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Meet Dribble: Our New Pet Turtle!
Hey there, everyone! I’m Dribble, the newest addition to the Year 4 team. You might recognise me from our class novel, “Tales of A Fourth Grade Nothing”. My owner, Peter, is the main character in the story. He won me at his friend’s 9th birthday party.
I am super excited to work alongside the Year 4’s. I’m ready to explore, learn, and have a shell of a time with all my fantastic classmates.
Year 1 Bugs N Slugs
We had an insect invasion today at PPN – but it’s all under control.
Our Year 1 students have been learning about insects this term and the Bugs ‘N Slugs experience allowed them to get hands-on with a range of creepy crawlies. The Church Hall was filled with bugs including spiders, beetles, snails and stick insects that students could investigate, and in some cases, hold.
Nature Maths
In Nature maths this week, we had our foundation students back in the Nature Play space practising their counting skills. The students worked in small groups to count individual leaves and petals as they pulled them off the flowers and stems. They then counted each leaf as they placed it into the leaf soup they were creating. Each group made a lovely concotion of many kinds of leaves, with type of leaf showing a different amount.
It was fun practising our counting in a different way. The students were very engaged and loved creating leaf soup while also practising some important skills.
Harmony Week
Harmony Week is a time to celebrate Australia's diversity, bringing together Australians from all different backgrounds. We have an amazingly diverse school community here at PPN, and this week we celebrated that by decorating some hands that represent who we are and our cultural background, and making a small harmony garden in the Nature Play Space.
The students used watercolours pens and created some beautiful designs, or drew something that represented them onto a hand cut out of water colour paper. It was a beautiful collection of colour and diversity in the nature play space once the students have finished creating their hands.
How have you and your family celebrated Harmony Week?
The first part of our school year is marching quickly on, and yet there are so many wonderful things yet to come this term. It is Harmony Week this week, and there will be some special celebrations of our cultural diversity here at Prescott Primary Northern over the next couple of days. We also have our Upper Sports Day next Tuesday, some class excursions, Year 5 and 6 Camps and of course the wonderful Easter time to celebrate. There is a lot to look forward to this term.
I would also like to say a big “Well Done” to staff and students on completing the 2024 NAPLAN testing program. We are very grateful for our supportive and insightful teachers, SSOs and NAPLAN Coordinators for carefully guiding our students. And, of course, we are so proud of our students and their efforts.
I have experienced, both as a parent and as a teacher, the situation where you talk and instruct, and it seems like all you are doing is talking to yourself. You say something to a child or even a group of children, and there is no response. It’s like you haven’t even spoken.. . . crickets. I don’t think I am alone in this experience. So how is best for us to repond here without getting upset or angry? Here is an article with some very practical suggestions. I hope you find it helpful.
“When My Child Won’t Listen
One of the most common complaints I hear from parents about their children is that, “The kids just won’t listen.” But guess what. They are listening. They’re just not complying! You’ll typically find that a handful of standard answers permeate the Internet and parenting advice books when it comes to this topic. Let’s acknowledge them first, because they can be helpful.
- Keep it simple
Short sentences are easier to process than long lectures. Keep your statements and requests simple, clear, and direct.
- Get on your child’s level
Making eye contact, smiling, and ensuring your child has heard you always improves the likelihood that your child will act.
- Repeat it back
Ask your child to tell you what you told them. If you ask them to pick up the wet towels from the bathroom floor and they’re not responsive, ask them, “What did I say just then?” and wait for them to tell you.
- Speak more quietly
Speaking louder (yelling) won’t draw them to you and it’s unlikely to encourage them to want to listen to you. Try speaking softly. They’ll open their ears, lean in, and listen carefully.
- Gentle touch
A soft touch on the arm, a squeeze or a hug, or an arm across the shoulder… These gentle touches can be enough to act as a circuit-breaker so your child can pay attention to what you’re asking and help move things along.
- Drop the don’t
Say what you want. If you tell your child what not to do (such as “don’t hit the stick against the wall) It requires more effort on the part of your child to redirect their energies. Now they have to stop doing the thing that’s bothering you and think of something to do instead.
- Find a way to say “yes”
When you have to say “no”, spin it into a “yes”. If you’re asked, “Can we stay at the park longer?” you can say, “You bet. We’ll have a longer stay at the park on the weekend when we come back with your friends.”
If they plead, “Can we please have ice-cream”, respond with “You sure love ice-cream. We’ll have ice cream on Friday night with our movie like always.” Your yes is usually going to be a “not now,” but if you phrase it right, it goes down a treat.
If we want to be even better parents, the five suggestions in this next section will help us take it to a whole new level:
The fancier answers
- Keep it simple
When you ask your child to do something, consider the connection. Connection means feeling seen, heard, and valued. Do your children feel like you see them as more than a convenient way to get something done? Trying to command without connection - like yelling between rooms - is a lousy way to have your kids pay attention and usually won’t lead to anything resembling compliance. (It’s not realistic to expect that you’ll “connect” every time something needs doing. But maybe we can connect more than we currently are)?
- Timing
If your child is in the middle of something their listening and compliance will be way down. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t ask our children to be involved in helping when they’re doing something. That’s not realistic. But when we’re sensitive to their priorities, things go better. Consider statements like, “When that episode is done, please turn off the tv.”
- Capability
We expect too little of our children physically and we expect too much of our children emotionally.
Demanding they “calm down” or “stop it” might be more than they can manage. But asking them to clear the table will typically not be too much. Consider their developmental capability, emotionally and physically, before issuing edicts.
