WELCOME BACK TO TERM TWO
In our first newsletter for Term Two we would usually be discussing and looking forward to many upcoming events at our school. Things like: the Mother’s Day Stall, Education Week, Naplan, or trying to emphasise the importance of still wearing hats in the playground. Such a stark reminder of how different these things look when writing this today!
What we really want to share with you today, is all the work and learning families, staff and our students are doing to make the most of these unprecedented times.
Please take some time to look at the photos in the newsletter capturing students and teachers from across the school learning from home.
EXPLORING ANZAC DAY
Many of our students have been looking at ANZAC Day as it relates to their units of inquiry or is a stand-alone concept to explore. Please take a moment to read some of the poems written by our Year Six students and share with your children at home.
This is a significant event in the Australian calendar and we take time to respect and value the significant contribution made by our diggers. Lest we forget! It’s important that all Australians remember and acknowledge the sacrifice and history of the Anzacs.
LEARNING FROM HOME
We wish to express our greatest appreciation to all our families at the moment and acknowledge that challenges do arise and will continue to surface when supporting children learning from home. We want you to remember there will be good days and bad days and we are all in this together adjusting to this new way of learning.
Please remember:
- If your child does not get through all the set tasks for the day, that is okay.
- If they complete tasks in a different order because it made more sense that way or you were unable to print something at certain time, that is okay.
- If there are times when your child becomes frustrated, or even refuses to complete a task, that is okay.
- If your child cannot submit something to their teacher by a particular time, that is okay.
TIPS TO REMEMBER THAT FAMILIES HAVE SHARED…
- Set up a small whiteboard next to your child’s work area and get them to copy on it their tasks for the day and tick them off. Remember they do not have to complete in order or print the directions.
- If your child refuses to get up and get dressed in the morning, give them a choice. “They can wear their school uniform for the day or choose their own clothes.” This seems to get them moving!
- To motivate them to get ready in the morning arrange for them to chat to a friend for five minutes on the phone or on an app, if they get up by a certain time. This mimics the social interaction they would get in the 10-15 mins before school. We know some families are having a group video chat with the students they used to walk to school with via Zoom! And make it clear, they can’t chat unless they are dressed.
- If your child needs you to print something while you are in a meeting, tell them to complete their other learning first then say you will print it in your lunch break. In most cases the order they complete things in does not matter.
- If your child comes to you asking a question you are not sure of, or while you are in a meeting, remind them to type their questions in a private chat to their teacher on TEAMS. Make a card up to hold up to them so you don’t have to stop your conversation.
- Create some bright coloured posters/small cards that sit on your child’s desk that say simple phrases like “Need Help” or “I don’t understand” which they can copy out into a private chat to their teacher.
- If your child is really frustrated by a task, tell them to take a break and come back to it later, or even hold it over to the next day and encourage them to contact their teacher and let them know they were having trouble. Set a timer so they know when it is time to get back to it.
Wishing you all a lovely weekend,
Simone and Suzanne.