Foundation

LIGHTS, CAMERA, CONFIDENCE!

You may have noticed that we have been doing a little extra talking in Prep lately! And no, it's not just because we have so many important things to say (although there is certainly plenty of that!). We have been working hard on developing our speaking skills, learning to use a confident, clear voice and making sure our words can be heard by the people listening.

Speaking confidently is a really important part of learning. It lays the foundations for literacy, critical thinking, reasoning and social and emotional development. Being able to share ideas, explain our thinking, ask questions and communicate with others are skills that will support our students well beyond the classroom. Of course, standing up and speaking confidently can feel a little daunting for some of the Preps, so we have been practising in lots of different ways to build confidence, one brave voice at a time!

After the first Kindergarten transition session, we discovered that our visiting kinder students had some VERY important questions about starting primary school. Naturally, we could not leave these questions unanswered! So, I came up with a very special project. I put the Prep students in front of the camera and asked them to become the official school tour guides and question-answering experts for our future Preps.

The result? A very special video, created by our Preps, showing the kinder children around the school and answering their burning questions to help them feel a little more comfortable and excited about making the big move from kinder to primary school.

We had a lot of fun making it! There were plenty of takes, some very serious presenters, a few unexpected acting choices and performances that may just have caught the eye of the Academy Awards judging panel!  Some students surprised themselves with just how confidently they could speak, while others showed enormous courage by giving it a go.

I am incredibly proud of the Preps for stepping outside their comfort zones, sharing their knowledge and using their voices to help someone else. What a wonderful way to show that being a confident speaker isn't just about talking, it's about connecting, communicating and making others feel welcome.

Please enjoy watching our short video. Please turn up the volume because some of our actors and actresses spoke with a very quiet voice.

Hollywood, watch out... The Preps have arrived! 

(Note: Unfortunately, there were a couple of Prep students away on the day of production, but I know they would have done an amazing job like everyone else.)