Learning and Teaching
Library News
Book Club Issue 8 orders are due in via the Loop app by tomorrow, Friday 30th November.
All books are due back to the library next week (week beginning 3rd December) for stocktaking. Overdue notices will be sent home from Friday 7th December.
MATHEMATICS AT GALILEE
Jane Ferris
jferris@gsmelbournesth.catholic.edu.au
As I wrote in our last newsletter, at Galilee, we hold and promote high expectations for all of our students. We strive to foster a sense of community and belonging for all and to develop the potential of each individual. We are an inclusive community, valuing diversity and celebrating difference. We seek to engage every learner to ensure ‘the successful participation and maximised achievement of every student’ (Elkins 2004, p.13) regardless of academic, cultural, physical, social/emotional or behavioural differences.
As demonstrated by the Community Conversation which took place last week in the school hall, our school leaders, teachers and staff work collaboratively with the school community as we inquire into our practice with a shared focus on optimising student learning, engagement and positive sense of self.
One of our targets in Maths for 2019 is to ensure that students at all levels in the learning progression are demonstrating appropriate growth in their learning. In 2018, a majority of our students have achieved medium to high growth. Our goal now is to increase the number of students making high growth, with a particular focus on our high-achieving students.
With this in mind, one of our initiatives for 2019 is the introduction of the Maths Olympiad.
The Australasian Problem Solving Mathematical Olympiads (APSMO) is a not-for-profit, professional organisation that offers a range of mathematical competitions for students aged from around eight to 14. The programs are unique in that they focus on the students' ability to solve mathematical problems in a creative manner - as opposed to simply reaching a solution using a prescribed method.
The Maths Olympiads are problem solving competitions for high achieving students in Years 5 and 6, at school. The Maths Olympiads have been offered in primary schools since 1987. The Olympiads have gained in popularity over the years and have developed a reputation for excellence in mathematical education, resulting in thousands of schools from across Australia and New Zealand entering teams into the competition every year.
The Maths Olympiad and Maths Games are an ideal complement to the school curriculum. The main aims of the competitions are to:
- Introduce students to important mathematical concepts
- Teach major strategies and develop flexibility for problem solving
- Foster creativity and ingenuity and strengthen intuition
- Stimulate enthusiasm and enjoyment of mathematics
- Provide for the satisfaction, joy and thrill of meeting challenges
The Maths Olympiad is aimed at high achieving Years 5 and 6, but high achieving Year 4 students could possibly be involved as well, depending on numbers (Schools are limited to entering teams of up to 30 students). If you are interested in helping to run the Olympiad, possibly as a lunch time programme, please let me know at my email address above.
Instrumental News
Our current keyboard teacher, Tim Daly, will not be returning in 2019.
We are pleased to announce that we have hired Leonard Kopilas to take over keyboard and piano lessons in 2019.
Leonard has been teaching piano, keyboard and music theory for nearly twenty years both from his private studio and in primary and high schools across Melbourne. Leonard has also performed in various bands and encourages live and recorded performances with all his students. Music exams are another option which Leonard has experience with, having prepared many students at various levels for both practical and theory tests through the Australian Music Examinations Board.
We are excited to have Leonard on board and feel that he will be a great addition to our growing music program.