Vol. 1 • No. 6 • Nov/Dec 09 FREE ® An Interview with the Blue Wiggle, Anthony Field School Readiness & the Importance of Play What Should My Child Be Doing Before Starting School? The Adrenalin Rush of Skateboarding Holiday Jobs & Learning Holiday Learning for Preschoolers 3-6 Years Old A Kids’ Healthy Christmas Local News • Product & Book Reviews • Activities • Great Giveaways Summer Learning Special +
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Get Ahead Kids Magazine Vol. 1. No. 6. Nov/Dec 2009
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Vol. 1 • No. 6 • Nov/Dec 09
FREE
®
An Interview with the
Blue Wiggle, Anthony FieldSchool Readiness & the Importance of Play
What Should My Child Be Doing Before Starting School?
The Adrenalin Rush of Skateboarding
Holiday Jobs & Learning
Holiday Learning for Preschoolers 3-6 Years Old
A Kids’ Healthy Christmas
Local News • Product & Book Reviews • Activities • Great Giveaways
Summer Learning Special +
Best Value Speech Therapy ServicesProven Results • Professional Speech Pathologists • Personal Attention
FREE INFO PACK PHONE 4946 7277 [email protected] | www.getaheadlearning.com.auEast Maitland Centre - Suite 18C, 121 Lawes Street | Port Stephens Centre - 91 Stockton Street, Nelson BayCharlestown Centre - 53 Dickinson Street - Opposite Council Pool | Eleebana Centre - 20 Anglers Place
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www.getaheadkids.com.au 3
Vol. 1 • No. 6 • Nov/Dec 09
FREE
Editorial
Your Letters
News
‘I am Jack’ Stage Play
Spotlight
An Interview with the Blue Wiggle, Anthony Field
Summer Learning
What Should My Child Be Doing Before Starting School?
The Adrenalin Rush of Skateboarding
School Readiness & the Importance of Play
How to Maintain Reading Gains During the Summer Holidays
Holiday Learning for Preschoolers 3-6 Years Old
Holiday Jobs & Learning
Health
A Kids’ Healthy Christmas
A Picture of Australian Children 2009
People in Focus
From Stalemate to Singapore
News
Aerobics Team to Compete in World Competition
Sisters at the Australian Karate Championships
Snowsports Successes for Lakes Grammar Students
Michelle Bridges Wins Heat 2 in ‘Celebrity MasterChef’
Get Ahead Kids® is published by Marketing Advisers for Professionals Pty Ltd T/A MAP Marketing. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the publisher. The publisher does not accept responsibility for the opinions, errors or omissions.
Find the inner magic Experience joy & laughter Deal with emotions Make great friends
1300 251 575 www.freetobeme.com.au
Raise KidsSUPER
By Maria Charlton
Get Ahead Kids® Nov/Dec 096
How do The Wiggles contribute to
the education of kids?
Everything we do reverberates
our early childhood training which
emphasised the importance of
seeing things from the perspective
of the child. Murray and I were both
pre-school teachers, and we know
that children learn best through play
and music.
So that is what we incorporate into
all our CDs, DVDs and live shows.
Through our shows, we attempt
to empower children through
participation in singing and dancing.
Where did you go to school?
I went to St Bernadette’s in Lalor
Park (western Sydney), this is where
I first started to play an instrument,
the violin. I then went to Patrician
Brothers Blacktown where I learned
to play football and say the Rosary
with an Irish accent!
My high school was St Joseph’s
College in Sydney where I played
in the orchestra and first played
guitar in a rock band called ‘The
Cockroaches’ with two of my
brothers.
Spotlight
There are many learning
opportunities for children; they are
exposed to a wide range of music
through the many styles of music
we play. We have sung songs in
many different languages (Balla
Balla Bambina) and of course we
sing about the world children live
in, where, for example, eating is a
big part of the day (Hot Potato). We
recognise the importance of
pro-social learning and are aware of
the power of the hidden curriculum -
we try and promote a healthy
lifestyle with songs about exercise
(Getting Strong) and eating healthily
(Fruit Salad).
An Interview with the Blue Wiggle, Anthony Field
www.getaheadkids.com.au 7
What are your career highlights?
Still performing after 18 years is pretty
amazing in itself. Meeting Robert De
Niro and Jerry Seinfeld at a Wiggles
gig. The Macys’ Thanksgiving Parade
in New York City, recording and
filming with Slim Dusty, John Fogerty,
Kylie Minogue, Rolf Harris, Troy
Cassar-Daley and so many others.
What do you value most in life?
My family
What are your most unforgettable
personal experiences?
My wedding, the births of my three
children, seeing the Tigers win their
last grand final.
Please tell us about your family
I am the youngest of seven children,
there’s Maria, Patrick, Colleen, Paul,
Anne, John and myself. My dad
was a pharmacist, he was heavily
involved in the local community.
He counselled addicts and ran the
Parents and Friends Association at
school, as well as coaching us at
football. He died about ten years
ago and we all still miss him terribly.
My mother always said the three
most important things in life are
children, music and flowers! So she
made sure that all of us learned at
least one musical instrument.
