REGISTRATION AND INTRODUCTION OF CHILDREN IN THE KINDERGARTEN

The kindergarten enrolls children from 11 months till 6 years. The registration procedure: parents express the wish to register their child by phone or e-mail, they visit the kindergarten and put their name on the waiting list. Children are accepted throughout the year (if there are free places).

Introduction of new children is made gradually and individually. One of the parents introduces the child so that he/she accompanies him/her and stays with him in the kindergarten. The time of staying with the child lasts longer during the first days; then it is gradually shortened. The kindergarten teacher informs parents when the child can be left alone. It is important that the parents are relaxed, without stress and do not hurry when they take their child into the classroom. The parents are kindly asked to communicate with the kindergarten teacher regularly, politely and frankly. The teachers will be happy to give information about the children.

Parents can take their child from the kindergarten. Also the kindergarten has the right to cease the contract with parents if the child cannot include in the group and/or in the activities that take place in the kindergarten, if there is a strong opposition between education in the kindergarten and at home, if parents do not respect agreements made with kindergarten teachers, if parents oppose pedagogical principles and the way of their realisation, if parents conceal important data about the child’s health, if the child does not come to the kindergarten and the parents do not inform the teachers about the reasons of absence, and if parents do not pay the monthly fee. There is a month’s notice for parents and for the kindergarten.

DEPARTMENTS

In one of the departments there are children from approximately one to three years and the other department accepts children from about three to six years. Departments can consist of children of the same year or different years.

CONDUCTING THE PROGRAM

Anja Pikl, diplomirana vzgojiteljica

The programme can last up to 9 hours daily within the opening hours of the kindergarten and is performed from Monday to Friday throughout the year. The programme may be organised in a different way during holidays and during days before or between holidays.

Work plan in a department is made by the preschool teacher and her assistant. They consider the age, interests of children and initiatives of children and their parents. When conducting the programme, the teachers enable the children to choose the activities, materials and place. Children learn by playing and by their own activities in larger and smaller groups and individually.

The Curriculum for kindergartens which is fundamental for work plan, contains basic principles and objectives of preschool education. Curriculum for kindergartens is Slovenian national document and was accepted by the Professional Council of the Republic of Slovenia for public education in 1999. The Curriculum contains the following subjects: language, nature, society, sports, arts, and mathematics. In accordance with our vision we include also learning of foreign languages and values and different other activities.

DAILY PROGRAM

Vesna Istenič, article

Children work in the atmosphere of respect, freedom, responsibility, order and cooperation. We introduce individual approach towards children, and teach them to appreciate values and independence. Didactic materials encourage children’s independent investigation.

Usual daily programme:

• accepting children and playing
• breakfast
• planned and unplanned activities, snack (fruits and vegetables), playing of children in their room or in the garden, walking, visiting different institutions.
• lunch
• rest, quiet activities
• snack
• playing, different activities till the children leave the kindergarten.

Jelena Lazarevič, diplomirana vzgojiteljica

Tjaša Ferfolja

When arriving and departing the parents and teachers exchange important information about children. Playing and different activities take place all the time when the children are in the kindergarten. We take care about the organization of the places and choice of didactic materials, about conditions that ensure children’s activities and a balanced development in different areas.

Daily program of the kindergarten is the main activity and core of our pedagogical work. We encourage development of children with numerous topics and perform some more extensive actions and projects. Among the most important themes are seasons, national customs, birthdays, foreign languages, values, sports, nature, days of culture, days of the family, ecology, safety on the street, encouraging children to read, show respect to older generations.

When choosing and performing the themes, the teachers consider interests and wishes of children and of the whole group. Children have the possibility to choose the activity, place, materials for playing. The teacher and the assistant create conditions for activities and advancement of each child in the areas of cognition, society, sports and emotions.

ACTIVITIES THAT HELP TO ENRICH THE NATIONAL CURRICULUM

I am going to visit you: Kara, therapeutic dog.

• fine arts workshops
• music, dancing and sports workshops
• nature (children observe plants and animals, take care of them and thus form positive attitude towards nature)
• learning values and different cultures
• foreign languages (small children quickly learn foreign languages because they imitate their teachers, they are not embarrassed and can easily learn pronunciation and accent. Children also quickly understand foreign languages and do not need to translate individual words)
• how to behave on the street
• ecological education (children develop sensitivity towards environment and responsibility for its protection).

SPECIAL ATTENTION IS GIVEN TO

Director of the kindergarten, Jurij Marinko, BsC Open University, Master of Arts in Education
Values and preschool children
Who knows what is best for children
How to reduce the child poverty
Preschool teachers and value education

• Children’s safety: big, bright rooms with new elegant equipment made of wood enable safe movement; well organized garden and/or playground, precautions for maintenance of hygiene, specially defined process and methods if a child might get hurt, education of parents regarding the safety of their children.
• We try to do our best for children’s health: by a quality education program, food and care, by staying in the garden in green environment, by maintaining high standards of hygiene, by taking preventive measures against illness, and by education of children, parents and teachers in the field of health.
• Education of children: we teach children to understand themselves and other people, discuss things, come to an agreement, we develop their research abilities, phantasy, curiosity, speech, reading and writing in Slovenian and in English language, artistic talents and different skills from everyday life.
• Respect of children’s needs and interests: we organise individual introduction of children into the kindergarten. Introduction of children who come to the kindergarten for the first time is performed together with parents so that children easily get used to new circumstances.
• Pleasant environment for children: we motivate children to move and rest, ensure their emotional safety, and provide for safe, healthy and kind environment.