Welcome back everyone!

Mathematics Update 

Teachers commenced the school term re-writing our Scope and Sequence for Mathematics.  This is a very big task.  The Scope and Sequence is basically a summary of what will be taught in a curriculum area across the year, in sequence.  We have used research-based evidence to create a clustered model.  This requires a significant shift in pedagogy for teachers.  Let me give you an example.  In Year 4 this week, we are Representing Number – this requires us to look across multiple strands to understand this big idea.  We are looking at how we represent number through Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication and Division and Fractions, not just in Whole Number.  What does this mean?  It means that concepts are connected and are explored across the school year much more frequently.  We are delving more deeply and looking for real world connections.  Partitioning numbers is a big thing that we have always done, some children see the connections, others not so much.  If we can make real world connections, the children will recognise why it is essential that they understand it. So, in Year 4 we are having a garage sale (pretend obviously!).  Children are going to have to go to the Bank Teller to request a float ( not just $100 note – this would be useless to them) and also a piggy bank (denominations that will be useful for them to take to purchase from other garage sale stall holders).  Hopefully I am explaining this well enough, and it is becoming obvious why we are doing this.  In the real world we use Mathematics every single day and in order to be numerate we rely on a whole body of knowledge, nothing works in isolation.

We launched our first Crunch and Sip Mathematics in the 30 minutes before the P&F this month.  We discussed the importance of teaching our children how to operate with money.  I suggested that you think about what activities will involve a cost in the June holidays.  Divide the cost over the remaining weeks of the term and give this to your children in pocket money.  Whether they have to earn it or not is very obviously a family decision.  However, in the holidays the children have to pay for everything that they do – entrance fees, food and drink.  I recently did this when taking my daughter-in-law, and grandchildren ( 5 and 8 years) out for the day.  As they were in control of their funds they made interesting decisions, sacrificing things that they would normally have asked for, in order to allow them to do something else.  Food for thought!  Next P & F we will refine our process and there will be an Infants Crunch and Sip with Mrs Albury in the Kindergarten classroom and a Primary Crunch and Sip with myself in the Year 4 room.

Robotics Update

I am looking to recommence our after school Robotics’ club for Years 2 – 6 on Tuesday afternoons from 3-4:30pm.  If you need to collect your child earlier to get to afternoon sport or activities that is fine, you will need to simply collect them from the Owl Room.  I am sure we can liaise with St Nicholas for the children to go to OOSH if this is something you need following Robotics.  I am looking to run 16 sessions @ a cost of $70 per child.  These funds go directly to the purchase of new equipment and resources for our little club.  An expression of interest will be sent out on Friday.  Should you have any queries please don’t hesitate to contact me.  Kim.hogan@mn.catholic.edu.au

God Bless

Kim