Saturday 30 January 2016
Friday 29 January 2016
Thoughts from the Chatsworth Primary Hallway
If I asked how many of you enjoyed and loved mathematics at school, I wonder how many people would raise their hands? My experience of mathematics as a student was far from positive, and I developed a dislike to mathematics as a subject. My primary school (and I dare later in secondary education) learning about mathematics was about numbers, equations, computations and algorithms and not about understanding. Thankfully we have moved these days to develop in students a love for mathematics through building an understanding of the mathematical concepts while teaching about numbers, equations, computations and algorithms. Walking around the classes this week, I have enjoyed watching our students engage in understanding and applying mathematics concepts in a non-threatening environment. Teachers set up learning engagements that involve unpacking what numbers mean and how they work together, for example in a Year 3 class. The students were asked to explain what 5 x 4 means. The answers were varied because the students used a variety of materials to show their understanding. In this way, the teacher can clearly see who understands the meaning of multiplication and plan for her next lesson. It is exciting to know that our students enjoy and look forward to mathematics! If you would like to know more about how mathematics is taught at Chatsworth, please come to our Parent Cafè on 24th February in the Main Hall (see flyer below).
Other examples of mathematics in the primary school...
Mario Gauci
Head of Primary
Week 25 of the Weekly Primary Correspondance
Primary
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CCA / ECA
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Primary
Parent Event |
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IMF
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INTERNATIONAL MINDEDNESS FESTIVAL
24th to 28th March 2016
This year, we are excited to launch our first International Mindedness Festival. This event will be a blend of some of the community's favourite activities alongside some brand new, whole school learning opportunities.
We have a motivated team of IB DP students leading the event and guiding the rest of the students. This year's theme will be 'Saving My Tomorrow' and the students will choose one of ten concepts to learn about to help make a better future for all of us. Students throughout the school will be working together and participating in Service Learning trips.
During this week, you can also look forward to the annual School Fair, the Parade of Nations and the Food Festival.
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Hazwani Hassim (Wani)
Perspectives from the PYP Coordinator
29 January
The Primary Years Programme (PYP) exhibition represents a significant event in the life of a PYP school and student, synthesizing the essential elements of the PYP and sharing them with the whole school community. As a culminating experience it is an opportunity for students to exhibit the attributes of the International Baccalaureate (IB) learner profile that have been developing throughout their engagement with the PYP. In the students’ final year of the PYP, there are five units of inquiry and the exhibition*. The exhibition unit takes place under any transdisciplinary theme (Sharing the planet for Chatsworth this year) at the discretion of the school. Students are required to engage in a collaborative, transdisciplinary inquiry process that involves them in identifying, investigating and offering solutions to real-life issues or problems. The central idea (Rights to resources causes conflict) selected must be of sufficient scope and significance to warrant a detailed investigation by all students. *Only IB World Schools offering the PYP are required to participate in the exhibition although candidate schools may choose to do so. (IBO Exhibition Guidelines 2008)
The Year 6 team met with parents this week to discuss the exciting times ahead for our Year 6 students in exhibition. The opening night will be on 19 April at 6pm and our entire Chatsworth Community is invited. Hope to see everyone there.
In other curriculum developments, the K and Year 5 classes will be hosting an end of unit celebrations. The Year 5 students will be in the main hall on 22 February from 10:30 - 12:30 discussing how the central idea: Biodiversity relies on maintaining the interdependent balance of organisms within systems. Students are working in cross class teams of three. They are synthesizing the information on the seven main forms of environmental degradation to produce an exhibit. They will present their thinking by selecting three case studies that illustrate their chosen issue.
During the Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences on 15 and 16 March, the Kindergarten classes will be highlighting their unit study of the central idea: Creating art works involves exploring materials and tools. Stop by the Kindergarten Hallway to view their artwork and see their reflections.
Kim Riemer
PYP Coordinator
Assistant Head of Primary
Wednesday 27 January 2016
Monday 25 January 2016
Friday 22 January 2016
Thoughts from the Chatsworth Primary Hallway
The aim of all IB programmes is to develop internationally minded people who, recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet, help to create a better and more peaceful world. IBO 2013
At Chatsworth, we try to live out the IB learner profile as we espouse the importance of the attributes in the classroom. We believe that by focusing on the IB learner profile and supporting our students to be caring, responsible, inquirers, thinks, communicators, principled, open-minded, risk-takers, balanced and reflective they will truly be internationally mind, accepting that others with their differences can also be right.
Here a number of examples of the IB learner profile in action in the primary school:
During the "Action Jackson" painting in K1 they created a messy floor. They could have left it for our cleaners to clean, however, they decided to use this to reinforce the concept of being principled and doing the right thing. Mr. Gopal, our maintenance head appreciated K1's consideration for the cleaners.
The Year 1 children in Ms Gupta's class decided to make signs to "care for the plants" when they realised that the plants were being destroyed or even pulled out!
Miss Williams' K2 class were illustrating aspects of the learner profile in class this week as a way to reinforce the students' understanding of the attributes. They gave many examples...
Mario Gauci
Head of Primary
Week 24 of the Weekly Primary Correspondance
Primary
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CCA / ECA
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Primary
Parent Event |
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Hazwani Hassim (Wani)
Primary Administrative Assistant
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