A Word from the President

Hi Benwerrin Families

Welcome to your final newsletter for 2014. Firstly I hope you all had a wonderful time at our Disco. It was a tremendous success. I think we can all agree that DJ Ray Ray was fantastic. He really got the children involved in dancing and playing games. I believe he is the best DJ we have had. Thanks to Burwood East Primary School for letting us use the hall for free. We made a little profit due to the decreased expenses this year! I wanted to say a huge thank you to all the volunteers who helped on the night. For putting up tables and helping set up, to cooking the BBQ and helping in the kitchen. Also to our fundraising team who did another great job in organising this wonderful event. Without the support of volunteers, we can’t have nights like this so again, thank you to everyone who pitched in. We hope you all enjoyed it as much as we did.

Our Annual General Meeting was held on the 12th November. Thank you to all the families who turned out to collect their information booklets and listen to this year’s reports. If you have not collected your pack, please see the teachers and they will give them to you. We also elected most of our committee of management for 2015. We still have 2 general member and 2 Trivia night team positions available for next year. The trivia night positions are to help with setting up the trivia night, getting donations and items for the silent auction. Our general members are valuable for their input and ideas and are also needed to help with the other fundraising events like the Easter raffle or the wine drive. If this sounds like fun for you, then please let us know and we can add you to our exciting team next year. I also want to take this opportunity to thank all our members of the Benwerrin committee of Management for 2014 for their hard work and dedication to our kinder this year. Also our staff for their unwavering commitment to making our kinder a safe and supportive and educationally stimulating as our children continue on their learning journeys.

There are many people that I need to thank for their amazing efforts this year. I would like to firstly thank Toni Lepore, our Director and 4YO Teacher for her commitment and dedication. Toni has dedicated so much time and effort into making our kinder a place that children love to come to. She ensures every day that our students have a fantastic start to their formal education and are a step ahead in enjoying the process of learning about life and how the world works.

To Shenel Demirci, thank you for another wonderful year. You bring such life to the program and your families love having you as their teacher. This year you stepped up to be our 4YO Kangaroo and 3YO Koala teacher. You have provided an innovative and creative program for our children and we look forward to another year with you.

Renata Rosbiffi, Thank you for the year you have spent with us. Renata is currently on a 12 month maternity contract and we would like to thank you for all your wonderful contributions to the kinder this year. We hope you have learned a lot from our kinder and the people around you, and I know you will be successful and loved teacher at your next kinder, just as you were here.

Thank you to Bronwyn Fooks, Fiorella Varrasso, Trish Imbastaro and Renata again for providing vital support to Toni and Shenel. For helping to enrich our children’s lives every day. Without you the teachers could not provide such a wonderful, exciting and well organised play based environment.

The children have been working hard on their Christmas concerts. Personally, I can't wait to see it. You know the year is coming to an end when the carols are ringing and the children are bringing home tinsel covered baubles for the tree! For those families returning, we will see you next year, ready and refreshed for another year of learning. For those leaving us, Thank you for everything you have done. Your children are leaving with the knowledge that they have been a part of something special, and that they are ready for the huge next step up to school next year.

From Benwerrin Pre-School, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.

Gillian MoonPresident

4yo News – Toni (Echidna Group)

Concert, nativity play, party, Santa visit, disco are just some of the ways we have decided to end the year with the children. It is a time of celebration as we think back over what has been achieved and how the children have and

continue to grow as the strong, capable and resourceful individuals. (LO 1)

It has been a wonderful and exciting year we have had together with the children but also a major life transition for them and their

families who are preparing their move from kindergarten to school. To foster and support a smooth and positive transition for each child we have engaged in a number of experiences at kinder such as the home corner school scenario with school clothing and bags, reading books about going to school, researching the different school websites on the IPAD and had stories read to them by the local school children. (LO2)

