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Developing Social Competence Policy

Rationale

Andersons Bay Community Kindergarten provides a positive, respectful and safe environment where children are supported to develop knowledge, skills and attitudes for living in communities. 

 

Objectives

To enable our kindergarten to support our children’s developing social competence and knowledge of acceptable behaviour.

To enable families and whānau to feel comfortable in the knowledge of how their children will be cared for during each session.

To ensure the kindergarten provides and maintains a safe and respectful environment, free from harm, for all.

To ensure everyone has access to information on social competence through information, advice and support from outside agencies, should the need arise.

 

Process and Strategies

Our kindergarten establishes rules for children’s and adult’s behaviour:

  • We support children to practice the concept of manaakitanga- We care and look after each other and ourselves.

  • We support children to practice the concept of kaitiakitanga- We look after each other’s work, the equipment and the environment.

  • We strive to uphold each other’s mana so we can build self esteem, pride, identity and well being.

 

These rules might be expressed as an agreement or treaty.  All children will be actively supported and encouraged to be active members of the kindergarten community and as part of this to learn and use the kindergarten rules.

 

No child will be subjected to any form of physical ill treatment such as corporal punishment, immobilisation, solitary confinement or deprivation of food, drink, warmth or shelter.

 

The kindergarten will be a place where:

  • Children and adults are treated with respect and dignity.

  • Adults do not swear or speak in a manner that is intimidating to children.

  • The emotional wellbeing of children and adults is nurtured.

  • Children and adults are protected from harm.

  • Children learn about the kindergarten rules and boundaries of appropriate behaviour.

  • Children are treated as individuals taking into account factors such as age, development, personality, cultural and family contexts.

  • Children are able to be fully engaged in active learning in a stimulating and challenging environment.

  • Socially competent behaviour is recognised as something that is learned and needs to be practiced.

 

Practices we follow to build this place:

  • Building responsive and reciprocal relationships with the children and their whanau/families. 

  • Using positive language with children, acknowledging and encouraging the behaviours that we want to see.

  • Role modeling the behaviour and communication that we wish to promote in our children.

  • Giving the children clear instructions.

  • Encouraging children to keep themselves safe and to make good decisions if another child is emotionally dis-regulated or upset.

  • Supporting children to negotiate peaceful solutions to social problems, recognising the potential for learning in these situations.  We give the children time to resolve problems themselves and if necessary support the children to generate and agree on solutions, providing language and possibilities if needed, and encouraging children to identify and express their feelings.

  • If a child hurts another, they are encouraged to sit down with a teacher for a period in order to calm down.

  • Providing active supervision (while recognising that teachers cannot be in all parts of the kindergarten at the same time) allowing for children to access help and support from teachers should it be needed.

  • Using open and honest communication with the children, families and whanau.

  • Providing opportunities for children to talk about their emotions and behaviour, for example through conversation, reflection and remembering, reading and sharing books and stories.

  • Regularly providing the children and their families with opportunities to discuss the kindergarten rules and develop an understanding of how the rules can guide behaviour.

  • Having consistent expectations of behaviour while recognising that each child and teacher is different.

  • If concerns arise teachers will talk with parents/whanau about behaviours, triggers and strategies and together may approach outside agencies for support.

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