Grateful Reflection: Looking Back On September

Now that our K-Town community has moved past its first major holiday of the school year, we thought it would be a good time to sit, reflect and be grateful. Since September, we have learned a lot about our daily practices, the new families and their children. Despite having a plan going into September, we have had to pivot, adjust, rethink and reassess our approaches – now, as we move deeper into the fall season – we are confident that the real magic will begin.

The first day at Kindertown, for many was a major transition. Whether it was their first time ever visiting K-Town or their first time in a new room – everyone at the center experienced some sort of new first.  

For our toddler group – September in particular is a very confusing, scary and frustrating time. We welcomed a lot of new K-Towners this year, and though we have made some considerable strides, there was (and continues to be) a lot of adjustments happening on a day-to-day basis. Some children were unsure of the routine, other were timid to try lunch, while others still were unsure of what they were doing in this new strange place – there was (and continues to be) a lot of tears.

In our Tweenie and Preschool rooms – for the most part – the transition has been a lot easier. However, our children have had to learn how to adapt to a new routine, new milestones and ways of playing with one another. There has been a lot of deep breaths, redirection and conversations about how respect, compassion and understanding is important to ensure that all our K-Towners feel welcomed and engaged in the day to day.

It’s for these reasons, that September and October are usually our ‘open assessment’ months. Planning and programming are kept at a minimum and open – this gives our educators the chance to see how children adjust, engage and develop on their own in these new learning environments. From here – we get a sense of the room – ‘it’s vibe’ – and direction of our curriculum in the coming months.

At Kindertown, our overarching curriculum consists of past experiences, concepts and inquiries – all of which we use to guide future planning. We use this past documentation and line it up with our current understanding of where each child is at in their development and develop our programming accordingly.

Across the center, goals can range from safely eating with utensils, to engaging with new materials like fine paint brushes and canvas tools. So far this year, only one of our classrooms are ready to make the big trek to Eramosa Karst, while others are learning how to walk safely on the sidewalks. In some rooms, children are still learning where their cubbies are, while others are able to put on their coat and boots without any help from one of their K-Town educators.

In retrospect, we are grateful for this opportunity to work with these children and their families – to help them find their place in our K-Town community, and to make it their own. This is perhaps the greatest achievement – to work closely with children and their families to create a place of comfort – a home away from home – that gives children the opportunity to become their best self.