News from Yr 3/4

Welcome back to Term 2, we have a lot of exciting things happening during the term; it is going to be a busy one.

The Year 3 and Year 5 students completed NAPLAN last week. Prior to sitting the tests the children in the 3/4 classroom have been getting a taste of what NAPLAN is by taking part in some practice tests. These consist of Numeracy; Language Conventions; Reading; and Writing.

I have been very impressed with how hard the children have been working during this stressful time. It can be nerve racking when you are taking part in something for the first time and you don’t know what to expect. That is why I like to prepare the children by doing the practice tests. Being prepared for these tests can be half the battle.

I also like to make sure that the students know that the most important thing during something like NAPLAN is to just try your best. You can’t do better than your best, so in my classroom, there is an emphasis on giving everything a go. Even if you are unsure, you can still give it your best effort.

Recently, the students at St. Bridget’s were lucky enough to be visited by SEDA for a football clinic. SEDA is an Independent Secondary School that approaches learning differently to other Secondary Schools. They focus on sport, recreation, community and trade. 

A group of SEDA students came to run an AFL clinic for each year level. The children were separated into groups and took part in different activities. Each group got approximately 10 minutes at each location and then they swapped. 

The children had a great time during these activities: learning how to kick properly, handballing and even learning the rules of AFL if they did not already know them. I saw a lot of fantastic teamwork during the hour. I was impressed with the skills that were on display. There were some amazing kicks that sent the ball further than I could ever do. It was obvious that they got a lot out of the day. We thank SEDA for taking the time to come down and run such an amazing session for our children.

Transitioning between lessons can be tricky because moving from one lesson to another requires packing up your current activity and setting up the next one. Sometimes during this time, students can be a bit tired or burned out from absorbing a lot of information during the previous lesson. Brain breaks help students to transition to the next lesson in a better way.

Brain breaks are exactly what they sound like. They are breaks for the brain that provide an opportunity for rest and recuperation. Sometimes something as simple as a 5 minute break can make a big difference. Brain breaks have proven to reduce stress, anxiety and frustration. With a quick brain break between lessons, children become more focused and productive. They can help kids learn to self-regulate and self-aware when they are losing focus and losing track of what they are doing. 

One of our favourite brain breaks in the 3/4 classroom is called Just Dance. The kids watch a YouTube video of a dance routine to a catchy song, and the goal is to copy the dance steps as best as possible.

 I love watching the joy on the kids’ faces as they get up out of their seat, get some exercise and have fun at the same time. The music allows the kids to get into the rhythm and makes them happy.

Please enjoy a short video of the kids dancing to their favourite Just Dance song.

Kind Regards

Mr Tom Brophy

Year 3/4 Classroom Teacher