PREP
Prep year at a glance with Jess, Libby, Bonnie and Mrs Erickson.
All year the prep rooms work in conjunction with each other, with each of the prep teachers teaching the students interchangeably.
In reading, the preps are learning to follow the Reader’s Workshop. They will learn to become to accurate readers by pointing 1:1 to the words and using the pictures. Once these skills are mastered, they will then begin to learn other decoding strategies such as:
· looking at the first sounds
· sounding out
· chunking
Once words can be decoded, the preps can begin to comprehend a text by:
· making connections
· predicting what will happen next
· questioning, and many other strategies.
Along with daily accuracy and comprehension lessons, the preps are conferenced with one-on-one to ensure that they are given goals that allow them to become the best possible readers they can be.
In writing, the preps are learning to follow the Writer’s Workshop where they will independently THINK of an idea, TALK about their idea, SKETCH their idea, WRITE about their idea and then finally, they can proudly SHARE their piece of writing with their peers. Preps have a chance to explore many different genres of writing over the year such as:
· recounts
· narratives
· non-fiction
· speech writing
The preps will also get to closely explore Julia Donaldson as an author and craft pieces of their own using inspiration from her stories.
In maths, preps will enjoy a hands-on experience where they will develop a deep understanding of numbers (addition, subtraction, before/after numbers, careful counting, sequencing numbers, etc.). Their automaticity with number is also developed through our Blitzmaster program which is designed to improve students’ automaticity in addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The preps will also learn different applied areas of maths, over the year such as:
· measurement
· time
· geometry
· money
· statistics and probability
While also learning how to problem solve within all these areas.
Throughout the year, the preps will also enjoy many different in-school activities and excursions. These include:
· house sport days
· swimming lessons
· a visit to Chesterfield Farm
and lots more!
GRADE 1/2
In 1/2 we have five wonderful classes. Whilst students are allocated into grades, we have many opportunities within our teaching and learning to mix teach across the five grades, ensuring students have learning targeted to their ability.
In writing, we establish the students in the writers’ workshop and set expectations to ensure we can make the most out of our writing time. This includes the use of the Writer’s Notebook as well as the 6 plus 1 traits of writing to support our students as writers. Our students become independent writers who have the ability to choose a topic within a specific genre and write creatively. We will continue with a specific focus of teaching vocabulary to extend our students’ use of words both orally and in the written form, as well as a routine and explicit spelling program to build their word knowledge.
In reading, we also establish our students in the Reader’s Workshop and build their capability in the use of their Reader’s Notebooks. We want our students to be great readers but also great thinkers so reflecting on themselves as a reader or writer and talking about their reading is key to developing their comprehension.
Within our numeracy program, students are involved in two number, two applied and a problem-solving lesson each week. We cover many topics throughout the year, giving students multiple exposures and hands on experiences across the content.
This year we have planned our timetable with time for history, science, handwriting, art, PE, German and electives, giving our students a broad education.
Throughout the year we have some exciting activities, including an excursion to the Healesville Sanctuary or zoo, Grade 1 dinner at school and Grade 2 sleepover.
This year our teachers are Miss MacDonald, Amy, Mrs Toogood, Rachael and Ms Young. Together we make an outstanding team to further the education of our grade 1/2 students.
GRADE 3/4
Welcome to Grade 3/4!
These are exciting years within our school as our students get their first look in the senior school. Students are challenged and supported through their learning to ensure they are achieving success and becoming capable, confident and independent leaners.
Similar to the preps and Grade 1/2's we spend the first part of term 1 establishing the reading and writing workshops. As the grade 3/4's have been exposed to the workshop model we love that we are able to get straight into working with strong books and creating their own texts. One of our favourite parts of teaching this year level is the new texts we are able to expose students to which bring out those worldly themes that students will need as they move into grade 5/6 and high school. In reading students are also encouraged to use their Reader’s Notebook to develop their comprehension of the texts they are reading. They are also included in book clubs where they are able to have discussions with their peers about the book they are reading. In addition to this all students are given individual reading goals that are targeted to their needs.
In writing, we spend a lot of time exposing students to a variety of different genres whilst also focusing on the 6 plus 1 traits of writing. Students always love our narrative unit where they are able to explore different ideas and create fictional texts using authors as inspiration. In 3/4 students are encouraged to explore more worldly topics when writing persuasive pieces and their speeches. We ensure that all students have their own targeted writing goal for each unit and they are conferenced with regularly to ensure they are achieving their goals. Our aim is that our 3/4s become confident, creative and independent writers.
In 3/4 we ensure that we have five maths lessons a week, two number, two applied and a problem solving lesson. Our number lessons focus on teaching students about place value, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. In our applied lessons we incorporate a number of units such as, measurement, time and geometry are covered. The 3/4’s always love their problem solving lessons where they need to use a variety of maths skills to solve more complex problems. Students also participate in BlitzMaster three times a week, this focuses on their quick addition, subtraction, multiplication and division skills.
Throughout the year the 3/4s have some exciting activities such as school camp, 3/4 sport and many other sporting activities.
This year our teachers in 3/4 are Mrs Syme, Mrs Bolton, Miss Vaughan and Ben
GRADE 5/6
In grade 5/6 at Woori Yallock Primary School, we assist our students to be leaving us worldly, literate and numerate, ready to face the challenges of year 7 and beyond. We encourage our students to have a growth mindset, to choose to be risk takers and to set goals for themselves. It is important for us to encourage and teach our students to always look for the next point of improvement in their learning and to support them to set and reach their own learning and personal goals. Sportsmanship and teamwork has a big focus where we work on building students’ communication, compromising, problem solving and negotiating skills.
