Maintaining A Balanced Mind During Remote Learning
As we continue to work, learn, collaborate, and socialise online it can be challenging to avoid the burn out of our screens and isolation. This term we have gradually worked our way through our Mind Matters unit. We have investigated the parts of our brain and their function, brain integration: how our brain responds to treat/impulses; recognising positive, negative, mixed feelings & our ‘triggers’, navigating chaos and rigidity, and ‘flow’ versus mindfulness.
Viewing TED Talks has been a great way to extend the possibilities of our research by listening to experts present their ideas. We were able to learn more about our own states of ‘flow’ and further consider when or where we experience our own state of ‘flow’. This is important to maintaining our sense of self without the context of others.
“When I’m running, I feel calm and my heads gets a break-I don’t have to think about anything” Harriet B
“When I read, I feel like I have my flow because I enjoy it and I don’t notice the time!” Asha
“When I read or performing …maybe that sounds strange, but it’s where I do my best thinking.” Lola
One of our shared resources from the ABC, includes the Mindfulness Tool Kit. This is a great series to watch as a family and discuss together
Challenge Ourselves at Mathematicians
Over the course of the year, we have been engaging in Number Talks. Students are presented with a mathematical problem and asked to share their strategies for finding a solution. The problem may have a specific answer with multiple strategies to find a solution or it may be open-ended with a wide range of possible solutions.
The aim of Number Talks is to empower students to develop as more confident mathematical thinkers and be able to persevere when solving complex problems. We want to move away from the answer being the focus of what matters the most. Our focus is shifting to the process that is used to achieve the answer. Number Talks are important because they allow us to make sense of mathematics in our own ways. We are encouraged to present mathematically convincing arguments and critique or build on the ideas of our peers. We are encouraged to think deeply about the problem and are given time to think. Giving dedicated time we need to solve a problem is a powerful message about maths that challenges the prevalent idea that being good at maths means being fast.
See an example here
Agents of Change-Our Guest Speakers Continue…
Last week, we met Emily Hui. Em has been a true Agent of Change. She like our other guest speakers is part of the team. She helped establish Zero Waste Victoria; a not-for-profit charity that aims to empower the community to reduce and rethink waste that ends up in landfill. We were curious to learn…
“How did you first find out that recycling is not the answer?” Jimmy
“What has changed since you began at Zero Waste?” Malik
“Does Emily have any advice for reducing single-use plastics use under the lockdown restrictions? I have noticed that cafes for example are no longer allowing people to use their own keep cups, which means cafes are wasting more.” Amory
If you would like to check out Zero Waste Victoria or support their projects please visit http://zerowastevictoria.org/what-is-zero-waste/
This week we met with Lucy Dryden. Lucy has worked for the Fred Hollows Foundation for a number of years and has been instrumental in establishing the clinics in areas such as the Solomon Islands. Her focus area is Pacific-wide which includes areas such as, Papua New Guinea and Timor-Leste. Her role is to manage the programs that operate in those areas. Students were invited to watch this movie about how the Fred Hollows Foundation in providing basic medical care to people to restore their sight and in turn, their independence.
We were ready to engage with Lucy and find out more this week…
“What sparked your interest in this field?” Edie
“What part of working at the Fred Hollows Foundation do you like best?” Yvette
“What is the hardest part of your job?” Eva
It’s also exciting that there is plenty of potential for us to become more involved with issues that move us. If any student is moved by or interesting in learning more about the work that Lucy (our guest speaker) has shared, check out this Award by the Fred Hollows Foundation. It recognizes year 6 students who follow in Fred’s Footsteps.
Marcus Veerman, also reconnected with us to share his Sunflower September Project! In the coming weeks, you might see people in and around Brunswick planting sunflowers…if you would like to be part of Sunflower September, Marcus’s initiative to give our communities hope during isolation, then you might like to take a look at this link or maybe simply decorate your windows and fences with drawings of sunflowers to help share the joy of spring!