Levin kindy kids learning to look after environment
‘A mindset where sustainable practices are routine’
Kaiako, wha¯nau and tamariki at Betty Montford Kindergarten in Levin held their Enviroschools Bronze Reflection Day this week where it showed off new rain collection water tanks, papermaking kits, worm farms and sensory gardens.
The kindergarten has achieved Bronze status in an Enviroschools programme and representative Chris Simons was contracted through regional council Horizons to support participating schools and kura in its rohe.
“The ultimate goal is to get a generation of children to think sustainably and empowering them and supporting them on that journey,” he said.
The five guiding principles used to measure Enviroschools were how they were:
■ Empowering Students
■ Sustainable Communities
■ Learning for Sustainability
■ Ma¯ori Perspectives
■ Respect for the diversity of people and culture.
Simons said being an Enviroschool meant committing to a long-term
sustainability journey, where tamariki connect with and explore the environment. More than 100 schools and as many as 1400 children were involved in Enviroschools. The programme had been running for 20 years.
“People underestimate young minds,” he said.
Head teacher Michelle Penn said the kindergarten was working towards reducing, reusing, and recycling and creating a mindset where sustainable practices become
routine. Tamariki were empowered to be kaitiaki (guardians) of the environment by tidying gardens, caring for the natural world by looking after insects and helping recycle paper and other products, she said.
They learnt about the life cycle of butterflies, how to conserve water and investigating what worms eat, while integrating Ma¯ori perspectives, such as atua, local myths, legends, and history of the local area.