As preparation for the next academic year, we like to organise time for all the children to visit their new classes and teachers. This week, we had a special Transition Day, where all the classes spent a morning with their new teachers. They met the English and Vietnamese teachers and learnt a little bit about the activities they will be doing when they return in August.
As we prepare for the end of year we look at ways of supporting your children in their transitions to a new year group by visiting the other classrooms and by meeting their new teachers. Moving to a new classroom is not an easy thing for a child and that is why we do everything we can at BVIS to make the transition as smooth as possible.
On Thursday, this week we invited all the Early Years’ parents to join us for some mathematical activities. The teachers set up activities around their classrooms. Some of these activities involved sorting shapes, making patterns, completing puzzles, estimate objects in the jars, mark-making numbers and tally charts when counting, problem solving in the home corner, measuring feet in the shoe shop, adding groups of objects together and making clocks.
This term, I am sure you have heard lots of Superhero talk in the F2 classes. Their final iEYC topic of the year is called ‘To The Rescue’. The children have been learning to become superheroes that use their power for good and not bad things.
This week, we are starting Splash Pool and swimming lessons for all of the Early Years’ students. Swimming is really popular in the Early Years and has huge benefits not only for your children’s health, physical development and mental well-being but for their confidence as well. Swimming is a life skill and we are so privileged to be able to offer this opportunity to the children. Recent research highlights how swimming can also be seen as a way to relax the mind and uplift the spirit, providing children with a positive outlook on life and dispelling any sadder feelings.
This week, we were overwhelmed with the amount of parent support in the Early Years. All the children brought in outfits to wear for the International performance. In F3V, Anna’s Mum designed and even made her dress which was fantastic - well done mum! The performance went smoothly and although some of the children were extremely nervous and shy, they all managed to ooze confidence for the finale song at the end ‘Hello to all the Children of the World.’
Early Years decided to start their International Week a week early as there was so much that the children wanted to learn about. I saw activities from Japan, Hawaii, Korea, India, England and Mexico as I walked around the Early Years. This area of learning teaches the children to recognise that everyone is different around the world and that other children may have different experiences when they grow up. It helps the children to respect each other and to recognise the things that make them special and unique.
The Early Years parents attended a workshop on reading on the first day back after the Tet holidays. The session was well attended and allowed parents to see what was involved when teaching reading at this young age. They went away with ideas on how best to support their child at home, websites links and APPs to encourage reading and storytelling particularly when they may not have many books at home.
A new term begins and the F2 and F3 children embraced their new topics with squeals of excitement. They couldn’t wait to find out what they would be learning about next and asked lots of questions. Plenty of time was provided for them to explore their new learning environments.