Author: trindadecamara

During the last two weeks of school our Year 12 Chemistry, Biology and Physics students came into school to complete practical work in the laboratories. Completing practical assignments is an important skill as it allows students to apply the theory they have covered in class and I am certain that when the Year 12’s return next term they will complete many more such assignments.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to every one of you. Thank you to every student, parent, and teacher for all the hard work and effort you put in this term. Without your dedication and hard work our program of online learning wouldn’t have been possible.

Please look after yourselves during this holiday and we look forward to welcoming you back next term.

Julian Harrison
Head of Academics High School    

We are drawing to the end of Term 2, and it has certainly been an interesting and challenging one.

Something that has struck me throughout the term is the reaction my students have had to lockdown. It would have been easy for them to give up and simply do the bare minimum, but instead they threw themselves both into online learning and into projects at home. Not a morning meeting goes by without one or more of my students telling me about something they made, something they’ve done, or a cool new exercise routine they thought up. Moreover, generally the things they are sharing are things they’ve done with or for family members – going cycling or running with their parents, making a cake for their Dad’s birthday, looking after a younger sibling, playing with their pets, and so on.

The lockdown encouraged our students to experiment with what they could do at home. They baked, made art, and spent time with their families. Don’t get me wrong – they’ve had their frustrations, but they have taken what they had and made the best of it, and I am incredibly proud of them for it!

Hannah Kirkaldy
Year 5 Teacher

Here are some of the interesting things Year 5HK has been up to…

At the best of times the winter holidays can be a little daunting with trying to find things for your children to do. Welcome to a one of a kind winter lockdown holiday!

Here are some ideas of what you can do:

A camping trip at home could be fun! Let your child’s imagination run wild as they pretend to go camping. Put a tent up in your house or build a den using a table, some cushions and a sheet. Add some fairy lights for night time. Have a braai, roast some marshmallows and afterwards tell stories in their dens or tents and sleep on mattresses in the lounge.

Create obstacle courses inside or outside depending on the weather. These can be set up easily on your lawn using items found around the house. If it is a cold rainy day you can make an obstacle course out of crepe paper inside. Criss cross it from one wall to another, leaving small gaps for your little ones to climb through. See if they can make it through the course without tearing the paper.

Learn & experience a new country or culture without even leaving your home. Play a game with them by letting them blindly point out a place on a map, after which you all find a way to bring one aspect of that place into your home through food, language, dress etc. If only for one day! Make a meal celebrating that culture e.g. Italy – make Pizza; France – Crepe Suzettes or even America – Hamburgers.

Grow your own vegetables or herbs. Gardening can help your children learn about where food comes from, how things grow and how to look after them by watering them. To start off, try regrowing vegetable scraps including lettuce, avocados and carrot greens etc. You can also make cress heads by drawing silly faces on empty egg shells, fill them with soggy cotton wool and add cress seeds. It won’t be long before they start to sprout.
Pebble art can also be a fun family activity. Using felt tips or acrylic paint coated with varnish to give an extra layer of protection for the outside. Place the completed pebbles in the garden or give to family or friends as gifts.

Make ‘Wallpaper People’ out of an old roll of wallpaper, or any other paper. Lie your little one down on the paper or draw around them (if you don’t have big paper just use chalk on the bricks outside). Amazing how long they will spend colouring themselves in afterwards. They might also want to make a wallpaper mom, dad or sibling too.

Drive-in movie can be lots of fun! It’s quite easy to turn a big cardboard box into their very own car and they can help paint and decorate it too. Put a cushion inside, give them some popcorn, put a movie on or just enjoy a family movie from the comfort of your couch with lots of snacks of course!

A tea party can be enjoyed and lots of fun with a little bit of imagination. You can even bake some of their favourite treats with their help and decorate them. They can then invite their toys or siblings or parents along – giving each of them their own invitation. They can dress up and enjoy a treasure hunt or games in the garden.
Your very own Master Chef competition can unleash the cook in them. Encourage your children to participate and come up with ideas of what to cook.

Dancing & singing can keep the children active by having dancing and singing competitions using their favourite songs.

Hope that you use some of these ideas and enjoy these winter lockdown holidays!

Cindy Nunan
Pre-Reception Teacher

We have conquered!

This term started off with a lot of uncertainty and unfamiliar ground. Although the challenges were many, the successes were more!

The Year 5 students are feeling amazing and they should. They have tackled challenges unknown to them and educated themselves beyond what any curriculum could teach. They have shown responsibility and maturity as each and every student took control of their learning and applied themselves to every task at hand.

Here’s how Year 5NM turned a challenge into a success with just positive thinking:

“I like online learning because I can work at my own pace, and I can spend more time with my family.”  Kourtney Jones

“Ten weeks into it and online learning is going very well. My best part of it has to be working while sitting next to a crackling fire, sipping hot chocolate and keeping warm and toasty during the cold weather” Sanam Srikewal

“My favorite thing about online learning is that I can stay in my Pajamas all day and learn in the comfort of my own home.” Joshua Greyling

“The best part about online learning is that I can concentrate without any distractions” Tshiamo Ngcizela

“The best part about online learning is that I can have snacks in the middle of a lesson and I can spend the whole day in my pajamas.” Isabella Lockhart

“The best part of online learning for me is that I can work at my own pace and stay in my pajamas.  I can also snack and take breaks whenever I want to.” Cole Dreyer

“I have found the best part of online learning is I have a friend who is helping me with my work. I enjoy working with him.”

“I enjoy seeing my friends on the calls and I enjoy doing challenging work because I can learn from the challenge!!!!” Jenna Eberlein

We have turned challenges into successes and we keep it moving! Positive thinking is our goal. Well done, Year 5NM!

Nadia Mahomed
Year 5 Teacher

We all are aware that the main reason for a Verbal Feedback meeting is for the teacher and the parents to discuss a student’s progress in order to enhance their child’s education. There are also many other important reasons for these meetings, that many parents may not be aware of.

The Year 2 teachers have discussed the importance of these meetings and this is what we have concluded:

– These meetings are set to benefit the students as well as the parents. We, as teachers, find it vital to hear from the parents on how the students are coping. It gives the teachers insight as to how students behave at home, and as we all know; children tend to put on their best behaviour when the teacher is around.
– A child’s education is a partnership between parents and teachers – especially in times like these. Verbal Feedback meetings allow the teacher to express how grateful they are for the parents being “sergeants” and ensuring that their children actually do the work.
– We would like to show parents we are here to support them as well as their child. We are here to listen and help where we can.
– Parents are able to ask questions directly instead of waiting for a reply via email. These meetings help the teacher to inquire whether parents have seen any areas of struggle their child faces that the teacher may not necessarily be aware of.
– These meetings allow for parents to be heard and discuss their opinions based on what may work better for their children and them. This dialog helps teachers adapt their lessons to suit the needs of all their students, especially at a time like this where online learning is the main learning platform.