Creativity and Innovation award

Following is the speech given to announce the award for Creativity and Innovation in Kindergarten Education.

2015 Lints Award

The Lints Award is awarded to the kindergarten whose staff practice throughout the year nurtures lifelong learning for children and their whanau using creative, innovative and resourceful strategies.

It is about resourceful teachers who work collaboratively with parents and whanau who acknowledge and support quality participation in their children's learning experience so that support for children's lifelong learning continues to be nurtured within the wider community.

The successful teaching team this year sets a learning environment of provocations within the kindergarten environment which are current with children's interest where the teaching team builds on each other's strengths and interest and the triangulation of the three teachers collides - to provide some amazing learning for the tamariki.

It is an environment where the concept of Ako is grounded in the principle of reciprocity and also recognises that the learning and whanau cannot be separated.  It is also an environment where the teaching and learning relationship is one where the teacher is also learning from the tamariki and where the teachers practices are informed by the latest research and both are deliberate and reflective.

At the core of this kindergarten is the strong respectful relationships that the teachers have with their parents and whanau - it is about whanaungatanga, manakitanga and kotahitanga that are all intrinsic in the kaupapa of who and what they bring to this learning arena.

As team they are all very skilled with the IYT aspect of managing children's behaviours and it is very powerful to observe and know their tamariki will have the lifelong skills to problem solve and resolve situations and challenges as they arise throughout their lives due to the teaching strategies that they all use so effectively.

Before I ask Effie Lints NKA Life Member to present this award I want to quote to you a recent comment made by their Acting PPM, Kim Townsend to the teaching staff in their recent termly report;

"Though it was my first day I also wanted to say that the care and attention that you place in developing and upholding relationships with your attending children and families is precious and evident throughout your programme and in your interactions.  Bream Bay kindergarten has a real sense of a 'community of learners' this is a credit to you all." 

Colleagues and whanau and Board members please join with me in congratulating Bream Bay Kindergarten the successful recipient of the 2015 Lints Award.

What do teachers do?

Children’s voice:

“Teach you how to do nice things. Say kind words to each other” said Mia

“Um make muffins, um help us. They give us the icepack. Like, um they swing us” said Stormie.

“They care for each other and they want a game” 

“And they help people when they’re hurt. Like they plant the corn and they set the swings”  said Bentley.

“Teach you how to do writing” 

“When you are hurt a teacher gets you the icepack” 

“They can play with me, they’re my friend. I come to do painting and play outside” said Hosea.

“They play with me” said Achilles.

“Stop the fights. Wash their hands. Play with the children” said Marama.

“Also teachers make dinner. Make cupcakes” said Nikki.

“Um well have fun, just like they are having fun”  said Tia.

“Play. Be kind to each other” said Jahrell.

“They watch the kids and they read stories to the kids”

“To play, work inside, play inside un and teamwork” said Sophia.

“Put the hose with the water on. And you play sandpit with the water everyday.”

“You have to tidy up the mess when you make a mess. They get all the stuff out, then they bake. Um they open up the shed sandpit and they put all the toys out”

“Read books. Do the cake” said Rico.

“They play with you” said Kiara.