Now I have three children of my
own, Lucia, Maria and Antonio.
What are your hobbies?
I love being on Sydney Harbour
on my boat, and watching rugby
league - my team is the Wests Tigers.
Go the Tigers!
What was your first job?
I worked at a used car yard along
Parramatta Road with some
amazing characters.
I helped clean the cars, but could
never have been a salesman!
Spotlight
What is your favourite Australian
destination and why?
Home in Sydney. I love getting out
on the water in my boat and of
course going to Leichhardt Oval to
watch the Tigers play.
What was your best overseas
experience?
I’m not sure what the best overseas
experience was but performing and
filming on the Great Wall of China
was pretty amazing!
More Information
www.thewiggles.com.au
This Christmas see The Wiggles perform in their Big Big Show, right around Australia.
Get Ahead Kids® Nov/Dec 098
What do children need to be
able to do well before they get to
school?
There’s much more to being
successful at school than being
able to recognise the letters of the
alphabet, counting, or writing your
own name.
These skills can be learnt by rote
and don’t necessarily show that the
child has the brain development
needed for more academic levels
of learning.
To learn easily, children need to be
able to take in new information,
organise it, give it meaning and
respond appropriately.
To do this the brain needs to have
the message highways that conduct
information to and from it in tip-top
shape.
Sensory stimulation, opportunities
to move, and rhythm work, are just
a few of the things that stimulate
development of the message
highways.
Children whose message highways
are not ready for learning find
activities such as drawing, painting,
bead threading, puzzles, cutting out,
word recognition, comprehension,
maths concepts, letter and numeral
writing, and spelling more difficult
than those whose brain is mature
and responding effectively and
efficiently.
Even though the children who are
not ready to learn are most likely
highly intelligent, they are at risk for
ongoing learning difficulties.
School readiness begins well before
your child starts school. It begins
before birth and in infancy!
What Should My Child Be Doing Before
Starting School?
By Dr Jane Williams
The skills that your child develops in
the first five years of life provide the
foundations for later literacy and
numeracy skills, as well as social
and emotional maturity essential
for coping in a classroom and
playground environment.
Babies need the opportunities to
move and sensory experiences
that stimulate their brain. Rolling,
crawling, creeping, spinning,
massage, moving to music, along
with opportunities to experience
different textures, sounds, tastes,
smells, and movements are all
important to the developing brain.
Toddlers need lots of movement
experiences that enable them to
practice (over and over) earlier
learned skills.
These provide the foundation for
higher brain-based skills necessary
for later learning - running, jumping,
climbing, rolling, spinning and
tumbling should be included in the
daily activity repertoire of one and
two year old children.
Summer Learning
www.getaheadkids.com.au 9
Let your toddler walk! Go for walks
every day. There are so many things
to do while walking: stepping into
puddles, jumping over lines, picking
up leaves and twigs, balancing
along fences. Go to parks and play
on swings, seesaws and slides. Run
up and down hills. Roll and tumble.
Balance along edges.
Three and four year olds need the
opportunities to develop their brains
to a level where they can move
their bodies in more mature ways -
hopping, galloping, marching,
skipping, over-arm throwing and
batting all require the brain to be
matured to a level where one side
of the body can do “something
different” to the other. It is called
“lateralization”.
This means the brain is able to direct
the right side of the body to “think
and move” differently to the left.
Lateralization is important for lots of
learning activities in school including
cutting out with scissors, art and
craft activities, playing sports, writing
and knowing in which hand to hold
a pencil.
While you may be anxious for your
child to develop the best skill set for
learning at school, it is important to
remember that you cannot hurry
your child’s development - it takes
time for the body to fine-tune its
movements. Let them tackle the
same task as often as they need to.
Every time your child practices a
movement they are taking another
important step along the pathway
to learning.
Summer Learning
• Research based programs• Professional qualified instructors• Parent information & home activities• Movement, music & specially designed equipment• Encourage critical skills for early learning & literacy
Reading Rocks!Selective School Preparation83% Student Success for 2010 Intake
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Summer Learning
Get Ahead Kids® Nov/Dec 0916
Summer Learning
Holiday Learning
for Preschoolers 3-6 Years Old
Making holiday breaks interesting
and enjoyable for preschool chil-
dren can lead to many areas of their
development being challenged and
extended.
Preschoolers are inquisitive by
nature. They love to figure out how
things move, work, grow, smell, taste
and feel.
As adults, you can encourage
this interest in children and create
your own project within the home
environment. Below are some ideas
that you can try with your children.
These activities specifically focus on
the areas of maths and science.
Growing A Garden
Planting seedlings or established ❑
flowers and vegetables with
your child can lead to many
areas of development being
extended. Talk to your child
about;
The height and growth of the •
plants: Measure the plant
growth and document it using
a column graph. This is a great
visual prompt for your child
to see the progress of their
garden.
Ask your child; “What makes •
plants and flowers grow?”
Discuss the plants’ food (sun,
water, soil and fertiliser) and
also discuss what can affect
plants e.g. Snails, insects and
drought.
