TERM 4 WEEK 8&9

Tuia 250 Encounters

Weaving people together for a shared future.  The Tuia - Encounters 250 national commemoration celebrates Aotearoa NZ Pacific voyaging heritage & acknowledges the first onshore encounters between Maori & Pakeha in 1769-70.

The Tuia 250 Voyage has taken place from Oct to Dec, affording the opportunity for the public to enjoy the journey by experiencing the vessels on-board when they land.  Crews were offering family-friendly opportunities to learn about Pacific, Maori & European sailing & navigating traditions through interactive activities, displays, star domes, guest speakers, roadshow trucks & more.

I (Christina) had an amzing experience on board the HMS Endeavour Replica 26-30 Nov voyaging, from Picton around the Marlborough Sounds, up the Kapiti Coast, across to Palliser Bay & then into Wellington Harbour for a very special flotilla welcome.  My time on board involved being a part of a Watch Group, working shifts all hours of the day & night to ensure the smooth sailing of the Endeavour.  Furling the masts, working the lines, helming the ship & climbing aloft were all in a days work before settling down to a hammock @ night.  A once in a life time opportunity that I feel immensely privilege to have partake in.  I have come home for a found appreciation for the struggle & strength it takes to learn new skills, to be a part of a team, & most importantly how crucial it is to work together to achieve anything.

Eco-nurture

It's that time of the year - incubation is over & new life is on the way.  Thanks Isla for sharing/showing your 8 day old chicks with us.  We shared LOTS of authentic questions ... Where's the Mum?  What do they eat?  How do feathers get colour?  Who decides what colour the feathers will be? Isla showed us how to delicately hold/handle the chicks & more importantly how to care for them.  Tks for sharing your eco-kindness with us all Isla!

Amazing Me

Our last video & the end of our 'Keeping Ourselves Safe' programme.  Video five shared the concept of turn-taking with a catchy tune 'Your turn, my turn ... your turn mine'.  It continues to be a great programme of eco-self & awareness.  Thanks to all our families for your contributions - what's that saying 'one only gets out what one puts in'.  Self portraits were ALL very cool, some of the children are NOW very familiar with their addresses & contact numbers & we all have a more familiar appreciation of what it means to be apart of a family (that sock family & song were very very cool). The DVD is available to anyone who would like to share/recap @ home, don't hesitate to ask any of the Teaching Team. 

Hohoho ... Santa visit 

The gift of giving ... we have been ultimately VERY busy in the Project Room over the last few weeks. Each year we create our very own personalised 'naturalistic' Xmas decorations ... & this year is NO exception.  

Giving is a HUGE concept for our 'littlest humans' - Giving NOT receiving (a pyschological & complex but important part of social interaction - helping to define & enrich relationships & strenghten bonds with family & friends).  This we shared with a very busy Santa!

Santa Visit ...

A tks to Santa for taking time out in his BUSY schedule to pop in on Wednesday.  Thus year we popped all the pics onto our FaceBook - Winton Kindy Closed Group.  Tks Santa!!!

Whanau Night

A night to come-together & share our accolades along with sharing Kai.  Tks to our tireless Parent Group as we continue the tradition of hosting over 80+ plus @ our Xmas night last Thur.

Kindy closes for the year on Thursday 19 December.  Our Term clean this Term with cleaning company OCS is the carpets - so if you could lend a hand to shift the furniture off the carpets & onto the lino that would be awesome! 

 We  re-open for Term 1 ...  Monday 20 January 2020.

Bring on some sun-filled hazy days of Summer.  Chillaxing & sharing time with family.

TERM 4 WEEKS 6&7

Tuia250

A 'hands up' to Christina as she embarks on a very special commorative bicultural celebration  - she boards the flortilla on Tue 25 Nov @ Picton & disembarks in Wellinton on Sat 28 Nov. We look forward to hearing ALL the 'happenings' throughout this amazing encounter.

Tuia te muka tangata ke uta. Weaving people together for a shared future. The Tuia250 commemoration is a programme of events, education & over 50 Projects enriching communities nationwide.  It celebrates Aotearoa NZ Pacific voyaging heritage & acknowledges the first onshore encounters between Maori & Europeans in 1769-70.  It's an opportunity to hold honest conversations about the past, the present & how we navigate our shared future.

For further info click on the link ... there is also an interactive tracker - you'll be able to track Christina as they begin to sail into Wellington & disembark tomorrow.

Tuia 250

Christina returns to Kindy on Monday - we look forward to hearing all her tales of the 'Marlborough Sounds' & all the adventures of the flotilla!

Winton Open Day -Wreath Making Display

Wow, our naturalist wreath placed 2nd in the Competition which was on display for the Winton Open Day Sun 17 Nov. We named our art piece 'Turangawaewae' - representing us as a Community of Learners & our 'sense of belonging' to OUR Place. The collection of branches & leaves on our walks through our iconic Ivy Russell Reserve & from around the Kindergarten were thoughtfully woven into our wreath. To further cement our connection - from the past as well as the present we included some of our beautifully created Xmas decorations.  A BIG congratulations to Drummond Kindergarten who created the winning wreath.

Tino Pai Drummond Kindergarten

As the festive season draws closer, you will have noticed some subtle decorating and extra fairy lights filling the light and shadow spaces creating a magical ambience on arrival in the mornings.