Towards the end of the year the outdoor environment is planned so that the children are able to extend their physical skills. I intentionally utilized the outdoor climbing equipment such as the scramble net, boards and A frames to engage and challenge children in gross motor, coordination and balance skills. The children are now using their bodies confidently to climb, wait their turn, have developed self awareness, increased interest and thinking skills as they move around through their environment confidently and safely. (LO 3)

Reflecting on the year …

We have taken a holistic approach to the program and focused on children’s physical, personal, social, emotional and spiritual wellbeing as well as cognitive aspects of learning. We explored different program designs that meet the needs of children across a long day program. Planning for longer sessions found that we needed to make a pedagogical shift. Planning several group times to progress group learning opportunities and an indoor/outdoor program allowed them to actively make choices. The indoor and outdoor environments had equal learning opportunities that was inclusive and supported the children’s exploration, creativity and learning. (LO 4)

The mobile vegetable garden helped children develop an appreciation to the environment, be responsible for nurturing their garden and giving them a sense of wonder and pride as they watched them grow into vegetables. The enjoyment of the natural environment promotes children’s understanding about being responsible to care for the environment from day to day and long term sustainability. (LO 2)

We have also enjoyed our cooking experiences and have cooked popcorn, muffins, sausage rolls, vegetable soup and play-dough throughout the year. These experiences have given them opportunities to further develop mathematical and science concepts and engage in processes such as problem solving, hypothesising, questioning and experimenting. (LO 4)

The snack and lunch times have become so pleasant and comfortable with opportunities for relaxed conversations with adults and other children. Building respectful and equitable relationship are embedded into our program each child feels confident, secure and included. (LO 1)

Children have been exposed to SO many experiences that enhanced their development of pre-reading, pre-writing, math and science concepts, as well as further learning opportunities as guided by children’s interests and needs and of course the intentionality of the teachers. (LO 4 & 5)

We have grown close as a Kinder community, grown as individuals and built strong foundations for future learning and relationship building. Thank you to all our families who continue to support the program, it has been an absolute pleasure to get to know you all during the year. (QA 6)

4yo News – Shenel (Kangaroo Group)

What a busy and exciting year we have had together with our Kangaroo group. With our philosophy and program encompassing and reflecting the Early Childhood National Frameworks, the children were ‘Belonging, Being and Becoming’ as individuals, as a kinder group and part of the wider community.

Term one saw many of the children, easing into their new routine, separating from family and becoming part of a larger group. Our staggered session times allowed the children time to process and adjust to their new environment, new faces and experiences. Trish and I aimed to provide a warm, safe and secure environment where the children could ease into the routine and transitions within the kinder room.

Benwerrin’s philosophy on learning through play also provided a comforting, supportive and nurturing learning environment. This is especially so as the children began to emerge socially and emotionally, gaining resiliency and confidence in themselves

and their ability to function within the group.

‘My Family’ has probably been the most consistent topic throughout this year. It was a topic never far from the children’s conversations, play and creative work. The Kangaroo Group enjoyed sharing their family experiences with each other, taking home our classroom mascot named “Skippy” and sharing the routine and special occasions which may have occurred when Skippy came to visit them at home.

Throughout the year we have enjoyed many celebrations, especially our luncheon for our Mother’s Day and Father’s Day/Special person’s evening which were prepared by making special gifts, cards and cooking a special treat. The Kangaroo children enjoyed pampering their mothers and dancing with their dads at kinder.

Our kinder takes part in a chicken hatching program where the children get to see eggs hatch and baby chickens grow. For some children this is the first time they get to experience a baby animals and interact with them. This gives them a great sense and understanding of how things grow.

Other topics through the year have included ; Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring; Water Safety visit; Traffic Safety; Dinosaurs; Healthy Eating; Dental Hygiene; Planting; Easter; Chesterville Farm excursion; Rhythm Fun visit; Responsible Pet Owner ship visit; The Human Body; Nurse Visit; Feelings; Australian culture; Wild Action Animals visit; Space; Dancing with Vanessa, Magnets and many more..