Our teaching and learning schedule is jam packed, each day we have one hour of reading, writing and maths. Within these subjects students are support and challenged at point of need. We also have other important units including, History, Word Study, Resilience Project, Respectful Relationships and Blitzmaster.
Our reading workshop has a weekly focus on reading strategies to enhance students’ comprehension skills. We build the capability of our students in reading through the use of a Reader’s Notebook. Students also participate in guided and independent reading as well as being involved in a book club. Book clubs are great as they deepen our students’ appreciation and understanding of a common text, as well as extending their thinking as they process and interpret the perspectives and opinions of their peers.
Our writing workshop supports our students as writers through explicitly taught strategies within the 6 plus 1 traits of writing as well as through the use of the Writer’s Notebook. Our students are independent writers who are able to choose a topic within a specific genre and write creatively.
Our numeracy program has our students participating in two number, two applied and one problem-solving lesson each week. Throughout these units we cover many topics providing the students with multiple exposures and hands on experiences. As we have four grades of 5/6 classes, we use this as an opportunity in numeracy to mix across these grades, ensuring that our students have learning that is targeted to their needs and abilities.
Each year we are lucky to attend camp in term 1. This offers us a great chance to get to know one another and build friendships as we enter a new year in a new class. Camp alternates between Wilsons Promontory and City Experience. During these camps, students par take in lots of different team building activities, as well as building on their social and independence skills.
Each week in grade 5/6 we run level sport, which involves tournaments of a wide variety of sports including basketball, dodgeball, kickball and more.
We also run a program which covers all aspects of growing up including friendships, self-esteem, cyber safety, sex education just to name a few.
This year our teachers in grade 5/6 are Miss White, Miss Shanks, Jess, Mrs Barnard and Ms Marnock.
WHOLE SCHOOL
Collingwood Football Club visit
Posted February 12th 2020
As a staff we have discussed how important it is for our students to see adults as readers and role models. Along those lines we asked the Collingwood Football Club to send some players for them to read to our 5/6 students and talk about themselves as readers.
Callum Brown, Will Hoskin-Elliot and Chris Maine came out to the school on Tuesday and did just that. They were really entertaining with each player talking about themselves as lifelong learners. When Callum Brown read to the students he told them that he hadn’t read out aloud to anyone for a long time. The players were very impressed with our school and our wonderful children.
Preps Schultüte
Posted 12 February 2020
Our wonderful German teacher Sandy spent many hours putting together a schultute for each one of our prep students. The most important part of every German child's first day of school is the "Schultüte," or school cone. In Germany they are filled with sweets, our cones were filled with more healthy things of course but the kids loved getting them.
Kindness week
Posted 24 February 2020
During the next week, we are going to promote Woori Kindness Week. What a great way to kick off the start to the year with raising awareness about acts of kindness and catching others doing an act of kindness. A small act of kindness can transform your day and lift your spirits. Winston Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” Little did Churchill know that there is actually scientific evidence to prove that by giving we do in fact increase the quality of our life. Giving to others gives the human race back the one commodity that we are in constant pursuit of – HAPPINESS!
Here are a few facts about kindness that you may not be aware of:
People who give contributions of time or money are “42 percent more likely to be happy” than those who don’t give (- Harvard “Social Capital Community Benchmark Survey”).
Studies have shown that spending on others feels better than spending on yourself. At Breakie Club on Tuesday a boy in grade 2 shared how he spent half of his birthday money on his brother because he wanted him to have something as well. How adorable!
Giving has also been linked to the release of oxytocin, a hormone that induces feelings of warmth, euphoria, and connection to others. A dose of oxytocin causes people to give more generously, feel more empathy towards others and the best part is that the so called “symptoms” last up to two hours!
Giving donations to charity has been proven to lead to activation in the ventral striatum, a brain region that’s commonly referred to as the reward centre.
When a person gives, they catch a glimpse of just how amazing they are, the potential they have and they suddenly become filled with a sense of purpose.
Engaging in acts of kindness produces endorphins, the brain’s natural painkiller.
Kindness stimulated the production of serotonin. Serotonin heals your wounds, calms you down and makes you happy.
Compassionate people have 23% less cortisol, the deadly stress hormone. We can all agree that life throw.
Technology Literacy
Posted July 5th 2017
Many of our younger children are using technology at home and I would like to encourage parents to be aware of using the privacy settings especially when using social networking sites. There was also a note that went home about 'Fortnite' a game that some of our students are playing, we encourage you to look carefully at this game and find out all the facts about this game.
The Internet is a wonderful place for children to learn and have fun, but there are also dangers, and it is important that children are safe while online. Here at Woori Yallock Primary School we are committed to on-going education about safe and responsible online behaviours and this is best imparted in partnership with parents and guardians. It’s vital that children learn to be safe and responsible for the use of digital technologies including computers, net books, IPAD’s, phones, cameras etc. We would like to encourage parents to work with us and reassure this behaviour at home.
When children use the school's internet connection there are several safeguards in place to ensure that inappropriate material is not allowed through, so that the children can enjoy using the internet safely.
If your child has access to the internet at home, we strongly advise you to take a look at the link to the ACMA website, www.cybersmart.gov.au which offers advice, information and resources to help you find out more about how to keep your child safe online. The ACMA has a number of education resources for use in schools and at home.
Parent Education Websites
There are many websites offering tips to help parents manage everyday needs and home concerns. The DET website offers parenting information on children’s development.
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/childhood/parents/mch/Pages/families.aspx