The Learning Page

In Week 3, we were excited to officially begin our academic curriculum. At SMPS, the first two weeks of the year are dedicated to what we call Learning to Learn. This important foundation period is all about establishing the routines, expectations and learning habits that enable every child to thrive in the classroom throughout the year.

During these first weeks, students explicitly learn and practise the skills that help our classrooms run smoothly and productively. These include:

• Transitioning safely and efficiently between the carpet and tables so that movement between activities is calm and purposeful
• Setting up workbooks correctly with the date and learning goal or topic, building strong organisational habits
• Engaging in partner and small group discussions using appropriate volume, tone and turn-taking so that conversations are inclusive, respectful and meaningful

While these skills may seem small, they make a significant difference. By investing time in them early, we create classrooms where learning time is maximised, expectations are clear and students feel confident about what successful learning looks like. This strong start allows our lessons across the year to run smoothly and efficiently, with students ready to focus deeply on academic content.

Now that our academic program is underway, classrooms are buzzing with learning. Each fortnight, our newsletter’s Class Celebrations and Specialist Updates and Celebrations pages will showcase snapshots of learning across different curriculum areas. We encourage families to read these sections to get insights into our lessons. You might like to read them with your child to spark conversations. We hope you look forward to seeing these snapshots into school life.

Note: Photos are only shared of students who have consent for their images to be shared beyond the school community. If you would like your child to appear in our newsletter, please check that you have provided this consent. You can check this with your child's class teacher or the school office.