Student Engagement & Wellbeing News

Setting up students for the best start to the school year.

Since the term started, students across the school have all participated in our Learning to Learn program. This program is designed to build the foundation for a productive, safe and happy school year. The included lessons aim to develop students' understanding of classroom procedures and routines, behaviour expectations and how they help to maintain a positive classroom environment. 

Procedures and routines are essential to ease anxieties of a new year, and the change that comes with it. Establishing classroom procedures and routines helps to create a structured and predictable environment for students. When procedures are explicitly taught and practiced, they become routines, which reduces cognitive load, which can then be used on learning instead. I will explore cognitive load and working memory in a future Newsletter. 

Just like curriculum, behaviours need to be taught, as kids do not grow up automatically knowing how to act and behave. Clear expectations for behaviour are the foundation of effective classroom management. They provide clarity on the behaviours that align with our shared values, which are Respect, Resilience, Creativity and Collaboration. 

Here is a link to more information on routines. Tip-Sheet-9-Routines-V4.pdf 

Anna Gbikpi-Benissan