The new school year has officially begun! This year's School-age 2 at RisingOaks | John Sweeney is comprised of senior kindergarten and grade 1 students. We are incredibly impressed by the positive impact of routines on their growing independence and social skills.
We began the school year by introducing routines to our blended group. Guided by our early years pedagogy outlined in the How Does Learning Happen? document, we believe that children are capable and rich in potential. When provided with established routines where they can thrive in familiarity and have access to the tools they need for the day, learning can be expected in multiple domains of their development. Transitions from outdoor to indoor environments, washing hands, lining up for snacks, stacking their chairs after use, playing and engaging in different activities, and tidying up are just some of our routines in the after-school program. We also introduced "Show and Share Thursdays" where two children can bring one special item each Thursday, for example, a toy, book, board game, etc., to share with the whole group. Last Thursday, Savanna brought a flying fairy and Aahana brought a stuffed dog. Savanna told the group how she got the fairy and what it can do. Even though it was missing one wing, she still finds it special and loves playing with it. For her turn, Aahana shared a story she created that talks about a character named Lucy and made a beautiful connection between the character and her stuffed animal. Both girls answered questions from their peers and made sure that each child had a turn to see up close and play with their toys.
One of the new routines we also implemented this year is our approach to snack time. We encourage the children to serve themselves by providing clear instructions on how to line up and use kitchen tools like tongs and spoons. Each child in our group also takes turns washing the tables before snack time. After finishing their snacks, the children clean up their area and stack their chairs away.
In setting up our learning environments, we also refer to the Early Learning for Every Child Today (ELECT) document. This serves as our framework for interpreting classroom behaviours. For example, Theo's effort to listen and sit in his square during the show and share activity, and Isaiah's willingness to wash the tables when asked, are evidence of their growing cooperation and helping skills. These are important social skills according to ELECT. Likewise, some children may not volunteer for group tasks but may contribute to the group's welfare in other ways. We’re seeing more and more of this team attitude as the children get more comfortable with each other and the expectations in the program.
Research also highlights the benefits of consistent routines in fostering independence among children. When children know the flow and expectations of the day, they can create healthy habits of managing tasks and activities on their own. This also helps them learn to take responsibility and manage their time.
In the coming months, we’ll continue to document their developing confidence in themselves and see how we can further create a culture where everyone contributes to the group. Be sure to check out our Digibot app for all the latest updates. We'd also love to hear about your children showing off these skills at home!
