Reflections on the year so far in Primary at Northbridge

It has been great to have students back on campus for a sustained period and have students in classrooms. Our Primary classrooms have been alive with learning and there is no doubt in all staff minds that having the students in class is the best way to maximize their learning. Here are some reasons why:

• Focus is better maintained in a classroom setting where the teacher can use eye contact and non-verbal communication to keep all students focused and engaged in content
  
• Teachers can better provide timely and productive feedback to students as they work, allowing students to adapt and progress and receive direct input in real time
  
• Whilst teachers were creative in facilitating online collaboration this is much easier to organize when students are in class where students can move seamlessly between group and individual responses
  
• Social and self-regulation skills are better practiced and facilitated in the classroom setting as all students are together in one place.
  
• There are many more reasons that the teachers could share with you and this is why we are encouraging all students back to school.

Having students moving between class and VSE has certainly had an impact on their learning and the teachers are working extremely hard to ensure students finish this semester with as many skills in place as possible to transit to the following year. 

In particular, we have noticed the impact on writing skills as many students did not have as many varied opportunities to write as they would have done in the classroom. Thus, it is important to encourage your children with writing and reading activities as much as you can as well as all other areas of the curriculum. 

It has been very positive that we have been able to run so many varied events during the last three months. Starting with our sports days for each grade which, although we necessarily had to maintain social distancing, again allowed students to take part in fun and competitive activities.  

Our swim team have taken part in two swimming festivals so far and two more are planned for after the break. Our Grade 4 and 5 students took part in the Action Learning Camps and managed to move their learning outside of the school with a visit to the Wildlife Alliance. 

In March we had a week of reading celebration with our book week including a book character hunt around school, costume parade, poetry slam, bring a teddy to school day; all of these promoting the importance of reading to our students. 

This week our Grade 2 – 5 students had the pleasure of performing to the Early Learning and KG and Grade 1 students in the Primary production of the Button Box. I hope you were able to join some of the performance on Facebook.

The performing arts is an important part of our curriculum, supported through our partnership with the Julliard School of Arts who provide us with resources, training and feedback on a regular basis.

As you can see above, we have had a very busy term, and although not fully back to normal due to ongoing restrictions, we are endeavoring to provide as rich an experience as possible to the NISC students. 

It should also be noted that all though we tend to focus on the big events that happen in schools there is constant innovation and creativity happening in our Primary classrooms. 

The NISC teachers and assistants have worked tirelessly to create engaging and stimulating learning experiences for our students both in homeroom classes covering maths, literacy and unit of inquiry and in specialist subjects such as music, art, PE, swimming and languages. 

I would like to thank the NISC staff for all their hard work and wish everyone in the community a wonderful Khmer New Year and a restful and enjoyable break. School will begin again on Tuesday 19th April from 7.30 onwards.