I played some tag today at lunch on the primary playground. I am not sure how it started, but it may have had something to do with a soccer ball that defied gravity and would not come down from the trees, so we needed a new game to play. I am also not sure how many of us were playing, but I think we had children from all four primary grades.
If the purpose of tag nowadays is the person who is tagged the most wins – then “I win!” 🙂 Yessssss!
Take care.
We often talk about public education being focused on children in Kindergarten through grade 12. Schools do more, and we look beyond the K-12 model and also focus on early learning.
Initiatives such as Ready Set Learn, and StrongStart programs are ways that schools are looking at helping support the development of our preschool children. The Ministry of Education has developed an Early Learning Framework document that outlines many key ideas related to our youngest learners.
This document, British Columbia’s Early Learning Framework, is intended to guide and support early childhood educators, StrongStart BC facilitators, early years professionals, service providers, communities and governments in providing rich early learning experiences for children from birth to kindergarten. The document may also be of interest for families with young children.
Learning through Playing – Most of children’s early learning takes place through play. Play is so important that its significance in children’s lives is recognized by the United Nations as a specific right in addition to the right to recreation and leisure.
Of course, in playing, children are having fun. The positive emotions associated with play are as important as the skills they are building in creating a disposition that embraces learning.
Ready Set Learn is a program that invites 3-year-olds (and their parents) into schools to play. This year, our theme is Sand, Water and Rice. Children will be given an opportunity to play with sand, water and rice along with their parents. Parents will be able to go home with some new ideas on playing with their child, and hopefully, an understanding and respect for the importance of play.
We have invited a guest speaker to join us and to share a story with children and help guide us through the wonders of play with children.
Some of the things parents will observe when children play with sand, water and rice are: comparing and measuring, sharing and talking turns, investigating, wondering, experimenting, building and modifying.
Do you know any 3-year-olds who would love to play?
Ask them to keep an eye out in the North Shore News for a Ready Set Learn ad from the North Vancouver School District. Our session is for the morning of April 24th, but if you are not free that day, there are other sessions being held at all North Vancouver elementary schools.
Our session begins at 9:00 am (location in the school to be announced) and is scheduled to run until 10:30. We invite parents of any 3-year-olds to come and join us. Please RSVP with the main office to assist us with our planning. You don’t have to stay the whole time, but your child may be having so much fun, you won’t be able to leave. More information will be sent out to our community through our newsletter and our web site.
All children in attendance will receive a bag of goodies related to sand, water and rice play. Please let us know you are coming so that we can have enough goodie bags. Thanks.
Please note: Ready Set Learn is different from a Kindergarten orientation. Cleveland will host an orientation session for our registered families in May.
We look forward to seeing our young learners.
Take care.