From Little Things Big Things Grow - Little Saints Pre-K

From Little Things Big Things Grow

Big things are always happening at Little Saints Pre-K and have been for over 13 years.

2021 marked a significant milestone in the life of the Little Saints Pre-Kindergarten program. The Year 12 graduating class of 2021 were the first cohort of students who had the opportunity to start in Pre-K way back in 2009, in its inaugural year. Many of the 2021 graduating students were a part of the program in its first year, meaning that they both started and ended their schooling journey as members of the St Paul’s community. This journey, from Pre-K through the Junior School and into the Senior School is now a well-trodden path for many students and families in our community, as the Little Saints program continues to flourish and thrive.

We thought that we would take the opportunity to check in with our youngest St Paul’s students and discover more about Little Saints Pre-K. We sat down with the Coordinator of Pre-Kindergarten, Mrs Carmen Etherington, to ask her some questions.

What does a typical day look like at Little Saints Pre-K?

It is a place where students can play, observe, and explore the world around them. As the students arrive each day, they are warmly welcomed by educators who make them feel loved, cared for and safe. Strong relationships are fostered and built, and are central to Little Saints Pre-K. Every child is celebrated for their individual and cultural differences. Students enjoy indoor and outdoor inquiry times as well as communal lunches, walks to specialist lessons and weekly visits to the library as well.

Can you explain a little bit about the learning that takes place at Little Saints?

Each student’s interests and curiosities are encouraged through play-based learning. Students are encouraged to be thinkers, ask questions, and build knowledge. It is the role of the teachers to instil confidence in each student’s ability, to spark their curiosity to live and think about their world, and to inspire them to go to deeper levels of thinking. Little Saints Pre-K is foundational in equipping students with skills for life. Students are encouraged to be internationally minded, as they are taught and learn the attributes of the Learner Profile. It is a place where learning is a careful consideration between guided inquiry, school readiness skills and student-initiated play. Pre-K students also participate in specialist lessons each week including Music, Chinese and PE.

What have you found most enjoyable about your first year at St Paul’s?

I have very much enjoyed being a part of the St Paul’s community here at Little Saints. I have loved watching my students grow as learners throughout the year and seeing them have agency over their learning brings me great joy. I strive to provide opportunities for my students to inquire into their own interests and fascinations. I especially love seeing children engage in authentic and meaningful hands-on, play-based Iearning. I consider it a privilege to be It (Little Saints Pre-K) is a place where learning is a careful consideration between guided inquiry, school readiness skills and student-initiated play. Pre-K students also participate in specialist lessons each week including Music, Chinese and PE.

alongside my students and inquire into concepts that interest them. I have learned a lot myself this year, including how to grow beans, fold paper aeroplanes and even make snow dough! I treasure the opportunity to share my faith with my students. Finally, I have very much enjoyed working with such a fantastic, professional and committed team of educators, who sincerely love learning and seeing children thrive and succeed. Their creativity and dedication to their craft is absolutely outstanding!

Are there special days that you have run throughout the year?

Throughout the year we invite children to participate in special events that are unique to Pre-K, but are often linked to the wider school community. When we were learning about how ‘community creates a sense of belonging’, we loved having a bike day where we could explore our school and visit new and exciting places. We got to see where special people in our school community work, such as Mr Brooker! Some other special Pre-K events we have enjoyed this year include: Wet and Wild Day, Teddy Bears Parade and a visit from the Australian Animal displays. We have also loved participating in the wider school community events including the PYP Exhibition, the Cross Country Carnival, the Athletics Carnival, and even the school’s annual Bush Dance. In Term 4, we love to meet our Year 4 buddies and look forward to spending time with them, as we look to transition to kindergarten next year.

St Paul’s is a Christ-centred community. What does this look like in Pre-K?

Little Saints Pre-K is a Christ-centred learning environment, where a Christian perspective forms the basis of everything Little Saints Pre-K is a Christ-centred learning environment, where a Christian perspective forms the basis of everything the student does, through the teachings of the Bible.

the student does, through the teachings of the Bible. Students enjoy daily classroom devotions where we read the bible as a class. Students learn to pray and worship through singing songs to God. Pre-K also has a more formal weekly Christian Studies lesson, where students learn more about our great God and what He has done for us. Teachers at Little Saints also have a personal faith in Christ, which they strive to live out in their interactions with students.

How do the children learn about important topics like the environment / sustainability etc?

Experiences in the early years lay the foundations for all future learning. This is a time of rapid development in the physical, emotional, social and cognitive domains. At this age, students are naturally inclined to explore, play, discover and make connections between themselves, others and their environment. Supporting this learning requires all members of the learning community to value play as the primary driver of inquiry. Through play, young children develop approaches to learning and connect with their receptive and cognitive abilities, representational abilities and their relational abilities.

Teachers of young children create relevant, engaging, challenging, and significant learning spaces, as well as exciting craft avenues for inquiry. Students are encouraged to have agency over their learning, and the role of teachers includes facilitator, researcher, participant, provocateur, navigator, observer, documenter and reflective practitioner.

Play, relationships, learning spaces and symbolic exploration and expression are central to learning in the early years. Teachers need to plan uninterrupted times for play, build strong relationships with students and their families, create and maintain responsive spaces for play, and offer many opportunities for symbolic exploration and expression.