Week 2 Term 4

 

We have had a fabulous start to Term 4 and have been especially focused in Religion on learning about our Term 4 School Value of Excellence.

We have uncovered that it means more than producing work of an "excellent" standard.  It can be the little things that you do throughout the day that that can show we are living this value.

We wrote a list of 10 things that require 0 talent and are going to try to develop these qualities this term as they are qualities that school leaders should possess.

We have enjoyed reading the first few chapters of Wonder and have formed book club groups, where we will use our comprehension skills to “dig deeply” into the book.  We will also be on the hunt for figurative language that the author uses.  So far we have learnt about similes and have located several in only the first few chapters!  We are making a class display of these as we find them.

In Maths we have begun our fraction and decimals unit, revising some concepts we began during COVID home learning days!  We have also been working on factors and number families and how knowing our times tables can help us with these concepts.

HOMEWORK

Thank you to those parents who are signing our home learning grids.  It is wonderful to see you supporting your child with developing good homework habits.  We understand that many children have extra curricular interests, which is why we set homework on a Monday and don’t expect it to be handed in until Friday mornings.  This allows your child the freedom to work out a homework plan that suits their afternoons.  The homework grid clearly explains the expected activities (in grey boxes) and the optional choices that must be covered each week.  This term our “teacher choice” activities that must be completed each week are:

  ·      Reading the designated Wonder pages (or a book of their choice for 15 minutes each night)

· Completing spelling activities to help them learn their weekly words (must add up to 30 points on the spelling activity grid)

Times table focus(this week is the 4 x and the children have a booklet to complete).  It is also recommended that they search on you tube “4x table tricks” and “4x table songs.”  We have practiced this search in class.  Parent testing, use of flashcards, sticking the focus times table questions and answers somewhere they can regularly see it to practice (e.g.: toilet or car window) is also encouraged.  As an added incentive, the children are trying to earn a times table certificate once they achieve each table.  These certificates are going to be displayed in the classroom and will be brought home at the end of the term.

·      Kindness challenge – the children have 3 quick “good deeds” to complete each week.  This is an easy way we can display excellence through our actions.

SOME PEARLS OF WISDOM

On Monday afternoon the teachers at O.L.C. were blessed to have a session with Ian Lillico.  Ian is the brains behind the format of our homework grid.  Ian is the former Principal of City Beach High School in WA (recently retired) and international consultant in gender, boys’ education and middle schooling. The session was very inspirational.  Ian also spoke with parents on Monday evening so hopefully some of you were able to make it along to hear his well researched anecdotes.  A couple of useful things to share with you from the teacher's session were:

The importance of your child drinking water - The brain is 80% water and requires a good level of hydration for high performing, sedentary activities like writing, reading and maths.  Please ensure that your child is bringing a full water bottle to school as we will be encouraging them to drink more regularly throughout the day.

On his website (www.boysforward.com.au ), Ian lists 52 virtues to inspire parents and teachers to be specific with the praise that we give our children.  Studies have shown that when praise is directed to reinforcing a child’s character, they are more likely to continue to behave in that way (for example, you were so RESPONSIBLE when you helped set the dinner table,  VERSUS good girl/boy).  Directly referencing the virtues will ensure we don’t give false praise.

52 VIRTUES FOR PRAISE

Assertiveness, Caring, Cleanliness, Compassion, Confidence, Consideration, Courage, Courtesy, Creativity, Detachment, Determination, Enthusiasm, Excellence, Faithfulness, Flexibility, Forgiveness, Friendliness, Generosity, Gentleness, Helpfulness, Honesty, Honour, Humility, Idealism, Joyfulness, Justice, Kindness, Love, Loyalty, Mercy, Moderation, Modesty, Obedience, Orderliness, Patience, Peacefulness, Prayerfulness, Purposefulness, Reliability, Respect, Responsibility, Reverence, Self-Discipline, Service, Steadfastness, Tact, Thankfulness, Tolerance, Trust, Trustworthiness, Truthfulness and Unity.

On his website (under the PERSPECITVES tab) there are 50 researched ways to improve your child’s attention span.  One of those he particularly highlighted with us in his presentation was that morning television is not beneficial to prepare children for learning at school. Whereas, afternoon television is encouraged to enable them to relax and switch off after a full day of their brain working.

The website is full of other useful tips so we encourage you to take the time to have a browse and whilst it is entitled “Boys Forward” all of the strategies it recommends are extremely beneficial for girls as well.

 A special shout out to Cielo who was our award winner last week!

Thank you Lara for taking many of the photographs in this week's blog.