Dear Parents,
Last week, we started our journey towards our World Book Week celebrations. Our children were positively enthralled as we welcomed guest authors and illustrators from the Hong Kong International Literary Festival.
The week started with MT Anderson who talked to Year 5 and Year 6 about how he was inspired to write his range of novels; Josse Bisaillon wowed the Year 1 and Year 2 children with her artistic creativity and finally, Maple Lam inspired Year 3 and Year 4 to put pen to paper and create their own graphic novels.
Behind these amazing opportunities for our children, are dedicated colleagues who want to instill in our children a love for reading. We therefore thank Mr. Beaumont and Ms. Bates – both passionate about helping our children to love reading, day-in-day-out. They share this across the school and within the curriculum.
Here at NAIS Hong Kong, the journey towards World Book Week celebrations happens in classes across the school, every day. It involves children reading regularly, children reading for pleasure, children reading within the curriculum and children who see reading as a past time. However, at school and at home, we should be aware that we need to role model these behaviours for our children.
It is rare that by talking about the benefits of a behaviour or action alone will have the impact we had hoped or desired. We should try, as much as possible, to practice these behaviours at home and beyond. When possible, spotlight to our children that we are making a choice to read either a book, article or newspaper. Invite them to talk about their books or ask questions about your reading.
Indeed, setting aside time to read to our children or with our children, will open doors to creative thinking, critical awareness and importantly build a stronger sense of connection and purpose to reading. Perhaps, if there is one superpower we can give our children, it is to read and understand the value and impact of reading. The more we can engage children in reading, the better they are prepared for their futures.
What’s Happening Across School?
Last week, Ms. Alanah Harris, Mathematics Coordinator, led an excellent parent workshop to support parents’ understanding of mathematics in Key Stage 2 - it was engaging and clear for the parents to see why, how, and what we do to support our children. In this curriculum workshop parents were engaged throughout as we guided them through reasoning, problem solving, stretch and challenge and the importance of oracy in Mathematics. There were also opportunities for parents to engage with strategies to use at home.
Looking Ahead
Please see below dates that may be of interest in the coming months *subject to changes*
Date for your diary: We are pleased to have secured a visit from Jonathan Taylor, https://onlinesafety4schools.co.uk/, who will lead workshops for children and a special parent presentation focused on Online Safety for children. Jonathan is a widely respected online safety and safeguarding expert who has worked with international schools across Europe and Asia. He will share strategies that parents can use to keep their children safe online at home. Further details will be shared in the coming days.
Date: 20th March
Audience: Primary Parents
Time: 1:15pm to 2:15pm
• Thursday 13th March – Class 2A Assembly
• Monday to Thursday 17th-20th March – School photos
• Monday 17th March – Year 3 Bee Man visit
• Tuesday 18th March – Year 5 Hiking
• Thursday 20th March – Year 4 Showcase
• Friday 21st March – Class 6G Assembly
• Friday 21st March – Chinese Battle of Book
• Wednesday 26th March – Year 3 Showcase
• Thursday 27th March – Primary Sports Day (TKO Jockey Club HKAF Sports Centre)
• Friday 28th March – Class 2D Assembly
• Wednesday 2nd April – Primary Open Evening
• Thursday 3rd April – Spring Term ends, school finish at 12pm
I do hope families have a great week ahead,
Best wishes,
Stephen Sharma
Head of Primary
