FROM THE JUNIOR SCHOOL
LIVE@Elphin
This week’s LIVE@Elphin for Prep to Year 2, led by Prep Beaumont, and for Year 3-5 led by Year 4 Danswan, have been highlights of the week. In both cases, the excitement, enthusiasm and nervous energy exuded by the students as they shared their recent learning with an audience of peers and their parents was very special.
The breadth of rich learning experiences shared covered many areas of the curriculum, as well as co-curricular activities, and the pride exhibited by the students in their achievements was most apparent. So, too, was the development of their collaborative skills as they worked as a class team to present in front of an audience.
Along with the public speaking skills involved, a very important element of preparing to lead LIVE@Elphin for all students is the Executive Function capabilities being developed during the process – organising, self-regulating and thinking metacognitively. The last of these is a vital aspect of helping young learners to help themselves to become better lifelong learners.
I am reminded of the research of internationally acclaimed cognitive scientist Guy Claxton who notes that ‘the evidence is: helping students learn more or learn better does not necessarily help them become better learners. But, if you help students become better learners their achievement rises… and they take away from school greater confidence, competence and curiosity to face the uncertainties that life will surely throw at them.’ (Building Learning Power, Guy Claxton).
Next week’s LIVE@Elphins will be led by Prep Schulz (Wednesday) and Year 4 Buck (Thursday) and families of students in these classes have been sent an invitation to join us for these. On both mornings the coffee cart in Laneway will be open from 8.00am to 8.45am for all Junior School parents.
Class pages online
All Junior School families are reminded that the ‘Class Pages’ on The Dash are an important source of school-home communication with information about current year level and individual class news, activities and coming events.
NIJSSA Cross Country
A team of 48 runners from Years 3-6 will represent the College at the Northern Junior Schools Carnival at Windsor Park on Wednesday 8 June from 10.30am to 2.30pm. Spectators are most welcome at this event.
Lachie Wright
Head of Junior School