Newsletter – Term 3, 2023

It was wonderful to have so many students and families attend the Music Concert last Friday evening. It was a great event and a terrific opportunity for our students to do performances of the instruments and songs that they have been working on in their classes. Music is such a special way of communicating, and many of our students certainly demonstrate an ability and enthusiasm in this area. It is also excellent to hear our children singing, which nearly all of them enjoy doing.
Thank you to all the staff and parents who supported this event, and a special thanks to Marilyn for making this wonderful event happen.

Our Year 6 students have impressed us with their exceptional speaking and rebuttal skills during their online debates.

They have shown great enthusiasm and determination in mastering the art of persuasive argumentation, delivering well-researched and articulate speeches that captivate their audience. Their strong sense of camaraderie and teamwork has set them apart. They have worked seamlessly together, supporting and encouraging one another throughout the process. It has been a joy to witness their enjoyment and dedication to the discussions, and we are proud of their achievements. We look forward to seeing their continued growth and success in debating.

Cycle 3 Staff – Leticia & Bec

In August, we held a Parent Education event on the Transition to the 6-9 environment. Our Deputy, Janene Johnson spoke to a number of parents about the manner in which children move from the 3-6 classroom into the 6-9 classroom, and highlighted the many characteristics of both the environment and the child as they move into what Maria Montessori called the Second Plane of development (6-12).

Janene highlighted that we seek to make the transition from 3-6 into 6-9 a smooth process for the child. This includes transition visits over a number of weeks and then a final transition when the child feels ready for this. Most children, having spent a number of years in the 3-6 classroom, and becoming a Second Plane child, are really drawn to the new environment and desire to stay in 6-9 much sooner than we sometimes anticipate.

When Maria Montessori observed children who are 6-9 years of age, she saw that the Second Plane child is wanting to understand everything in the universe and had big questions. Montessori said,  “Give the world to the child in the first plane (3-6) and the universe to Second Plane child.”

In order for the Second Plane child to develop, they need to see the whole big picture. This big picture down approach is a key element of the 6-9 classroom and caters to the needs of the child. To provide the Big Picture, Maria Montessori developed ‘great stories’ that provide a broad framework for the creation of the universe, the place of humans on the earth, the coming of life on earth, the development of communication and the story of number.
These great stories and the timelines, lessons and activities that accompany them provide the framework for the detailed understandings that exist within the work and learning that is done each day. This context is so meaningful.

Montessori understood that while it is important for children to learn facts and skills, they need to be able make sense of these in relation to the world in which they live. This understanding and context for learning brings subjects alive and is one reason why children from Montessori classrooms maintain a love of learning throughout their school journey.

Within our classrooms we seek to provide children with the ‘keys to the universe’ which include, plants, animals, everything in the earth (language, mathematics, science, etc), all things created by humans (art, music, etc), things that occurred before the formation of the earth (history and geography, etc) and all of this is presented to the child through lessons and materials that are  appealing to the child’s imagination.

The transition from 3-6 into 6-9 is such a wonderful progression for the developing child, and provides great opportunity to build upon the work and skills developed in the 3-6 classroom. It is important that children continue into the 6-9 and 9-12 cycles in order to consolidate and further develop the emerging understands that exist through their use of materials as well as their growing understanding of the world in which they live.

For families whose children are making this transition, we encourage you to take an opportunity do an observation in our 6-9 classes and see the amazing work that our primary children are doing each day.

Adam Scotney
Principal

As part of Science Week in August, some of the adolescents visited the Toddler program and presented a range of science concepts through art, hands on demonstrations and picture books. The toddlers learnt about gliders and flight, the importance of recycling and plant care. They painted ice structures as an introduction to global warming and the importance of lowering sea temperatures in the polar areas. The older students enjoyed interacting with the younger students in a morning of science, fun and creativity. We look forward to sharing science activities with the 3 – 6 classes later in the week.

Thank you to the Australian Science teachers Association and the Australian Government for the grant we received for these activities.

This week the adolescents have been joined by two beautiful three-week-old Jersey/Holstein dairy calves – Cookies and Cream. For the next three weeks, the adolescents will prepare and feed the calves bottles, clean out their stalls, speak to Dairy Industry Representatives, research the anatomy and needs of dairy cattle and explore the role of the dairy industry in Australian agriculture.

It is the perfect blend of research and practical hands-on experience. The calves have become part of the family already!

This term our students from K-8 participated in the Brainstorm Productions show, Being Brave. The description of the show is as follows.

When children experience change, bullying, loss and other stressful life events, it can have a huge impact on their behaviour and wellbeing. They may worry about themselves, their families and the world.

Being Brave is a live show that gives students positive strategies to cope with emotions and adapt to change at school, at home and online. Fly is a young boy whose parents have separated. He misses his dad desperately and tries to be brave by keeping his emotions ‘bottled up’. He meets Isha, who has been forced to come to a new country. Celia is coming to terms with loss in her family. Nonna wants to connect safely with her family online, Tim is being bullied and Mikalia has to find a new dream.

By connecting with the people in his community, Fly discovers the true meaning of being brave: sharing stories, showing feelings, keeping good memories and living life.

Researched and developed in consultation with teachers and psychologists, this live theatre in education program uses song, dance and storytelling to provide students with positive coping strategies.

Designed to support our school’s existing student wellbeing program and facilitate further learning in the classroom, Being Brave empowers children to seek help and face life’s challenges with confidence and compassion. Brainstorm Productions is endorsed by the eSafety Commissioner as a Trusted eSafety Provider.