“It connects to what we have been doing so it was about having adventures and learning more about the world.” -Elspeth 

At the beginning of the year, our neighbourhood explored the idea of leaving a note behind to share everything we know and have learned. As we approached the end of 2021 we could have never expected what it had in store however through it all we have worked collaboratively, built community, grown and learnt. Sharing and celebrating throughout. 

“We need groups for our learning for literacy, numeracy and wellbeing. We need a review for each one.” -Esme

As students continued collaborating to document their learning and experiences from 2021, it was decided that the three groups for Literacy, Numeracy and Wellbeing would need to diverge even further to best capture each significant learning moment from the past year. As such, smaller groups were formed and given the responsibility to complete a review on a particular area of learning, such as STEM or Specialists. Each group successfully summarized, edited and published their review to be part of the Giant Journal of Learning.  

The children of 1/2N1 2021 have curated a Giant Journal of Learning to capture this year in all of its unexpected possibilities. 

As we look forward to the launch of the Giant Journal of Learning next week, we hope that students reflect on their learning journey, continue sharing and celebrating their ideas and are proud of all that they have accomplished throughout the year. 

“We should create a documentation board like we had in prep that shows all our maths!” Ravi

Over the last couple of weeks, the children have begun publishing work on our Giant Journal of Learning. Reflecting on the year, the students in the neighbourhood are drawing on skills developed through PHN reporting in term 1 and terms 2 to document learning, summarize, edit and publish.

“Leaving a note is just like the Giant Journal of Learning! We are leaving a GIANT note for next years year 1s and 2s” – Milo

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Initially, the children worked together to identify key highlights from the year, quickly moving into three inquiry project groups, each with a unique focus. The groups are Literacy, Numeracy and Wellbeing, and the students in each group have the job of documentor and editor. It is up to each group to capture the learning from 2021 in the way that suits best, which has quickly seen re-exploration of the spaces and the languages they support.

“It connects to the Giant Journal of Learning! That book is a note to every 1&2 who comes to this neighbourhood! But, of course, other are notes too.” -Oscar

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“Such as… The Inquiry wall in the torus, documentation of students, our blog and our portfolio!” – Oscar

As we pull the Giant Journal of Learning together, students have also taken on the responsibility to design the front cover, contents page, puzzles pages, authors biographies, photo pages and digital codes to gain access to seesaw learning from the year.

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We are looking forward to finalizing our Giant Journal of Learning soon and presenting it back to the children and to the wider community and a celebration of the 2021 school year.

It could be a story but there is learning in it. So like a fiction and non-fiction book together – Rohan

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We are so thrilled (and a little bit tired) now we are back together full time. It is fantastic to have the buzz back into the neighbourhood and we are all slowly getting used to our natural daily rhythms. The last couple of weeks have also been a time for reflection as we work together to think about how to share and celebrate the year that was. Neighbourhood 1 joined together to discuss our inquiry and reflect on our current understandings.

Our inquiry has been about communicating – Finn

Communicating our learning – Rohan

We’ve been communicating to each other and other people we know – Elspeth

We have also been thinking about how to capture this with our broader community.

We  share your learning with someone else because then they learn from them – Freya

As a neighbourhood we have decided to create a ‘Giant journal of Learning’ to capture the year that was.

I’ve got another idea we can explore to communicate. We could make a big journal with all of our learning in it – Finn

In our neighbourhood meeting we discussed and worked together to think about how to approach this in the best way possible. The conversation was fluid and full of excitement as children due from the experiences this year and built on each others ideas.

We can write down lots of different ways to communicate and lots of different ideas – Milo

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Kiko – even though its not words but we can always communicate by drawing what we are thinking

Flynn – We could analyse responses and see if they are like ours and if there is a connection.

Emma – We could  fill it with all our ideas and feelings about school this year. 

Finn – If all of the ideas are different we could have different of groups so we could get more of the same and sort them into chapters and an index

Kiko – If we are making a giant journal we also need to make sure that almost everyone of the kids need to be included

Elspeth – We could make different sections for different types of learning because there are so many different types of learning.

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As educators, we reflected back on this pivotal discussion with the children and have developed three working groups where children will reflect, summarize and present the learning journey from this year in languages that they have excelled at. We are very excited at the prospect of publishing our Giant Journal in the coming weeks.

As we are moving through term 4, our inquiry continues to deepen into communication in its many forms. We have explored how to connect, how to tell stories and how to share our knowledge with others. PHN was a great way for students to develop their presentation and summary skills while delivering the news to the neighbourhood but our question now is really, what’s next?

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Other forms of communication we have been exploring are information texts, magazines, performances, puppets, mime, actions, and Auslan. All of these have shaped our learning at home and back in the neighbourhood. The perspective of accessing and analyzing information has been strengthened by our need for digital technologies and literacy. One priory for learning has been to continue growing our skills using a range of digital programs. 

