Early Childhood Program

1. Early Childhood Program “Receive the child with gratitudeEducate them with loveLet them go forth in freedom.”Rudolf Steiner

2. Contents What is Steiner Education? 2 Who was Rudolf Steiner? Our Aim 4 The Story of Little Sophia 5 Kindergarten and Children’s Development 6 Stages of Play 7 • What this means, day-to-day • Daily routine at Little Sophia Our Programs: 11 • Playgroup (Birth to 4 years of age) • Kingfisher and Dragonfly all day kindergarten (3½–6 years of age) Our Teachers 13 Kindergarten contact details 14

3. The aim of Steiner schooling is to educate the whole child, ‘head, heart and hands’. The curriculum is as broad as time will allow and balances academic pursuits with artistic and practical activities. Steiner teachers are dedicated to creating a genuine love of learning within each child. By freely using arts and activities in the service of teaching academics, the internal motivation to learn is developed in the students, doing away with the need for competitive testing and grading. Who was Rudolf Steiner? Rudolf Steiner was an Austrian philosopher, scientist and artist who was a forerunner in the field of modern spiritual scientific investigation. In 1919, he was invited to give a series of lectures to the workers of the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany. As a result, the factory’s owner, Emil Molt, asked Steiner to establish a school for the children of the factory’s employees. Steiner agreed with four conditions: the school would be open to all children, it would be co-educational, it would be a unified twelve year school and the teachers working directly with the children would take the lead in running the school. Molt agreed and the school was opened on September 7, 1919. Consistent with his philosophy, called anthroposophy, Steiner designed a curriculum responsive to the developmental phases of childhood which would nurture the child’s imagination. He thought that schools should cater to the needs of children rather than the demands of government or economic forces, so he developed schools that encouraged creativity and free thinking. Steiner schools strive to honour and protect the wonder of childhood. Every effort is made to ensure that Steiner schools are safe, secure and nurturing environments for the children. What is Steiner Education? 2

4. Steiner education also has a consistent philosophy of child development underlying the curriculum. All subjects are introduced in an age appropriate manner. As part of a holistic education, Steiner school graduates are academically well-prepared for, and consistently gain admission to, top universities. Currently there are more than 995 Steiner schools in 60 countries, serving approximately 120,000 students worldwide. Religion in Steiner schools Classes in religious doctrine are not part of the Steiner curriculum and children of all religious backgrounds attend Steiner schools. The spiritual guidance provided is aimed at awakening the child’s natural reverence for the wonder and beauty of life. Seasonal festivals are important times of the kindergarten year and foster a meaningful connection with nature’s cycles. They are important parts of the program and are central points of celebration for families as well. 3

5. Our aim is to foster enthusiasm, joy and wonder for life in an environment of goodness, beauty and imagination. Kindergarten is an extension of the home environment. Little Sophia provides a warm, protective space stimulated by creative play, story telling, singing, baking, painting and colour. Our kindergarten program encourages children to enter the world at a natural pace. At Little Sophia children are surrounded by caring people and treasures from nature which assist in the development of an appreciation, respect and care for our world. Little Sophia considers it important that, in the early years, a child’s environment is familiar, calm and provides an enriching foundation for play, exploration and experimentation. Special care is given at Little Sophia to create a play environment that is beautiful, unhurried and secure. We make sure we give children high staff-to-child ratios and that each person brings a high level of experience and care to their time with the children. Our toys and rooms are beautiful, allowing each child to bring their own imagination to play. The food we eat and materials we handle are natural and wholesome. Our Aim 4

6. Little Sophia has been part of the community in different forms for over 21 years. We are proud to be an independent, not for profit inner-city Steiner kindergarten in Melbourne and the first qualified and Steiner Association approved sessional kindergarten incorporating all day kindergarten in Australia. The quality and depth of our experience speaks volumes for the care and love our community of teachers, organisers and parents bring to our kindergarten, and the warmth and joy they take home. Little Sophia has lived in Abbotsford Street since 2005, in a little cottage with gardens front and back. We enjoy being walking distance to the Sophia Mundi prep–12 campus in the beautiful surroundings of the Abbotsford Convent, the Collingwood Children’s Farm and the river. The Story of Little Sophia 5

