Striving for more in EY4

This term Miss Nairda and Miss Jodie have learnt a lot from students and enjoyed watching developing minds work together in new and interesting ways. In science we are investigating how things move and, without any prompting from adults, EY4 students discovered how cars travel with gravity through a long tube angled from a desk to the floor. Even better, working cooperatively without adult guidance, students took turns to send different sized and weighted vehicles whizzing down the tube. This activity took place during a brain break when no formal lessons were being delivered so it was also a timely reminder of the benefits of allowing children to develop their creative problem-solving skills by providing materials without explicit instructions of how to use them.

Measuring with informal units and exploring simple shapes are the 2 learning paths in math this semester. We continue the daily practice of investigating number in different ways right through the year. One day we joined all of our individual block towers together to build a tower that was one Jake, one Jack and one Rose long! Using pin boards to make simple shapes has been a lesson in patience for many. Without a template it is tricky to make straight and curved lines but we all had a go and tried our best.

We have investigated lots of ways to make learning to read fun and the students have really loved using Velcro and magnetic letters, sidewalk chalk, board games, simple books, memory match and classroom displays to reinforce what is explored in reading lessons. Memory match is definitely the favourite and a game some of the students choose to play during brain breaks. We have also noticed that every book chosen as the Early Years Sector Book of The Week have been the start of many unscheduled lessons in turn taking and sharing during brain breaks because they are so popular! It is a beautiful sight to see a child reading a favourite book to another child and something we see most days in our reading nook.

Week 10 brings the end of first term and a change of routine for many of us. For most of this week we will maintain our regular routines in the classroom and, while it is a time to reflect on the previous ten weeks, it is also worth taking a moment to take notice of which parts of the school day work well for your family. Structured routines have worked best for EY4 students this term and what adults think of as small things, like wet weather play, an unfamiliar adult in the room or a change in furniture placement, can bring behaviour changes and dysregulation for children. What feels normal to others can actually be a bit terrifying for some of our little people. During the school week, there is usually a schedule at home too. For example, time to get out of bed, get dressed, breakfast, brush teeth, time to get in the car, arrive at school, follow the schedule, leave school and so on so children know what to expect. When that predictable routine loosens up not just for a 2-day weekend but for 2 whole weeks, trying to navigate the unpredictability can be a little overwhelming, particularly for those of us who need more processing time. Just when things are making sense, it’s back to the early morning rush! Perhaps sticking to school term bed times and limiting screen time during the holiday break will help your EY4 student transition back to school after the Anzac Day long weekend too?

Take care of you and yours. Until next time

Miss Jodie, Miss Nairda, Rose, Jack, Harrison, Jake, M***a and Mason.