Travelling Fellowship: Research study in New Zealand and Germany

[Guest]

What you are doing sounds fascinating!

 

I have to admit I haven't heard of baby watching but it sounds really interesting and iWork's like to find out more.

 

One of the strengths of my setting is our ability to quickly identify the specific needs not just of the children but also the family. Such a project may well support us further with this.

 

It was also interesting to read about the well being of staff and how other countries view this. I attended a keeping early years unique conference last week and one of the speakers focused on PSED and its importance - for staff as well as children.

 

I would also like to see more pics of settings - it's nice to get a visual of where you are as it helps to put the strategies used into context (not to mention we all like to have a good nosey at other settings!!)

 

Looking forward to hearing more about your adventures!!!

 

(Also not surprised you have spent longer than planned in every meeting!!!! You don't change!!)

[Cait]

So are you seeing much evidence of Te Whariki? I was quite tempted to use it at one time in place of the DLOs.

[WChurchill]

Thank you for your question Kate as that is a very interesting thought to use the TW curriculum. All kindergartens use this very closely I gather. In the Kindergarten I was in today, one of the teachers said that if you use TW you cannot go wrong. They were passionate about it. Today was my first visit to a kindergarten so I will see and learn more as we progress.

 

Sarah T, I have plans for Babywatching and would love you to be involved. Have a think and keep in touch. Apologies as I have failed on the photo front today in terms of the setting but promise to make up for this!

 

Today I was in a Bi-cultural setting with families being overwhelmingly Maori. Maori is spoken interchangeably with English. The philosophy of this setting was passionately about the community and whanau (families). The themes that came up over and over was respect for the tamariki (children) and whanau. One member of staff said that to get a positive comment from Whanau was 'so up there' and considered the highest recognition that the setting was on the right track. This is enshrined in TW but was abundantly evident today. If parents made positive comments the staff would often record this for evidence as it is integral to TW. What I loved today was the sense of community. One mum with a baby stayed most of the morning. There are two sofas in the Kindergarten for whanau to sit on. Any parent can stay as long as they have signed in. I really liked an example of planning that one member of staff showed me from a previous setting which recorded parents aspirations and then how they planned for this. In this setting this is recorded in the child's learning story and as allured to is taken very seriously and not a tick box exercise.

 

Community culture was also evident amongst the staff. It was lovely to see the cook's husband turn up and help in the Nursery, tidying up, talking to children and cooking. Then his mother in law arrived and had a little play with her granddaughter before taking her home. The saying 'It takes a community to raise a child' was shared with me. It was very much felt that the teachers learn from the tamariki to, 'Learn to teach, teach to learn.' I learnt that respect for all, that is whanau, staff and significantly tamariki was integral to TW.

 

The kindergarten is a decile 1 category which comes with the extra funded accorded to such settings. This kindergarten have recently employed a cook who will also do the laundry. The setting felt that the 3 teachers were there for the tamariki and should not be taken away from them. There are 3 teachers in the setting, one of which is the headteacher. All are qualified to teacher degree level and there are no teaching assistants. Usually the children attend from 3 years of age but can attend at 2 1/2 due to the need of the area in which it serves. The children transfer to school as soon as they turn 5. There is no obligation to do so until they are 6 and some, but very few do avail of this. One member of staff is inside, one outside and one who floats (I should have got the name for this). The floater will change nappies etc. They plan for this role and swap weekly.

 

Planning is informal and based on the child's interests and parent's aspirations. The new member of staff showed me the planning at her previous centre which was more formal. She planned for her children on a planner with the headings

• Interests/Whanau aspiration's
• Learning Goals
• Extension
• Learning outcome

and it lasts as long as it is useful for the child. It was felt that planning varies to suit the particular settings. The staff today chatted after school about the following day and discussed any children an interests that had been evident throughout the day. This is not recorded in this setting. There is very little formal structure if any for formal reading, writhing and mathematics. The resources were there and available for children to use.

 

Staff are responsible for 10 children's learning stories. This is simply to ensure that all children are having their requisite number of captured observations put into their journals. All staff contribute to each others learning stories. Each child should have 2 contributions per term. The length can vary to a detailed post it note to perhaps the length of 3 post it notes. They have been typed and put in the learning story folder. The staff too have a folder for the children to look at. No reports are done but the learning story goes with the child. In discussion, I sensed a little pressure is given from the primary schools to prepare more academically. Kindergartens they explained were fervently resitting this. It was felt that the teacher's agenda should be avoided as it is abut the tamariki agendas.