7. The first phase of a child’s life, from birth to around the seventh year, is a time of remarkable physical growth, culminating in the change of teeth. This is a time of action and imitation. This period is the time for creative play, evidenced by the child’s inclination to immerse themselves in the imaginative world. At Little Sophia we foster this will and direction, bringing focus and joy to play and the lessons it teaches. When the time comes for intellectual activity, this focus and joy will be an innate part of their learning. Little Sophia’s programs encourage the child’s imagination to unfold through play. We consider that self-directed, active play, is preferable to externally planned and led activities. Play allows the child to develop the ability to concentrate, think creatively and be thoroughly absorbed in an endeavor. Kindergarten and Children’s Development “If a child has been able to play, to give up his whole living being to the world around him, he will be able to, in the serious tasks of latter life, devote himself with confidence and power to the service of the world.” Rudolf Steiner 6

8. Rudolf Steiner spoke of three phases or epochs of play. At kindergarten, we are concerned with the second and third stages of play. The second stage of play The second phase of play occurs from about the third to the fifth year –the age of imitation. This stage is marked by the rapid development of new faculties and expressions. All the energy which previously went into learning to stand, walk, speak and think in the first stage of development now finds a new field of endeavor. Notable at this stage is the child’s ability to create ‘real’ things out of simple objects, such as using a log as an iron, or a seed as a potato. The child learns by imitating daily events, constantly growing with each new discovery. This is the wonder of creative imagination. The third stage of play In the third stage, from five to seven years, the primary stimulus is not always from the outside world but increasingly comes from within. Play is still based on the imitation of adults in the environment, but play is increasingly inspired by images they have of what they want to do. The play environment Everything within the kindergarten environment should contribute to an appreciation of genuine and real beauty. The kindergarten has a preference for toys and materials that are simple and natural so individual imagination determines the use of each object. For example, coloured cloths in a basket can become capes, babies’ blankets, princess veils, an ocean, a cubby – whatever the child wants it to be. Stages of Play 7

9. Electronic media and its effects on the child Little Sophia considers that a child’s exposure to electronic media produces outcomes that are in direct opposition to the education offered in our kindergarten. If you have not encountered the idea of a media-free childhood before, it can come as a surprise, especially when, in our modern society, most children spend quite a lot of time in front of the television or computer screen. The kindergarten believes that the negative outcomes of watching television and DVDs, listening to the news and advertising on radio and playing computer games far outweigh any positive ones. The strong influence of television and other media in a child’s life is visible in many ways, and can be clearly seen in their play. The children may seem ‘stuck’ in creative play, unable to play anything but a superhero or monster while other children seem to lose their imagination and can’t think of anything to play at all. More subtle changes may be noted in a child who cannot sit still during a story, making it a distressing time instead of a time of wonder and delight. There are many well documented negative effects of television on children including hyperactivity, lack of attention span, inability to complete tasks and – perhaps the least desirable – the dimming effect it has on the child’s wonderful imagination. For more information, read: Who’s Bringing Them Up?: TV and Child Development by Martin Large (Hawthorn Press, 1990) 8

10. At Little Sophia, the teacher leads by example, working with the children. A daily rhythm balances periods of relaxed free play and receptive, quiet activities such as drawing, painting and listening to stories, with those of more directed effort and active pursuits, such as circle games, outside play and more. Children feel both the pleasure of solitary play and the rewards of being part of the group. The kindergarten room is organised into areas such as the home corner, the kitchen and the block corner, which invite the children into a story. Every toy has a place in a basket or on a shelf and when the teacher’s song or action moves the group to the next activity, the children know where each toy belongs. Little Sophia’s teachers work to create an atmosphere of reverence for one another and the world. Calm and discipline is maintained through familiarity and routine, by balancing the flow of activity through the day, and through the teacher embodying respect and nurturing worthy of imitation. High teacher/student ratios support this approach, as does the use of high quality materials which impart a sense of beauty and respect. Parent involvement, such as through helping to prepare morning tea, helps to bring Little Sophia further into the child’s familiar world, as well as allowing parents to see their child’s day. What this Means, Day-to-Day 9