We have explored creative skills by printing using defined shapes, rollers and sponges; mixing watercolours using primaries to create secondary colours. We have manipulated play dough, clay, moon sand, slime, lentils, rice, foam, mud, water and sand. We have used different types of media including oil crayons and acrylic paints; thick and thin textas; grey lead; rollers; salad spinner ; string; Weaving on burlap; pencils; brushes on a variety of surfaces.

The Kangaroo children were empowered to think about the impact of human activity has on our environment and the interdependence of living things. We were proactive to help make an impact and create a social storm before the world heritage committee meeting who decide the future of our Great Barrier Reef. Our Kangaroo children all contributed in making a large poster with a powerful message “We Vote for the Reef’ to send to the UNESCO.

During the year we have introduced computers to our program, which the children were very enthusiastic about. Using computers allows children the opportunity to experience, connect and experiment with technology. It allows them to explore the purpose and function of a range of media, sounds and graphics.

We have been utilising our kitchen spaces where the children have cooked popcorn, muffins, play-dough, shortbread and vegetable soup to name just a few. These experiences have given them opportunities to further develop mathematical and science concepts and engage in processes such as problem solving, hypothesising, questioning and experimenting.

I would like to acknowledge our wonderful parent helpers, without your help we would be unable to run our program smoothly and effectively as we do. Your support not only enriches the children’s kinder experiences but also strengthens our community.

With four year old kinder year coming to an end, Trish and I reflect on the amazing cognitive, physical, social and emotional development of the Kangaroo children. It is a privilege and a joy for us to have played a part in their educational journey. With some sadness we guide them onto the next step of their journey and wish them all the best for the future.

A special thank you to Toni and Brownwyn for your support throughout the year. I am privileged to work alongside such knowledgeable, experienced and passionate educators. You have both been my inspiration. I look forward to sharing the room with you again next year.

And, of course, a huge thank you to Trish my educator and friend. It has been a delight to work with you this year. Trish you have been a passionate educator who continues to enrich the program with your knowledge, professionalism and commitment. I will miss you from the Kangaroo group but look forward to hearing about your adventures with both three year groups. All the best!!

Many thanks and Best wishes for the New Year,

3yo news – Shenel (Koala Group)

What a busy and exciting year we have had together! Reflecting on the year certainly confirms how much the children have grown and developed as strong and capable individuals.

In the beginning of the year, our main objectives for the Koala children were to happily attend kinder feeling safe and secure, develop trusting relationships with teachers, and feel a sense of belonging to the kinder environment. The routines we establish at kinder help achieve these goals. Routines are important tools that allow children to practise together, predict the sequence of events during the sessions and take responsibility for their own wellbeing.

The Koala children have engaged in learning relationships with each other, building positive friendships with those around them. They have also learned about boundaries and expectations in a welcoming environment, where they feel respected and included. As part of our Victorian and National framework, this is vital for ensuring that children grow and develop as individuals.

A group snack time routine was offered during each session. Snack time allows opportunities for children and their educators to chat and enjoy each other’s company. It is a time where we have discussed good nutrition and wellbeing, as we talked about healthy snacks good for our bodies. The children are also encouraged to be more independent while opening/closing lunch boxes, unwrapping and peeling their fruits.

When the weather was in our favour the children were keen to get outside and discover the play equipment and experiences

provided for outdoor play. These experiences encourage children to explore and interact with the kinder environment. Open ended experiences such as sand and water play, provide many learning opportunities in an enjoyable way without fear of failure. During these experiences the children

learn about different textures, develop language skills, wait their turn, share equipment, develop fine and gross motor skills and solve problems.

Throughout the year we celebrated Easter, Mothers Day, Special Person/Fathers Day, Siblings being born, The Four Seasons, Chickens Hatching and Birthdays. We learnt more about the Australian Culture; Sustainability; Human body; Dinosaurs; Under the Sea Creatures, Plants and growing Alfalfa; Chicken/Butterfly Lifecycle; Healthy Eating and Bugs just to name a few..

