News / Halaman York / 2020 / February 2020

This month, the class recorded full attendance for most of the days. Thus, “the more the merrier” applies as we observe that the children are happier when they are able to play in groups. It is also great to see the new children adjusting well to the daily class rhythms.

At Nania, we practise daily, weekly and yearly rhythms.  This means that some activities are repeated daily, others every week and a few annually. 

In the morning, the moment the children arrive, they put their slippers on the shoe rack, wash their hands and wait for the teachers to check their body temperature and mouth. The sooner as they get into the class, the children unpack their belongings, hang their towel and put their water bottle and bag in the appropriate places.

The children then proceed with the day’s artistic activities before going to play with their friends. They can sit down for the morning activities and have recently weaved painting bags on their own without much assistance. The bag is for the children to bring home their drawings and paintings during the coming term break.

After the morning artistic activity, the children would immediately launch into their creative play. During play time, the small children in the class sometimes unintentionally disturb the play patterns set by the other children.  As such, we teachers have to play the role of a mediator between them so that everyone can gradually play better together. Most importantly, we have to constantly encourage the older children to include the new ones in their play. 

When it is time to clear up, the younger children do not stop in time and also do not help much in clearing up the toys.  On the other hand, the older children stop when told to and clear up immediately.  When they see the young ones still playing, they would sometimes insist that the young children stop too. These tensions needed sorting out and we observe that things have gradually improved. Now the young ones try to stop when it is time to do so while the rest of the children give them room to improve.

Later after clearing up, the children would sit down in a circle and pray for the well-being of their absent friends.  They also enjoy the letter box time as they get to see the books and craft that their friends have put in the box to share.  We encourage you to let your child bring the craft that you have made together at home [not toys that are bought] to put in the box.

After morning snack, we have outside play time.  Most of the children like to play in the sandpit while some of them turn the leaves and flowers into dyes. Some children use the fully bloomed flowers to make flower rings and necklaces. The boys who love to play ‘running and catching’ in the garden have learned to set rules and negotiate terms. Every day, the sound of happy laughter rings throughout the garden. We love to see the happiness in their faces when they run and laugh out loud in the garden.

After their outside play, we will clean them up and they will try to change on their own as much as possible. They also fold their soiled clothing before keeping them inside their bags. We encourage you to let them be independent at home and you will be surprised at their capabilities.

After changing, we have ring time. Children enjoy ring time as we sing action songs, do fun exercises and play games. We sing some familiar songs and we introduce new ones from time to time. The children move and sing along together happily with teachers. There is so much joy in the classroom till it’s time to go for lunch.

During lunch, it is very encouraging to see that some children, who initially disliked vegetables, have gradually started to eat them. Here, at Nania we serve organic vegetables which are purchased weekly from organic farms in Cameron Highlands.

For new parents, you may take this opportunity to order organic vegetables through Nania for home consumption. The price is about 20% lower than the retail market price for organic vegetables. The service is provided by Uncle Balan through Nania as Organic Circle.

  After lunch the younger children play quietly, continue creative play or sometimes fold origami while the 7 big children learn to read and write in another part of the classroom. The big children in the class have shown eagerness in putting together their first book consisting of the month’s paperwork. They are also diligently weaving daily with their nimble fingers. When this after-lunch session is over, the capable 5-year-olds clear up after their play.

During storytime, the new children try their best to listen attentively. We were glad when one of the mothers shared that her newly joined child has started to tell her the story that he heard in the kindergarten.  Of course it was in bits and pieces but it is progress. We look forward to watching the children grow more and more capable and confident in time. 

Every day the children take turn to say goodbye to ‘Mr Candle” and we sing the last song for the day i.e. the goodbye song.  They then hug and say goodbye to us and we will see each other again on another day.

                                                                                                         Teacher Chithra

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