11. Each session at Little Sophia usually begins with a free play period, either outside in the garden, or inside the kindergarten room. This may be followed by a more organised activity such as bread baking or painting. A free play period may follow before the children help to tidy away the wooden animals, stones, stools, cloths and tables that they have used to build towers, farms, shops or houses, and other play activities. Morning and afternoon tea is another focal point for which the children help prepare food and the table. Much like at home, cooking is an essential part of our program and of a child's environment. Quality is vital. Whenever possible, we use biodynamic or organic produce, prepared each day with love and care. Each morning the smells of cooking fill our kindergarten room. The children gather again for a closing story and song to end the session. Daily Routine at Little Sophia 10

12. Offered on Mondays throughout the school term for children aged 1 month – 3.5 years Group 1: 9.30am – 11.30am Group 2: 1.00pm – 3.00pm The Playgroup setting is one of warmth, nurturing beauty, and parental support. The program seeks to protect and nurture early childhood and it is play based. It is imbued with a gentle rhythm of play (inside and outside) coming together for circle songs, washing of hands and sharing a morning or afternoon tea of simple, healthy food. Each session is rich with homely activities, songs, rhymes and stories which celebrate the seasons. Parents are offered craft activities such as knitting and hand sewing to create toys which can be taken up if so desired. All playgroups are facilitated by a Steiner trained group leader. Term fees apply. Playgroup is a wonderful opportunity for your child to explore a social environment beyond the family home. It is also an ideal stepping stone from informal mothers groups into a more formal setting with parents present, ultimately leading into kindergarten when their parents no longer accompany them. Family Playgroup 11

13. (3½ to 6 years of age) All day Kindergarten Kingfisher: Monday – Friday Dragonfly: Tuesday – Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm Families can choose their child’s days of attendance. The kindergarten has a preference for a minimum of 2 days and maximum of 4 days to foster continuity for the child. The Kingfisher and Dragonfly programs are provided for children who are 3.5 to 6 years of age. Our programs are unique having children of a mixed age together. These programs are offered 48 weeks per year and the Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate are available for eligible families. Children are guided by their kindergarten teacher in activities that are outward focused, such as outdoor play, shared songs and ring games and an equally important inward focused time, with indoor play, water color painting or gathering together for story time and circle time. The program provides an opportunity for children to be in a ‘family’ group with children of mixed ages. It operates throughout the year except for public holidays and four weeks over the Christmas holidays. The Kingfisher and Dragonfly teachers design the programs and work with the children and kindergarten assistants to create an environment that is calm and nurturing for all. Kingfisher and Dragonfly Programs 12

14. The greatest influence on a child must be the people around them, and with this in mind, the teachers at Little Sophia strive to be worthy of a child's imitation. This applies to all aspects of behaviour, conduct and being. Children, and their learning processes, are deeply impacted by the environment and the people around them. As adult role models, how we move about the children, and how we speak to them, matters. Rather than be involved with the children in their play, we have tasks of our own to undertake and complete such as sewing, winding balls of wool, polishing our wooden play materials or gardening. Our kindergarten is like a home, so tasks of maintenance and repair are part of our daily routine. The children invariably want to become involved and that’s one of the ways they learn the skills of life. All of our teachers at Little Sophia are state trained and have over 30 years combined Steiner training. All of our teachers have a range of skills and accomplishments from organic biodynamic cooking, painting, lyre, doll making, craft, puppeteering and masterful storytelling. Our Teachers 13

15. Kindergarten’s contact details: Address: 35-37 Abbotsford St, Abbotsford VIC 3067 Phone: (03) 9417 2537 Email – admin@littlesophiakindergarten.org.au www.littlesophiakindergarten.org.au 14