Magazines have been a regular spark of imagination as we have shared both physical and digital texts. We have also explored college, looking at the connection between images and the stories they tell. Children have been creating their own magazines, sharing their passions, interests, learning and understanding with their friends and community. 

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My goal is to be creative and enjoy my learning – Willem

With us heading back in the neighbourhoods part time next week there are a lot of changes ahead. This year certainly has presented some unexpected challenges! This means building resilience, reflection and communication is vital. Communication can come in many different forms and we can use materials, our bodies, our words and our actions to communicate how we are feeling and what we are thinking.

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This week, our remote learning provocations explored how we can set goals for learning and our personal selves. The children explored a number of books, videos and situations to explore scenarios we may face in the coming weeks.  Through our morning and afternoon webex’s, the children have discussed ways we can support each other at times of stress and worry, the children also documented their worry warriors, the people who they can turn to for support.

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We have also been exploring setting goals, posing the questions: What does this mean? Why are they valuable? What does it feel like to achieve a goal?

To achieve my goal I will need to give myself some questions to help – Elspeth

I have to practice my writing – Alice

Through these questions and wonderings children explored how it feels when you achieve a goal. They documented how they have felt when they have achieved a goal they have set for themselves. The children also identified who can support them to reach their goal. As a group we also discussed that sometimes there are many little goals that you need to achieve before you reach your big goal.

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When we are back onsite it will take some adjusting! There are many skills and goals we need to focus on and practice. The children shared some things to be mindful of as we return.

We need to listen to each other – Arlo

Be kind to the people you are working with – Claudia

Take your anger away from what’s making you angry – Emma

You could compromise – Maggie

We need to work together – Franek

It is important to give people space, when I feel worried or upset I need space and take a break to play lego or read or write. We need to remember that when we come back to school. – Henry L, Elspeth and Lucienne

As we join together next week, we will continue to unpack these big feelings as we move onsite and work towards re connecting to our community.

“I like Seesaw the best! I can see my friends work and hear my teachers” Sakura

Last week as a teaching team we recognised the need and opportunity for our children to discuss, plan and share how they think we can stay connected while in remote learning.

Children were given the comment “How do we stay close when we have to be apart?” The children discussed the many ways that we can continue to stay connected with our community. FaceTime, letter writing and phone calls were discussed and shared amongst peers. As teachers we provoked the children to think deeper about how they could stay connected with the wider community and not just their friends and family.

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The children reflected on past ways of communication and developed a range of abstract ways to stay connected. They thought about communicating through maps, movement, morse code and creating their own abstract devices to use. Other ideas considered the audience, adaptive forms of communication for a particular group or person. Neighbours, friends, and the wider school community were all considered.

“The map can direct you to your friends special place” Zara

“I’ve developed a robot! Whatever you do the robot copies” Arlo

As a neighbourhood we continued to build on the idea of community and communication. Children started to create artworks and objects to share with their wider community. They began to create their own systems of communication through artworks and building. Travelling kindness pebbles were created along with cities with smiling faces that keep the people of the city happy.

“My people bring their own dolls here! This is how we feel connected to our community” Kiko 

“I connected with my neighbour Ravi by giving him a rock act of kindness. He responded by creating one for me too! We stay connected through the rocks we made.” Finn

All this discussion about community, connections and kindness lead the teachers to create a week of wellness. This week allowed for students and families to share kindness in a range of languages. Through dancing, cooking, meditation, kindness poems, window displays and random acts of kindness. It also allowed families to slow down and take time to reflect on the unique situation we find ourselves in and reconnect with each other, nature and the simple things in life. Through this experience, the children thrived by trying new things, sharing special skills and connecting with others in different ways.

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We will continue to share kindness to our community and connect with each other through the ever changing modes of communication. 

The world is full of kind people. If you can’t find one. Be one.

I liked to connect with the other people who are also reading books and learning, we share what we like to read and get ideas. Elspeth

The children’s literacy skills have been developing at a rapid rate throughout the 1/2 neighbourhood as we continue to work remotely. In line with book week last week, we put the spotlight on how literacy helps us explore the world around us. Literacy skills incorporate not only reading and writing but viewing of texts such videos, songs and poems and discibring and verbalising our thinking through sharing, explaining, and predicting.

Claudia! I love how you have used writing and pictures and music and talking to make this video! It’s so cool! Emma

Each week the children in the 1/2 neighbourhoods engage with literacy in a range of ways, from our inquiry provocations to our morning meetings and afternoon story-times.

By providing a rich and diverse range of literacy opportunities, students can approach literacy learning with agency and enthusiasm while also being supported to challenge themselves to meet their individual learning goals.

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I like reading books that are other people’s stories when we get them shared on the blog and I enjoy reading with my mum when I’m at home and sharing my ideas with others. Lucienne

We have also been able to use literacy to connect with the world around us, even through lockdown by having literacy transport us around the world. Other examples of this are our book week dress up day which took place during week 7 and our exploration of indigenous literacy and stories.