Amazing Me

Curriculum Strand:  Communication.  Stop, Think & Act have been the attributes this week.
Suzy also covers feelings (sad, angry, happy) and how important it is to share them with others. 'No' is also discussed as the children were encouraged to say "No please stop!" If someone touched them, or treated them in a unacceptable way. Some of the tamariki shared their thoughts with us:
             "I feel sad when Georgia pushes me. I call out...Mum!! To get help" Hunter W
             " You need to Stop Think and Act!" Heidi
             "Please stop give me back my toy!" Michaela
             "I'm angry!! Is what you say when your mad." Hunter R

We also continue to discuss what an 'Emergency' is & looks like along with familiarising ourselves with where's our 'Safe' place @ home (in case of fire or earthquake) & where IS home.  Tks to those who have sent in a pic of nga tamariki standing beside the homes & mailboxes - what a wonderful & meaningful visual way to know/learn our addresses (just in case).  Google Earth (find your home/house) is another way - & something you can do @ home.  Next week we have our Fire/Earthquake drills scheduled - so it sits & fits well into our programme.  Next week the final epilogue to our 'Amazing Me Programme' begins as we introduce the Curriculum Strand - Exploration.

The Joy of Giving

This year the tamariki have been busy creating some beautiful naturalistic decorations in 'Santa's Workshop'. We have decided to keep these a 'surprise' - clue something to hang on your Xmas tree each year. In keeping with the Christmas spirit the decoration your tamaiti takes home will be created by another as we love to encourage our Winton Kindy whanau to embrace the act of giving, being kind and sharing happiness with others. 

FYI - Sunscreen 

End-of-Year Celebration - Whānau Night

Our Winton Kindy Parent Group are busily organising our 'End of Year Celebration Family Night' to be held at Kindy on Thursday the 5th Dec - we look forward to celebrating a successful year with our wider Kindy whanau.

Kindy closes for the year on Thursday 19 December and re-opens for Term 1  Monday 20 January 2020.

Kirihimete Koa
Winton Kindy Teaching Team

TERM 4 WEEK 4 & 5

123 AMAZING ME!!!

All About Me - Taku Ahuatanga Whanui

This term we've introduced 'Keeping Ourselves Safe' programme. It includes introducing strategies & skills in keeping oursevles safe from harm.   It sits & fits well with the UN Convention of the Rights of Children ... Childen have a right to our protection. Children have the right to feel good about themselves.  Children have the right to feel safe.

Week 4/5  - Te Whariki (NZ Early Childhood (ECE) Curriculum) - Strand Wellbeing

Throughout the video's and prompts, and reflections focused around the first video 'Wellbeing' the tamariki have strengthened their knowledge of there own body and how to keep themselves safe through washing, naming body parts and dressing themselves

Evie shared how she got lost in the supermarket once and how she asked for help  "Can you help me?"
Michaela shared that you can shout "Help!!" if you lose Mum or Dad.

Week 5 - Te Whariki - Strand Contribution
This video shares about different families & living environments and encourages children to think about the people who live in their house. It also discusses emotions and the importance of scaring how you are feeling "I'm Scared!" and calling out for help when it's needed.

Kaylee's thoughts 'Wow ... she has seven people at her house'
Olivia's thoughts  "Help, I'm scared ... when she is feeling that way'.
Maci's thoughts 'She tells her Mum when she is feeling scared'.

Next week - Curriculum Strand Belonging.  Where do we live?  Who lives in our community?  What's an emergency?  What's our emergency number?

Limehills School Pet Day

Monday 4 Nov 2019 - These wonderful encounters not only embody our Southland tradition of mixing & mingling, of show & sharing but also provide an opportunity to acquaint ourselves with & within various local school culture.  Tks for inviting us along Limehills School.

XMAS WREATH MAKING ...

Thanks to Toni Mills for facilitating the creation of our wreath named “Turangawaewae”.  Our wreath represents us as a community of learners and our sense of belonging to this place. Our tamariki, matua and kaiako have collected branches, and leaves on walks through our iconic Ivy Russell Reserve and from around our Kindergarten. To further cement our connection with Winton Kindy tamariki from the past as well as the present we have included some of our beautifully created Christmas decorations from years past including 2016, 2017, 2018. Keep an eye out in the Memorial Hall on Sunday @ the Winton Open  for our entry.

TAIAO TUHURA

Our Taiao Tuhura continues its 'naturalistic' pathway through the sociocultural context of relationships.  Relationships with others, with our local Reserve, with family and with Kaitiaki values.

We celebrated Jack Johnstone's final Forest Kindy by showcasing Ivy Russell Reserve to his Grandad Bruce - aka Fishing in the stream! Jack and his family have kindly donated a fishing net/bug catcher. We will certainly think of our friend Jack when we go fishing on a Tuesday! Thank you for the delicious morning tea shared beside the stream Jack! And with Jack's departure we welcomed Hunter Wylie to the band of eco-warrioirs.

PARENT GROUP

Tks to all our whanau who were able to come along on Tue night.  Keep looking out on our FB page for Xmas highlights - 6 Dec for our Xmas Extravangza & before the end of term a visit from 'the Man in Red'.

Winton Open day ...

Sunday 17 Nov 2019 ... here's hoping the weather Gods are aligned.  Enjoy a great day out!

THE TEACHING TEAM