Good afternoon everyone,

This morning the children entered the classroom into our very first come read with me for 2019! Come read with me is a time for children to explore their reading and parents who have completed their school volunteer pack are welcome to stay and engage in exploring the beautiful literature of books with your child 🙂 We will be starting our Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings with come read with me!

Through come read with me, students started to flow and transition into our play based investigations which saw students flourish as they entered a stage of flow, immersed in their learning by discussing and sharing ideas with peers. The students used their resilience to create and explore their imagination in creating everything from a shop/restaurant, wall, love hearts with hama beads, to recreating the dragon dance, and a magic show.

After lunch R/1MS, R/1EQ and R/1EN engaged in a moment of mindfulness before reflecting on our investigation time through either illustrations or writing, exploring their articulation of what they engaged with in their play time.

To finish up our amazing day of fun filled learning, R/1EN and R/1MC reflected on what it means to have safe hands. Noting what it looks like, sounds like and feels like.

Likewise, R/1EQ and R/1MS finished our day off with prayer, which will happen each afternoon before we dismiss the students. Today’s was very special as it was the first time our classroom assistants led our prayer, the students created their own prayers with the theme of ‘having a good day’.

Alexander –  Dear God, Thank you for letting us have lots of fun. Amen

Eva – Dear God, Thank you God for making everyone. Amen

Wishing everyone a pleasant evening ready for a fun filled day tomorrow 🙂

God Bless

Today a small group of children from The Village were asked the provocation, ‘what animal in the Fish Farm and MUDLA room would you like to learn about?’

The students completed observational drawings.

This year, The Village will be holding Come Read with Me on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings from 8:50am until 9:00am. We welcome you to join us in class to read with your child when you can. As the children build their reading stamina, we will increase the time to 9:10am.

Come Read with Me is a great social time for children to find joy in the books they are reading. It also gives teachers the chance to read with children and check their progress.

We look forward to sharing this time with you.

This morning a group of children from the Village took a particular interest in our new Koi Fish Kite. With so much excitement the children went to the oval to fly the kite. They discussed, hypothesized and shared strategies of how to fly a kite. They discussed the wind, whether or not to run fast, slow, far or short distance. Leo and Ravleen attached a long piece of string for students to hold onto.

Reflections:

“When the wind was going that way the fish just go up a little bit and when i came back here it was going up a lot”- Daemon

“Well and then it flyed and when I came back it flyed and then it stopped. The wind did help because it was too strong” Leo

“The tricky was that if you hold low the fish goes low and if  you hold it so high then it goes higher”- Ravleen

After everyone had a turn, we gathered to have a yarn about our different experiences:

“When you fly a kite you need someone running to throw it up”- Jordan

“I think the wind has to come a lot” – Ravleen

“I feel like a stick would hold it”- Elnathan

Once returning to the village, we begun making our own kites!

Just a reminder that our Parent Information Evening will take place on MONDAY the 4th of FEBRUARY (tomorrow) In your Childs classroom, We will commence at 6pm.

We are looking forward to seeing you and sharing information about our year together.

A (free) creche is available for your children if you need or want to bring them along. The creche will be in  the OHSC room.

Thank you,

The Village teachers

We regularly reflect with our children by posing the question, “what was your speck of gold?”

Panning for gold  is about intentionally looking for, noticing and being grateful for the good things that happen.

This ritual can help to balance out any inherited negativity; that is the tendency for people to focus on and remember negative experiences in our lives. As these rituals become habit, we become more proficient in ‘taking in the good’.

Here is what our children reflected on this week:

“My speck of gold was making new friends”- Leo

“My speck of gold was making a new friend which was Mikayla”- Sonny

“My speck of gold was the blocks. the big blocks”- Viraj

“My speck of gold is in the Fish Farm”- Hendrix

“My speck of hold was the dragon” – Isphreet

“My speck of gold was playing with Kalil”- Koby

“My speck of gold was dragon” – Sahib

“Dragon” – Kuch

“My speck of gold was having my beautiful dragon”- Dimi

Today at lunch, Zac found a seed. He asked Mr Stramare if he could plant it, because it is his mum’s favourite fruit. Zac chose Alexander, Elnathan, Felipe and Enrique to help him choose the perfect spot to plant his seed. We searched around the school until we found the perfect place, near the rose garden, next to Kuyangani. Zac dug the hole, ready for Felipe to put the seed in. When the seed was in Zac and Elnathan worked together to cover the seed over. We then went back to class to collect the watering can to water the seed.

While we were in the gardens, Alexander found an eggplant and a capsicum. He thought it would be nice to take the eggplant home to give to his family.

When we got back, we had to find the seed. Felipe pointed to the ‘lump’ on the ground and told me that was where the seed is.

We can’t wait to check in on our seed and maybe create some new garden spaces of our own!

After assembly we got to explore the provocation what are letters and sounds? Where do we see them? What can we do with them?

We used our literacy skills to investigate. We challenged ourselves by using our creativity, team work and leadership skills to lead our own learning through play.

We can’t wait to post more photos of the children but please remember to bring back those blog forms.

The students then took this into their own play and learning.

After lunch we spoke about safe hands and what does safe hand mean?

Sierra: No hitting and no punching

Viraj: No pushing use your mouth

Sahib: No being naughty, not touching people.

Anabel: No punching or hitting

Ravleen: no being rude?

Leo: No saying and words.

Ishpreet: no hitting

What does safe hands look like?

Ravleen: Putting your hands to yourself.

Emily: no touching people, you can ask.

Sonny: Can you give me a hi-five?

The students then went off and played making sure they had safe hands.