By Amy McBeath | Posted: Tuesday January 30, 2018
This newsletter will outline some of the things that you can expect to see happening in Room 6, as well as some ideas for home.
Getting to know each other
At the beginning of the year, we will be working on getting to know each other and building healthy relationships. We will also be working on creating a fun and positive classroom environment. Our theme for the term is 'Relationships' – with a focus on 'Communities'.
School Values
Over the next few weeks we will be looking at what the school values mean for our learning and interactions with others. Kindness will be a major focus for the beginning of the year, and we will be identifying ways that we can show kindness.
Keeping Active
Each day (when the weather permits) children will take part in a syndicate fitness. This may include a run, fitness stations, skipping, and ball skills.
Sun Safety
It is expected that children wear their sunhats when they are outside during term 1. It would be great if children could come to school with sunscreen applied in the morning. We also have sunscreen available for children to apply as necessary during the day.
Homework
Parents often have questions about homework. Early this term, as a part of our community consultation, you will have an opportunity to have your say on aspects of school life including homework. This process may result in a change in how homework operates. Children should spend no more than 20 minutes on homework each night.
Reading
Children should do some reading each night. The books may be from a selection in the classroom, from the library, or from home. Our class will visit the library on a Monday and a Thursday.
At this level we are aiming to create a love of reading and help children become independent readers. Selecting books for themselves is part of this independent process.
Sometimes children may select a book which interests them, but where the text may be too difficult for them to read independently. If this happens, parents may like to read the book out loud, discussing the text and pictures together.
Spelling
In a couple of weeks, children will be given a spelling sheet with lists of words to learn at home. There will be tests on these words each Friday.
Mathematics
The person who does the thinking does the learning.
It is our aim to encourage children to think mathematically and look at things in the world around them with mathematical interest and wonder. This could happen anywhere e.g. at home in the kitchen, in the garden, while travelling in the car. Topics for mathematical conversations could include observing patterns and shapes, grouping objects and numbers, estimating or measuring length and weight, working with time, reading charts and graphs, predicting events, working with money, or banking.
It is important that children work to learn their basic facts of addition and subtraction. This knowledge allows children to use a wider range of strategies more easily. Mathletics can be a useful tool to help build on these skills at home.
Conversations
Taking time to talk with your children and to develop learning conversations with them is time well spent. These conversations help parents and children to further develop relationships and share understandings. We want parents and children to enjoy talking together and learning from each other.
Inquiry learning at home
We hope that all children will be fascinated and curious about things in their world and want to learn more about topics that interest them. Some children will have particular interests that they will choose to investigate at home and bring to school to share.
If you would like to contact me, feel free to come in before or after school, email or call me at school. If you have an urgent message please be sure to call rather than e-mail.
Kind regards
Amy McBeath