 

There are 30 children in the kindergarten from the age of 2 1/2 to 5. All play together and it was felt that this was in keeping with f TW in that it reflects the home.. There are two group times where songs were sung in Maori and English. Children attend from 8.30 and are gone by 2.30. The children are provided with breakfast, morning tea, and lunch. This is in response to the needs of the locality. The setting recently had a whanau evening which required considerable financial investment but again it was a response to the community need and preference.

 

All kindergartens are part of The Northland Kindergarten Association. There is a CEO and then a professional manager that identifies and arranges all the CPD for the settings. She also does regular reports for the settings. The report may just celebrate what is done well or it may include recommendations. This is in addition to the ERO inspection,

 

To reflect on today, I felt that

• what I saw is indeed embedded in our documentation in England. What I felt was different was that it was actually evident in practice which I think in England, for many reasons is difficult to do.
• Great care and love for whanau
• I want to learn more about the structure and purpose of the Northland Kindergarten Association.
• I like to see other examples of learning stories and documentation.
• I would like to increase my knowledge and understanding got the TW curriculum.
• I want to learn more of the planning/assessment cycles
• I would like to see the variations in philosophies of settings and their response to parental aspirations.
• How examples in the TW documentation for the different age groups is translated to planning and practice.
• I felt the areas were similar to ours but the learning expectations in each were less structured/directed, the control was the children's as interference from adult's took that away and became the adult focus.
• I would like to learn more about Maori culture starting with the separation of Ranguinui (sky father) and Papa Tuanuku (sky mother).

 

 

I was put at my ease straight away today and had a thoroughly lovely time with staff and children. It is a while since I have engaged with children in this way and it was a delight. I did notice that the children were without exception fully engaged throughout the day and totally in control of their play.

 

Sarah T, I promise photographs tomorrow. I will be back tomorrow with some information about the kindergarten setting I am visiting tomorrow which is not bi-lingual.

 

A huge thank you for today for your time and impeccable hospitality, Gay, Rochelle, Manu, Virginia and Jacqui (who is the practice manager and appears virtually in the photograph). The dream team!!!!

 

 

 

[Cait]

I am so, so jealous! I really love the gentle ethos of TW, and all that it embodies. I would have loved to have been with you today - but I would have found it so hard to leave!

[WChurchill]

OOh thanks Cait. Would love to hear about your experiences to TW. I am posting some pictures as requested by Sarah T.

 

I have had an enlightening day and will post my thoughts / findings very soon,

[WChurchill]

Fab day yesterday. I managed to take some photographs. You will see parents washing nursery toys for the end of term clean up. I also took a photograph of a parent who dropped in to watch the send off for her child as it was the last day of pre school. Parents are so welcome and positively encouraged. A huge focus is that the areas look fantastic and they did. The glass containers were so effective and to quote one member of staff, 'they make the colours pop'. You will also see a display area that was cleverly placed to stop the children running through on the way to the bathroom. I liked the home area which had a purpose build frame which allowed space for seeing in and out creating an airy space. The glue guns were amazing as it allows 3D structures to be build with ease. One child said 'if I burn my hand I get some ice.' The results of this independent work are displayed throughout the Nursery.

[WChurchill]

More photos from yesterday.

[WChurchill]

More photos.

 

I will return with my observations and thoughts and introduce you to the fab team that I met.

[WChurchill]

A huge thank you for my day in Kindergarten Zair, Donna, Christine, Susie and Sarah.

 

A really telling quote today was, 'if someone came in here and asked why we do something, we would have an answer'. I felt that there was a real sense of ownership and commitment covering every area of practice. This could be an interesting discussion as to practice in England whether we may do something because there are external expectations set for us.

 

I found the recorded planning interesting. It was a brief record of what has been done that day and maybe a photograph. Learning notes or stories vary from staff member to staff member. They differ in style and this is encouraged. Once an observation is recorded it is evaluated and often linked to Te Whariki or to quotes from research or theorists. The story/observation might also include the child's voice if appropriate. The practice is far removed from educational outcomes but underpinned by TW and social competencies. The children are acquiring skills and developing lifelong competencies.

