Communication is fundamental in ensuring that the optimum environment and learning experiences are provided for children at all times. St Peter’s ELC educators have daily contact with parents, keeping them informed and discussing anything specific and relevant to their child.
The Reflection Journal, provides a wonderful and valuable insight into your child’s day. The Journal shares some of the children’s “100 Languages” of learning utilised through their play. The documentation may be photos, drawings, or text of conversations. We recommend looking at the journal with your child. By asking questions such as, “What is happening here?”, parents can find out so much more about their child’s experiences.
Parent/Teacher Exchanges - we invite parents to call at any time should an appointment need to be made to discuss any important matters. If you have a concern, please share it with your child’s class teacher or discuss it with the Head of ELC. We would rather deal quickly with any unease or worries that you may have to avoid them developing into something more serious and/or causing you and/or your child greater anxiety. The opportunity for a more formal parent/teacher exchange is offered in June and late October. This is a ten minute chat, where parents and educators share information about the child’s progress in relation to the EYLF and VEYLDF.
The children’s Portfolios are available to take home and share with the family throughout the year. Each term information is added: samples of your child’s work, photographs, conversations, observations by educators, and stages of projects in which your child has participated. You are also invited to add your own pages to the portfolio throughout the year. All the children’s portfolios will be stored in their classroom to encourage each child and family to access at their convenience. Please note and respect individual privacy - portfolios are only to be accessed by own family members, unless otherwise invited by the child or parents of other portfolios. We will use this document as a formal and informal means to share your child’s progress and development throughout the year.
Notice Boards and display tables in the foyer have important information relating to the operation of the ELC.
Each child has their own Communication Pocket which stores any notices and information that need to go home. We encourage you to check and clear these on a daily basis so as not to miss out on any important information. These are also useful in passing any information between parents. The communication pockets are hanging in the foyer near the entrance to your child’s classroom.
Your child’s artwork will be placed in their portfolio or into their classroom locker to take home. Taking home art work or creations constructed by your child is a wonderful starting point for discussing what has happened during the day. Please note that not all children will do a painting every day and some may not produce a piece of art work for some time. This does not by any means indicate that they are not ‘doing’ anything at the ELC. Children explore and create meaning in their own way (or in one of the many “100 Languages”). One child may produce an elaborate block construction as a replica of the farm they went to on the weekend whilst another may produce a painting or drawing about the animals on the farm whilst another child may verbally tell the story. It is terribly important that adults do not ask the children ‘what did you do today?’ and then respond with “is that all” or “nothing”. We need to ensure that we demonstrate to the children that all of their explorations are meaningful and valued, as this encourages them to continue to grow and learn. In saying this we ask you to show a keen interest in the creations that all of the children do and use these as starting points for discussions at home.
