SMALLER, independent kindergartens in Bendigo are confident they will be teaching children long after the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
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Early learning facilities have remained open during the coronavirus lockdown after both federal and state governments deemed the services as essential.
Bendigo Pre-School teacher Lisa Claxton said class sizes had dropped significantly in the past six weeks, with one of her classes falling from 20 students to only four children.
Ms Claxton said the decline showed parents were listening to the Victorian government, after it advised families to keep their children at home if they were able to.
"Our families have been very respectful of that recommendation," she said. "The majority of our families are choosing to learn from home."
The Golden Square Kindergarten has also noticed a drop-off in class sizes.
Teacher Donna Spillman said one class that usually has 33 students had been down to about eight children in recent weeks.
But Ms Spillman said those numbers were starting to rise again.
"We've had a lot more of our families deciding to send their children," she said. "Especially this week, we have seen them start to filter back in.
"It seems like the parents have decided enough is enough. They're feeling more confident that it is safe for their children."
Ms Spillman said the centre had introduced a number of measures to ensure the staff and students who were attending classes were safe.
Teachers have been checking temperatures, increasing cleaning at the site, and encouraging parents to drop their children off at the door to limit the number of people at the centre.
Ms Claxton said Bendigo Pre-School had introduced similar measures. The centre has also boosted its online presence to support those families who were learning from home.
"We have a private Facebook page parents can be part of," she said. "We're also encouraging families to email teachers and send photos of what the children are doing to learn at home.
"We're also hoping to begin Zoom meetings this week with students and teachers. That way we can keep those important connections established."
Ms Claxton said the kindergarten had also created craft and play packs so parents could pick them up from the centre and use at home.
"We know many parents have children who are doing homeschooling and are feeling pretty overwhelmed," she said.
"We don't want to add to the stress, so we thought this was something that could make their lives easier."
Ms Spillman said the Golden Square Kindergarten was also focusing on alternative ways to teach.
"We're keeping in contact every week," she said. "We have bags out the front where parents are able to collect activity packs. We also have a delivery service for the families who can't get here.
"We also send through links to YouTube stories and other things we do in our kinder sessions. We're just trying to find various ways we can keep them in the loop."
Ms Spillman said while the pandemic had created uncertainty about the future, the kindergarten was doing all it could to get through to the other side.
Ms Claxton said with enrolments for her centre now open, the pre-school was confident it could continue to support families next year.
"You can't keep a good pre-school down," she said. "We want everyone to be safe, but we're also looking forward to everything being normal again."
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