Cressy Road in Ryde, New South Wales, Australia | Education

Cressy Road

Locality: Ryde, New South Wales, Australia

Phone: +61 2 9807 1726

Address: 16-18 Cressy Road 2112 Ryde, NSW, Australia

Website: http://cressyroad.nsw.edu.au

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• Childcare service

25.01.2022 Kids' Club is on Monday to Friday for the second week of school holidays! If you'd like to book in or would like a quote including CCS, please get in touch. Creative Kids vouchers also accepted!

23.01.2022 This. This is what a happy child looks like! And typing this is a mother who keeps her heart open to learn. Today we went to get new school shoes. Something th...at Elliot and Bennett hate, and Sawyer and I LOVE. Shoe shopping? Hello? Does anything get better than that, I think not. Now, as many of you know, we have a bit of a history with shoes, Sawyer and I. So I’m always trying to be very present and very aware while we are doing it. I watch his body language. Study his face. Watch where he is pulled to and where he ultimately ends up going. As we walked toward the shoe section, I was keenly aware that we would be passing the girls racks before we got to those intended for boys. As we walked past the rack with the killer pink, purple, sparkle, and metallics I watched Sawyer’s face. He lit up. His little body instinctively moved towards him, but he caught himself every time, and kept walking by toward the boy section. I asked multiple times if he’d like to stop, if there was anything he’d like to check out or try on, but he remained shy to let loose. And so, he made his way to the boy section. Shoe after shoe. Style after style. The process was the same. Slip them on, walk around, and then, when asked what he thought, he would shrug his little shoulders and say they’re okay, I guess. No excitement. No energy. Just existence in a space he wasn’t happy in. And every time I watched his reactions, drew myself a little closer to his eyes, I was struck by how early we are taught who we are and are not supposed to be. What is made for us and what is not. What we are permitted to find appealing and what we are not. And this is a kid who comes from a home where this isn’t a thing. Colors aren’t gendered. Glitter isn’t off limits. And there is never a time when he’s not permitted to be fully and wholly himself. Yet here we stand. Trained. Conditioned. Unhappy in the middle of the shoe isle. Being who we are not. As I watched him, a line I had recently read from Glennon Doyle’s book Untamed rang clearer and clearer in my mind: Ten is when we learn to be good girls and real boys. Ten is when children begin to hide who they are in order to become what the world expects them to be. Right around ten is when we begin to internalize our formal taming. He was being tamed. And I was letting it happen. So, I said wait here just one second, buddy, and I took my tear filled eyes around the corner. As I walked, the internalized narrative I had been taught by the world flickered in my mind: What if he gets made fun of? What if his friends don’t understand? What if the world crushes him? Maybe we should just stick with the boy shoes? But this time, I let another voice speak louder. What if he thinks I’m taming him? And that was enough for me. I can help him if kids are cruel, I can help him if people break his heart, I can teach the world one little rebellion at a time, but what I can't do is be the one who tames him. So, with that, I found the sparkly, holographic high tops he’s had his eyes on and I prayed they had his size. Then, I scooped them up and walked around the corner ... look what they have in your size, Bear! Then it came. All the good stuff. The fireworks. The laughter. The smiles. The excitement. THE EXHALE. The powerful release from holding his breath. The profound freedom that came with feeling validated and really SEEN. We tossed those suckers in the cart faster than you can imagine and ended up even getting a second pair of pink and black shoes to use for indoor. Then, we happily collected the rest of our items at Walmart with him excited to get home because he knows a shirt and tie that will go perfect with them. And my heart was happy. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again, it’s not about the shoes. It’s about challenging the narratives that the world has ingrained in us. It’s about challenging the status quo and being who we are instead of who the world thinks we should be. It’s about showing our children the power of knowing oneself fully and completely and providing the space and the freedom for them to be exactly who they are. In the new chicks song, Young Man, there is a line that says You’re of me, not mine. Walk your own crooked line. It’s gonna be alright. That’s my job. He’s of me, not mine. And my job is to ensure that there is never a moment of question about whether his mom and dad have his back. And it is to, one small rebellion at a time, show him he is not here to be what the world wants but instead to walk his own crooked line, to wherever the happiness lies. Period. Full stop.