 

I was fortunate to be given a powerpoint by the headteacher outlining the philosophy and practice of the setting. Along with this I got a link about what is appropriate practice for children aged 3-7 which is great listening and thought provoking. I will endeavour to find out the research that underpins the comments made by the interviewee Nathan Mikaere-Wallis of the Brainwave trust NZ.

 

 

http://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2595176/what-3-to-7-year-olds-need-to-learn-nathan-mikaere-wallis

 

Professional development is entrenched in practice. The umbrella organisation, the Kindergarten association provides CPD and a budget of $1000 is provided for each member of staff. I felt this in part contributed to clear cohesion of the team. All staff were teachers. There are 22 kindergartens in the Nort hern Kindergarten Association and they meet (hui) once a term. The association is funded by the government.

 

Once again the strong Whanau (family) connection was strong. Parents were helping to tidy up for the end of the term and one had come to watch the send off given to her child who was leaving that day. One touching story was of a grandma form overseas who used to come and stand outside the kindergarten with her grandchild and watch. On many occasions she was invited into the kindergarten but always declined but continued to watch through the railings. The staff persevered and she eventually ventured in with the child. She was supposed to be going back to her home country and the child was going to day care when he was a year old. This time came and passed and he and grandma now appear to be a permanent fixture! The staff told me that they work very hard to foster positive relationships with parents (a strong element in TW). The parents in this setting build the deck providing all labour and materials. Parents are welcome to drop by and say hello. There was a clear policy to approach any visitors and say hi as soon as they come into the setting.

 

The journals aim to have 2 individual pieces per term and then some generic ones. A record is made on a big whiteboard (photo above) with the type of story/note that is captured. There are codes for each one e.g.ps picture story, np nature programme (which they go to once a week), P ref family reflection, RR rangitiratanga- leadership stamp.

 

Group times again are similar if nature to the previous setting, Welcome, songs, celebrations etc. The curriculum it was told to me is not taught in separate groups/sessions but is in/thrpugh the environment. From 3 the children get 20 free hours a week and the Kindergarten association tops up by 3 hours. The whanau can then top this up (cannot be enforced to pay). Due to demand the starting age is currently 3 yrs and 7 mths.The staff ratio is again 1:10. Some schools are beginning to do a reception or a foundation class which is set up like a kindergarten for the younger children.

 

I asked about reward systems and this could be praise for example when toilet training.

 

The attractiveness of the environment is a very high priority and very successful in this aim.

[Cait]

Oh it all looks so fabulous!

[WChurchill]

Thanks for your reply Cait. It's really interesting to know what other people think. I don't think the photographs do justice to it. I don't post photos of children if you can see their faces but I would love you to see the intensity on their faces. The respect and image of the child and whanau is paramount. I think this can be a little challenging in England where there is a danger for outcomes to be overly dominating.

[Cait]

You aren't going to want to come back!

[WChurchill]

Oops. I wrote my post for my next visit (Thursday and Friday 7th and 8th July) last night and it deleted and I had uploaded all the photos!!! Anyway, after a hard day sightseeing I will rewrite my observations.

 

The setting was a 40 place Kindergarten with 10 children going home at lunchtime. Not all children come every day and there is an expectation that the kindergarten is full so the sessions will be filled by others on the waiting list. There are 4 teachers in the morning and 3 in the afternoon when 10 children go home. There is also a member of staff in the office. Children bring their own morning tea and lunch. The children start at the kindergarten about 3 years old and stay until they turn 5 and then go to school. They do not have to go to school until they are 6 years old. In this Kindergarten there are Maori, NZ, English, Dutch and Japanese children.

 

It was a very wet day and many of the children had decided to stay in. Not all though and it was great to see one of the children outside with no shoes on and other children using banana leaves as

umbrellas. The children had raincoats readily available. If they did not want to venture into the rain then they could just use the extension. The children sign in if they wish using their signing in

stone. There was a book of the week, which they could record their stories to add to the Kindergarten book. There was a light table, which I had never seen before. This facilitated the exploration of

light and colour. An attractive environment was very high priority again. The environment is seen as

the third teacher and is very evident in the setting. This I understood to be inviting for the children but also to encourage respect for the environment. My favourite quote/paraphrase of the day was

‘…there is one word here and that is respect for staff, the environment and the children.’ That is

very close to my philosophy. Whanau (family) again were highly valued and welcomed. One mum was cleaning the fridge, a dad was working outdoors, and I know he has taught Maori songs to the children. Another mum came at lunchtime with her toddler and had lunch with her daughter. ‘Mum, this is your

kindergarten’ was one conversation that was had with one parent as she came and settled her child and

settled in the whanau room. TW again is evident in practice.

