Learning and Teaching
PARENT INFORMATION EVENING
Thank you to all the Year 2 and 3 families who joined us for an online information evening last week, to explore learning at St James and more specifically, the benefits of multi-age settings.
The goals of the three 3/4 classes in 2022 are:
- To provide a stimulating environment for children’s learning
- To provide opportunities for greater social interaction and collaboration
- To provide varying opportunities for children to learn from one another
- To develop leadership skills for students
- To enhance use of flexible groupings to target learning
- To strengthen teaching practices through increased collaboration, team planning, data analysis & professional learning
Another big thank you to the students, parents and teachers who all shared their honest perspectives and insights of teaching and learning in 3/4 during 2021.
We look forward to the varying opportunities the students will have in 2022 to expand their friendships, work collaboratively with a range of different students, build leadership skills and learn from one another.
Here are some extracts from the evening, from the students themselves!
“I sort of felt like it was a good opportunity to make a lot of new friends, that I didn’t have when I was in Year 2.”
Year 3 student
“When I was first told it was going to be 3/4 I was a bit nervous because I thought if I made a spelling mistake I would look stupid infront of the Yr 4s. But then when I got used to being around them I realised there was nothing to be embarrassed about or scared about because they are kind people.”
Year 3 student
“At the start I was a bit worried about being split up and in different groups, but it was an opportunity to meet the Year 3s because I didn’t used to go up to them or play with them. Normally I was just with the boys.
Now I’ve met the Year 3s, they are fun and I have new people to play with.”
Year 4 student
“We are used to it now! It’s good now, you are used to people around you. When we started, the Year 3s would be on one side and the Year 4s would be on another side. It was very separate but now it’s not.”
Year 4 student
“I feel good that the teachers did it and I’d tell the new Year 3s that there isn’t anything to worry about and it was a good experience to go through.”
Year 3 student
“I really like being with everyone.
It’s a good feeling, because I didn’t always mix well with the people in my year level, and sometimes I'm a bit more like the Year 3s.”
Year 4 student
“I learn different ideas from different people. Everyone is friends so you can say what you want to say.”
Year 3 student
“It is different to how I expected. I thought that everything we learnt, they’d do with the Year 3s and then with the Year 4s and it would take double time. But, we learn at the same time. Some of it is easy and some of it is hard.”
Yr 4 student
“I thought it would be quite annoying, that everything would be the same for everyone, but the teachers have made it still a challenge for the Year 3s and a challenge for the Year 4s.”
Year 4 student
“I thought at first we’d learn the same things all over again, but I feel like we have learnt some of the same things but I’ve understood it a bit more.”
Year 4 student
“The amount of fun I’ve had with the Year 4s has surprised me. I thought it would be separate, that the Yr 3s would hang together and Yr 4s would hang together, but it’s a mix, so that was a surprise.”
Year 3 student
“It surprised me that the teachers made some things a bit easier for some students and some things a bit trickier for other students.”
Year 4 student
“I think the best thing about being in 3/4 is the difference. We are all really different from each other but I think that’s actually really good! The Yr 3s can teach the Yr 4s new stuff and the Yr 4s can teach the Yr 3s new stuff.”
Year 4 student
“The best thing about 3/4 is change in our learning, and having that opportunity at an age like this. It's now easier to learn how to make friends and deal with change.”
Year 4 student
“Last year I was very enclosed in my friendship but now I’m more open to letting new people into my friendship group.”
Year 3 student
“New people equal new ideas.”
Year 4 student
“Now I can go where I want!”
Year 4 student
For those of you who were unable to attend the session or for those of you who are interested in the content discussed, here is the presentation which was shared.
Olivia Quinlan
Literacy Leader/Learning and Teaching Leader