21.01.2022 As we transition to a new system and are aware of some discrepancies arising in CCS amounts, we though this was worth sharing!

19.01.2022 If you don't know of Nathan Wallis he basically describes himself as a researcher of research. He is a qualified teacher, having worked at all stages of learning/development. His body of work that is most interesting is in his role as advisor to the NZ government. His knowledge on brain development, in particular, is fascinating. I think it was the Dunedin Study that is the basis for what Nathan shares here. If you haven't watched Predict My Future (documentary on the findings of the Dunedin Study) I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to know just how important the early years are for someone's long term success....and just why teenagers are so tricky to manage!!!!

17.01.2022 Guess who that friend is? US! Just some of the gorgeous new blocks we have coming <3 For anyone that is interested in quality materials, this is a beautiful site with carefully selected resources to support children's learning: https://www.sticksandstoneseducation.com.au/

16.01.2022 A great 20 minute chat with a school principal regarding the skills children need for starting school. It explains why our children need to play and why structured programs are not suitable. At Cressy Road, children are free to choose what they do and when they do it. Children are encouraged to be active in order to develop gross motor and fine motor skills. Children are engaged in conversations, stories and creative play to develop their language and social skills. It's a great chat, if you have time, to hear how all of this connects with our Early Years Learning Framework.

14.01.2022 Agree with this totally. Thanks, Heather Shumaker Writer

12.01.2022 This underlies everything we do. We may not always be perfect but it's long been the ethos of our approach. When I first came to Cressy (more than 14 years ago now!) I was horrified to see babies scooped up from behind, rushed into another space, clothes removed, nappy changed and then placed back in a convenient location for the educator in order for another child's nappy change to happen. That's so much to experience in a space of a few minutes - how is a baby able to proc...ess what just happened to them? As you can imagine, it often resulted in tears. We set about changing this, slowing down. Speaking to babies about everything that was happening and what followed was a deeper sense of trust, deeper connections to educators and a much happier and safer space for everyone.

12.01.2022 Outcome two of the Early Years Learning Framework includes "Children become socially responsible and show respect for the environment." At Cressy we are blessed to have enormous gardens where local birdlife and insects live comfortably whilst children play. Today we discovered a minor's bird nest in our carpark - that explains why Stella has been swooped by two cranky Myna birds this week!... The children had such fun spotting the nest, pointing it out to each other and giggling with delight. We also had one of our friendly magpies sun themselves in our sandpit! This is common for birds, it helps them remove excess oils etc and care for their feathers. Sadly, Bluey, our resident Blue Tongue was found dead yesterday. She had likely been hit by a car or possibly attacked by a cat or larger bird. She was not in good shape, out the front of our service. We buried her, grateful for all her spontaneous visits over the years! "Outdoor learning spaces are a feature of Australian learning environments. They offer a vast array of possibilities not available indoors. Play spaces in natural environments include plants, trees, edible gardens, sand, rocks, mud, water and other elements from nature. These spaces invite open-ended interactions, spontaneity, risk-taking, exploration, discovery and connection with nature. They foster an appreciation of the natural environment, develop environmental awareness and provide a platform for ongoing environmental education." (EYLF, page 18)

11.01.2022 Kids and adults alike! via @conscious.parents

10.01.2022 Oh WOW! Kids' Club has finished for the school holidays, the students created some fabulous pieces and stretched themselves to make artwork that was unique to their interests and abilities. One of the aspects of art that we considered was colour. We looked to every day items that we could create paint colours from - using vegetable dyes as well as tea and coffee!... This article takes dyes to whole other level and has left us feeling very inspired!