I spoke to one mum who told me that her relative had spent time in NZ where they felt children were

seen and taught as individuals yet was now struggling with the system in Japan which is far more

structured and formal. There were grandparents in the kindergarten that had originated from England.

The grandmother felt that her children had gone through the early years system in England and she felt this is why they stayed one year ahead in NZ. This is a major point of debate for me. The link

posted above, Nathan Mikaere-Wallis of the Brainwave trust NZ was apt. This is an area I hope to

investigate this week as I have a meeting with this organisation. Really excited about this.

 

http://www.radionz.c...-mikaere-wallis

 

The view of the child again is very interesting. Children give their theories and develop their own

knowledge in their own way. It is felt that the children are comfortable to have an opinion and it is

valued. The staff explained that the children have theories/statements that take them to another

level. I felt that this facilitated potentiality rather than restricting opportunities and

development. Inquiries and not projects were the norm. Again, they are seen as competent and capable

which was very evident in practice.

 

The children’s portfolios had a variety of entries in terms of design and content. Again, the individuality of the teacher was clear and encouraged. Long observations enabled the staff to really get to

know the children ‘…sit and noticing, new perspectives to know more about him.’

 

Staff had very clear roles that altered on a rota basis. Their responsibilities were clearly outlined. Two staff outside and two in. Teamwork was clearly evident and the kindergarten ran like clockwork.

How the team is formulated and its effectiveness facilitated is of interest to me. The staff explained when new appointments are made then personalities are high on the agenda. I saw evidence of children writing their names and counting naturally in their play. For example one boy was looking in a huge

puddle for a ball and counted to 20 in between attempts to retrieve it.

 

Additional funding is assigned to kindergartens through 3 criteria. Isolation for rural areas. Specialneeds and socio economic status. Funding is assigned for the kindergarten and not on an individual basis.

 

Planning is not formal but follows the children’s interests. Provocations and resources last and are

extended depending on the level of motivation and interest. I felt this led to a high level of

engagement and excitement. Teachers felt that there was ‘room for us to have our personal stuff.’ The

staff have an evidence file for ERO (inspectorate) and the professional manager at the association. Itwas felt that ERO were not punitive but would celebrate achievements, suggest areas of development and facilitate this journey. If the report is particularly good then it will be four years before they

return otherwise 3. If significant weaknesses then they will return within a year. National standards are not in the kindergartens but are in the schools.

 

There was a trainee teacher in the kindergarten. She shared the teaching standards with me. There

were Graduating teaching standards and practicing teacher criteria. I hope to find out more about this in the coming weeks as I visit teaching training universities.

 

The piece de resistance had to be the cooking of our sausages on the open fire. Fabulous! Children were predicting when their sausage would be cooked and waiting for their turn despite being desperate to eat. One little boys squeals was so pleasing.

It was such a shame that the head teacher was not there as I have no doubt she, like her staff would

have inspired me even further.

 

I will post this before the photographs just in case the text wants to go awol again!

[WChurchill]

OOps. User issue. Will post photos when wifi improves!!!

[apple]

Kiora WChirchill

I just wanted to say a really big thank you to you for the updates. It is great that you are taking the time and trouble to update us all on your experiences. I am finding your posts really fascinating. I particularly like the emphasis of whanau- family and I am sure there is something we should be learning from the NZ approach. Although we do welcome family into our setting (I am in a maintained Nursery class which is part on an Infant school) I do wonder if we do enough to engage and listen to their hopes. fears and aspirations for their children in our care.

 

Someone mentioned that this was looked at in the PEAL training materials - I would welcome more info on this? I also am really interested in the Babywatching project. This is real groundbreaking stuff.

Once again thank you for your posts and the photos which really do bring it all to life.

[FSFRebecca]

 

Someone mentioned that this was looked at in the PEAL training materials - I would welcome more info on this?

