Hello from our students and teachers

Hello from Grade 1/2 Jack

1/2J Classroom Update

The students in 1/2J have been working hard and making wonderful progress in their learning this term! We have been exploring a range of topics across different subject areas, building our skills, and developing our confidence as learners. Here’s a look at what we have been focusing on in class:

Reading

In reading, we have been developing our phonemic awareness by learning how to break words into syllables. This skill helps us read and spell unfamiliar words more easily. We have also been practicing identifying vowel sounds, paying close attention to the middle sound in words. By isolating and blending sounds together, students are becoming more fluent readers and improving their decoding skills. We have enjoyed playing interactive games and engaging in hands-on activities to reinforce these strategies, making learning both fun and effective!

Writing

Our writing lessons have been centered around exploring stories and learning how to structure our own ideas. We have been practicing recalling events from books we read, identifying the beginning, middle, and end of the story. We have also been learning about key story elements, such as the setting, characters, the problem, and how it is solved. Through discussions and shared writing activities, students have been able to analyse stories and develop their ability to retell and summarise events in their own words. These skills are helping us become more confident writers who can express our thoughts clearly.

Mathematics

In mathematics, we have been developing our number sense and understanding of place value. We have been practicing counting all the way up to 120 using tangible objects such as counters, blocks, and number charts. This hands-on approach has helped reinforce our understanding of number patterns and sequencing. Additionally, we have been working on recognizing and representing two-digit numbers, breaking them down into tens and ones to deepen our understanding of place value.

Alongside our number work, we have explored the days of the week and their order, discussed the months of the year, and learned about the different seasons. Through engaging activities, students have been developing a stronger awareness of time concepts and how they relate to their daily lives.

Wellbeing – Zones of Regulation

A big focus in our classroom has been learning about emotions and self-regulation using the Zones of Regulation framework. We have been exploring the different emotions we experience and how we can identify them in ourselves and others. Through discussions, role-playing, and visual supports, students have been learning to recognise when they are in the Blue Zone (sad, tired, bored), Green Zone (calm, happy, focused), Yellow Zone (frustrated, excited, worried), or Red Zone (angry, overwhelmed, out of control). We have also been learning different strategies to help regulate our emotions, such as breathing exercises, movement breaks, and positive self-talk. This learning is helping us build emotional awareness and develop strategies to manage our feelings in different situations.

Looking Ahead

It has been fantastic to see the students engaging so enthusiastically in their learning, and we are so proud of the progress they have made. We look forward to continuing to build on these skills in the coming weeks and exploring new and exciting topics together!

Thank you for your ongoing support in your child’s learning journey.

- Mr. Jack & The 1/2J Team