In the Junior Kindy we understand that children of this age are active explorers. The environment is set up with self selection areas to encourage children to explore and gain a sense of trust and curiosity.
Rachael Dunn is the Group Leader of Joey Jnr Kindy
Children at this age are developing their sense of self. They are beginning to develop a sense of autonomy realising that they have thoughts and ideas of their own and can do things for themselves.
The daily routine is set up to allow time for children to do things for themselves and we encourage developing children’s self help skills. We also understand that children at this age are developing emotions and encountering feelings of frustration and at times need adult guidance in developing negotiating skills.
Rachael Dunn is our Group Leader of Joey Jnr Kindy
The program includes a range of learning experiences such as sensory play, creative art, music and movement, dramatic play, social emotional, physical and language domains. The program promotes children’s experiences and explorations and encourages the process rather than the product. For this reason we set up our environment with the following core experiences each day:
- Blocks
- Drawing
- Painting
- Collage
- Play dough
- Manipulative/Construction
- Music & movement
- Stories & language
- Dramatic Play
- Outdoor play
We also create a picture of each child. This is done by building a reciprocal relationship with parents, observing children and talking with children. This allows teachers to find out children’s true interests. Once an interest is found teachers observe children and interpret their verbal and non-verbal language and interactions.
Teachers then extend on the child’s interest by; planning activities, role modelling or simply singing songs.
The information is then collected and displayed in a learning story on the programming board. Observations or learning stories will be put into children’s individual files and display for parents to view and input.
These portfolios are also used as a tool of reflection for children to revisit their learning.
We encourage you to enrich our program by bringing in items of interest.
You can also help extend on interests or projects by sharing information, stories, skills or artefacts with us.
Here is some information on a Joey
A Joey is any infant marsupial incuding kangaroos.Marsupials have an extremely short gestation period (about 4–5 weeks), and the Joey is 'born' basically in a fetal state. The blind, furless, miniature newborn, the size of a jelly bean, crawls across its mother's fur to make its way into the pouch, where it latches onto a teat for food.
It will not re-emerge for several months, during which time it develops fully. After this period, the Joey begins to spend increasing lengths of time out of the pouch, grazing and learning survival skills. However, it returns to the pouch to sleep, and if danger threatens it will seek refuge in its mother's pouch for safety.
Joeys stay in the pouch for up to a year in some species, or until the next Joey is born. A marsupial Joey is unable to regulate its own body temperature, and thus relies upon an external heat source. Until the Joey is well-furred and old enough to leave the pouch, a pouch temperature between 30-32° Celsius must be constantly maintained.