St.

Johns 4YO Kindergarten

Reflective Practice Journal
Dear Families,
The room has been established with a series of learning centres that evolve in response to the childrens interests, observations made by the team, the children,
educators, co-educators and intentional teaching. In this document you will find a brief description of the learning experiences your children have been exploring.
This document also links to your childs individual portfolio, so please take a moment to follow the prompts and celebrate your childs learning.
Date of commencement: 30/09/2013
Area: Group Times/Intentional Teaching Area: Maths/Science/Literacy Area: Sustainability/Science: Indoors

This week the children have been showing a
particular interest in animals, bringing in toy
animals from home, building animal enclosures in
the construction area, engaging in dramatic play in
the vets area, and participating in some interesting
discussions about animals.

Extension:
Animals in construction area. Zoo animals/ Farm animals.
Group time discussion What is a living thing?
Characteristics/ features of different types of animals e.g.
habitat, diet etc. How to treat animals, differences and
similarities between humans and animals.
Guess the animal games.

1.4 Children learn to interact in relation to others with
care, empathy and respect
2.1 Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and
communities and an understanding of the reciprocal rights and
responsibilities necessary for active community participation
2.2 Children respond to diversity with respect
2.3 Children become aware of fairness
2.4 Children become socially responsible and show respect
for the environment
2.1 Children develop dispositions for learning such as
curiosity, cooperation,
confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence,
imagination and reflexivity
4.2 Children develop a range of skills and processes such as
problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising,
researching and investigating

After Beau shared a book with us that he had made by
himself, the children became very interested in creating
their own storybooks using their imaginations. During
group time we discussed the roles involved in creating the
books we share, such as the author and the illustrator. The
children have begun to take on these roles, and some have
already come up with and illustrated their own stories. We
even explored creating a story as a group on the whiteboard.



Extension:
We will continue to create our own stories, both individually and as a
group.

4.1 Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity,
cooperation,
confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence,
imagination
and reflexivity
5.1 Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of
purposes
5.2 Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these
The children have been engaging in imaginative play with
different life forms over the past few weeks, including caring
for animals at the Vets area, building habitat for dinosaurs and
reptiles with natural materials in the construction area,
engaging with the sea creatures in the book area, learning how
to care for babies through Ellas mums visit with baby Nates
bath time.



Extension:
The sea creature imaginative play area will become a jungle area including
insects, reptiles, natural materials and jungle animals.

2.4 Children become socially responsible and show respect for the
environment
4.1 Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity,
cooperation,
confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination
and reflexivity
4.4 Children resource their own learning through connecting with people,
place, technologies and natural and processed materials


St. Johns 4YO Kindergarten

Reflective Practice Journal
texts
5.3 Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media

Area: Creative/Expressive Arts: Indoor Area: LOTE Area: Gross Motor- Indoor/Outdoor
Alexanders Mum came in this week to help the
children with planting the garden. The children
really enjoyed this activity, and have become
interested in the plants that are growing outside,
admiring the colourful nasturtium flowers that are
beginning to bloom in the warmer weather.




Extension:
Still life watercolour painting/ drawing of nasturtiums/ outdoor
plants in vase.

4.1 Children develop dispositions for learning such as
curiosity, cooperation, confidence, creativity, commitment,
enthusiasm, persistence, imagination and reflexivity
5.3 Children express ideas and make meaning using a range
of media

. Jane has now taught the children the hello song, the
numbers 1-10 and is now exploring day of the week and
playing games in Mandarin such as duck, duck, goose.
Jane has made a book and a display that children are often
seen refering to during play, both with peers and alone.






Extension:
Next week Jane will continue on with her lessons, exploring more Mandarin
vocabulary.


5.1 Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of
purposes
5.4 Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work
5.2 Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from
these texts
4.2 Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem
solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and
investigating

The warmer weather has allowed us to enjoy an indoor/
outdoor program, with many children spending extended
periods of time engaging in outdoor play. The children have
really enjoyed developing their gross motor skills on the large
soft play equipment.





