Tuesday, March 3, 2009

the playway Monthly News - March

The Rainbow

My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.
William Wordsworth

Hello Parents,

William Wordsworth in his poem rainbow clearly states that the child is father of man- kind. He clearly sees that the children learn best when they are left to explore, that they are not empty vessels for the adults to fill with knowledge but are born with natural instincts and natural abilities for us to nurture and stimulate to enhance their potential. He says that the best teacher for a young child is the nature. Nature nurtures/ teaches best lessons if the child is allowed to be close to nature.
But alas! How many of us allow our children to grow with nature?
At the playway we try our best to give the child an experience that will last in his/ her memory throughout. We make them experience their surroundings using their five senses in whatever the activity we offer. It is vital for the young learner to be able to walk around and explore his/ her environment provided that it is safe and child friendly. Our main goal is to give this opportunity at the playway and enhance their natural curiosity.

We strongly believe that the children learn through their senses.

Auditory - by hearing through ears
Visual - by seeing through eyes
Tactile - by touching through skin
Gustatory – by tasting through tongue
Olfactory - by smelling through nose

Current Theme for March & April
Creepy Crawlies (Mini Beasts)

We shall be inquiring about the interesting mini beasts through this topic of inquiry. The children will be exposed to a variety of activities where they will be motivated to be natural inquirers. The children will be prompt to ask questions, find answers, investigate different mini beasts: collect them, observe them, draw and paint them, compare and contrast them and discuss about these interesting creatures that are found in abundance in our tropical island.
We shall try our best to bring a change in attitude about these little creatures in the young learner, by giving them the opportunity to observe them closely & carefully.
Moreover, language, math, science, rhythm & music, art & craft and PSE will be incorporated to the theme in every possible way throughout this period.
If you are a resource person please come forward to facilitate the needs: if you have a large garden where many creepy crawlies live happily, own a wealth of books and other related material about creepy crawlies, a collection of models and preserved insects/bugs etc you can help us by giving the children the opportunity to use the resources.

Welcome!
A very BIG welcome to little Mikayla and Nikitha, who joined the playway in February. We are delighted to have you in our play circle. Hope you enjoy the experience!!!

Welcome Ms. Tharaka Peris, our new addition to the team. A product of Methodist College, Colombo, she was qualified in Early Childhood Education at the Havelock Gardens’ Montessori School under Ms. Chereen Dharmaratne. Young and bubbly, she joins as a trainee Assistant Teacher raising the number of teachers at the playway to four.

Congratulations
Congratulations Aunt Shashika, our music teacher, who upon completing her studies in LL.B (UK) through the University of London will be flying there on March 12 for her convocation ceremony. She graduates with one of the highest results in Sri Lanka, Second Class Upper. We are very proud of you!

Happy, Happy Birthday
Happy birthday, Aunt Sashika, who is celebrating her twenty-fourth birthday on March 10. Hope this birthday is very special for you.
Happy birthday Thayba. Thayba will be three years old on March 12. Hope she will have loads of fun with all her friends and family.

Activities – January & February
January and February were months filled with activities at the playway where children enjoyed numerous tasks while learning.
• The first anniversary of the playway nursery
Children had fun celebrating while learning about ‘1’.
• Thaipongal Festival
A simple ceremony, to mark the dawn of Thaipongal. The children learnt what Thaipongal means to Hindu devotees.
• Cookery Days
Children actively engaged in identifying, touching, mixing, & tasting the ingredients. Some of the items that were done at the playway: Feeling - sandwiches, red jelly and Green “mallun”
• Independence Day Celebrations
Children truly enjoyed themselves in their own traditional costumes. They tasted some of the traditional sweet meats and of course joined in a few games.
• St. Valentine’s Day
Children were busy making gifts for their Valentines. Hope you enjoyed the gift!

Throughout our last topic the children inquired about themselves, their homes and families. They discussed how special they are & the similarities and the differences compared to their peers.
However some of the activities on the Topic “Me, Myself & I” will go further into March too as some children need more time than the others to complete certain tasks.

PE at the playway; the mornings of Wednesdays & Fridays the 3 year olds will be spending their morning 15 minutes in the garden with the teachers taking PE lessons. Please send them in their playway T- shirts, shorts and sneakers.
Thank you for your corporation on our latest plan for dropping and picking of children. It is noted that the new plan works better. In order to observe your child at play a day per family will be soon allocated. On this allocated day you are welcome to come and be with your child, help him/her in her play and discuss any concerns with the teacher if necessary.

The Book Corner for MUMMIES & DADDIES
THERE ARE A FEW GOOD BOOKS from my collection for your use at the playway on Early Childhood Education and related themes. Please feel free to check out a copy & send it back when you are done.


Dates for your Diary
March 06 ‘b’ as in Bikes Day
March 10 Poya Holiday
March 13 ‘h’ as in Crazy Hat Day
March 18 Cookery Day
March 27 Field trip

April 08 Avurudhu Celebrations/Last Day for the quarter

the playway re- opens for Teachers Monday 27th April
the playway re- opens for Children Tuesday 28th April

March for a Merry March
Neelika Edirisinghe Director, the playway nursery, Colombo 07