Collaboration at Kindy

- By Emma Cole

Collaborative learning involves children engaging in various activities in pairs or small groups, fostering interaction and learning with their peers. It is an enjoyable approach that enhances tamariki's learning experiences and their ability to engage socially. In the kindergarten, collaborative learning is child-directed, allowing children to have autonomy over their learning process. We witness this in their play every day, whether it's working towards a shared goal in the sandpit, balancing on the rope swing with two or three friends, or even when they collectively make buns for a group. 

Collaboration provides valuable learning outcomes for our children. It boosts their self-esteem by giving them a voice within a group, nurtures their understanding of others and diverse perspectives, and cultivates confidence, attention, and motivation. It can also encourage shy students to participate in activities, thereby fostering their oral communication skills. Through collaboration, children learn compassion, understanding, and develop patience. 

Young children naturally gravitate towards collaboration; they enjoy working together to achieve a common goal. At this young age, they exhibit a cooperative mindset, preferring to work with others rather than alone, whether it's with their peers or the adults in their lives. 

At Fossil Bay Kindergarten, we are fortunate to have a strong relationship with school children, and on Mondays when we come together, we witness children of all ages working collaboratively towards a shared objective. Just this week, we observed a group at Onerora beach diligently uncovering fossils, exchanging kind and encouraging words, and busy with their hands. This activity evolved into various goals, with different children joining and leaving the group, but always working together. 

I recall a recent incident at the kindergarten when a child expressed doubt about their abilities. I offered encouragement, assuring them that they could do it. Another child then spoke up, saying, "I know you can do it too, and we all know you can do it" This moment illustrated to me that collaboration not only involves working together to achieve a common goal but also fosters the ability to recognise when someone needs help and, with compassion and care, provide assistance. This is a value we wholeheartedly nurture at the kindergarten, and it is evident in our interactions. 

Working bees and festivals are other wonderful ways in which we model collaboration to our children. We work hard as a team to create magic in our gardens, clean the kindergarten, and plan and execute beautiful festivals for everyone to enjoy and share. 

Truly, it takes a village, and our fortunate children have a truly special one.