Term 1, 2024
Hello everyone! Happy Year of the Wooden Dragon. This year has started off very, very hot and I am so impressed with all my students and their willingness to learn, even though the weather has done its best to sap our energy. Like the Dragon, we are all strong and determined to fly and gather riches (like learning new things!) Our classroom is nearly complete, with the bathroom being finished soon (so no more group trips through the house to the orange toilet). We have a lovely deck out the front and soon we will have our art area down the side with sink and chalkboard and a place to write words on the pavers. I’m proud of all my learners and am so happy working together with parents and carers to help our students grow together.
Growing Together
〰️
〰️
Growing Together 〰️ 〰️
Small Group Tuition - Little Ones
This energetic group thrive on play-based learning! Every week we focus on a new sound and spelling set of rules and combinations. We have been exploring topics based around Ancient Worlds and what better place to start than with DINOSAURS and FOSSILS! We started by digging for dinosaurs (literally – it was messy and fun) and finding the letters for the word FOSSIL – which we then reconstructed like archeologists. We have been reading a lot – both on Razkids and with different picture books to identify rhyme, repetition, phonemes (sounds) and graphemes (spelling) and have had many discussions to aid comprehension. Fluency is improving and handwriting is also making good progress. We circle back over sounds we have learned and recognition and memory is getting better.
Once we have worked and worked, then we play. Favourite reward play activities at the end of our sessions are collecting eggs, patting chickens, painting and making hiding forts to surprise our parents.
Small Group Tuition - Primary & Secondary
This is an area that has undergone some changes – we are now working in more multi-aged groups. This has evolved naturally (think of old-fashioned one teacher schoolhouses) and is working really beautifully. We learn the same content and each student works at their own grade and ability level. Each student in the group is encouraged to stretch their skills further to meet their age content and targets. We have been exploring ancient worlds. This term we have focused on processing, understanding and writing about new information
that we are learning. An example of this is note-making and further research based on Roman and Greek Gods, Hidden Underground Cities and Otzi the Iceman. We have created a Wonderwall for questions, a vocabulary wall and a brainstorm for the beginning of a topic. We have explored pyramids in Egypt (the y for the short /i/ sound, as well as many other phonics weekly. Games have helped us with spelling, grammar and maths and razkids books have helped out comprehension. We have worked on expanding our vocabulary and using those words in sentences correctly. I’m proud of the positive attitude to learning new things that I have seen from all our students.
Small Group Tuition - Upper High School
This year I have five senior school students in Year 12. This is a huge year, full of many fun events and lots of pressure. The students have been working on all kinds of genres from Western to Magic Realism and Fairytales. We have been working hard on making sure that our writing ticks all the SCSA ATAR and General boxes and that we understand how to apply the terminology to our examination of the texts. We are honing our writing skills and writing up study notes so that our essays are easier under exam conditions. Well done to all these students for their hard work.
Day Students
I have students during the day four days a week. It is lovely to work one on one with them to achieve their goals. One of my students is working on future goals and directions and we have created a resume, visited TAFE and checked out employment options. One of my students has worked on many personal projects and has had a busy year achieving her goals. One of my students is kicking goals with her reading and has made huge jumps forward. I am impressed with some of my other students who really enjoy their learning, with their questions showing such deep thinking. Well done everyone!
Other News
I did a workshop for Ngala at Koongamia for the HIPPY program tutors and parents on the benefits of Play Based Learning. This was an exploration on the neuroscientific research on the results produced through learning by playing and offered many ideas about how to develop young children’s skills through play at home.
I am developing a collective of teachers in Perth who are running their own Education Businesses. We are working together to share skills, collaborate on projects and support each other as life long learners and business professionals. Watch this space as the Freerange Educators start to grow together and offer opportunities for parents, schools and kids.
Speaking of free-range…we are now selling eggs for $5.00 a carton. Just ask.
Housekeeping and Reminders
A reminder that you are signing up for a weekly lesson for the term. My standard cancellation policy is that I would still charge for a missed lesson if there is less than 24 hours’ notice. I will work with you to schedule a makeup lesson (which will often be a one on one for the group price). Regular sessions are important for continuity and skill building.
Thank you to families who have donated resources like clocks, books and alphabet pieces. The kids love using new things! Please continue to borrow books from the cubby library (and remember to bring any back that you have finished reading). If you have a THRASS chart that you no longer use, please return that too.
Next term is an 11 week term. If you are paying for the term you can pay in 3 installments of $200 or all at once $600 (if you paid $600 last term with one week in advance due to the 9 week term in term 1). If you pay weekly, it is still $65.
Keep an eye out for the State Government payments to support Children’s Education. Payments vary from $150 per child to $250 per child dependent on age. You can use this to supplement your tuition this term if this works for you. It is a welcome relief for families in this cost of living crunch.
Please be in touch if you would like any sessions over the holidays. Happy Easter everyone!
See you in class, soon!