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Supporting our friend
Here at BestStart Hokowhitu, our tamariki had the opportunity to tautoko (support) their friend during his school visit, as he has been struggling with the transition to school and settling in on his school visits.
Kaiako, organised and planned an excursion to one of our local schools where he was enrolled, and where a parent at our centre is also the new entrant teacher. Some of the child’s closest friends and those who will be transitioning to school in the next few months, got to see where their friend would be going to school and experience what it is like during a school visit.
Over the time of their visit, tamariki and kaiako interacted and engaged with their friend, his confidence steadily grew, and he was able to participate positively with his new environment. He was delighted to show his friends around and all the wonderful resources his new classroom had to offer. It was clear to see his mana and self confidence grow as he took on a role of belonging and ownership in showing his friends around his new classroom.
Our centre vision is to be a whānau inspiring unique minds. We want our children to feel safe and secure and look at the teachers as part of their wider whānau. We want them to see their teachers, both early years and primary as whānau.
Visiting and making connections with our local schools allows our young learners to experience the sights and sounds of a school environment. Through visits like this our tamariki are supported to see the transition to school as part of their learning journey rather than a new beginning of the unknown. Kaiako and tamariki look forward to more school visits with other schools in the near future.
The child’s parent had this to say:
“Thank you so much for organising this - it was absolutely fantastic to have Mr. Bs friends support him in this transition period by being with him at school. He is feeling so much more confident about starting school now, and I am certain having his daycare friends become part of his school world has helped with that tremendously!”