenabletoget tohisusualspotneartheschoolteacher,butthatitwas okay,because‘myteacherissonice,sheaskedtheother kidstomakeroomformeatthefrontoftheclass’.

Michelle Corcoran, East Hawthorn

Family Case Study

WORKING TOGETHEROnce you have decided when and whereyourchildisgoingtoschool,therearealotofthingsyoucan dotomakethemovetoschool assmoothaspossibleforyour childandfamily.

A partnership approach between parents, preschool settings and schools can help children to make sense of the changes that come with starting school.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?ELAA’sfamilyinformationtipsheetFrom kindergarten to school? Laying foundations for future learningtalksabouthowkindergartenprogramslaythefoundationsforfuturelearningby introducing educational conceptsandactivitiesthroughplay.Italsotalksaboutdecidingwhen might be the right time foryourfamilytosendyour childtoschool.

Lastyearwehadaninformationnightwithrepresentativesfromlocalschoolsintheareafollowedbyaseriesofexcursionswiththechildrentothelocalschools.Wemadesurethesevisitswerefunandrelaxed.Thefirstvisitsimplyinvolvedaplayintheschoolgrounds,alookaround,timeplayingandreadinginthelibraryandaquicksnack.AtourothervisitstheschoolteachersreadbigbookstoriesincludingstorieslikeThe Rainbow Fishtothechildren.Afterwardsallthechildrenmadetheirownrainbowfishartworks.Thechildrenwerealsogiventheopportunitytoplayintheclassroomandusethecomputers.

Beingfamiliarwiththeschoolenvironmentreassureschildrenandhelpsthemandtheirfamiliesmakethetransitiontoschooleasily–kindergartensplayavitalpartofthisprocess.

Fleur Hall, Rutherglen Kindergarten

Kindergarten Case Study

Early Learning Association Australia Inc Level 3, 145 Smith Street, Fitzroy Vic 3065 | PO Box 1246, Collingwood Vic 3066 Phone 9489 3500 Rural 1300 730 119 Fax 9486 4226 Email elaa@elaa.org.au Web www.elaa.org.au

From kindergarten to schoolLaying foundations for future learning

to other children and adults in a positive way, to solve problems and to have the ability to be independent sometimes.

Parents are the first and most important teachers of their preschool aged children. Kindergarten provides opportunities to reinforce this role, encouraging parents to participate in their child’s education and to build stronger links in their local community. This might include taking part in a kindergarten committee or other roles such as fundraising.

THE INDIVIDUAL NATURE OF TRANSITIONSKindergarten programs allow children to learn through play and develop their confidence and skills – encouraging their development as lifelong learners. Kindergarten programs can be offered in independent kindergartens as well as some long day care settings.

Early childhood teachers plan environments and experiences to support children’s learning through play. Teachers provide a safe environment for children to learn about themselves, to relate

Families and the transition from kindergarten to school

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ELAA FAMILY INFORMATION SHEET GETTINGREADYFORSCHOOL