ESC Volunteering at Kindergarten Okasroosike in Võru, Estonia

About Our Organisation Võru Kindergarten Okasroosike is a small kindergarten providing childcare and basic education for children aged 1,6 -7. The kindergarten has got five groups. One of the groups is a nursery for children who are 1,6 - 3 years old. The other four groups are mixed-age groups and are attended by 2-7-years old kids. Furthermore, a so-called theater room with necessary equipment, a small reading corner and a dining-room are created for children. Children can take part in extracurricular activities and choose their favorite hobby group: singing, folklore, dancing, art, football. In order to support the preschool children and prepare them for school a so-called King’s School also exists in the kindergarten. Games, experiential learning, fairy-tales and dramatizations present an important part in kindergarten’s everyday life. The fairy-tale-like design, costumes, parties and traditional events make the kindergarten unique. Aims: Our mission: We help and encourage children to be as they are, to find their personality. Everybody is unique, everybody has strengths, everybody is valuable. Kindergarten is a place of creation and discovery for young and old. The environment of the kindergarten promotes the individual learning, development and the mutual support/assistance. The physical environment where children grow up, supports and influences their independent activities, their creativity. The physical environment is playful, fairy-tale-like and safe. The family of kindergarten Okasroosike values a healthy lifestyle and often stays outdoors for a long time. Target groups The children and parents of Võru. We involve parents in planning and conducting the activities of the groups, introducing child-led approach. Regular activities There are three meals in kindergarten: Breakfast, lunch and light afternoon meal. Children also get vegetables or fruits before going outdoors. Children are outside at least once a day. There are sports lessons twice a week. One of the lessons takes place outside, if the weather is suitable. Music lessons also take place twice a week. Teaching activities are planned by teachers and based on the best interests of the children. Children are taught in subgroups. The play time and free play which is led by the children themselves are from huge importance. After lunch is a quiet time: younger kids sleep, older kids just lie in bed or play quietly. Moreover, the kindergarten has got its own traditions: Knowledge Day, St. Michael's Day fair, kindergarten’s birthday, King’s School for preschoolers, Advent mornings, choosing the best knight, the final examination for the princesses of Okasroosike, theater week, final play Okasroosike (Sleeping Beauty), pancake party, starting and ending the academic year with characters from fairy-tales. Other aspects The methodological basis for planning and conducting educational work is a child-led teaching. This gives the children the opportunity to learn everything through research and experimentation, through games and art activities. Project based learning is a learning and playing activity where teachers and kids learn together. It focuses on a topic that is important and close to the child and helps to develop learning skills, creativity, cooperation and social skills, and gives the child the feeling of success. The process, children's creative and innovative approaches and problem solving skills are important. When children can do something themselves and experience something new, the feeling is genuine and the knowledge will last permanently. All learning is done by using as many children's talk as possible: dialogues, drama games, conversations, discussions.