Friday 25 November 2016

Perspectives from the PYP Coordinator

At Chatsworth we are focused on finding out how best our students learn. We have students from a wide range of educational backgrounds and experiences so pre-assessments and formative assessments are crucial in us learning about our students. Today in the Parent Cafe, Michael Lucchesi, Year Six Teacher and Inquiry Coach, led a discussion about these assessment practices in Primary. Parents then visited classes. If you wish to catch a better glimpse into our teaching practices, check out the photos and slideshow below. Next semester, we will continue with the same format for the cafes to support a better understanding of The Primary Years Programme: continue to view the classrooms and then allow for the opportunity to ask questions. If you have not had a chance to attend yet, check out the schedule here and make sure you put one on your calendar for next semester.  They are wonderful ways to have a special look into your child's day.

Assessment Parent Cafe Slideshow

Kim Riemer
PYP Coordinator








Week 15 of the Primary Weekly Correspondence

Week 15
Primary
  • Lost and Found
    Lost and found will be cleared on the last Friday of this month. Kindly check for lost items before this day.

  • Christmas Bazaar
    Date: 2 December 2016
    Time: 1.25pm - 4.30pm
    *Class shared lunch party from 12:30pm to 1:25pm

    More details here.
  • 2016 Holiday Candy Grams Fundraiser (6 & 7 Dec 2016)
    On behalf of the Secondary Student Council, I would like to announce our annual Holiday Candy Grams Fundraiser. We will be selling candy grams to celebrate this holiday season. Candy grams consist of candy canes and/or chocolates. Each candy gram will cost $1.00.

    More details here.
Our Learning Journey
Concert
    • On Wednesday 16th of November, the letter for Our Learning Journey went home along with the Letter of Authorisation. Please indicate how many tickets your family would like for the concert and return these as soon as possible to your child’s Homeroom teacher.
    • This year we will be holding our concert at University Cultural Centre Hall of National University of Singapore, 50 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 119279. The concert will begin at 10.30am on Friday 9th December 2016 and will last approximately one hour. Please note that doors will open at 10.00 am and there is limited paid parking at the venue. Please find attached a map of the location of the University Cultural Centre Hall.
CCA /
ECA
  • Thank you to all students, staff and parents who made our Session1 CCA/ECA programmes so successful. We look forward to another great session after the holidays.
  • Session 1 is now finished. Please make alternate arrangements for after school pickups next week.
  • A reminder Swimming ECA (Y1&Y2) will have a makeup class on Wednesday November 30.
  • Information for Session 2 will be available before the holiday break. Registration will begin for Session 2 on Wednesday January 4 at 7pm through the school website.
Library
  • Library books
    The last day to borrow library books will be Dec 2 Friday.  The purpose of this is to get all library books back by Dec 9, to get the library in order for the second semester and to avoid losing library books overseas during the holidays.  Parents will be receiving email reminders as of Nov 21. If parents do not receive an email update, they can email me at efong@chatsworth.com.sg
  • If you have a National Library Board (NLB) membership, note that you can borrow double the number of books, magazines and audio visuals materials from now until Jan 31 2017.  More information is here.
  • Library and Online Research Sessions at Orchard Campus
    More details here.
  • Check out our Chatsworth Orchard Library Blog

Primary Parent
Events

  • Charlotte's Web Performance (Chatsworth Discount)
    Special thanks to parent Charlotte Nors, who has worked out this discounted price for Chatsworth families. In order to take advantage of the discount, you will need to click the link.

    More details here.

Hazwani Hassim (Wani)
Primary Administrative Assistant

Friday 18 November 2016

Perspectives from the PYP Coordinator

18 November

As the year progresses, I am getting into the classrooms more to observe the children learning and inquiring. One of the areas I am most interested in is how we combine the writing workshop model of having long periods of time for students to write with our units of inquiry. As I watch the homeroom teachers, I am in awe of how they have taken this model of writing and combined it to teach our students the different writing strategies. Our transdisciplinary teaching supports the students digging deeper into the content of the units while learning all about different ways to write.
Recently, I have observed the Year Two classes writing How to Books about how different types of plants grow. I also observed the Year One students looking at books to gain ideas for how to write their own books with a table of contents. Then I viewed Year Six students who were writing about literary essays using books about different types of governments. All these examples show you how even when teaching writing our teachers are able to make connections to our units through using books (mentor text) that guide the students further in their inquiries.

