At Frankleigh Park Kindergarten, Kura Pepi Waenga, we are fortunate to have a spacious environment that is filled with luscious vegetable gardens, fruit trees, attractive plants and flowers. We believe the environment is the third teacher where children learn through the joy of exploration and discovery. We also believe in caring for our environment through sustainable practices including composting, worm farming and rain water collection. All the nutrients from these practices get fed back into our gardens. Tamariki work with kaiako and whanau to plant, grow and harvest.
As the children work and care for our natural environment they develop a deep level of respect for nature and the world around them. This year, we began our journey with ENVIROSCOOLS. Children, their families and teachers have all been involved in embracing the Maori perspectives in the action projects we have explored this year from ’Food Focused Learning’, “ The Trip to Tanagora’, ’Puanga Kai Rau,’ ‘The Legend of Ranginui and Papatuanuku’, ‘Te Reo and Waiata’, ‘Weaving our Korowai’, ‘The Tui Garden Project’, ‘The Clay Wall Project to ’The Cook Book”. The cook book is a fundraiser for improvements to the veranda area of our Kindergarten. As much of the produce we get from our gardens is used within our food focused learning at Frankleigh Park we felt our very own cookbook was perfect to celebrate some of our favourite kindergarten learning experiences from the garden and the kitchen. The Staff, Jan, Tanya, Trish, Kathryn and I wish to thank our wonderful committee for making this a reality and helping to bring our vision to life.
Please ring or email us if you would like to order a copy.
Kohikohia nga kokano Gather the seeds
Whakaritea te purekereke Prepare the seedbed carefully
Kia puawai nga hua And you will be gifted with an abundance of food
We wish to thank Pounamu Skelton for her aroha and awhi to us throughout the year as we continue to embrace the Enviroschools kaupapa, into our early childhood curriculum.
Ka nui te aroha
Lizzy Brouwers
Facilitator for Enviroschools NTKA
Feedback on Enviroschools in 2013
Whanau korero
“Tenei te mihi ki a koutou,
Congratulations on your efforts to bring inspiration and teach the values of our tipuna”.
So proud of you all!
Pounamu
“I have enjoyed being immersed in your programme. Paige, Holly and I have learnt so much about mãori perspectives. She talked a lot at home about the legend and Papatuanuku. Paige really enjoyed all the art work during Puanga. Thanks heaps.”
Jackie Wilson
“This has been a journey of discovery! I have learnt so much about the garden through your maori gardening calendar. As president of the Frankleigh Park Committee, I have enjoyed helping the teachers out by co-ordinating working bees, with Trish. I have learnt alongside the children and this has been very rewarding!”.
Sara Riely
Tamariki korero
“I really love eating the carrots!”
Beattie
“I love to pick the sweet sweet peas!”
Leah
“”I can make huts under the trees!”
McKenzie
“I can help to weed the strawberries!”
Liam K.