Year 2 News 

It’s all about YOU in Year 2 

Its been a busy time in Year 2. It is half way through the very long term and many of our students are feeling tired an emotional. This is our first full year of school after two years in and out of lockdown and the term is long. We are extremely proud of our students and how they are managing and engaging in their learning. There are always many fun activities leading students through the curriculum. In Year 2 we use many strategies to help students who are feeling unsettled or out of sorts.  

Calming Corner  

In year 2 we have a calming corner with a variety of fiddle toys. The students are allowed to visit this corner at any time during the day to help them re focus, calm down or just have a brain break from learning.  

Brain Breaks  

Another common occurrence is year 2 are brain breaks. This is when the teacher realises the students are losing focus and require a break to reset. This may consist of some time in the fresh air, a run around the oval, standing up in the classroom and exercising or the teacher reading a story.  

Fruit Break 

Each day at 12.30 we stop for fruit break. Sometimes the students sit outside on the mounds and eat their fruit and then have a run around. Other days we sit on the floor and eat our fruit and the teacher reads a story and then we have show and tell. This is an ideal time for the students to take a break from traditional learning and reset before the commencement of their next task.  

Bean Bag Time 

Another strategy we use if students are feeling tired or unsettled is time in one of our beanbags. The students enjoy having time in the bean bag as it wraps them up like a big warm hug.  

Mindful Breathing or Mediation  

Mindful breathing and meditation are excellent strategies to resettle students and keep them calm. Students sometimes lie on the floor and listen to a guided meditation or breathing and take time to focus on the present. The students enjoy this time and an immediate sense of clam comes over the room. 

Relaxation Music 

Relaxation music is a nice way to keep the noise level down during learning time. The students often ask if we can play relaxation music quietly in the background as it helps them to focus on the task.  

Smell The Flower Blow Out The Candle 

This is a useful strategy when students are crying or feeling anxious. The students hold up their pointer fingers on both hands and the teacher says, “Smell the flower, blow out the candle”. The students pretend they are actually smelling a flower and blowing out the candle and this immediately refocusing them and slows their breathing.  

Zones of Regulation 

This year we introduced the Zones of Regulation across the school. We have a classroom display set up where the students are able to identify which of the 4 zones they are in, from the blue zone to the red zone. It is powerful for the students to be able to identify where they are sitting and to discuss strategies as to how they can move into the optimum green zone.  

As you can see we employ many strategies to ensure your child feels safe and well supported when they are at school. The students like to know there are many options for them to choose from when they need a brain break or a chance to reset.