Stretching Ourselves

"This is too hard!" " I can't do that!" " Woah, I'm falling over!" All direct quotes from students doing Yoga (stretching and breathing exercises) for the first time several weeks ago. For some, it was new and different. It was outside their comfort zone, outside of what they normally did with their bodies. Their muscles were letting them know their surprise at being stretched in this way, balanced that way and centred this way. All of this bizarre new lesson playing out in front of their peers, non-judgemental of course, but an audience none the less.

So why participate in this morning fitness session, you might ask? It's a time the students can quietly and calmly focus on just them! Every pose, stretch, breath and thought is for them, they are focused truly on their mind and bodies. In this fast paced, hyper stimulated society, it is so important our children learn to press the pause button in a productive way.

A 90 degree angle in action

Dancing Warrior

The students have come so far in just three weeks. They are more focussed throughout the session, increasingly self aware as opposed to peer aware. The boys are becoming stronger in their core and improving balance on both left and right sides of their body. The girls are increasing in flexibility, see that 90 degree angle, and are eagerly awaiting the next progression.

Child's Pose

It's a lovely, cohesive start to our day and helps us with our emotional regulation. I think that's what they were trying to achieve in this Angry Birds clip...



Until next time it's paper, scissors...

Leading the Leaders

At our school, we have an expectation that all Year 6 students are leaders. They wear a polo shirt with a white stripe that distinguishes them from the other students. They are the role models in our school and teachers and students can rely upon them to be the example of leadership. So who leads the leaders when the leaders need leading! 

We recently held our annual nomination, speech and voting process to determine who would hold the positions of Student Councillor and Faction Captains for 2017. The caliber of students on the ballot paper was high and it certainly made for a great deal of deliberation from their peers and teachers in voting for the leadership roles. The speeches were well thought out, succinct and delivered with confidence. The audience appreciated the fact that delivering a speech to 10 adults, including the Principal, and over 180 students would take some courage. Let me share with you some excerpts:

"It's not just handing our leaflets and putting up flags, it's about being a responsible, respectful role model who has the willpower to own the position"

"A day without laughter is a day wasted, vote for me and your day won't be wasted!"

"You don't need to be the fastest, fittest or strongest, you just need to show leadership well."

It was no surprise to me that these students presented themselves this way. Most have been a student at Tapping PS for 8 years of solid behaviour education and self management development. Congratulations to those that now have the honour and privilege of being in a leadership role and we look forward to positive experiences with you this year. Until next time it's paper, scissors...

It's About Time

As we settle into a new year of schooling, we have had numerous discussions about class expectations. Learning time versus social time, having your tools for learning ready and having an open mind and a willingness to explore new things. 

Students can often take their time transitioning between lessons, essentially moving from one learning activity to another. No rush, take your time-  you say? Think again! 

We had fun in Maths today exploring how the time adds up...

5 minutes per transition x 5 times per day = 25 minutes a day

25 minutes a day x 5 days = 125 minutes a week (which the students told me is 2 hrs and 5 minutes)

2hrs and 5 minutes a week x 40 school weeks = 83 hrs and 20 minutes

The students did rapid fire maths telling me the answers each step of the way. We realised that taking 5 minutes to switch activities will mean 3 and a half days lost, forever! 

As we become focussed and organised we become more productive learners. Time management is not just a skill for LA 8, for high school- it's a skill for life.

Until next time it's paper, scissors....

It's All New to Me!

Wow! It's here, the beginning of the year for a brand new LA8 and a new set of leaders for Tapping Primary School in Year 6. I wonder so many things... I wonder if they will make the most of every day? I wonder what secret talents and skills they may possess? I wonder if they will be as excited as I am about camp? Most importantly, I wonder if they'll laugh at all my jokes, I've been working hard on some new material! 

This is my fifth year teaching at Tapping PS and my fifth year teaching Year 6. I feel privileged to guide and develop the leaders of our school. It's a journey, it doesn't happen overnight. It takes slip ups, mistakes and challenges to create well-rounded, resilient adolescents who are ready for the journey into high school and beyond. 

This week we will get to know each other and establish some shared expectations for our class. We will do Yoga together for the first time and discuss leadership positions for the Year 6's. Watch this space as we get to know the 2017 LA8. Til next time it's paper, scissors... 

Coiled Up For Christmas

The finished products are arriving at home to take centre stage at the family table this Christmas! The project took patience from start to finish- the coils, the firing, the painting, the glazing. All so worth it as you can see from the photos. Do you have a favourite? 

There is so much coming up for our Year 6s- this week we are excited to see the band performance, comprised of STEM instruments from the last two weeks. The documentaries are being refined and polished ready for our film festival viewing on Thursday! There'll be dancing, singing, acting and plenty of Christmas Spirit on Friday for the Senior Christmas Concert, it always leaves me with a big smile and a big warm fuzzy! So until the next post it's paper, scissors....

When the students take over...

Our first student guest post!

The next generation of Paul McCartney’s are here because over the next few exciting weeks in STEM the students of LA8 are going to become astounding musicians!!! We are going to be making instruments to play a song of our choice in our extraordinary bands! Since music is such a big part of our lives we thought it would be interesting to learn how it is all made and played! From ‘Never Gonna Let You Down’ to ‘Hello’ it is all music and this project is encouraging student’s creativity no matter what genre they choose. All students have the chance to shine!!!

Talk about pretzels!! From now on every Friday LA8 will be twisting into pretzels for yoga! We have been kindly invited by Ms Z for yoga every week until the end of the term! What a treat! It is so refreshing to see the persistence in LA8! Moans and groans sometimes, but we are definitely making progress and that is what I like to see! But, it is interesting to see how beneficial it is for the students that do dance and other sports similar to dance when it comes to yoga. I don’t think yoga is one of our particularly strong points, but if we work on it we definitely can make it one! You never know!!

The heat is on!! The temperature is rising, but will it affect us? I don’t think so. We are a persistent and resilient class and NOTHING should bring us down! You can certainly see the change in classmate’s attitude, but with a lot of water, air conditioner and persistence our classroom can still be the safe, happy environment that we have been working towards all year! I am confident we can do this, so BRING IT ON HEAT!!!

Well, until next time Paper, Scissors…….  

Big Band Theory

In only two days we are commencing construction on our band instruments. Using only recycled products and some household items, the students will be challenged to make an instrument for a band. The fun will really occur when the students have to perform a song as an ensemble, watch this space for the clips! So given these materials, which instrument would you build? 

STEM supplies

Today we got into the Christmas spirit and made coil Christmas trees. Don't let the finished product fool you- this was not easy. Each coil had to be made uniform and attached by scoring and slipping. It took patience and perseverance to get the finished sculpture, but we aren't finished yet! Once dried and fired they will be painted and glazed then fired again. It will all be worth it when they are the admired centrepiece at the family Christmas table!

Score and slip

Coiling

This week we will have our very first guest blog, written by an LA8 class member, so until then paper, scissors...