Undergraduates’ Newsletter, Term One, 2011
Dear Parents
A warm welcome to all our New Entrants and new families to Chelsea!
It is wonderful to see the growth in independence and maturity of so many of our last year’s Undergrads. We foster this concept of independence and self-responsibility daily and ask for your support in helping your child by encouraging them to carry their school bags to and from school, put away their book bags and school books in the correct place in the classroom, as well as looking after their clothing during the day. You can help them by putting their name on their clothes, shoes, lunch box and school bag, reminding them to bring their swimming things, making sure they have a good healthy morning tea and lunch, and getting them to school on time in the mornings (the bell goes at 8.55).
Our teachers and programmes follow the school vision – “Simply the Best” and we encourage with lots of praise and expect the children to keep trying to improve their last personal best. You can assist your child by reading to and with them in the evenings and helping with their homework.
At present we have three classes in the syndicate: Rhiannon Le Sueur in Space 13, Barbara Needham in Space 14 and Carole Carkeek with the New Entrants in Space 16. Dawn Thomas, our teacher aide, will also be working with small groups of children, and we are fortunate to have Ellenor Kerr working part-time in the syndicate. We are endeavouring to keep the class sizes small at the Year 1 Level to enable your children to get the optimum in teaching time.
Cross grouping in English and Maths will start in Week 3 with the children being grouped according to their ability in these subjects. These groups remain flexible and will change from time to time depending on the children’s progress.
Our Communities of Thinking topic across the school this year is “How Can I Be the Change I Want to see in the World?” This term we have a Social Studies focus starting with “How Does Growth Bring about Change?” We will start by looking at the growth and changes we have made in our first five years. Then we will study the changes that have taken place in Auckland City and Chelsea School over the last fifty years and make comparisons with what we see today. Term Two will have a Science focus and we will be investigating the changes that take place in the natural world – seasons, plant life and metamorphosis. In Term Three we will stay with the natural world but focus on how environmental changes have impacted on different species. In the final term we will review the changes we have undergone and made in our learning environment during the year, and come up with new initiatives we can put into practice to bring about further change.
We use De Bono’s Six Thinking Hats, Brainstorms, Mind Maps, Venn Diagrams and group work to help develop the children’s thinking skills at our Year 1 Level. The Key Competencies we focus on particularly at this year level are Managing Self, Relating to Others, and Participating and Contributing.
Routines are being established and readers will be coming home daily in the children’s book bag. The book bag and readers need to come to school every day. Your input at home is vital to the development of skills and the progress of your child as it is reinforcing what is being learnt at school. It is also important to keep homework time enjoyable for everyone.
Swimming is a compulsory part of our Physical Education programme. We would like to see all of our Undergrads getting into the water. We need a written note if your child has a genuine medical reason for not swimming. Our Junior Swimming Sports are on Tuesday March 8 at 1.30pm. Watch out for information in the newsletter.
Art , PE , Te Reo, Dance, Drama and Music will be incorporated into our programme as part of an afternoon interchange on Tuesdays and Thursdays or within of our Communities of Thinking on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
If your child is attending After School care we would appreciate you letting their homeroom teacher know these arrangements and also if there is any change in their routine at any stage. This avoids any confusion or uncertainty that may arise at the end of the day.
Should your child need medication (such as an asthma inhaler) during school hours please give it to their homeroom teacher so it can be stored in our Undergrads teachers’ office or in the First Aid Room in the Administration Block.
Teachers are gatherers of “useful stuff” and we always welcome small containers (washing powder scoops are ideal for small amounts of PVA glue and paint), supermarket bags for lining rubbish bins, old rags/towels for clean up jobs, off-cuts of wallpaper, wrapping paper, ribbon are just a few items that spring to mind. If you think we might be able to use it we probably can!
Please don’t hesitate to come and see us if you have any queries or problems regarding our programme – or - just to say “hello.”
Kind regards
Barbara, Carole and Rhiannon.
"All About Me" - Letter to Parents
Dear Parents
The focus of Our Communities of Thinking topic this year is change. We are starting our investigations of this topic with some fact finding about ourselves. The children may well tell you they are doing White Hat thinking.
The children are learning the skills of being both a good listener and a good communicator. To develop these skills, as part of our Oral Language programme, we would like every child to give a very short talk about themselves answering the following questions. We will be compiling a White Hat Book with all this information.
We would appreciate you helping your child complete this form and also prepare them for giving their talk. This is not to be a stressful activity. We will encourage them to take part but will not insist they present their talk if they are hesitant.
ALL ABOUT ME!
1; How many people are in your family including Mum and Dad?
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2: Are you the oldest, youngest, only or in the middle child?
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3: Have you got a pet and what kind is it?
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4: What is your favourite food?
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5: What is your favourite activity?
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6: What job would you like to do when you are an adult?
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Thank you for supporting your child with their learning.
The Undergrads’ Teachers - Barbara, Carole and Rhiannon
