Dear Parents/Carers,

“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” 

The Gospel makes 60 references to children, a most memorable story narrated in this section of Mark’s Gospel.

Here, Jesus suggests that the child has much to teach us about how to be in relationship with God: approaching life with a curious sense of wonder and awe; making sense and co-creating through playful imagination; asking peculiar questions that are not easy to answer - the ground of theology; exploring life through the kinaesthetic - becoming the hands of God, the body of Christ in action and service.

This idea is supported by the spirituality research of Rebecca Nye, who finds that adult spiritual experiences require psychological skills children have in abundance. 

So then, if a child-like spirituality helps to lead us into a life-giving relationship with God, this faith-stance might also lead us into meaningful relationships with others as we aspire to love one another.

How lovely it has been to have a sequence of sunny days. The children and staff have certainly appreciated being able to get outside during Break 1 and Break 2 for what promises to be the whole week. It seems such a long time that this has been able to happen for a whole week.

Last Thursday, in the midst of rain, we held our Open Afternoon. We had a number of families visit for a tour of the school and the chance to ask questions of our staff. I would like to acknowledge the P & F for organising an afternoon tea and our student leaders who helped lead the tours.

Teaching and learning Mathematics 

At our most recent Staff Professional Development Day, our teachers engaged in professional learning focused on the teaching and learning of Mathematics. One of the key aspects that was investigated was the need to provide children with opportunities to explain their thinking when solving mathematical problems. Formalised assessments (or tests) like NAPLAN usually only ask the students to provide the correct answer. Our teachers have gained a deeper understanding of a variety of strategies and assessments that enable their students to share their thinking during a Mathematics lesson. This then assists the teacher, and child, to know their strengths and areas for development, as well as giving the children a chance to discover other ways of solving problems.

At home, your child may enjoy having you quiz them with mathematical facts, like recalling the ‘times tables.’ These quick recall skills are undoubtedly useful, however you may consider asking them to explain or show you how they know the answer. This encourages mathematical thinking and a deeper understanding of what they may know by rote.

Wishing you a happy and safe week,