From the Classroom

Foundation

The Foundation students have been working very hard throughout this term and have achieved some great things. In particular, students have been working on improving their handwriting skills and their hard work is paying off. 

 

This week has been an exciting week for the Foundation students as they have been involved in science activities with Mr Thompson and the Grade 6 class as part of Science week. 

 

Students also attended a wonderful production by the New Zealand Playhouse Theatre that was enjoyed by all.

Grade One Learning 

Half way through the term already! We have had a brilliant start to the second semester in Grade One. 

We had previously worked hard on explicitly teaching addition and now we move towards subtraction. Students have also been working through some measurement activities with Mrs Sproule on Thursdays as well as worded problems. 

Keep working towards reading every day. Continued practice is very important. Our reader diaries make it very easy to track reading at home. It is a vital part of homework in junior grades. Like anything we want to get better at… we must practice. 

National Science Week has been a highlight. Students have learnt how glass is made, types of glass and we have also made a lolly glass window. Students were able to create their own window shape and then place hard lollies in to represent the glass. 

Everyone participated in our whole class procedure writing on how to make playdough. Clearly noting the steps taken with illustrations. 

 

You Can Do It

In the last few weeks in You Can Do It we have been focused on mindfulness. Mindfulness is about bringing our attention to the present moment. We experience stress because we spend a lot of our time ruminating over what we have or haven’t done in the past, or catastrophising future events that haven’t yet happened. Mindfulness strategies, then, invite us into the now to experience fully the present moment without judgement. We have looked at Yoga or movement as a way of centering ourselves in our bodies. We have practiced mindful eating, savouring food through all of our senses. We have looked at breathing techniques such as square breathing, rainbow breathing and 7/11 breathing. We have used our senses to bring ourselves to our bodies and out of our unhelpful thoughts. Mindfulness has been researched and shown to decrease negative thinking and increase positive affect. I set the challenge to the Grade 5s of practicing mindful eating at home but they said they would probably be too hungry! What mindfulness strategies might you be able to practice to support the young people you know? When students have a ‘toolbox’ of wellbeing strategies that they have practiced and are familiar with, they are more likely to have the confidence to face adversity and challenges with resilience and bounce back. If you have any strategies to add to our toolboxes I would love to hear them.

 - Mrs Sibio