Tena koutou e te whanau...

This is just a catch up of the kaupapa we have been implementing here at Matariki to help children work alongside each other in a positive manner. The recent panui sent was tilted: ‘What does good behavior and sharing mean to you.’ Most whanau would by now have received your child’s responses however some children are still on holiday so we will discuss this with them when they return.
The children’s responses have been put up on a big chart and reinforced at mat time. For those children who are unable to give a response due to either being shy or does not yet have the ability to verbally express his/her self, staff will write their sharing experiences they observe and send home also. Whanau, if you have any strategies you use at home to help encourage ‘Sharing or Good Behaviour’ we would love you to share this with us. Followed is the discussion of the children’s responses:
Things you can say to help you and your friends…
If you want a turn of a toy…
· Please can I have a turn
· Can I have a turn after you please
If someone wants a turn of your toy…
· You can have it after me
· You can have a turn after me
If some is using their hands or feet to hurt you…
· Stop it, leave me alone
· Stop hitting me
· Stop, you are hurting me
If that person does not listen to you, who can you ask to help…
· Tell a teacher to help you
· Ask a friend to help you
Discussed by children and staff to encourage sharing on Mon 16th Jan 2012
We trust those whanau who have received the reading ‘The vital role of play in Early childhood’ by Joan Almon was informative. The next reading we would like to share with you is tilted; ‘Guiding Children’s Behaviour in Positive Ways’, by Anne Stonehouse. Some of the strategies discussed in this reading have proved helpful for the tamariki and staff attending Matariki. This reading will be sent out very soon.

Ngaa mihi mo te tau hou whanau!

Wed 11th Jan 2011
Kia ora whanau, nau mai, hoki mai ki to koutou kohungahunga me kii ko Matariki. Welcome back to Matariki, we trust you have had an awesome break with your whanau and are rearing to begin the New Year. For the next couple of weeks before term 1 officially begins, we will be focusing on our team goal which is Sharing and what it means to tamariki and kaimahi. Again, we will also be focusing on what 'Good Behaviour' means to tamariki and some strategies children can use with their peers if they think someone is being unfair to him or her. The children’s responses will be written up on big charts as well as a copy sent home for whanau so that whanau are informed of the strategies we will be using here at Matariki. A panui will be sent to you called ‘The vital role of play in Childhood’, by Joan Almon. This reading will give you a bit of an incite of why we believe play is an important part of a child’s learning development. If you have not received a copy of this reading, please request one from the centre.
Ngaa mihi nui, na ngaa kaimahi o Matariki.