Ms.Alison Euler Interview - Founder of Baby Buddies and Alison's Letterland (Part 3 of 4)

How Letterland and Baby Buddies maintain that kind of communication with the parents and the children?

A = founder, Alison Euler

J = host, Justine

J: It doesn’t come as a surprise that communication is very important, especially when it comes to kids and education. So, how you guys here Letterland and Baby Buddies maintain that kind of communication with the parents and the children?

A: I couldn’t agree with you more and as a mother and an educator, the communication is so essential, especially when they’re so small. We’re very lucky at Baby Buddies, in Baby Buddies classes, as it is playgroup, that the children come with their parents or with their carer. So, every class they attend, we as professionals can discuss their child’s progress or what they’re learning from each activity with us. This is followed through with weekly newsletters that are emailed to parents, Facebook page, updated website, 2 monthly picnics with the families together and then half yearly Parent-Teacher days, where we do, even with our babies, we do some reports based upon the Early Years Foundation Stage. At Letterland Kindergarten, we’re probably one of the only kindergartens that don’t have a school bus. This was by choice for myself because the children come at like 2 years old. So, for us, it’s essential that we see their parents everyday. They may have had a bad night’s sleep, something may be going on, so we can see their parent or carer when they’re dropped off at school and so then we’re connected. This is followed through with a daily communication book with activities that they’ve done in class or anything important happening for the next day. Then we have the weekly newsletters, website, Facebook, and then we also have, every couple of months, we’ll have a special activity, like sports day, Christmas, Easter, Chinese New Year. And obviously all our parents come to join these celebrations with us and then again we have twice yearly a Parent-Teacher days, where we do a written report and discuss their child’s progress. Now I just agree with you so much that the communication is essential for sure.

J ：對於教學而言，溝通是十分重要的，你們是如何與家長保持適當的溝通呢？ 

A：我很同意作為母親和老師，溝通很重要，對小朋友都很重要，很幸運Baby Buddies是遊玩班，小朋友來的時候會帶著家長，每一班都可以跟家長談小朋友的表現，他們在學習什麼。除此之外，每個星期都會和家長通訊，我們會常常更新我們的Facebook專頁、更新網頁。每兩個月會野餐、每半年都有家長日，小朋友都會有一個早期基礎班報告。說說Letterland Kindergarten是沒有校車的，這是我決定的，因為小朋友二歲開始就會來，很重要的是每天都看到家長來接送，他們或會有不好的睡眠、發生了一些事，每天來到時都會溝通發生了的事情，有一本書都是每天都會記錄下每天發生的事情或重要的日子，每星期進行家長通訊，更新FaceBook專頁、更新網頁。每隔數月都有特別活動，例如運動日、聖誕節、復活節、農曆新年，全部都慶祝活動家長都會參與，每一年都會有兩個家長日，有學習報告，談談孩子的進步。我很同意溝通是很重要的。