Dancing with Footnote Dance Co.

It was very exciting to be invited to Mangere Bridge School to dance with Footnote Dance Co. We took Martin's bus up to school and went straight to the Auditorium to join the dancers. We joined the groups with a dancer from the Footnote dance Company and danced to a transport theme. Each group planned a dance scenario about modes of transport and showed their dance to the rest of the groups. After dancing we were all hungry so sat on the steps of the Auditorium and had morning tea before returning to kindergarten for a quick play before it was time to go home. Our children are great hiphoppers (all day, every day we listen to the same favourite Flo Rida Low song till we are very good at the NO NO NO NO refrain - even in St Lukes we hear it). This was another opportunity to experience a different form of dance. We aim to provide children with opportunities to hear and try a wide variety to add to their repertoire of music and dance forms from home and community experiences. This excursion fits very well with the communication goal of Te Whaariki, the early childhood curriculum " an ability to be creative and expressive .. to sing songs.. and .. to keep a steady beat ...and that dance can amuse, delight, comfort, illuminate, inform and excite". Hiphop has drawn reluctant dancers in and certainly amuses and delights them as they go through the movements and us as well.

Welcome back to term 3

Hi and Welcome to Term 3. 

It seems to us that we have been on a fairly fast track to be half way through the year already. During the July holiday break Carol, Pat and Jemma flew to Nelson to present at the "Top of the South" transition Hui. Additionally the Senior Teachers arranged a fantastic opportunity for us to visit three kindergartens in the Nelson area. Our thanks to Hira, Nayland and Tahunanui kindergarten teachers for making the time to be at work on their holiday to talk to us. Also our thanks to Hira School Principal Tonnie and Sarah their transition worker who came to tell us about their fantastic transition programme. We learn so much from teachers around the country who share their work with us and this was great example of a school and early childhood centre working collegially to enhance transition for children and families. 

On our return to kindergarten we welcomed 8 new families as their children began the afternoon session. A constantly changing group means that we are busy learning about new children and building a relationship with them and with their family. Our research highlights the importance of relationships but also that as Wenger (1998) so aptly says relationships take time. we look forward to getting to know these families as their children participate in kindergarten experiences.