We are active and healthy...
Lockleys North Primary School
Wellbeing
All learning spaces in Mellor help support social, emotional and academic learning. Our aim is to make everyone feel valued - children, teachers and parents. Our environments give children opportunities to express their feelings and emotions through purposeful play based programs. Children are given strategies to deal with their feelings in a constructive way, learning how to get along with others in supportive situations. Common language is used across the school by staff and students to support children to be successful at identifying strong and weak choices. Children are involved in decision making multiple times throughout the day which assists everyone to feel a sense of belonging. The beginning of this year has seen a huge focus on kindness and teamwork and how this affects both children's own wellbeing and that of others around them.
Healthy Eating
Our students need to bring a small piece of fruit or vegetable to eat during our Healthy Eating Session each day. We encourage children to be involved in choosing and preparing their snack as research shows that they are more likely to eat food that they have had an input into. Students will be taking their healthy snack to their InitiaLit groups so a small piece of fruit/vegetable in a separate container is preferred.
Relaxation
Relaxation and calming the mind and body are an essential part of everyday life. After lunch all Mellor students are involved in relaxation in the classroom. They are encouraged to find a spot that is comfortable for them away from other distractions and listen to calming music or guided meditations. This allows time to calm the body and refocus for the afternoon. Individual reading also occurs during this time.
Physical Education
Building children’s engagement and enthusiasm for physical activity is vital for their wellbeing.
Daily physical activity promotes a healthy heart, healthy mind and healthy body.
Being active is easy and can be as simple as washing the car, taking the dog for a walk or going bike riding with the family. This year we will continue to promote the importance of physical activity through PE and through the Premier’s Be Active Challenge, a program for all South Australian children. The Challenge is the same as in previous years, with students doing 60 minutes of physical activity per day, 5 days per week for 4 weeks. We will encourage children to set personal, achievable goals and track their growth throughout the year. After completion of the challenge, children will be rewarded with personal satisfaction and a medal at the end of the year. This year the Olympic Games might motivate and inspire some children to get active and try out a new sport or recreation activity! More information about The Premier's Be Active Challenge will be provided in upcoming newsletters.
This semester, children will continue to develop and refine fundamental movement skills and increase levels of fitness, through cooperative team building games, athletics and exploring different sports. Children will learn basic movement patterns like jumping, throwing and running that are transferable across all sports.
They will be given opportunities to apply strategies to participate with others in physical activities in a safe and fair way, learning to follow basic game rules successfully. Children will engage in warm up activities, learning the importance of stretching before and after physical activity followed by developing and refining new skills and techniques. Every lesson, children are given opportunities to reflect on what went well and articulate their strengths and areas of improvement.
Children will develop and refine their gross motor skills through various ball sports, involving throwing, catching and kicking a stationary and moving ball. They will also engage in various types of locomotion such as dodging, weaving and running.
PE lessons encourage children to socialise with their peers, building and strengthening friendships and developing a sense of belonging while having fun. At the beginning of this year, “Active play” was introduced at lunchtime in the gym, providing children with opportunities to be physically active, promoting social interactions in a safe, supervised environment. (Monday and Thursday for Mellor students)
Throughout the semester children will be involved in sporting clinics, explicitly teaching children skills that can be implemented and developed throughout the year.
Children have been busy getting off to a great start, establishing learning agreements through fun, engaging team building games fostering fair play and good sportsmanship.
Later this term children will begin preparing for Sports Day which is held on Friday 27th March. Children will become familiar with track, field and the popular tabloid events, ensuring children can feel confident, successful and participate with enthusiasm on the day. Sports Day supports children to build confidence, foster communication between peers and learn important social skills like turn taking, sharing and encouragement in a safe, supportive environment.
Students are reminded to wear suitable clothing and footwear to all PE lessons to ensure their full participation.
Our Mellor PE lessons are Tuesday M5, Wednesday M1 and M3, Thursday M2 and Friday M4.
Amy Byrnes Early Years PE
Amy.Byrnes464@schools.sa.edu.au