That might have been me ... The PEAL training was rolled out in our area to EYPs, it was excellent. Their website is here.

[apple]

Thanks Rebecca it does look good but a tad expensive at the moment. I will bear it in mind for the future though. Thank you once again

[WChurchill]

Thank you so much apple. It's great to know that there is benefit. It does take a while to upload and can disappear depending on the wifi etc where I am staying. Would be great to know your thoughts on the posts if you have time!

The Whanau involvement is big here in the TW documentation but fundamentally in practice too.

 

I am posting photos in parts so I don't loose them all again!!!

[WChurchill]

More photos starting with the A team!!! (Minus the poorly recovering A*

headteacher).

 

The glue guns appear again!!!

[WChurchill]

Spent the day today at a Private Nursery/Day care. Really interesting. I will be back to tell you about Gerald!!!!

Edited July 11, 2016 by WChurchill

[WChurchill]

Loved the independence when the children got there lunches and sat in the outdoor area on the mats or steps. I will post the cooking sausages on the open fire and the outdoor photos (a must see) at a later date as they are on a different camera. Whanau ever present. I have many more fab pics but just choosing a selection for you all for now. It takes a while to upload but I really want you to see the outdoor after the rain. Such fun in the puddles! I wish you could see their faces and hear the squeals.

[WChurchill]

I went to the northland kindergarten association today. It is the umbrella organisation for the 22 kindergartens in Northland. I felt it was a little like the old educational council department in England. It is a hugely supportive body that supports the development of the Kindergartens. They provide high quality professional development and work closely with the headteachers. The association has also been charged with supporting kindergartens through their development when they have had their ERO inspection. If a very good ERO then the inspectors won’t come back for 4 years. If a lot of support is required then this is given and the inspectors come back in one year. It is seen as a developmental process and not a punitive process.

 

I found it very interesting when discussing their roles, how clear they were to say that they are not here to tell the kindergartens what to do. They were facilitators and supporters. This tone is what I felt in the kindergartens. If a setting is interested in a policy or activity then they are encouraged to research it rather than the professional managers in the association offices researching and then telling the managers in the settings what to do. The staff are responsible for building up their own knowledge.This I felt has been very powerful and gives agency and ownership to each setting. It is not just the child who is valued and seen as capable but staff too! Could we learn from this in England?

 

Given this sense of individuality, it was felt that TW is a very nice curriculum as it enables the staff to work to the strength of the children and opens wider opportunities. I wonder if our ECEC in England could be seen as limited/narrow and perhaps learn from this potentiality. TW is 2o years old without changes to it and it was felt that it is therefore embodied in practice.

 

I discussed the sense of teamwork that I had been seeing. This too is something the association can support via team contracts. I felt that teamwork is actively sought and facilitated in the settings and from the association. I felt it was allowed to flourish respectively and not waiting for problems to arise. All staff are trained well which they felt was a huge factor in the facilitation of the effective team.

Inquiry, being able to really observe, nature and the environment are huge influences in practice here which are common to the Reggio Emilia approach. Not being outcome driven is key. It is felt that the government is increasing pressure to be more outcome and knowledge driven. It is felt that this approach bulds lifelong thinkers, risk takers and problems solvers. It encourages innovation. In teacher training for early years, writing etc. is not taught but rather the value of play and dispositions. I wondered what I thought of this e.g. pronunciation of phonics. Can this be separated out? There is a so-called STAR test after 6 weeks in the first class. This is something I would like to know more about.

Early years teachers have pay parity but do not get paid the same. They also now get less time off than in the primary and secondary schools. It is thought that some schools now are meeting curriculum requirements but are starting to incorporate innovation and thinking. Year directional plan for each kindergarten.

 

There are policies, which are written by management teams, a strategic plan written by the board and CEO and a 3 year directional plan for each kindergarten. From this there is an annual plan outlining the action for the year. The settings manage their own budget with more money being given for additional needs. Again this aids empowerment and ownership.

It is felt that there is a long history of kindergartens and hence the community support them. They wand the kindergartens in their areas. Each kindergarten is unique to the children, staff and whanau. Thus their own research suits who they are.

 

The government fund the children from 3 years old and the kindergarten association funds an additional 3 hours. The kindergartens can then make a small charge for the extra hours if parents want more. The areas that it is felt the parents may not be able to afford it and there is a need may have qualified as a setting for additional funding. This differs then from the individual pupil premium, which is awarded in England. I wondered if generic funding could be problematic in our settings?

