MCCC NEWSLETTER
Issue 3, 2016
Message from Rukmini
Team meetings; budget preparation, policy review is ongoing, roster and staffing plans, family connection, welcoming new families, student participation, professional development and so on!
There have been some significant staffing changes this year and we would like to reassure you that we are very conscious of maintaining stability and consistency for staff, families and children alike, so we are exploring several options.
In the short term, we would like to place a temporary Kindergarten teacher in the role asap. Any other roles will be filled internally with educators you well know and have relationships with!
We will keep you all posted on all updates and changes!
Rukmini
Staffing Update
Lita gets married to Murphy in her home town in Thailand!
Farewell Afternoon Tea for Guzel!
Tuesday, Jul 19, 2016, 03:00 PM
Monash Child Care, Caulfield East, Victoria, Australia
2016 PD Day - Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange
Sessions included a history of Reggio Emila which covered the inspirising story of the beginnings of the educational approach of Reggio Emila, a place in Northern Italy. Reggio Emilia is an "educational project" which is undertaken and supported in every aspect, by the entire city of Reggio Emilia.
The main principles that underpin this approach of Education are:
Democracy
Children are active Protagonists in their own growth and development
The hundred languages, a metaphor for the multiple ways in which children communicate
Participation
Listening
Co-construction of knowledge and learning
Educational research
Educational documentation
Progettazione (Projects)
Organisation
Environment, space and relations
Professional Development
Assessment
Other Sessions included "The Image of the Child" where we were challenged to consider and reflect deeply on "our image of the child"; what are our expectations of children; how do we see them, what we believe them to be underpins our relationships with them and their families, our expectations, our conversations, our teaching and our environment.
Documentation as Professional Learning
Exploring Documentation
Carlina Rinaldi offers the following explanation: Documentation means to produce traces of an observation. Documentation makes visible. Documentation is for children, teachers, parents, society. Documentation can give an image of the child … And again: Documentation is a way of entering the dark zone; of understanding how we learn. Documentation helps us to share the responsibility of teaching.
And again, she states: Documentation is this process, which is dialectic, based on affective bonds and also poetic; it not only accompanies the knowledge-building process but in a certain sense impregnates it.
Reggio Children, Reggio Children (mission statement), Reggio Children, 2005, p. 14. 10 Rinaldi, C., ‘The Pedagogy of Listening’, lecture given during American Study Tour, Reggio Emilia, May 1998. 11 ibid. 12 Rinaldi, C, ‘Documentation and Assessment: What is the Relationship?’ in Making Learning Visible: Children as Individual and Group Learners, Project Zero and Reggio Children, 2001, p. 86.
The 100 Languages of Children: Wire and Paper
The 100 languages of Children: Clay
Partnerships with Families and Communities
Exploring Wire and Paper
Exploring Wire and Paper
Exploring Wire and Paper
Upcoming Events & Incursions
Music with Lynda : Lynda rotates between Tuesdays and Wednesdays and started back this week on a Wednesday.
Yoga: is on Fridays in all rooms with Belle; who is Violetta's mother from the Waa Room.
Pram Sheds
Resources from home - donations!
- Cushions in good hygienic condition and/ or covers
- Picnic rugs
- Towels of any size (to mop us spills etc.)
- Safe potted plants, indoor/ outdoor
- Logs for stepping stones or totem poles
- Photo/ picture frames, plastic preferred
- Shoe pockets
- Table cloths
- Dolls' clothes
- Empty boxes including plastic for storage
- Shallow plastic tubs for table top activities
- Trays, wooden prefered
- Any board games, books
- Paper to be used for art/ writing etc.
Moroccan Lamb, Chickpea and Winter Vegetable Tagine with Israeli Pearl Cous Cous (Nami's Recipe)
Serves 4-6 adults
Tagine Ingredients
1kg diced, lean cut lamb
400g tinned chickpeas, drained and washed well
Seasonal vegetables e.g:
2 medium brown onions, diced
1/2 bunch celery, finely chopped
3 medium carrots, diced
1 medium zucchini, diced
1 small red capsicum, diced
500g potatoes, diced
1 litre of stock or water
800g tinned diced tomato
2 tbs tomato paste
Marinade Ingredients
1 tbs Moroccan seasoning
Pinch of good quality sea salt
Pinch of ground pepper
1 tsp vegetable power stock (optional)
1/2 tbs minced garlic
1 tbs ground sweet paprika
Touch of chili paste (optional)
4 tbs vegetable oil or olive oil
Cous Cous
500g Israeli Pearl Cous Cous - children love the texture!
Method
1. Mix all marinade ingredients together with the diced lamb and coat well.
2. Marinate lamb for minimum 1/2 hour in fridge.
3. Prepare all vegetables.
4. In a pre-heated large pot, saute onion, celery, carrot, zucchini, red capsicum and seasoning (salt and pepper).
5. Transfer sauteed vegetables to a bowl and use the same pot to cook/seal the marinated lamb on high temperature.
6. Once the lamb is sealed, add the tomato paste and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes, then add diced tomato, stock (or water) and cover.
7. Cook for 1 hour, stir occasionally.
8. Meanwhile, in a medium hot pot, boil some water and cook the pearl cous cous for 10 minutes.
9. Blanch (drain and wash) the cous cous in cold water. Drain well and then add olive oil. Mix well. (Optional - add fresh chopped herbs, currents, flaked almonds)
10. After the lamb has cooked for 1 hour, add cooked vegetables, diced potato and chickpeas. Cook until potato is soft and the lamb is tender.
11. Add salt and pepper to taste.
12. Heat cous cous in microwave just before serving.
13. Bon appetit!