Electives

Quick Wrap up of Term 1

Last term we wrapped up a great start to a year of elective choices which included Chess, Programming, Cyclology, Making Ceramic Bird Baths, Fashion Illustration and Design, Making your own Terrariums and Learning Japanese. Following is a gallery to show some of the happenings across the term.

Check out Karl's handcrafted (work in progress) model intersection he brought in to share with the children. It is operational and runs completely off an Arduino. All the lights have been designed and created on his Up Mini 3D printer.

If you or someone you know is able to offer a weekly elective we would love to hear from you.

Term Two Choices

The children will be presented with this term's choices on Friday 3 May and commence Friday 10 May.  A brief description of Term Two offerings include the following:

Greek Dancing

With Victor, Paul

Learn traditional Greek dances from various regions of Greece. No dance experience necessary, just a willingness to learn and have some fun! We will perform the dances you learn to the school community. There may also be an opportunity to wow the crowds at the Antipodes Greek Festival in February 2020.  We will also aim to create some traditional costumes for you to wear.

Textile Art

With Claire and Rosie

Dye your own fabric using tie-dye and Shibori (Japanese dyeing techniques) and then use the fabric to sew your own cushion, soft toy or soft sculpture.

Open Floor Dance

With Charlotte O’Donnell Young

Charlotte is a parent of Francesca and Taigh in the secondary school. When you hear the word dance, you might think of hip hop or ballet or jazz, where you have to learn specific steps. Open floor is none of those things. It's all about exploring your own dance, the way you want to move. And it's about having fun and enjoying being part of a group.

Cyclology – The Art of Bicycle Maintenance (and riding)

With Michael 

Back by popular demand this hands on elective allows the children to learn all about safe riding while exploring the different skills and tricks of riding. 

Soccer Skills and Fitness

With Shede  Olukhale

Shede is an ex international athlete and fully qualified personal trainer and has also played for the Kenyan national football team. Shede has been involved teaching Preshil children for the past 8 years. Children will explore the practical and theoretical aspects of the world game with a focus on formation, passing and ball control skills, positioning and goal scoring.  Each session is also focused on improving fitness specifically relating to soccer and it also has a great social benefit too, through encouraged team-work, which helps build a healthy self-esteem.

The Environment

With Clinton

From recycling and composting to gardening and biodiversity.  The environment elective will be the place to be for those passionate about reducing our impact on Mother Earth.  If you would like to help Preshil on their journey to a more sustainable future, then please sign on up.

Mindfulness and Movement

Kate Oliver (Martha’s Mum) will be offering a Mindfulness elective this term.  Kate is a meditation teacher who has recently released an album called Passing Clouds - Mindfulness Songs for Kids (and their Grown-ups).  She will explore different aspects of a mindfulness practice with the kids, through music, movement, games and meditation.

Chess

With -  Jury Kurchatov (Chess Coach & Math Teacher from Chess Australia)

This is a really popular elective.  The children really enjoy learning Chess while having fun playing at the same time.  It's a great way to develop problem solving skills, improve memory and patience.  Many of our children successfully compete in local competitions with students from other schools all over Melbourne.

Programming

With Karl von Moller and Bronte Howell

The children are learning to program using the new ‘Eureka’ learning shield for Arduino. Karl's unique learning shield has been developed to help children learn to code from a very young age. They will learn how a traffic signal works, blink LEDs lights, detect magnetic fields, light, temperature and make music and sounds like the Super Mario game.  And of course they are also very keen to see what new videos Karl has found about technology and robots in the future. 

Program Coordinator

For more information about the Electives program you can find me in The Careers Hub office upstairs in Blackhall at the secondary school.  Feel free to make an appointment or send me an email anytime to bronte.howell@preshil.vic.edu.au