Connection, routine and wellbeing, the focus for Catholic Early EdCare kindergartens during at home learning.
Adjusting to at home learning during COVID-19 was a challenge for many children and families, but at Catholic Early EdCare were focusing on maintaining connection and routine during this time.
Children’s social development during their early years was critical, as the way they formed relationships and connected with others would influence them both in the short and long term. At Catholic Early EdCare, we focused on helping children connect and form relationships with their educators, peers, and the broader community.
St Clare’s Kindergarten Teacher Mel Kemp explained, “At our kindergarten children become part of an extended family building strong relationships with their peers, ourselves as teachers and also our co-located school community, St Clare’s Primary School”.
When COVID-19 social distancing began being implemented and the kindergarten saw a decline in children attending, Mel and her teaching partner Miss Sarah wrote paper letters to personally connect with each of the children who normally attended the kindergarten.
“Suddenly, the children could no longer visit or see the extended family they had come to love and we wanted to make sure that each of the children knew that they hadn’t been forgotten, how important they were to our community and that we couldn’t wait to have them all back together again. The response to the letters has been amazing with parents and children reporting that they felt incredibly special that their teachers took the time to write to them individually,” Mel said.
Elizabeth was thrilled when she received her personal letter and a photo from Miss Mel and Miss Sarah
Across all kindergarten teachers are staying connected with children in unique and local ways. Through Zoom sessions a few times a week, they are helping the children stay connected with one another engaging in virtual show and tell, prayer and reflection time, story-telling and many other activities.
By staying connected to all children our kindergarten teachers aim to continue supporting each child’s individual needs from home and ensure the transition back to the kindergarten room will be as seamless as possible.
Following a daily routine was one of the big adjustments for children when they started kindergarten and one that was critical for their transition to school. After several weeks of kindergarten, many children had become comfortable and confident with their new routine.
St Benedict’s Kindergarten Teacher Ali Cuthbertson explained, “some children struggle to settle when they first start kindergarten but we had established a great routine and they were feeling very comfortable here, we want to ensure they continue to feel well connected and know they will be back soon by helping them talk about and remember what they do at kindergarten.”
Ali Cuthbertson
“We have suggested a routine to families who have their kindergarten child at home, which is very similar to that we follow at kindergarten. Each morning we sit together and say our morning prayer and acknowledgment of country, update our calendar for the date and day of the week, update our weather board and plan our activities for the day. We have created a video which families can follow at home to continue this routine with their child and then suggest one or two activities each day they can do as indoor and outdoor play.”
Routine also drove the selection of activities and experiences provided for children at home, in kindergarten, and via virtual learning. Teachers continued to plan their programs as normal, and all experiences and activities came from this planned program.
Lolli after completing her indoor scavenger hunt during which she had to find object that were all different shapes.
Miss Mel reading Anzac Ted to the children via Zoom in the lead up to Anzac day.
Children making their very own bird treats for the garden after reading Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf
The wellbeing of children was always a high priority for our teams. We believed that children could maintain positive wellbeing during that time by maintaining connection to their teachers and peers and a sense of normalcy through routine. It was also important that we continued to remind children that their teachers looked forward to having them back at kindergarten and they would be able to see their friends again soon.
Mr Lawrie Knott, Coordinator Learning and Identity for Catholic Early EdCare, reassured families that, “by ensuring children maintain connections, follow routines and stay mentally well, we are confident they will be much better equipped to continue with their learning and development when we return to kindergarten.”
The Queensland Government has now announced that all kindergarten children will return to the classroom from Monday 11 May 2020.
Click here to find a Catholic Early EdCare kindergarten near you.
