LATEST STORIES
Teaching and Connecting Online
What a fantastic couple of months we have had continuing
to connect with our lovely Beststart Roydvale whānau. Supporting the individual
learning of our tamariki (children), from a distance.
Using Storypark (a system our whānau are already familiar with), kaiako (the teaching team) have been continuing to support children and whānau learning and ensuring they are safe, healthy and connected with others.
Through connecting regularly online or on the phone, kaiako have been engaging in conversations with whānau about tamariki learning goals. Kaiako have been offering ideas for how to advance these goals at home, and discussing new interests. Kaiako have also offered suggestions for new learning goals and plans for when they return to the centre.
To maintain connections with tamariki, kaiako have been organising regular video calls with groups of tamariki, enabling them to see see each other, and their kaiako. These opportunities have encouraged them to share stories of their adventures and keep a sense of familiarity with each other, while the centre was not open. There has also been individual and small group video calls with tamariki and whānau.
Daily posts and/or videos by teachers on Storypark have been offering ideas for whānau based on kaiako knowledge of tamariki and their interests. Whānau have been invited to share their experiences and keep us updated in this way too. Conversations, notes and comments have been shared along the way.
A lot of what we are doing online will strengthen as families return to the centre. Creating and strengthening connections and sharing our teaching through Storypark. will continue, as it is such a valuable tool for communication.
We have had so much valuable participation and everyone has learnt more about how to use Storypark effectively. We have gained great feedback from whānau about the forms of communication we have used which has enabled us to engage more and more. We will continue to work alongside your individual children using the best forms of communication for your whānau to stay connected, while learning and developing together.