Hello everyone,

Over the past two weeks, in 5KF, our focus has been on building connections and trust among students, as well as with me. We’ve completed various activities to facilitate this process.

One engaging activity was an art project where students drew portraits. They drew half of their face while leaving the other half blank, which they filled with representations of their interests, hobbies, and sources of joy. This exercise provided valuable insights into their personalities and preferences.

With NAPLAN taking place during weeks 7 and 8, we dedicated time to ensuring students felt prepared. We reinforced their language skills through exercises on spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Additionally, we conducted comprehension activities to enhance listening abilities. One standout activity involved pairs where students were giving and following explicit instructions to draw, aiming for identical results.

In mathematics, I initiated an assessment of each student’s proficiency, beginning with place value. Exploring concepts of hundreds, tens, and ones, students grasped the significance of these numerical positions. To reinforce learning, we’ve implemented daily challenges where students represent and expand three-digit numbers using colourful wooden sticks. Games incorporating times tables have further strengthened their math skills, and we’ve introduced alternative strategies like the distributive method for multiplication. Our current focus is on division, with an emphasis on the halving method.

As I continue my journey as the classroom teacher, I’m excited about the progress we’ve made and eager for more enriching experiences ahead.

Just a few reminders:

• Thursday: World Down Syndrome Day – Students can wear crazy, colorful, or mismatched socks.
• Friday: Harmony Day Cultural Dress – Students are encouraged to wear cultural attire, orange, or their school uniform.
• Special canteen menu: Butter Chicken or Chickpea Curry with rice and orange jelly for $6.50.

Kind regards,

Cassundra Pulizzi