Building relationships through celebrations
November 12, 2021
Term IV is generally the part of the school year when children’s appetite for learning, growth, discovery and challenge increases. This is because the children feel secure in their familiar school environment and have developed genuine, meaningful connections with their educators and peers.
Developing a child’s sense of security and trust comes from the many connections established between parents and educators, as we work collaboratively by sharing each child’s learning journey. Research shows that children who have strong community connections and supportive people in their lives, in addition to their parents and families, are far more likely to be well adjusted later in life, both socially and emotionally.
At TIGS Prep, we believe in building the children’s social learning as a critical aspect of the early year’s education program. The early years are important as children develop independent relationships with others beyond their immediate family environment. In every activity set up each week by our early childhood educators, there is always a specific emphasis on building and sustaining relationships to support healthy brain development, both with peers and adults. These social interactions with others make learning meaningful, rich and authentic, underpinning the foundations of quality early childhood education.
Throughout the year to build and foster social connections, we draw upon significant celebrations that hold meaning to our children and their families. Celebrations are based on our children’s cultural heritage and interests, including Christmas, Chinese New Year, Diwali, Hannukah, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, and Reconciliation Day.
There is no doubt that children love celebrations, traditions and rituals, they are important for fostering a young child’s identity, sense of belonging and self. Celebrations can teach values and acceptance, offer comfort and security, build relationships and create lasting memories. We invite each of our families to share your family traditions with us. We wish to honour the rich cultural diversity of all our children and their families, embedding in our day-to-day classroom practices where we can raise awareness of acceptance and of other ways of being and belonging.
We know that Birthdays and Birthday parties are also significant milestones for our children and our families, which is why we welcome you to celebrate your child’s birthday with their peers. Particularly at a time of Covid, when many children have not had the opportunity to celebrate their special day, being able to celebrate with their school friends is more important than ever before. We would like to take the time to remind you that some of our children have nut allergies and each item brought into Prep to share should be individually wrapped.
Please continue to enjoy the journey with us, as we look forward to sharing many celebrations together in the weeks ahead.