Visits from The Drama Toolbox proved a success. An inspirational, creative and interactive incursion for all, learning

more about Dinosaurs and Under the Sea Creatures, their habitats, behaviours and eating habits in a fun and interactive way.

Mat and group times have played an important part in our kinder sessions. It has provided many opportunities for building positive relationships, literacy and language development and intentional teaching opportunities to occur throughout the year. Group

experiences also encourage

children to learn names, be respectful of others, turn take,

communicate, gain an understanding of fairness and develop a sense of belonging to the group. The children have enjoyed taking home the Koala family album and a soft ‘toy’ named Koala Lou and shared their family experiences which may have occurred when Koala came to visit. We have also introduced ‘Show and Tell’ sessions for children to take turns in bringing a meaningful item from home and talk about in front of the group.We explored various aspects of identity throughout the year. We got to know each other. We learnt about who we are, what we

look like, and who’s in our family. This supports the children in developing confident and knowledgeable self-identities.

These moments and many others have provided

springboards for developing children’s persistence, independence, disposition, creativity, confidence, co-operation and curiosity.

Involvement of families our parents, has been vital in the enrichment of our program and in supporting children’s development over the year. Thank you to all our enthusiastic, dedicated parents for your contributions this year. Your support and enthusiasm has been greatly appreciated. It has been an absolute pleasure to get to know you all during the year.

Thank you to our beautiful Koala children who I have had the honour to guide and learn alongside. You have inspired us every day and brought so much joy and meaning to the program. I gain great pleasure to continue to develop relationships with you and your family as you transition into 4yr old kinder.

Thank you to Renata for her hard work, dedication and enthusiasm. Contributing in so many ways to make this year to look back on to with an enormous smile and pleasure.

Have a happy and safe Christmas break. Hope to see you all again in the New Year! Shenel Demirci

3yo News – Renata (Possum Group)

This term has seen the Possum children display greater levels of maturity, perseverance, and independence. As I look through images, photos, and work samples within individual portfolios, I see children’s significant progress and development in a range of skills. In particular, children’s growth in confidence, creativity, and enthusiasm for learning is more and more evident with each session. This term I have witnessed many examples of creative expression as children use their existing knowledge to conjure new and unique ideas for box construction!

There is a strong sense of community in the Possum Group. The group has formed a unique bond and Fi and I have been lucky to have such an energetic, enthusiastic, confident, and creative group of individuals! We are both incredibly proud to see how much the children have learned and developed. I would like to thank Toni and Gill for the opportunity to teach such a remarkable group of children.

This year the Possums have engaged in many memorable learning experiences. These include witnessing a violin concert by Gabriel and his mum, Easter celebrations, Mother’s day and Father’s day celebrations, playing World Cup soccer, Possum Magic, creating a collaborative canvas, going on imaginary “Outback Adventures,” a Dinosaur drama incursion, holding baby chicks, and a recent “Under the Sea” drama incursion. We look forward to enjoying the remainder of Term 4 including upcoming Christmas celebrations.

A big thank you to families for supporting children’s learning and making this year such a wonderful experience! The Possums have especially enjoyed having parent helpers in the room. Thank you to all the parents who volunteered as helpers. Your assistance has enabled us to deliver a high quality program. It has been wonderful to be part of such a friendly, welcoming, and supportive preschool community.

I would like to thank my co-educator Fi, with whom I have enjoyed a close working relationship. Fi, I have greatly appreciated your support, professionalism, and commitment. Thank you for your feedback and suggestions regarding program development and evaluation. Together we have made a very successful team! Further, I would like to thank my colleague Shenel for her generosity in making time to share her knowledge, ideas, and resources with me.

Kind regards,

Renata Rosbiffi

Painting by Amy 7/11/14