Extension:
Provide materials and support for children to build obstacle courses.


4.2 Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving,
inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating
4.3 Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to
another
4.4 Children resource their own learning through connecting with people,
place, technologies and natural and processed materials
3.2 Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical
wellbeing

St. Johns 4YO Kindergarten

Reflective Practice Journal


Reminders, Notes, Upcoming events
Shared Learning
We actively encourage families to provide their feedback and share your childs interests, thoughts and ideas Please email me with any ideas, comment or
discussions happening at home to add to our program.

St. Johns 4YO Kindergarten

Reflective Practice Journal

Helping Duty Roster
It has been SO VERY wonderful to have family members come in to help out. Even if you can only spare an hour or two, please add your name to the roster!

Facebook
We are now officially Face booked. Please follow us on face book to keep up to date with happenings in your kindergarten.

Please note that we have a student-teacher, Sophie from Monash University with us sporadically from now until late October. Please see the little
blurb attached.
A reminder for parents, coming late for drop offs. Our morning meeting starts at 8:30am. If you are unable to make that time please bring your
child after 9am. It disrupts the other childrens learning and is unfair to the children who have been waiting from 8:30 and are unable to start until
8:45 or later, its a big ask for them to contain their concentration for that amount of time.
Please be mindful that there are some nasty illnesses around at the moment. Please be sure to remind your child to wash their hands on arrival. If
your child has had a temperature, vomited or had loose bowel motion they need to be excluded from the service for a minimum of 24hrs. If your
child is unwell (yellow mucus, coughing, sniffing etc.) please allow them to rest at home. Staff and other families will be very appreciative and you
children will get better faster (and more likely without the need of medical intervention) with rest.
Sun smart time has arrived please ensure you apply sunscreen to your child prior to the session and please bring a wide-brimmed hat.
The kinder graduation/end of year celebration has been confirmed-Friday 13
th
December

Upcoming events
17
th
September Yarn-Strong-Sita incursion
22
nd
October- Responsible pet program incursion 11am
31st October- Halloween (dress-up day)
7th November- Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (parent helpers needed)
13
th
December: Christmas concert and Kindergarten Graduation ceremony.
QUOTE OF THE FORTNIGHT:
Interactions with children and families inform early childhood professionals knowledge of childrens distinctive interests, skills, cultures and abilities. This is crucial to
providing positive experiences and a safe and stimulating environment that will encourage children to expand their capacities and deepen their knowledge and
understandings Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework for Children from Birth to Eight Years.






St. Johns 4YO Kindergarten

Reflective Practice Journal


The following is a description of elements relating to the five Learning Outcomes defined by the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia: Belonging,
Being Becoming (2009)
LEARNING OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN BIRTH TO 5 YEARS


Outcome 1: Children have a strong sense of identity

1.1 Children feel safe, secure, and supported
1.2 Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience
and sense of agency
1.3 Children develop knowledgeable and confident self-identities
1.4 Children learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect


Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world

2.1 Children develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities and
an understanding of the reciprocal rights and responsibilities necessary
for active community participation
2.2 Children respond to diversity with respect
2.3 Children become aware of fairness
2.4 Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment


Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing

3.1 Children become strong in their social and emotional wellbeing
3.2 Children take increasing responsibility for their own health and physical
wellbeing


Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners

4.1 Children develop dispositions for learning such as curiosity, cooperation,
confidence, creativity, commitment, enthusiasm, persistence, imagination
and reflexivity
4.2 Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving,
inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating
4.3 Children transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another
4.4 Children resource their own learning through connecting with people, place,
technologies and natural and processed materials

Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators

5.1 Children interact verbally and non-verbally with others for a range of purposes
5.2 Children engage with a range of texts and gain meaning from these texts
5.3 Children express ideas and make meaning using a range of media
5.4 Children begin to understand how symbols and pattern systems work
5.5 Children use information and communication technologies to access information,
investigate ideas and represent their thinking

St. Johns 4YO Kindergarten

Reflective Practice Journal