Education News
Education Week 2018 - Celebrating the Arts.
The week is Education Week, with the theme of “celebrating the Arts”.
To highlight this week the Creative Arts and Performing Arts team hope to provide a small glimpse into the wonderful art programs and activities that are presently in process and upcoming events in the next months at MPW.
As the Department of Education website states in celebrating education and the Arts: “Student engagement in the arts can help improve educational outcomes by boosting motivation and creativity, building confidence and self-esteem, leadership skills, cooperation and collaboration as well as forging friendships and a sense of belonging.”
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/news/Pages/stories/2018/stories_EducationWeek2018.aspx
Creative arts - Mask Making
Filmmaking
This term we are introducing – with the assistance of Simon Direen - filmmaking for the grade 5/6 students in room 14 & 15.
Simon Direen is a filmmaker and youth worker based in Melbourne. During Simon’s time as a filmmaker he has won a total of 8 awards for Directing, Editing and Producing. One of these films, the narrative short Disappear, made its world premiere at the Brooklyn Film Festival in June 2015 and received the Award of Merit in the Hollywood Best Shorts Competition in July of the same year. In 2017 Simon completed two nonfiction short films Voices and A Life Together. A Life Together premiered at Melbourne International Film Festival in August 2017 and won best short documentary at Noosa International Film Festival and received a Grand REMI at WorldFest Houston.
Our filmmaking unit – “ENGAGE - CREATE - COOPERATE – OVERCOME” is best described by Phoebe one of our students in room 14:
“This term we are looking at filmmaking. Part of this is having Simon come in and talk to us about the stages and different types of short films. We are in groups of 4 to make a short film on iMovie. It is great working in a group and using our imagination. We enjoy having independence and are looking forward to the end product where we will say, “wow I did that”. Each group is approaching the process differently, some are using modelling clay, to make Claymation other are creating live action movie. All the groups are really excited and working really well and are confidents that everyone’s group will have a great finished peace. Thanks for Simon for helping us and I can’t wait to work on it some more.
- Short Film Festival: There will be a showing of the student films next term.
Performing Arts
Hi there, I'm Kathryn and I'm new here. You may be wondering who I am, so here's a little about me. I have been teaching in primary schools for
10 years specialising in drama, dance and music. I have produced and directed very successful musicals and productions, as well as offering drama and glee clubs, in all of my previous schools and strive to pass on my enthusiasm and enjoyment of performing arts to the students I teach. I am a performer and producer myself and have a lot of connections to the acting, cabaret and live theatre community in Melbourne. Hopefully we can organise some engaging incursions throughout the year with these industry professionals.
Drama is such a wonderful subject to include in the primary curriculum as it boosts confidence in public speaking, improves problem solving skills and provides more opportunities for students to work collaboratively. It also helps build resiliency and empathy in playing various characters in different scenarios.
I am very passionate about the arts and am so excited to be teaching drama at Moonee Ponds West Primary School. I look forward to getting to know all of the students and helping improve their confidence and love for performing arts.
If you are interested in sharing some performing arts experiences with your children, here are some great resources you can delve into together:
*ACMI in Federation Square on Flinders St has fantastic interactive exhibitions on digital art and movies. Check them out online here:
*The Arts Centre in Melbourne's CBD has great exhibitions and events happening throughout the year. They also have fantastic school holiday program activities. Visit them online here:
*There is a huge live theatre and entertainment scene in Melbourne, and ‘What's On’ is a great place to refer to for kid-friendly shows:
https://whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/Whatson/FortheKids/Films/Pages/Films.aspx
Free Activity Time - Celebrate the Arts
Finally, but most importantly we would also would like to invite and encourage our parent/carers into our school next Friday June 1 during Free Activity Time into your student’s classroom and for you to run a small but fun, simple art activity. We believe this is a wonderful way to celebrate the arts and will be sending out more information to the community next week, so look out for more info and please put it in your diary.
Congratulations Lisa McLachlan
In the wee hours of this morning Lisa McLachlan (Room 10 teacher) set off to commence the first steps of a 60km walk around the coastline of the Mornington Peninsular. Lisa is participating in the Melbourne Coastrek challenge and is part of a team of four, suitably named ‘Eight Feet & Four Heartbeats’. Coastrek is a 30 – 60km team trekking challenge with each team have between 10 and 18 hours to complete the adventure.
Lisa has been training since January and to date the longest walk she has completed with her team is 40 km. Lisa may still be walking by the time you read this article!
Lisa is raising money for the Fred Hollows Foundation to improve the eye sight of children around the world.
In support of Lisa and this very worthy cause there will be a special fund raising day at MPW next Thursday 31st May. Students are asked to bring a gold coin donation and in exchange they will receive a lemonade ‘eyesee’ pole. We hope that the generosity of the MPW community will result in many children having improved vision. For as little as $25 a blind child will have their eyesight restored.
For more information please click on the link :
https://363c41159b3635866660-4f4e201590e6985bd2aa390850bf151b.ssl.cf5.rackcdn.com/4l4ongolhpycos.pdf