Book Week 2021!

 Hello to all the parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and friends of the amazing students from Room 22!

Last week, we celebrated Book Week - that wonderful time where we all celebrate everything 'bookish'. Reading is not only an essential skill needed to successfully navigate your way through life's waters, it is a pleasure. Who hasn't lost themselves in the forests of Narnia, or yearned for your very own wishing chair, or battled foul Orcs on the plains of Mordor? 

For me, reading was always (and still is) a joy, and I know that most of the students in Rm 22 feel the same way. Returning to a favourite book is like visiting an old friend. I still have my first copy of 'The Lord of the Rings', which has been just about read to tatters. 

Our annual Book Week parade was held on Friday the 20th of August and I was very pleased with the fact that ALL our Rm 22 students came dressed as a favourite character. We had wizards and witches, wimpy kids, baby sitters, Alice, Skullduggery Pleasant and many more. Check out our wonderful photos below!

See you later 2020, Great to see you, 2021!

Hi everyone!

So here we are, at the start of a brand new year. 2020 was an...interesting year, to say the least! There were many trials and tribulations, ups and downs and challenges to overcome, but we made it through those turbulent times and have come out the other side relatively unscathed!

Now it's time to get back to work.

The MAC students have been working hard and have settled back quickly into the rhythm and routines of the classroom. We have been reestablishing expectations, standards and introducing our new students into the wonderful world of MAC.

Additionally, we are lucky to also have Ms Eilish O'Hart, who has joined our class. She is in her final year of study and conducting a teaching practicum in Rm 22 until the end of Term One. She has already made a big impact on the class and been a great help. 

Although we have only been back for a week, I have been very pleased with the students' work ethic and strong desire to learn. I am especially pleased with our new students, who have fitted in like a hand into a glove. It is going to be a good year!

Attached are some pics of our students working collaboratively on a mental maths activity. 

Please come back regularly to see what's happening in Rm 22!

Last Week of Term One!

Hi Rm 22 Students and Parents!

Well here we are at the end of a very different and tumultuous term. I can honestly say that I have never encountered a school term quite like this one!

I have been busy working out the learning program for Term Two. It will be a lot more streamlined and follow a more regular, timetabled path. For the moment, I have now made available the Week 10 plan. Click on the link below to access the package. A suggestion for students is NOT to try and do all the English on one day, and all of the Mathematics on the next; far better to think of it like a regular school day - do a set amount of English, a set amount of Maths, etc. 

Please try to avoid getting stuck into your PRIME book - I have organised a weekly plan of pages to tackle in Term Two. This will be uploaded before the start of second term.

Remember - start reading 'The Secret Garden'!

Have a great final week of Term One! Remember to be physically active and creative every day. Don't annoy your siblings and help around the home. 

Take care,

Mr S

Hello to all Rm 22 Students!

Hi everyone!

I am definitely missing every last one of you. It has been a strange couple of weeks, with less and less students at school. I know it must feel strange to you as well, but don't worry - this will all pass and life will eventually get back to normal. We all need to stay positive and count our blessings, for there are many. This will most certainly be a good story to tell your grandchildren one day!

I know most of you are diligently doing the activities listed on the blog. Well done! As a school, we are currently working out ways to more efficiently deliver content to you, and ways for you to get work back to us for assessment. Our ANZAC poems are technically due today (Friday 3rd) but I understand that getting that poem to me is not so easy! Information concerning this problem (of students submitting work) , along with preparations for the start of Term Two will be forthcoming next week. Hang tight and all will be revealed!

The plan for Week 10 will be posted shortly - check back over the weekend. 

In the meanwhile, I will start putting up answer keys for the Week 9 mathematics work, so you can see how well you did. 

If you haven't already seen this on the Week 9 plan, you need to start reading 'The Secret Garden' by Frances Hodgson Burnett. It is available on the Project Gutenberg website. I have made a Bloom's project based on this book, which will be a major reading activity in Term Two. 

Remember to include physical and creative activity in each day. Be tolerant of younger (or older) siblings and be helpful to Mum and Dad. Remember - they need looking after as well as you lot!

Stay safe, stay positive and looking forward to seeing you again...hopefully soon!

Mr S

WORK PACKAGES

 Term 1, Week 9

The following Work Package has been created to assist children at home with their learning.

Rm 22 Home Learning Week 9 Plan

Harmony Day 2020!

Well, today our school celebrated Harmony Day...albeit one with greatly reduced student numbers!

Ms Randall and Mrs Agar did an amazing job of decorating the undercover area with pennants and cut out paper people made by the very crafty students of WGPS. The display was very striking and blew us all away. Be sure to thank them the next time you see them.

Despite only having a handful of students in the class, they still dressed up to celebrate the occasion. Check out their cool costumes below!

I trust this post finds everyone healthy and productively engaged throughout the long days. Students - you need to make an extra effort to be helpful and considerate around the home!

Take care and be safe. I'm missing you all terribly!

Mr S

Trying Times!

Hello to all our Rm 22 families - I hope you are all healthy and (relatively) happy!

Things are, indeed, very topsy turvey at the moment and our nation is facing challenging times. Things will pass of, course, but the road ahead may be rather bumpy.

For our students, it is very important that we support them through this time and keep them busy, optimistic and mentally/physically healthy.

There are many students who are currently being kept at home to help stop the spread of the Coronavirus. I completely understand this decision and, along with the rest of the WGPS staff, am busy coming up with some home learning packages for the students to access. This work is not just 'busy work', but includes concepts that we are covering in class. These guides will be up on this blog by the end of this week. I have already posted (under the homework tab) a list of very good online educational sites that the children can use to help them maintain their learning throughout this period.

Something I strongly recommend to parents who are keeping their children at home is to try and establish a daily routine. The prospect of free time sounds wonderful to young children...for about half a day, whereupon they become bored and vexatious! My suggestion is that each day should be timetabled so that the children engage in set activities for a predetermined length of time, and that the day be composed of a mixture of:

• Online learning or parent guided lessons
• Physical activity
• Creative activities -arts, craft, cooking, music, engineering challenges
• Reading
• Helping around the home
• Games and 'free' time

This will help the day go faster, will be beneficial to their (and your!) mental and physical health, and even if they will not admit it - children like routines! It might also be a great opportunity for you to teach your children how to cook, sew, make a birdhouse, etc. Do not try and make your child sit down and do schoolwork from 8.45 to 3.05....the quality of their work will be poor, they will not learn very much and you will drive yourself crazy trying to keep them on task! Short periods, interspersed with other activities will prove to be far more productive. 

I will be updating this blog every day with new information and content, so remember to check back regularly. 

Trying times indeed...but this is a time where we can all show our inner strength and character. Coping with adversity is a part of life and how we all deal with it will be watched and absorbed by our young ones. 

Please all stay healthy and look out for one another. And students....WASH YOUR HANDS!

Mr S