Learning & Teaching

Learning & Teaching During Headstart Week

It was with great excitement that the teachers and students moved forward this week to meet, teach and learn in their new 2021 Homerooms. This week the students have engaged in many tasks that have exposed them to the learnings in their new year levels, new Investigation Areas and new PBL topics. They have also begun to foster relationships with their new teachers and peers. In Literacy, students have participated in Reading, Writing and Spelling lessons. In Mathematics, students have had opportunities to engage in Maths games and tasks centered around numbers and place value. 

3 Top Tips for Literacy During the Holidays

Tip #1

Encourage reading everyday; reading together as a family or reading independently will keep the skills of reading sharp.  

Tip #2

Keep a holiday journal; this is a fun way to practise writing as well as create a keep sake about all of your holiday fun. 

Tip #3

Discuss things together as a family; engaging in conversation about anything and everything will continue to develop the skills of speaking and listening.

Keeping 'Maths Strong' Over the Holidays

Over the upcoming holidays, it is important to continue to engage in Maths opportunities. School holidays also provide the perfect opportunity to support students' ability to connect to real life experiences. 

• Cooking and baking - As you prepare special treats for the holidays and for Christmas, read recipes together, exploring measurement, shapes, fractions and time.
• Games - playing games is a great opportunity to experience Maths in a fun way while practicing a variety of Maths skills and strategies. Games opportunities may present as family games nights (I recommend Uno, Snakes and Ladders, Connect 4), and mental maths games.
• Shopping - Provide your child with a budget and explore sales and discounts. Maybe even get them to plan your dinner menu (comparing the prices of different shops for an added challenge!)
• Travel - While we may not be able to travel as much as we have over previous holidays, location and mapping are key skills for students from Foundation to Year 6. Maybe you are visiting the Zoo, grandparents, relatives or heading away for some relaxation at the beach - why not provide your child with a map, encouraging them to plan the route, read timetables or create schedules.
• Arts and Craft - provide opportunities for your child to explore shapes, angles, tessellations and transformations (turns, flips, slides). You may even create paper snowflakes and explore symmetry or use measurement and estimation to accurately predict how many decorations are needed for a particular space!