Nurturing and Nature
Springlands Kindergarten have added another opportunity for their tamariki to spend time in nature. The opportunity shows the Enviroschools Guiding Principle of Empowered Learners.
L for Lela
Teachers take the same group of six to eight students each week for a term to the same local park they can walk to – McKendry Park. Their route each week is chosen by the children, sometimes through the school next door to clamber over small mounds and wave to older brothers and sisters. Sometimes along the footpath where they can chat with locals walking by.
Looking for tuna (eels)
This opportunity is for nurturing both the children and the environment. Tamariki have the opportunity to gain confidence, support each other and try new things with a gentle nudge from the kaiako. Learning to climb trees of all shapes and sizes, looking for insects, discovering fruit in the orchard and the highlight for many, feeding the eels while talking about what their favourite food is and making predictions about what the eels will like best.
Charlie tree climbing
Through these experiences tamariki are building an understanding of how they are a part of nature and that through this reciprocal relationship that if they take care of nature, nature will take care of them.
Kaiako shared with their association colleagues at a professional day about how this opportunity is really rewarding for all involved and it was great Annie to see the programme in action and the excitement of tamariki expanding their horizons.