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Remote learning can be challenging but we have remained connected through shared stories and rich experiences that build and develop our vocabulary. It continued to support diverse learning opportunities to engage, connect and inspire everyone in our neighbourhoods.

We look forward to allowing these connections to growth and flourish throughout these unique times we are in.

Feedback plays an integral role in learning and growth. Feedback takes many forms throughout a school day and remote teaching is no exception. Over the last two weeks, teachers and students in the 1/2 neighbourhoods have been exploring how to use feedback to connect, encourage, challenge and reflect on learning. 

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The teacher gives you feedback because it is their job! Also to give us the next step for our learning. – Emma

But it is not just teachers who have this important role but the learners themselves. Each day, the students meet in homegroups and in target groups to engage in learning. During these times we share past learning and use it as a foundation for next steps. This process in itself is feedback, as students work collaboratively and digitally to self identify areas of growth. 

People say good job and give supportive words – Emma

You can say a positive thing then give them something else to so they can add more detail or to challenge themselves – Claudia I

If you say something to someone about what you like and connect with. – Lulu

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The seesaw blog provides a platform for students to continue their learning and understanding of feedback. Students regularly provide comments and feedback on each other’s work using the CCQu method. Complement, connection and question. 

We asked the students to reflect on this process posing the question What is the value of feedback?

To be kind – Manny

To support others – Emma

To stretch others’ brains and imagination. – Claudia I. 

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Finally, the role of feedback is in part a reflective one. As we move through term 3 with extended remote learning ahead we are exploring reflection as a way to motivate personal learning. The students are beginning to highlight learning moments within their day, document their own learning growth and proudly share it with others. Finally, working with their homegroup teachers, students can then set their own learning goals and hopes for future learning. 

Feedback makes me feel happy and proud of my work. – Frankie

It makes me feel joyful. – Freya

It makes me feel  brave and be more confident with my work. – Emma 

This month we have been lucky to have the Olympics spark a series of questions in the neighbourhood. As we have closely followed along, both at home and at school, the children have been exposed to a wide range of real world learning, in particular real world mathematics.

Our PHN new room is going to TOKYO! That’s the hub for the Olympics so our news has to go there as well. – Kiko

With news moving fast, our students have been updating and adjusting the Olympic Medal tally, working collaboratively to document and display numbers. The teachers posed a series of questions including How do we show our community the numbers in a way that makes sense? And How can we highlight the most important numbers through our reporting?

The medal tally is important but it does not tell the whole story. Maybe some countries have more people so it is easier for them to get medals? –  Esme

We can see the Olympic timeline. I know the Olympics happens every four years so we can count by fours. – Claudia I.

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As the numbers have been changing, children have been exploring statistics and storytelling. Using the numbers as a framework to explain their news reports, but including follow up information to share the key details.

Along with our PHNT, we joined with the other 1/2 students to have some hands-on experience participating in a range of Olympic Sports and most importantly measuring, tracking, recording and documenting results using mathematics in real time.

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This experience has also opened up opportunities for other learning, such as grid mapping, directions, coordinates, and time. We look forward to continuing our mathematical journey inspired by the olympics

Little did we know when PHN daily news reporters added the weather to their program, that the inspired inquiry journey would wash from one learning space to another and back again.

“I love researching the weather for PHN as there is so much information out there and different ways it can help you” Oscar

“It’s so helpful that we can use the UV to let everyone know if they need a hat” Kiki

When the reporters began researching the weather they decided they also wanted the UV index so they could see if hats were required each play time and by doing so, came across weather maps and charts.

“The top of Australia is closer to the equator, you can see it on the map. That makes it hot which is why it is tropical and hot.” Rohan

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Suddenly students were in the Studio space drawing maps of Australia and adding colours and scales to show temperature variations or other weather predictions in full detailed, colourful glory!

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Meanwhile in the Learning Commons, there were numerous collaborations beginning to use i pads to dive deeper into researching the weather and how the data is collected, displayed and the language used for this. Some of this flowed back to help the reporters in PHN while some also flowed back into the Studio to enhance and deepen the drawings and representations that were being created.

By the time we had visited Royal Park and worked alongside the Rangers, the students had a new interest in native animals and vegetation. This led to a workshop on biomes, with researchers working with books and ipads in the Learning Commons and illustrations beginning in the Studio.

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Just before our current lockdown a growing collaboration began amongst the construction workers of our neighborhood, as they began to build a large representation of Australia from blocks. Mimicking the weather maps they had seen, we soon saw colours appear, state borders and then details of topography, capital cities and more.

A sign was created to ask for care to be taken while moving through the space, positioning this as an ongoing, important installation the those working on feel proud of and committed to.

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We look forward to seeing how this will progress once we are back onsite and in turn, how this provocation will surface or evolve across the other learning spaces in the neighborhood..