Students from Early Learning 3 – Year 6 have settled into a new term with plenty of confidence and have quickly established a new routine for the start of Term 2. At this week’s Foundation – Year 6 Assembly, we spoke about setting new goals for the term and to remember to follow our CGGS School Values of Respect, Integrity, Commitment, Hope and Courage in all aspects of their learning, including co-curricular activities.
Over the Easter school holidays, Audrey Cheung in Year 4 was busy participating in the 2023 Little League Baseball Development State Championships at Knox on the 21 – 23 April. Audrey was selected for the inaugural Victorian 2023 All-Girls Development Team (“the Belles”) and throughout the tournament, played against some of the best baseball teams in Victoria. Audrey’s All-Girls team competed successfully and have been invited to play at the 2023 National Division II Little League Championships at Blacktown, New South Wales in June.
This year Audrey is playing for the North Balwyn Stingers Baseball Under 13 Team and she competes with boys within this age group. The baseball season starts this weekend, and we wish Audrey all the best for the year.
I would like to wish all our Ormiston families a restful weekend.
Paul Donohue
Head of Junior School
Whether it is in early, primary, or secondary years – visual and performing arts play a significant role in how students construct concepts and consolidate understanding as a way of structuring and organising learning through a creative lens. At first glance, the arts do not present a traditional way of learning numeracy, language, and STEM but look past its open-endedness encourages Sir Ken Robinson, as it introduces students to the dynamic process of learning where the focus is placed on making new connections, crossing disciplines, using metaphors and analogies…and ‘letting your imagination run free’ (Robinson, 2016). This creative freedom, supports students to experiment, explore and play with materials and ideas within a comfortable environment, where they have the autonomy to make critical judgements and embark on journeys that may end up far removed from the starting point.
It is through the knowledge of materials that allow students to think dynamically and creatively to consider the possibilities of different ways learning can be viewed – tangibly and kinaesthetically that challenge skills and understanding outside from traditional ways of learning and captures the many types of intelligences a student may possess, including logical-mathematical, linguistics, spatial, musical, bodily-kinaesthetic, intrapersonal, interpersonal, and naturalistic.
Robinson, K. (2016). Creative schools : the grassroots revolution that’s transforming education / Ken Robinson and Lou Aronica. Penguin Books.
Esther Wong & the Early Learning Team
Early Learning Coordinator
The Year 1 students investigated the past as part of their Term 1 Inquiry unit and developed their knowledge of how stories, objects and events from the past can help people to have a greater understanding of life in the present day. The students immersed themselves in a special ‘olden days’ experience, where the classroom was transformed and wound back to over 100 years ago. ‘Mrs. Sargood’ from the National Trust, spent time with the students and shared stories of how the Sargood family built Ripponlea and lived in Melbourne in the 1860s. The students looked the part, as they dressed up as children from the past and participated in lessons using a dip pen and ink, listened to stories of what life was like in the 1800s and learnt about rules and expectations, as well as the consequences given to children who were defiant at school! All the students agreed that teachers are more friendly today and they prefer learning in the present day!
The following students shared some of their thoughts on the experience:
Chelsea – Mrs. Sargood was wonderful because she knew so many things about the past.
Evelyn P. – She told us that the boys got the cane harder than the girls.
Madison – Mrs Sargood showed the small desk and it had ink and pens and paper to write.
Isabella – Mrs Sargood let us use ink and we wrote on the paper.
Hailey – She was very loud and a little strict. I like teachers today.
Charlene – She was interesting because she showed us how they wrote in the olden days.
Audrey – She showed us what olden days schoolwork was like.
Eugenie – She showed us how to use the pen.
Angela Columbine
Year 1 Classroom Teacher
During the last week of Term 1, the Year 6 students presented their Inquiry learning to their families, as well as to students from Years 4 and 5. Some Inquiry questions students chose to explore were:
“Can we power a tv by pedalling a bike?”
“Can you heat a pool by using wave energy?”
“Can a desk lamp be powered with solar power?”
“Can you power a microwave using biomass energy?”
“Can an alarm clock work by using hydro power?”
In planning the design for their sustainable invention, students had to carefully consider materials that would meet their needs, as well as apply their energy transfer understanding to their model. Throughout this project, students learnt that creating a model is not a straightforward process, and many adaptations need to be made along the way.
We are very proud of the students’ learning, their flexibility, creative thinking, and presentation skills. Thank you to all who visited, asked questions, and gave feedback. We hope you learnt something new about some of the more sustainable energy sources available, and that you felt encouraged to make more sustainable energy choices in your own lives.
Rebecca Leondidis & Jasvindar Gill
Year 6 Classroom Teachers