Kim Riemer
Primary Years Programme Coordinator



Week 14 of the Primary Weekly Correspondance

Week 14
Primary
  • Christmas Bazaar
    Date: 2 December 2016
    Time: 1.25pm - 4.30pm
    *Class shared lunch party from 12:30pm to 1:25pm

    More details here.
  • 2016 Holiday Candy Grams Fundraiser (6 & 7 Dec 2016)
    On behalf of the Secondary Student Council, I would like to announce our annual Holiday Candy Grams Fundraiser. We will be selling candy grams to celebrate this holiday season. Candy grams consist of candy canes and/or chocolates. Each candy gram will cost $1.00.

    More details here.
  • Movember
    For the rest of November the Chatsworth community will be raising funds for Movember (Men's mental health). At lunchtime various games will be available for the children to participate in for a gold coin donation. There will also be a collection jar in each homeroom for this important cause.

  • Year 4/5/6 Residential Information Evening
    Date: 22 Nov 2016
    Venue: Main Hall
    Y4: 6:00pm - 6:30pm
    Y5: 6:30pm - 7:00pm
    Y6: 7:00pm - 7:30pm

    More details here.
Our Learning Journey
Concert
    • On Wednesday 16th of November, the letter for Our Learning Journey went home along with the Letter of Authorisation. Please indicate how many tickets your family would like for the concert and return these as soon as possible to your child’s Homeroom teacher.
    • This year we will be holding our concert at University Cultural Centre Hall of National University of Singapore, 50 Kent Ridge Crescent, Singapore 119279. The concert will begin at 10.30am on Friday 9th December 2016 and will last approximately one hour. Please note that doors will open at 10.00 am and there is limited paid parking at the venue. Please find attached a map of the location of the University Cultural Centre Hall.
CCA /
ECA
  • Next week is the final week of Session 1 CCA/ECAs. Please make appropriate arrangements for beyond November 25 for buses/pickup at 3:30pm again.
  • A reminder Swimming ECA (Y1&Y2) will have a makeup class on Wednesday November 30.
  • ECA Survey has been sent to parents with children enrolled in an ECA for Session 1. Survey closes on November 25 at 4pm. If you did not receive it, please email Emily MacLean at emaclean@chatsworth.com.sg
  • Information for Session 2 will be available before the holiday break. Registration will begin for Session 2 on Wednesday January 4 at 7pm through the school website.
Library
  • Library books
    The last day to borrow library books will be Dec 2 Friday.  The purpose of this is to get all library books back by Dec 9, to get the library in order for the second semester and to avoid losing library books overseas during the holidays.  Parents will be receiving email reminders as of Nov 21. If parents do not receive an email update, they can email me at efong@chatsworth.com.sg
  • Library and Online Research Sessions at Orchard Campus
    More details here.
  • Check out our Chatsworth Orchard Library Blog

Primary Parent
Events

  • Fun Run for Animal Lovers League - a Chatsworth Secondary School student MYP Personal Project fundraising activity
    Date: 20 November 2016
    More details here.
  • Charlotte's Web Performance (Chatsworth Discount)
    Special thanks to parent Charlotte Nors, who has worked out this discounted price for Chatsworth families. In order to take advantage of the discount, you will need to click the link.
    More details here.
  • First Aid Training for Maids/Helpers at Chatsworth Orchard
    More details here.
  • Parent Cafè - Assessment in the PYP
    Investigating assessment in the IB Primary Years Programme. In the PYP, we use formative and summative assessments to guide our teaching practices. We will look at current research, give you the opportunity to see EY and JY classes in action and then reflect on your observations.

    Date: 25 November 2016
    Time: 9 - 11am
    Venue: Room 5D
    Presenter: Ms Kim Riemer & Mr Michael Lucchesi

    RSVP your seat here.

Hazwani Hassim (Wani)

Primary Administrative Assistant