In the Classroom

LITTLE LEARNERS LOVE LITERACY

To teach beginning reading and writing at LPPS, we use research based practices to ensure our students are successful. This year, the Foundation and Year 1 students are using a program called Little Learners Love Literacy – a structured and explicit program that is carefully sequenced to teach children the 44 sounds of the English language and the principles of the alphabetic code. You have probably heard all about Milo the Monkey if you have a Foundation or Year 1 child.

To support this learning, we are now using decodable readers in the classroom and as take home books.  Our fabulous PFC have been fundraising to update our take home books. We are excited to finally have some of our new take home decodable readers arrive at school. 

Some of our Foundation students had a sneak peek and can’t wait to take them home.

TUTOR LEARNING INITIATIVE

We are so fortunate at LPPS to offer our students extra tuition at school through the Tutor Learning Initiative  (TLI).  Some of our Year 3 students, Matthew, Millie and Brena were given the opportunity to share their outstanding writing with Mr Barren.  Maybe we have 3 budding authors on our doorstep?

MABO AND RECONCILIATION

Mabo Day and Reconciliation weekwere discussed in classrooms. The focus was different in each year level, according to curriculum requirements. Year 4 students presented information to our whole school assembly. June 3 was Mabo Day and it commemorates Torres Strait Islander Eddie Koiko Mabo and his role in overturning the ‘terra nullius’ declaration—which claimed that Australia was once land belonging to no one. June 3, 2022 marks 30 years since the High Court of Australia decision.. 

HIGH ABILITY INCURSION

So You Think You Can Count

On Wednesday 1st June, some of our high ability Mathematics students were provided with an opportunity to attend a Virtual Mathematics session called ‘So You Think You Can Count’, run by Monash Tech School for High Ability students in Year 3 and 4. This was a part of the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series Events. 

The online presenters were highly engaging and challenged our students as they presented a range of open ended tasks which had multiple entry points and answers. We could see their brains working overtime. 

It was fabulous to see our students challenged and working with other like-minded students across Melbourne. Many students had the opportunity to share their thinking as they came up with possible solutions. The language and mathematical vocabulary required to do so was quite impressive. 

The program was promoted as:

‘Students will grapple with counting problems. We will extend on common problems such as: “How many squares are on a chessboard?” and look at different ways to count a large number of objects. We will explore ideas such as binomial coefficients, partitioning techniques, and 

algorithmic thinking. The focus will be on improving students’ systematic reasoning.’ 

Due to the success of this session and the great feedback provided by our students and their parents we will look into booking more experiences like this.

A big thank you to Mrs Brooke McInnes, one of our Mathematics Leaders, for supervising our students to allow this experience to occur.