Place a rain gauge in •
the garden. This will also
encourage interest in
measurement.
The taste, texture and smell of •
the plants. Planting foods such
as vegetables and fruits is a
great way to encourage them
to eat it because they grew it!
Use a magnifying glass or a pair ❑
of binoculars to promote an
interest in the garden and or
surrounding environment.
Make a grass head out of a ❑
stocking, soil and grass seeds.
Decorate with goggle eyes
and craft materials. Have
one growing inside and one
growing outside to compare the
differences in height.
Caring and maintaining the ❑
garden. Encourage your child
to water and care for their
garden each day. Set up a
routine time to do this (eg: first
thing in morning). This is a great
opportunity to instil responsibility
in your child.
Cooking
Getting children involved in cooking
experiences is an ideal way of
incorporating topics such as health
and nutrition. It also gives adults
the opportunity to ask their children
questions which, in turn, may
provoke further thought.
Talk to your child about: ❑
Measurements: Encourage •
them to measure ingredients
and liquids when cooking.
Discuss fractions (eg: ¼ or ½)
Discuss “sometimes” foods•
Discuss foods that give our •
bodies energy and keep us
healthy.
Discuss where foods are grown •
(eg: potatoes, tomatoes)
Discuss where foods come •
from (eg: milk, eggs)
Provide your child with text ❑
materials such as a recipe book
to look through. Allow them to
choose a recipe to cook.
Discuss solids and liquids and ❑
what happens to both when
heated, refrigerated or frozen.
Make play dough, finger-paint, ❑
slime and goop with your child.
Provide your child with role play ❑
materials. A mixing bowl with a
little flour and a spoon can be
so much fun!
Use vegetables or fruits that you ❑
have grown in the garden.
These are just a few ideas of how
you can extend your child’s thinking
at home. The possibilities are endless!
By Renee Hartigan
www.getaheadkids.com.au 17
Summer Learning
Must Have Recipes for Preschoolers
Slime
1 cup Lux soap flakes•
2 litres warm water•
Food colouring•
Mix all ingredients. Whisk with egg
beater. The longer you keep it, the
better it gets.
H U N T E R V A L L E Y G R A M M A R S C H O O L
SCHOLARSHIPS FOR 2011Scholarship applications are available for entry in 2011.
Academic Scholarships Years 5 -11Music Scholarships Years 5-11Visual Arts Scholarships Years 9-11Applications close Friday 9 April, 2010.Academic Scholarship Exams held on Saturday 8 May, 2010.
Apply on-line at www.hvgs.nsw.edu.au or for furtherinformation please contact the school's Registrar.
Norfolk St Ashtonfield NSW 2323 P • 4934 2444 F • 4934 2404 E • [email protected] W • www.hvgs.nsw.edu.au
Teachers Aides play a critical part in supporting the classroom teacher with children with additional needs.
Course includes supporting reading, behaviour management, communication & using specialist resources.
Rolling enrolment! Enroll anytime!Day Class - 10:00am - 1:00pm Evening Class - 6.30pm - 8.30pm1 day or evening per week + distance education study + workplace experienceCHC30808 Certificate III in Education SupportICCC,146 Lambton Rd, Broadmeadow$200.00 per unit
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Vol. 2 • No. 1 • Jan/Feb 10
FREE
Back to School IssueJan/Feb 2010
Get Ahead Kids Nov/Dec 0934
Celebrity Spotlight
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HEAD START IN LIFE
The Pre-school caters for children in the year before Kindergarten. Our hand-picked, caring and qualified staff work in a safe, fun and challenging environment that allows children to explore, experiment, create, discover and interact, developing the skills recognised as the foundations for a balanced life. Limited Pre-school places are available for 2011.
Children thrive in a happy, safe and secure environment – that’s why Newcastle Grammar School’s Junior Campus allows its Students to feel secure in their early years of primary education. The School provides the structure and discipline required for young children to develop both socially and academically.
Students from Kindergarten to Year 4 are taught in an environment that is warm, friendly and supportive. The small class sizes allow for individual attention and are coupled with the very best in technology including interactive whiteboards and computers in each room.
PRE-SCHOOL
TOURS
The School offers the very best all round holistic education including involvement in sport, music and creative arts.
HOLISTIC EDUCATION
JUNIOR SCHOOL
The beginning of the ‘Primary’ years of education.• Small class sizes - currently 16 students per class.• Every student receives a programme book to organise their time and to • aid communication between the School and parents.Curriculum includes drama, choir, French, strings and a specialised sport • programme utilising the School’s facilities at Howzat Sports & Fitness Centre.First overnight excursion plus visits to the Art Gallery and the Botanical • Gardens.
YEAR 3 IN FOCUS
After School Care and Vacation Care available for Pre-school to Year 6. Private Music Tuition, Speech and Drama Tuition. Exclusive Bus Service operates daily from Toronto, Caves Beach and Maitland.
EXTRA SERVICES
Individual tours of both Park Campus (Pre-school to Year 4) and Hill Campus (Years 5 to 12) can be pre-arranged by phoning 4929 5811.