Children in the Over Two area will learn alongside Lauren, who is a qualified Early Childhood Teacher as well as a qualified Primary School Teacher. Lauren has a real passion for preparing 4 year olds for their transition to school. Working with Lauren is Yvette, who is also a qualified Early Childhood Teacher. Yvette is very enthusiastic about children having a positive attitude towards being physically active and healthy. Karen is the third person in our Over Two teaching team. Karen believes that given the opportunities and support children are able to achieve most goals that they set for themselves.
Features of our Over Two programme
Transition to School Programme:
This programme is incorporated into our daily programme, where all children, but specifically 4 year olds are
offered experiences that encourage children to relate to others and work alongside one another. They will also develop self help skills and independence such as toileting and dressing themselves, managing their own lunch box, following instructions and encouraging strategies for conflict resolution. These are all skills that new entrant teachers value in their students.
We continue to build good relationships with the local primary schools and can arrange to take your child on a visit to the school your child is enrolled in, nearing school age if that is your wish.
A statement from our latest ERO report:
Children from Elmwood Preschool are benefitting from:
*Routines that are flexible and help to foster children’s choices and self help skills
When your child begins to show an interest in letters and numbers etc we will support this interest by providing activities that teach your child the correct way to hold a pencil, starting on the left hand side of the page when writing, encourage number and letter recognition, and correct formation of letters.
Your child will already have developed some of these skills during their younger years and the Transition to School Programme continues to expand these pre writing and reading skills before they start school. Another way we support your child through this exciting time is through our 4 year old group times, where your child will develop the ability to sit and concentrate for a short period of time. The children participate in story telling, action songs and other activities that challenge their cognitive development.
Active Movement
We believe that our environment needs to be both challenging and safe for all our children so they are all able to be physically active, while still having fun. Being physically active is important for our children to obtain health, development and growth.
The Active Movement programme incorporates physical activity on a daily basis, both indoors and outdoors, through music and movement and specialised outdoor equipment which is set up in a way to challenge and develop your child’s physical abilities at his/her own level.
As well as developing gross motor skills the programme also develops stability and fine motor and manipulative skills.
In conjunction with our Active Movement Programme we encourage your child’s health by implementing the Healthy Heart Award Programme, designed and supported by the NZ Heart Foundation.
Relationships
Some of the reasons we have a small roll, are because we believe children are more easily able to develop really strong friendships with other children and build warm and intimate relationships with their teachers.
Also the small number of families at our Centre allows us to build fantastic relationships with your family, where we recognise you as the most important people in your child’s life. We work with you as a team for the best interests of your child.
A statement from our latest ERO report:
Children at Elmwood Preschool are benefitting from:
*Warm, encouraging and respectful interactions with their teachers
* Interactions with teachers who recognise their individual interests and provide them with opportunities to make their own choices about ways to extend their learning
*Regular and sustained conversations with teachers that support their oral language
