Student Voice

Drama Victoria Visit

On Monday, 11th December, a select number of students participated in the Drama Victoria workshop.  This workshop allowed students to explore 21st Century drama practices including building confidence and using creative thinking.  They participated in multiple drama games so they could look outside of the box and relating these to how you might use them in everyday life not just on the stage.  

The students supported each other before, during and after each activity and gave feedback and allowed for discussion

 afterwards.  Some of these games included exaggeration of movement, body language, transformation of object, tableaux, and group work.  

It was interesting to hear the feed back as to why confidence is important and the life skills that are attached to that of being brave and proud of yourself.  The question of how you can make yourself confidant came up and some of the answers “breathing”, “Believing in yourself”, “asking for help”, “Self-talk and motivation”, “saying how you feel to another person”, “thinking about the good things that will happen if you do it” and “getting out of their comfort zone.” 

With creative thinking the discussion centred around why do we need creative thinking in everyday life, students came up with “thinking outside the box,” “coming up with things out of this world”, “design, drawing, sport, writing, and science”, “communication” and “brainstorming” are all needed for different jobs not just in drama.  It was wonderful to see the students come in all reserved as they didn’t know what they are in for but by the end of the session super confidant and wanting to keep going.  

I cannot thank Kate from Drama Victoria enough for coming out and I look forward to her coming back again next year.   

Carols By Candlelight

Students in Years 3-6 had the opportunity to perform as part of Choir and Glee Club for Carols By Candlelight on Sunday, 3rd December.  We sang 2 songs “When We’re Together” and “Carol of the Bells”  in front of 10,000 people.  We opened the show.  This was a wonderful experience for the students, they had a rehearsal before going on and sang beautifully.  I am so proud to have had 70 students perform and celebrate the gift of song at Christmas time.  

Lucy Greco

Performing Arts

STEAM Rubik’s Club

Throughout Term 4, students have been invited to join Rubik’s club during lunchtimes on Mondays. They have enjoyed the challenge of solving a variety of Rubik’s style puzzles. 

Solving the Rubik’s cube involves alertness, concentration and consistent hand movement. As a result of juggling between three bodily actions simultaneously, it enhances brain-hand-eye coordination and reflexes. 

I personally love the Rubik’s cube for many reasons. Firstly, it teaches children how to compute basic algorithms to complete a specific task, which closely links to higher level curriculum expectations in the Computer Sciences. The skills involved also enhance capacity in a number of mathematical domains, as they improve memory and spatial awareness. It also encourages a growth mindset, as achievement is measurable and children can see their progression over time as a result of practise.

Rubik’s Club has provided students in our school that enjoy this sort of mental challenge with an opportunity to learn from each other and share techniques and methods. It has also provided opportunities for Student Voice, as participants decided they would like to run a whole-school competition. They selected the 2x2, 3x3 and Pyraminx cubes as the competition categories. It was decided amongst them that they would have an open-age contest and they would participate in 3 solves per cube. Their lowest score would not count and the average of their best two would be their final total. I look forward to watching the top 3 participants in each category during the finals later this week!  

STEAM Lego Donations

As we continue to build on the wonderful resources available in our STEAM room, I would like to put together a LEGO station where students can build creatively. If any families have LEGO that is no longer being used in their home and would like to donate it to the school, I can assure you that it will receive a lot of love in the STEAM room! Please leave it at the front office and I will add it to our collection. 

Thank You

Delia McDonald