 

A huge thank you to Gillian and Kim as professional manager for your time and thoughts which really helped me to contextualise some of my thoughts. A big appreciation for Richard the CEO who said whatever you need we will provide if we can. Once again, a real and genuine commitment to the sharing of excellent practice was abundantly clear.

 

 

 

 

[Cait]

How interesting that you were able to see the next strands of the mat!

[WChurchill]

I am back in Auckland and I am visiting some private settings this week. I met an next pat who has two children in a private nursery. It is open from 7.30 to 5pm and there are 38 children on roll. Some of the children are part time. We spend a long time looking through the on line portfolios. She explained that there is a group for 4 year olds at the setting and they can do more formal work here if they want. It is called the EPT group, Extended Programme Teaching. It was felt that the older childrens play was less messy than the older children.

 

The learning stories are often generic with individual stories too. Again they are link to TW and parents are encouraged to contribute and they do! The learning stories firstly have an explanation, description. Then what learning does the teacher think is happening and then the possibilities. All staff are qualified teachers. I was given a copy of the planning for this room and it can be completed with hindsight. The baby room has the same planning sheet. Lots of music and stories with care needs given a high priority. Again the planning is initiated by the children. The aim is to have 2-3 individual learning stories a month for each child. This seemed a little higher than the other settings I had visited.

 

They have a separate area where they can stay from 10-12.30 if they want. Some children just stay for the group chat and then go outside as it is felt they have other interests or want to be outside. One little girl has a real interest in formal work and wanted to go in the group early which she loves. In this group they go out into nature e. the beach once a week for the whole day. There are a max of 10 in the group as this is the max a teacher can have. Another adult will also go on the excursion. They have books for writing and phonics and an EPT homework book. This is where the children take Captain Ted home with the camera and write/draw about the experiences.

 

The children get plenty of chance to mix with the younger children, Tuakana-Tiena, the Maori term for the older children looking after the younger children. and the guinea pigs and the seriously cute hens, Itsy Bitsy and Gerald. The jobs are on a rota including collecting the eggs. Growing their own food is also very much part of the practice. The children it is felt are very caring to each other as they mix with different aged groups the teacher explained. When I was outside I saw the aftermath of Hangi Cooking that celebrated the Maori New year. It is a hole in the ground with hot stones covered in hessian. The Maori Language is of great import and two of the teachers have done the Te Reo course. Outside there are limited toys as it is felt that they can use nature and their minds.

 

I was told about plunkett checks which are tickboxes for 4 year olds. It was felt that these say little about the child. The philosophy f the teacher in the EPT room was similar to other settings I have visited despite the more formal opportunities. That is the children need to grow up and have what they need to be successful adults, social skills and problem solving and to ask for help which is a very important thing. Our philosophy is about nature. The trips still go ahead even if it is raining.

 

The teacher and I discussed boys in the setting and the teacher felt that they often like to learn outside. One parent rally wanted her boy to write his name and the setting endeavour to meet the parents aspirations. They encouraged him to write his name outside using nature which he was happy to do. I was informed that they used to track the childrens knowledge of numbers and letters. They do not do this now as it is felt that it is a sterile process.

 

The topic that is being followed at the moment is ears. This was developed by the children making a lot of noise and the discussions around this. Today the children discussed the parts that make up the ear including the cochlear and how the sound travels. They cut out the parts and stuck them on the paper. Again two boys were offered the option of going outside instead which they did. All cut independently and recited the sounds journey through the ear. Children also have the opportunity to do phonics sheets and write over writing. Some children are really keen on these activities.

 

 

It was so useful to see a different setting and get a parents point of view. Thank you Amy and Serena for the wonderful discussion that we had.

 

I hope to tell you about another two private settings that I visited soon.

Edited July 14, 2016 by WChurchill

[Cait]

Fascinating!

[FSFRebecca]

Lovely to see that 'mud kitchens' look the same the world over!

[WChurchill]

‘New Zealand is really passionate about early years’ (Manager of large preschool setting)

I visited two privately run early years settings belonging to the same chain. They both had the same philosophies and structures but one was in a quaint old house and the other in the other was much bigger and purpose built. I am not exaggerating to say the latter was state of the art. The staff are 100% teachers which is better that the NZ target of 80%.

