Term 2 Inquiry Planning

Thank you to the parents that joined our parent inquiry session last Wednesday. We had a great session going through the inquiries for Term Two and getting input of ideas from parents. It is wonderful to have community involvement in our curriculum.

I have since met and planned with the the 3/4 and 1/2 teaching teams to begin the planning of inquiries for next term. The teams have planned the beginning of the shared inquiries for next term. In week 3 the students will also have a voice in what they are wondering about and what they would like the shared inquiry to include for the next 4 weeks.

Next term the concept the school is inquiring into is change and we are exploring this through science, critical and creative thinking, indigenous perspectives and personal and social capabilities. The foci for Grade 3/ 4 and Grade 1/2 are below.

Grade 3/4

Essential question: What are the changes all around us?

Deep Understandings:

Matter can change between different states
Changes produce different effects
Changes can be observed, measured and recorded in different ways
Changes occur over time

Grade 1/2

Essential Question: Do you see what I see?

Deep Understandings:

Our weather changes throughout the 4 seasons
Scientists observe changes in our day and night sky
Human and animal behaviour changes according to the four seasons

If you know of any experts who may be able to help the students research and explore their questions please get in touch. I will update you on the planning of the Prep and 5/6 inquiries next week.

Staff Professional Learning

We have been very fortunate to work with the international educational consultant Kath Murdoch (up until covid!) on the pedagogy of inquiry. We will continue to develop our collective efficacy working with Kath's colleague Shaz Bailey who is the chair of the PYP (Primary Years Program - International Baccalaureate) program.

The staff will have a full day of professional learning with Shaz on the 30th May (school closure day) next term and then Shaz will also work with myself to facilitate planning of inquiries with the different teams.

Intervention Programs

Mrs Amanda Martin and myself have continued to work with students in Grades 1 and 2 this term on reading intervention. At St Bede's we use the Fountas and Pinnell Levelled Literacy Intervention Program. In this program the students work on explicit teaching of phonics, decoding and comprehension skills. Students are identified through extensive assessments and usually spend approximately one semester on this program. Other intervention programs that we work with at St Bede's are synthetic phonics and maths. Intervention programs are engaged throughout the school to address identified needs. Next week two staff members are attending professional learning on Jolly Phonics a synthetic phonics program. As mentioned in Brian's update we are fortunate to have start with us this week Mrs Marnie Fitz who will be working with students from Grades 2 to 6 funded through the government tutoring program. Marnie will work closely with the classroom teachers to design programs to support students at their point of need.

Staff First Aid Training

Staff had their annual First Aid Training on Tuesday evening. This is an important training session that all staff attend annually that includes CPR, epipen training and general first aid.

Larissa

Wellbeing