Setting the Scene

St Patrick's, as a whole school, have been involved in Everyday Theatre and School Drama for the past two years, Te Rito Toi after both lockdowns in 2020 and this year, we are fortunate enough to be a part of a pilot with Mitey through the Sir John Kirwan foundation. We became involved in School Drama in an effort to improve not only student relationships but also raise our literacy achievement following studies through the University of Sydney in conjunction with the Sydney Theatre Company where over a 7week period they noted a significant increase in student literacy.  Te Rito Toi was a natural follow on for us returning to school after both lockdowns. Developed by Peter O’Connor, the site was built in an effort to help teachers work with children when they first return to school following major traumatic or life changing events. Fitting for post lockdown children where building relationships was the key to becoming learning ready.   And Mitey, which is part of the S...

Great transition today from writing an Explanation on the importance of washing hands to the Life Cycle of Pin Worms. Just another example of those unplanned, wonderfully rich teaching moments...those moments that transfix the audience causing discussion and those 'Oh No, YUK' announcements! Loving Intermediates!

What can you do with a bag of straws you find in class? ... Add some play dough and a few polystyrene balls... step back and watch. Instant team work, collaboration, design and creation. We went from a single, individually built spiral, to combining to make giant spirals. Dinosaurs were developed and finally bridge building. Great way to develop language before starting our writing session!                                                        

I always find it interesting accomodating those learners who need a different approach. Sometimes the clarity of the situation doesn't hit us... we need to listen carefully to our learners. Example: I've been trying to find a way to support one of my boys who has found this year challenging. He engaged fully with completing personalised reading activities on his iPad. I suggested he typed his responses as writing was becoming tedious given the limited space and visual difficulties. This was working to a point but transference of words from either his book or a previous activity page onto the screen was still tedious and distracting. At this point I could see mental fatigue setting in. He asked me if it would be ok to write the text onto the whiteboard table, photograph it, crop it down and embed it onto his page. Perfect solution. He was still attending to reading, writing, transference of text BUT doing it in a way that suited his learning style.

Term 2 and Room 19 is now full! How's this for a ratio...15 Girls and 4 Boys!! Never been this girl heavy at PES in my whole teaching career---seems to have created a very different classroom vibe!!

The end of Term 1 and we are at 16... only 2 to go and our door will shut with another opening for our next lot of newbies!! We are a wee bit girl heavy... poor boys...13-3 at the moment!

From 4 now to 6. What a huge difference with learning when there is so much time to spend on so few!! Smaller classes please...whoever may be listening!