 

The rooms were separated into areas by age. There are opportunities to meet outdoors and in the nappy changing rooms. The under twos have their own garden. This room is for 6months to 2 years. There is an atelier space to enable the expressive languages to became part of the process by which knowledge is built. There is a sleep room for the babies and a room is converted for sleep for the 2-3 year olds after lunch.

 

In true Reggio style, there are lights on trees and an overhead projector for shadows. Children are encouraged to problem solve for themselves rather than being told an answer. One child wating to find out where light come from answered ‘the trees.’ Mirrors hang in the trees and a child said it is ‘the butterflies dancing.’ One example of the children working together was all drawing their ideas one at a time. It was not the end product but the sharing of ideas that was important. This may differ to at home with its culture of being outcomes driven. In the 3-4 year old room there are two teachers there. There are 20 on role but the most number of children would be 16 on any day. The permitted ratio for under 3 is 1 to 5 in NZ but here the max is 1 to 3. I found it interesting for a private enterprise to better the ratios than that lawfully permitted. The 18 months to 2 ½ was 1:4 in this setting.

 

Lunch, morning and afternoon teach are cooked onsite and served on home-style plates i.e. not plastic. The values that each room have are displayed on the walls. Display cases were glass and effective with the neutral colours on the walls. .

The 4-5 year old room really grabbed my interest, as this is where most of my teaching took place when I was practicing. The group time one child did the register with the teachers help looking for what the name began with. I asked the teacher if he feels pressure to get the children to attain higher. He said that the children do attain highly in terms of academic measures and the setting has been praised for it. I absolutely loved the book they were working on which was Roxen Boxen by Barbar Cooney. Fabulous book where the children use their imaginations to build a village. This is what the children did after, moving the furniture, balancing huge pierces of cards on chairs. This was allowed to be left out to continue as and when after lunch. One boy wanted to draw his ideas which was absolutely encouraged. One member of staff videoed for their learning stories. I loved it!!!!!!! I asked why they do learning journeys and he said for the Whanau and to give value to their play. The parents can then understand the learning. You can look more in depth into the child’s play. It was a useful discussion re the usefulness of the entries written. For example you might see a fabulous story emerging and capture it but then you may realise that you haven’t got a story for someone and this can become more set up. Some staff write to the child and then reflect mentioning the parents and this is linked to TW. There is a daily diary which records significant events of the day and these can be used for the portfolios. The staff ensure that each child at some point will feature in the diary. A learning story would include what is seen e.g. ‘Good to see you taking charge of your own learning…’ ‘Condident communicator…’ Learning stories should link to what has been written before. The staff have their own library which helps them link the documentation and stories to TW, theories, philosophy etc. There is also an investigation book which is a reflective document used to evaluate the educational programme. There is evidence of collaborative planning discussions, reflective evaluations, relevant research, photos, evidence of documents of learning experiences that shape the investigation. It was explained to me that we should see (and do) 4 year olds conversing, hypothesizing showing how the expectations raise for each room.

 

What struck me again was the knowledge of staff and the utter commitment to cpd and the search for up to date research. I was pointed in the direction of Ursula Kolb referencing Reggio Emilia and Toni Christie discussion regarding respect. I have not looked yet but hoping to find time in my routine when back at home for such pleasures! At the end of the session the teachers and I were chatting issues of teacher agency came up. Again the research and reading are very evident in their work and discussions. CPD was described to me as huge. For example every month staff attend training on a Saturday morning from 9-12. This could include sharing practice or outside speakers.

 

There is a clear appraisal system for staff and indicators that have to be met. There is an 8 week induction process which includes all relevant documentation.

I can only describe the second setting as truly state of the art and I have never seen anything like it. It is not unusual for visitors to want to come and see the setting and practice, not long ago visitors came from Singapore! It felt in true Reggio style with light, transparency and space. Fabulous under 2 ratio of 1:3 which is above NZ requirements. There is once again an onsite cook. I did wonder how it could be afforded by parents. Many of the children go on to private schools so the setting did serve a particular catchment. It was felt that the higher fees enabled the favourable staff ratios to be sustainable.

