February 2018

Growing a resilient early childhood community Part 2 Building independence, autonomy and responsibility

Autonomy and responsibility are key to building children’s resilience. Children can be encouraged to take on responsibilities and develop a sense of autonomy from an early age. While we all want to protect our children from negative experiences it is important not to shield them completely from the challenges that arise as part of life. When we support children to work through difficulties and problems we help them learn about themselves, develop their resilience, and grow as a person. Providing children the opportunity to make choices is a first step to independence. When introducing children to ‘choice’ it is a good idea to start with a small number of options, 2 or 3 is enough. Even adults can be overwhelmed when there is too much to choose from. Many of the strategies that we use at WCCC to grow children’s independence and autonomy are also useful strategies to use at home. These include: Build children’s autonomy and independence: Encourage self-help skills including serving themselves, dressing themselves, taking care of their own belongings, helping to pack up toys and resources. Always support children for making an effort when they are trying new task, even if they don’t get it quite right you can always say ‘you tried really hard’. Remember to be patient. When children are learning to do something for themselves it may be messy, untidy and take more time to get to get the task done. Being respectful during routines by asking children’s permission to check their nappies, talking to them about putting on a bib and respecting if they are not hungry or need a cuddle to transition from sleep. Provide opportunities for children to make meaningful decisions: Open shelving allows children to choose what resources they want to use to create their play. Open ended resources such as sand, water and boxes allow children to manipulate, move and build and resource their own learning independently and successfully. Open environments allow children to choose whether they want to be indoors or outdoors, or whether they want to be alone or with company. Honour children’s voices: When children have a say in what is going on around them, they will begin to develop the sense that their ideas and opinions matter. Key ways of listening to and honouring children’s voices include using children’s interests as the basis for our programs; responding to children’s criticisms or comments; and allowing children to help make decisions that affect them. Provide many opportunities for free play with open ended and improvised play as the key. Building blocks, playing with teddies or action figures, and drawing or painting on blank paper are good examples of free play for young children. One of the best examples at WCCC is time in Pilyabilyangga where children explore the natural environment and resource their play from found natural materials. Role model healthy thinking: If we model 'healthy thinking' when faced with a challenge children will observe adults managing difficulties in a constructive way. Try to role model calm and rational problem-solving when something doesn’t go as expected. Talk out loud the thought process you are having in solving a problem. Children can see what problem-solving looks like, and also that the problem can be worked through in a calm way to find a solution. Being bored occasionally is not necessarily bad for children: Children come up with their own ideas and use their creativity. These occasions help children develop their sense of autonomy. https://healthyfamilies.beyondblue.org.au/healthy-homes/building-resilience

PARENT NEWSLETTER

Board and PAG Matters 2018 Adelaide University Childcare Services Inc (AUCS) meets on the last Monday of the month. Next meeting for 2018 is Monday 26th February. The Parent Advisory Group (PAG) meets monthly. First meeting for 2018 will be 14th February. Our main focus will be the 2018 parent review and drafting goals/outcomes for 2018. Please speak to Kaarin if you are interested in joining this group.

Early closure February 19th WCCC closes early two or three days a year so that all educators and staff have an opportunity to participate in professional development and train-ing. On Monday February 19th WCCC will close at 4.30 pm for team planning for 2018.

Centre closure day 2018 This is advance notice that WCCC will be closed for professional development on Friday 25th May. Our EB includes one closure day for professional Development. There will be no fees charged for the closure day.

Program and Service Review 2017 The results of our 2017, which was completed by almost 50% of families, are currently being reviewed. Here is a summary of the key positives. Children were most supported to feel secure, confident through: Development of positive relationships with educators Educators who support emotional and social learning Educators who understand my child’s individual strengths and interests Children's wellbeing was supported through effective practices, procedures and routines: Healthy and nutritious meals and snacks Educators who understand my child’s need and abilities Educators provided an inviting and engaging environment for all children through: Setting up environments that are inviting Pilyabilyangga and the outdoor classroom The adventure play space The use of natural and recycled materials The Centre provided a welcoming and engaging environment through: A safe clean environment A team of educators who are welcoming caring and responsive Consistency od educators and staffing Children’s learning was authentically, consistently and regularly documented through: Daily conversations and anecdotes Individual curriculum plans, learning stories and portfolios Families ensured they had up to date information about Centre programs and the plans for their child utilising: Centre and room newsletters Discussions with the child’s primary carer Reading room goals that are emailed each term Responding to evaluations and questionnaires Reading children’s portfolios Everyone has been engaging with our project on growing positive education via our newsletter so I hope you also enjoy this one.

Welcome To the following children and their families

Heidi and Jarrad to R1 and to Elva R2

New team member We welcome Lingling to our team

Lingling has commenced working in Room 1 covering Emily’s maternity

leave contract.

