| Belmont Bayswater Kindergarten gains so much from being an Enviroschools kindergarten. Working towards our Silver Award has encouraged us to reflect deeply on how our tamariki, whānau and wider community see, feel and hear our inclusive and sustainable practices which are rich in tikanga at our wāhi.
Our kindergarten walls, the children’s play, the rhythm and routine of the day tell a story of tamariki engaging in the kaupapa and principles of Enviroschools in ways that are meaningful to them. Tamariki are our kindergarten kaitiaki. We see ako in action as they take their knowledge home to whānau, teaching others to be kaitiaki too. They care for our beaches; sorting, recycling and reusing rubbish collected, they bring reusable resources from home to share and create with, they say “No” to plastic and show manaakitangata to others and the environment. Our Children’s Library is an ongoing community project which everyone collaborates and contributes to. Our garden, feeding the worms, composting, planting and harvesting empowers tamariki to be involved. Tamariki explore, build relationships, create working theories, investigate the ecosystem and develop respect for the living creatures within it. Whilst connecting to Papatūānuku and the maramataka, tamariki share their knowledge whilst enjoying peaceful collaboration. Our Kaitiaki Project is a valuable document, fitting holistically within Enviroschools Action Learning Cycle. It has tracked our growth from Bronze to Silver, informed change and, along with engagement and feedback from whānau, is guiding our next steps. It is with pride that we can say, we are a Silver Enviroschool! |