Each room for each group are children are separated by glass with any walls having glass at the bottom for the children to see through. The staff provocate (set up again) at various times and the older children help to do this in their rooms. In the younger rooms there is an atelier space and the older children have a separate space. The artillerist visits each classroom twice a week. The older children go to the mountain across the road once a week to connect with nature. All age groups have their own garden with a bamboo fence to divide and the gates can be opened for then to play together. There are natural and recycled resources in each class. There is a performing arts room, which is a blank room. Here the children can investigate lights and shadows as there is an overhead projector in there. There is a large mirroe that opens up and a music system too.

We had a chat in the youngest room about the philosophy of not putting babies in positions that they cannot sustain themselves. I derived from the work of Emil Piskler a doctor in Hungary with Magda Gerber putting the ideas into practice. The manager explained that Reggio Emilia influenced TW. Younger children have a buddy and back up co buddy. There was a huge emphasis on being Present with the children, being with and down with them. The setting aspire to be child and not task orientated. If tasks do need to be done, it should be just one member of staff. There is an overarching policy for the whole setting but each room write their own philosophy.

 

Parents involvement is once again very welcome. For example, all parents were invited to a social event on the Saturday before. There is also a parent committee. It was felt that ERO (inspectorate) were very keen to see the individual child.

 

In the 3 ½ to 5 room there is evidence of children’s writing. For example writing signs. It is felt that literacy is in all areas but there is a separate literacy area. It is believed that this is what parents want. Planning throughout the nursery takes the form of one A3 planning sheet divided into boxes. Here observations are shared and on the back, it might say where to next, which can be brainstorming or bullet points. Here then you can facilitate and see multiple perspective so teachers. There is space for interpretation.

 

Interestingly I was told about a teacher’s ECE page where teachers will read and debate. For example, if deciding if the children should be allowed toy guns the staff discuss and find out where there is current research into this area. Teachers talking to each other is a firmly embedded culture in NZ it was felt. The manager share research with staff and they will go home and read it. The manager once again reiterated the point that teachers have huge agency to act and voice opinions. It was felt that the success of settings was in grat part down t individual leadership model.

 

Thank you so much to both settings Cheryl and Juliette. It was great to meet you after a long history of emails. I had a really wonderful day!

[Cait]

That's fascinating! It shows a huge level of commitment from the staff to CPD, at a level much higher than is the norm here. I'm not saying there aren't settings here who work like that, but to have it as standard is impressive. Are the salaries met entirely by parent fees, or is there some government financing too?

[WChurchill]

All children get funding from 3 for 20 hours. In the Northland kindergartens the association provided an extra tree hours and parents topped this up. I was in a private setting yesterday that the children could come from 3 months and it was all funded by the ministry of education and all food provided. Today, I was at setting whose funding is given to the church board who then fund the centre. The parents are asked for a small charge and the children are in from 8.30 to 3.30 but often leave before 3.30. The charge in this setting was two year olds paying $40 which is about 20 pounds and 3-4 year olds $15 about 7.50 pounds a week. I visited a setting which was very wealthy and the cost was considered to be very high by nz standards. I can look up the cost if you like as I do have the information somewhere else.

 

Thanks for following the blog Cait.

[WChurchill]

Arrived at AUT, Auckland university of Technology where Early Childhood teachers can get their degree. Some interesting chats as you can imagine. I spent some time explaining the English early years system as I see it and interesting findings along the way in NZ.

 

One member of staff brought up the theme that 'Compliance kills of personal agency. Something with a heart moves along the continuum to the technical end of continuum. ‘Spirit gets drained out of activity where compliance is involved.’ I thought this was interesting as I believe compliance to be quite embedded in our practice in England.

 

We also discussed different types of ECEC providers in New Zealand. Interestingly they have varying standards to adhere to. The settings as I understood it are ·

• In hospitals
• limited attendance centres (e.g. sports centre)
• Home based settings
• Mainstream kindergartens
• Parent run centres
• Play centres

I thought that the parent run centres were very interesting but haven't visited one yet. My understanding is Parent run centres have education too for parents. There have a very long history in NZ. Community development and mental health of mothers seems to be a factor. Parents collectively have to stay in turns. This ECEC setting attracts the least amount of money. This might be the only service in rural communities. Everybody who goes to the centre has to do training. They do have leadership roles. I think this is something I would like to know more about but also wondered if we have anything like this is England?