Foundation
Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Like Jesus
WELCOME
A warm welcome to all 26 families who comprise the Foundation cohort this year. It has been a really settled start to the year. And by settled, I don't just mean a lack of tears. The Foundation students appear to be very comfortable in their new surroundings, and are quickly becoming familiar with new school routines and expectations of which there are many! The first four weeks always feels like I am talking non-stop to the class, there is always something that needs to be explained. But the students are picking these routines up very quickly and it won't be long before I will be able to stop talking at them so frequently.
Introduction to The Resilience Project
This year we have introduced The Resilience Project lessons.
We are committed to teaching positive mental health strategies to build the children's capacity to deal with the everyday ups and downs.
Teachers and students will engage in weekly lessons and activities around the key principles of Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness (GEM) and Emotional Literacy to build resilience.
Click on the link to find out more about The Resilience Project.
Literacy
Readers went home on the very first day, and I am very pleased to report that many students have already told me that they now know how to read!
Readers will go home every night, with the expectation that all children will read regularly. Research has shown that those children who have the opportunity to practice and refine skills explicitly taught in the classroom are usually the ones who make steady progress.
Books will be changed each morning before students go out to play.
We are also focussing on correct pencil grip, something that would ideally be mastered early in the Foundation year. We have a catchy, some could say very annoying, song to sing to remind us where all our fingers go to correctly hold a pencil. I will video the students singing this song once they have it under control so you can also reinforce pencil grip at home.
We will visit the school Library on Fridays to borrow and return books. The students will use their reader bag to carry the books home and can keep the books to read until the next Friday.
Numeracy
The first two weeks in Numeracy is all about exploring the concrete materials and tools we have at our disposal during a Maths session, and also learning the routines for packing these up quickly and efficiently. We have played "Snap" to boost number recognition, and are having on-going discussions about the need to follow shared rules. We are also spending a lot of time discussing the idea of a 'productive partner'- someone you work well with. In many cases, it turns out your best friend is not actually the best person to work with, with students being encouraged to make sensible decisions in order to improve learning opportunities. It is Term One Week Two, and I fully expect to be still talking about this at the end of the year...
Religion
Every class in the school begins the year investigating our Mercy Unit "Truth, Love, Service". St John's was founded over one hundred years ago by the Mercy Sisters, and this unit of work is designed to teach students about the special qualities and characteristics of our school. Our school motto of "Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be like Jesus" will be investigated fully. We will showcase our acting skills by making plays which demonstrate these goals. So far we have discussed how our school is different from other schools, and had a close look at our uniform. We will also investigate the Mercy Cross, and go on a treasure hunt to see where we can find it in our school. As with so many units of work in Religious Education in the Foundation level, there is a strong emphasis on how we interact with the people, and world, around us.
WATER
Just a reminder that water, and only water, is the drink for school. There have been a number of students with juice boxes and primas at Recess and Lunch times. Students have been shown where the long neck taps are for refilling drink bottles, and are encouraged to drink water in the classroom throughout the day, so no one will go thirsty. Primas and juice boxes will be sent home (if unopened) or put in the bin (opened) if students are found with them.
Thank you for your co-operation in this matter.
Timetable
Monday
Tuesday Art
School newsletter online(odd weeks) Classroom updates (even weeks)
Wednesday Rest Day
Thursday Specialist subjects (students to wear sports uniform and runners)
Friday Library, Bluearth-wear sports uniform (even weeks) Assembly (odd weeks)
Don't forget, any questions, problems or queries, please contact me. If it is during school hours, just leave a message and I will return it as soon as possible, or send me an email.