09.01.2022 Do you have a favourite childhood book? Perhaps one that you don't often think of and then see a picture and all those good fees come flooding back!? For me, it's this one. Go Dog, Go!

08.01.2022 Another beautiful life cycle in our garden! One of our teachers noticed this praying mantis ootheca (egg sac) in our garden, right in the pre-school entrance! A couple of months ago we had myna birds nesting in one of our trees - they were very protective of their babies, aggressively swooping poor Stella (our dog) when she got too close.... Now we are blessed with some babies of a different kind on their way. We were all so excited with this wonderful discovery! We love that our gorgeous big outdoor space doubles as a home for wildlife, that insects and birds feel safe to nest and that our children are able to experience these natural wonders in an organic way, and not through an artificial incubator. Demonstrating respect and kindness for our environment is always high on our agenda at Cressy Road.

08.01.2022 Good luck to all 2020 children heading off to school this week! We are thinking of you, knowing how amazing you are and how fortunate your new school communities are to have you join then! Shine bright, our friends! We hope to see you in the school holidays for Vacation Care!

05.01.2022 Sleep is such a tense topic in young children! We all expect the sleepless nights with a newborn.....but sleeping patterns change frequently, not just in babies but in young children too. This is an interesting read.

03.01.2022 Thanks Karana Early Education Centre - Eskay Kids!

02.01.2022 If you want your child to learn to write, encourage them to draw. These pre-writing patterns can often be seen in children’s early drawings. Think of a person or a sun....drawing is key. Skipping this step does not make children more competent. If they are allowed to enjoy drawing and discover these shapes themselves when it comes time to write they will be in a much stronger position.

02.01.2022 We are busy preparing for our Kids’ Club! If you aren’t sure what to do with the kids before school starts get in touch with us! Our arts-based Kids’ Club is running daily from 4 Jan to 22Jan for school aged children. Not only will your children be encouraging their creative and artistic skills but in addition to being an approved provider we’re also an approved Creative Kids program! What does this mean?... - Vacation care is available 7am to 6pm - CCS is available - Creative Kids voucher is accepted! If you hav not used your 2020 voucher yet get in touch NOW so we can finalise your enrolment and process your voucher before it expires on 31 Dec 2020. Questions? Please email [email protected]

01.01.2022 #Neuroscience presents us with strong evidence for the profound influence of early experiences. In order to build healthy #brain connections from the outset, yo...ung children need responsive and rich social interactions with caregivers, combined with sufficient nutrients and an environment free of toxins (CDC at Harvard University, 2016). Playful experiences offer a unique context for these supportive and rich learning experiences in early childhood. What global citizenship, coping and thriving look like for children may differ dramatically across time, culture, and context, but the deep understanding that comes from effective learning experiences will no doubt be an important step. In playful experiences, children tap a breadth of skills at any one time. When playing together, children are not just having fun but are building skills of communication and collaboration. A game of hide-and-seek helps them to manage feelings about the unknown while also helping them to think about what other people know and see. Beyond enjoyment, #playful #experiences have the potential to give children the skills they will need in the future that go beyond facts. Playful experiences appear to be a powerful mechanism that help children not only to be happy and healthy in their lives today but also develop the skills to be the creative, engaged, lifelong learners of tomorrow. Regardless of whether a play activity falls closer to free play, guided play or games on the continuum, optimal learning through play happens when the activity (1) is experienced as joyful, (2) helps children find meaning in what they are doing or learning, (3) involves active, engaged, minds-on thinking (4) involves iterative thinking (e.g., experimentation, hypothesis testing), and (5) involves social interaction (the most powerful resource available to humans other people). These characteristics are based on a theory presented by Hirsh-Pasek, Zosh, Golinkoff, Gray, Robb, & Kaufman (2015) where they provide evidence that a deep, conceptual understanding requires that children are active (minds- on) and engaged (not distracted) with meaningful material especially in socially interactive contexts. Research shows how child-centred preschool lays a more solid foundation for later learning than an academic focus alone (Marcon, 2002; Campbell & colleagues, 2008; Weisberg, Hirsh-Pasek & Golinkoff, 2013). A number of educational programmes offer inspiration for future efforts. For example, those which emphasise the importance of children actively directing their own experiences have been shown to lead to positive results on academic as well as social and behavioural measures (Lillard, 2016). A number of well-controlled studies have compared the effects of academically oriented early education classrooms with those of play-based classrooms. The results are quite consistent from study to study: Early academic training somewhat increases children’s immediate scores on the specific tests that the training is aimed at (no surprise), but these initial gains wash out within 1 to 3 years and, at least in some studies, are eventually reversed. Perhaps more tragic than the lack of long-term academic advantage of early academic instruction is evidence that such instruction can produce long-term harm, especially in the realms of #social and #emotional development. Neuroscience is beginning to uncover the neural mechanisms of the characteristics of playful experiences and how these link to learning. This is covered in a literature review titled ‘Neuroscience and learning through play: a review of the evidence’ (Liu, Solis et al., 2017), and more insight is anticipated over the next decade as the technology improves enough that testing infants and young children in more naturally occurring situations (e.g., play situations) becomes more affordable and less invasive. https://www.legofoundation.com//learning-through-play_web. https://teachertomsblog.blogspot.com//what-research-tells- https://www.psychologytoday.com//early-academic-training-p #neurochild #earlychildhood #letthemplay

