Performance and Learning Connect Well!

Opportunities for student performance at the class level, in front of peers and on a larger scale are plentiful throughout the years of schooling at St Catherine’s School. The children enjoy the warm applause they receive from the big groups of adults, including family members, that attend these performances.

Educators plan for learners to initially sample the joys of performance through age and stage appropriate activities. Our performance program builds as the years go by and become more comprehensive in the set tasks. Public speaking, plays, dramas, dance and concert experiences form the larger picture of opportunities.

Small steps are commenced in the Early Learning Centre for our young learners. All activities are designed to excite and teach the children about the pleasures of performing as well as its demands. Carefully designed and crafted, the activities steadily build experience, self confidence and importantly, a desire to participate more!

The end of year performances in Campbell House, all initiated, planned, brainstormed and contributed to, by our young learners in each classroom, are one such opportunity.

Thank you to all Campbell House staff for the outstanding ways in which you offer concert opportunities and manage to engender enough desire and confidence in each learner to “take to the stage”!

Imagination, curiosity, preparation, rehearsal and finally the execution of the final performance are all blended together to field an enjoyable occasion for the audience. Importantly, these opportunities also provide the vital ingredients to further build confidence, self-management skills, learning, memories and enjoyment!

Just what learning is about!

Mrs Alana Moor
Head of ELC and Barbreck
Our Responsibilities in the Waratah Room

Educators have worked with the children of the Waratah Room throughout the year on developing their sense of identity and community.

Initially we explored who we are and what our rights were and then progressed to investigating who we are in relation to others, our interactions, relationships and wider community.

We have explored our rights as children and what this means in relation to ourselves and others. Equipped with this understanding we have also explored the responsibility that this comes with.

 

As part of our reflection of the year, we discussed with the children What have your responsibilities/jobs been whilst in the Waratah Room?

“In the Waratah Room we need to care for each other,” Simona

“We take care about our classroom,” Ella

“When I fall over someone helps me,” Lewis

“To respect people. If there is something that has fallen over, you pick it up,” Aalto

“We need to pack up our beds. Pack up when you have finished playing,” Catie

The children’s reflections demonstrate the sense of community and awareness they have for each other, which has developed over the past year. Our young learners have begun to greatly understand the impact their actions can have on others and demonstrate this within the classroom context.

The children have developed a story that ends with kindness to showcase their understandings at their end of year concert.

Miss Sandra Lenon
Waratah Room Teacher