“From an evolutionary perspective, the normal social play of children involves kids of various ages.” The age-segregated education and care environments that we have today developed from the mid 19th century and have expanded in the 21st century to the stage where many children are directed into a proliferation of age-graded, adult-organized recreational and sporting activities as well. We have come to expect that children are best grouped according to age and may even begin to worry about our children if they do not have sufficient age-mates. There are differing benefits to children of both same age and mixed age groups and as children grow older an increase in same age group experiences will be important for some children. Our interest is in mixed age groups, particularly in Room 3 where we offer a different experience than stand alone preschool services for 4 and 5 year olds. Research into mixed age groupings, where the age difference is two years or more tells us that children learn more from others who are older or younger than themselves than they do from age-mates. Experiences with younger children provide older children with opportunities to be the mature ones in relationships and thereby practice nurturance and leadership. Researchers have also found, not surprisingly, that children exert much more leadership when they collaborate with younger children in joint tasks than when they collaborate with age-mates. Teaching and learning are sometimes described as bidirectional activities, experiences through which the teacher and learner learn from one another. When older children explain concepts to younger ones in age-mixed play, they must share their previously implicit, unexpressed knowledge in a way that younger children can understand. This challenges them to explain the ‘how to’ in words as well as encouraging the children to demonstrate in a practical way that the younger child can follow. Younger children in age-mixed environments learn by watching and listening to the older ones. The interactions that children experience in mixed-age groups elicit prosocial behaviours that are important in the social development of the young child. When children all nearly of the same age play a game, competitiveness can interfere with playfulness. Our modern, Western culture, puts emphasis on winning and on all sorts of comparisons aimed at determining who is better. In contrast, when children of widely different ages play a game together, the focus shifts from winning to having fun and fun means learning. With an increase in single child families, wider age gaps between siblings and greater living distances from extended families many children today have little opportunity for mixed-aged play. Being in a group of children aged 3 years to school age, as in Room 3, provides opportunities for children to nurture and lead, allowing children who are settled and older to build their self-confidence and self-esteem. Mixed age grouping supports children’s social and emotional learning which are the keys to becoming a confident active learner. Mixed age grouping allow educators to really see children as individuals and plan for the learning and development of their very different individual needs and strengths. Some schools utilise this knowledge of mixed age learning by having buddy systems when children commence school, others have shifted to have mixed age classes for reception to year 2. Since 2012 the Lady Gowrie Children’s Centre is Adelaide has had mixed age groupings for their youngest children 0-3 years. While some families were initially unsure of this change and how it would impact on their child they are now confident it has created a positive learning environment for all. It may be difficult for us to shift from the way we ‘expect’ things to be, looking at education and care settings through a developmental perspective, to one where we view children as managers of their own learning. However it is the children themselves who benefit most from mixed age groupings. Reference: American Journal of Play, volume 3, number 4. © 2011 The Special Value of Mixed -age Play by Peter Gray PHD.

The value to children of mixed age groups A different perspective on early education

WCCC Green Page

Sustainable Communities SA Sustainable Communities SA was established in 2008 as a non-profit, membership-based community organisation. Located in South Australia with members in the Adelaide metropolitan area and country areas around the state. Their purpose is to inspire, inform and connect communities to create a sustainable future with the vision of creating a just and sustainable society through: Encouraging sustainable use of the earth’s resources Strengthening community participation Building resilience to environmental, social and economic challenges There are groups across Adelaide: Mitcham Council Area Blackwood Hills Meets in the evening of the 1st Thursday of the month North Mount Lofty Ranges – 4 Council areas, Transition Action Group Meets evenings last Tuesday of the month Norwood Payneham & St Peters Council Area Meets afternoon 2nd Tuesday Unley Council Area Parkside Meets evening 1st Monday of the month Alexandrina Council Area Strathalbyn Meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month 7.30pm Onkaparinga Council Area- newly establish. Speak to Kaarin if you would like more information. https://sustainablecommunitiessa.org.au/about/

Adelaide Sustainability Centre Adelaide City Repair Cafe – Volunteer with Us Adelaide Sustainability Centre has received funding from Fund My Neighbourhood to run a bimonthly repair cafe, starting March 2018. The Adelaide City Repair Cafe will share knowledge and skills on repairing items and aims to reduce non-recyclable waste. It will be a place where neighbours can meet and repair items such as furniture, clothing, jewellery, and elec-trical items, with support from specialist volunteers, in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere. Volunteer repair ex-perts will take the time to explain the repair process to every participant, helping them to learn new skills and understand the benefits of repairing and reusing. Adelaide Sustainability Centre is also now recruiting volunteer fixers, and a range of vollies to take part in this exciting project. If you love to tinker, can help with repairs and could bring your toolbox. Any contribution welcome, including, clothing repairs/alteration, electrical repairs (must have appropriate certifications), furniture and other wood-working repairs, jewellery and more. If you don’t have repair skills but could help with registration, photo-graphing, coordination or promotion, please contact the Centre. Location; The Joinery 111 Franklin Street Adelaide, SA 5000. For more information visit: http://www.adelaidesustainabilitycentre.org.au/

Zero Waste lunchboxes Here is a great idea from a parent whose child has just started school. Looking for something that would allow her to give her child a healthy lunch with a variety of foods in one container she purchased a Yumbox. While more expensive than the usual lunch box it saves children carrying (and loosing) lots of small containers. Yumbox is a kid friendly lunchbox container with a single leak proof lid and you can pack watermelon and crackers in the same box. With a pre-portioned tray they come in 3 different sizes. These are available from a variety of local retailers or online at: https://www.hellogreen.com.au/collections/lunch-gear http://www.biome.com.au/784-yumbox