01.01.2022 If you've ever wondered why we do not have craft activities like this, you'll find a great explanation below. When I first came to Cressy these activities were everywhere. I would see children rush to finish their assigned cutting/drawing/painting contribution. It was NEVER their best work as they had no interest or investment in it. The pieces children work the hardest on are those that they have designed and created autonomously. The ones where something didn't work an...d they had to try a different way. This is how children learn. It's how their dispositions develop: perseverance, creativity and independence for example. When children are allowed to explore materials and tools in their own way they are validated as being competent and capable.

01.01.2022 Separation can be really hard. In my experience as an Early Childhood Teacher, separation anxiety is very common, though leaves many families feeling guilty & s...tressed. Children feel safe around their family, so it's understandable that they may resist being apart, especially in an unfamiliar environment. Communication is always key. Sometimes families feel as though talking about it will only add to the stress, however, this is not generally the case. Not talking about the situation can add to the fear & make it all seem more unpredictable & unknown. Speaking about it in an age-appropriate way (even with a child who isn't talking back yet) can help to alleviate the surprise & pressure of separation. Suggestion 1: For toddlers and older, use PLAY to act out scenarios. This could be animals or dolls separating from their parent, for example. Keep it light and fun, but go through the same steps your family does too (e.g. pack bag, drive in car, get out, walk in, find someone, say goodbye in special way, leave, have fun, come back to collect, drive home, have dinner). Rehearsing this in play can really impact a child's understanding & acceptance. Suggestion 2: Turn photos of places where they separate & the people who they stay with into a little storybook to read or look at often (even if it's just a folder of pics on your phone). This helps children familiarise & have the opportunity to ask questions & share feelings. If your child is starting somewhere new, don't feel disheartened if day/week 2-3 is harder than day 1 (when things are exciting and new). It can take time, & is very individual for each child. Your best approach is to support them through their uncomfortable emotions as best as possible (even though this may make you feel sad/uncomfortable too). Seek help from professionals in your life if you feel you need extra guidance or support. What is your experience with separation?? . . . . . SAVE this post to remember it later. You're more than welcome to share this. * Check out the link in my bio for freebies, the PL&Y Marketplace & lots more!

01.01.2022 Did you know there is a free online first aid course offered by Ryde Council? What a great idea for new parents! https://www.ryde.nsw.gov.au/E/Listing/New-Parents-First-Aid