- Context
Your child might be perfectly capable of going to bed on time most nights, but on a sleepover night (or some other major event), the context changes. Demanding perfect behaviour at a funeral might make sense and be a sign of respect, but if they’re grieving and confused, or if all of their cousins are there and they’re excited, we might need to adjust our expectations. Requiring our children to listen to us the same way in every context is to expect our children to act like robots. Be mindful of context.
- Gentle reminders
Call your child by name. Look at them and quietly remind them of the issue that’s requiring focus. The fewer words you use the better. Two is ideal. For example, “Your bedroom,” “Your stinky socks,” “The dishes,” and so on. Say please, and smile kindly.
The advanced answers
There are even better answers, but space won’t allow me to describe them here. You can find the entire list in the book, “The Parenting Revolution”. (As a sneak peek, remember to be involved with your children when they have something to do. Be patient and give them a chance to act before cajoling them again, make it fun, and consider how much connection is happening compared to correction and direction. Lastly, remember it’s totally reasonable and acceptable for parents to expect their kids to help out around the house.)
These ideas (and the extras in my book) will help change the game.” (Coulson, 2024)
Have a great week with our kids,
Mark B
Proverbs 15: 1 “A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper-fire.”
PPN began this week with an awesome celebration. On Sunday evening families from both PPN and Para Vista SDA Church came together to Waterworld for this year's first CONNECT 4. Waterworld is a local aquatic centre that hosted a place for dinner and an array of activities. The smell of the sausage sizzle, the sound of cackling laughter and the sight of smiles all around created a night worth remembering.
The evening started with a delicious sausage sizzle, where everyone got to know each other and bond over great food. As the evening progressed, we made our way to the pool for a refreshing splash during the warm evening. The waterslides were operating, and kids and adults alike screamed with joy as they slid down the twisting slides making a gigantic splash at the end. With Christ centred music playing through the speakers of the centre for all ears to hear, everyone was enjoying their time in and out of the water.
But perhaps the most memorable part of the day was the sense of community that was created. People from all walks of life came together to enjoy the activities, and the atmosphere was one of unity and friendship. We are proud to have such a beautiful community that makes running these successful events possible. Events that bring people together in a positive and uplifting way. CONNECT 4 was truly an amazing experience that I hope the community will never forget.
A Bible verse that comes to mind when thinking about our community coming together is Romans 12:5, which says: "so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other." This verse reminds me that as a part of PPN, we are not alone but part of a larger community, the body of Christ. It emphasizes the importance of unity and interconnectedness among our school, each member belonging to and serving the others.
This verse speaks to the sense of community and togetherness that was created at CONNECT 4. Although we came from different backgrounds and walks of life, we were able to form a bond and enjoy each other's company. It serves as a reminder that when we come together in the spirit of unity, we can achieve great things and experience the love and grace of Christ in a powerful way.
Blessings
Toby Ackland
The power of music on children’s emotional wellbeing
Music holds significant benefits for children's mental health and emotional development. It serves as a channel for emotional expression, allowing children to articulate feelings they may struggle to convey otherwise. Whether through listening, singing, or writing music, it provides a liberating outlet for self-expression, promoting emotional resilience and self-esteem.
Engaging with music can also uplift children's moods, with upbeat tunes boosting spirits and calming melodies inducing relaxation. Scientifically, music stimulates the production of hormones like serotonin and adrenaline, contributing to feelings of happiness and energization. Moreover, music fosters a sense of connection and understanding, helping children feel less isolated in their emotions.
For children with anxiety, music serves as a therapeutic tool, aiding in relaxation and altering their responses to stressful situations. Additionally, music plays a crucial role in identity formation, as children develop preferences and connections through musical experiences, influencing their sense of self and social interactions.
Ultimately, the enjoyment of music should be prioritized, whether through formal education or casual listening. Encouraging each child's unique engagement with music can significantly enhance their mental health and overall wellbeing, with no right or wrong way to enjoy it.
You can read more about the power of music on your child’s wellbeing by clicking here,
or if you are into Podcasts click here for a high quality listen.
Year 3-6 Middle/Upper Sports Day
This is a reminder that we are just around the corner from our Middle/Upper Year 3-6 Sports Day on the 26th of March 2024 (Tuesday Week 9)! This will once again be held at Bridgestone Athletics Centre. Below is the program for the day.
If you are dropping your child off, please ensure your child is at the athletics centre by 9:20am at the latest, as program events will start at 9:30am. All other students who go to school, will be taking the school bus to the athletics centre. Please make sure your child is at school on time so we can leave as soon as possible.
Students will need to bring their Prescott school hat, enough water for the day, plenty of food/snacks and come dressed in their school sport uniform. There will be canteen facilities available for students to use during their recess and lunch breaks. Students will be provided with a coloured band to match their Sport House. No face paint, coloured hairspray, streamers etc.
Parents are welcome to attend to cheer on our students but must remain on the outside of the field behind the fence. To conclude the day, we will have a student vs teacher vs parent relay. If you are at Sports Day and are keen to join in, we need 8 amazing parents to jump in for this relay, so bring your running shoes along!! If you are unwell, please stay at home.
Please note that Sports Day is an official school day, therefore your child will be in the care of their teacher for the entirety of the day and must stay with their class. If you selected to transport your child to or from the Athletics Centre, you will need to sign them in with their teacher once they arrive and sign out with the teacher at the conclusion of the program.
We look forward to a fantastic Sports Day together!!
Easter Break
Yr 6 Canberra Trip
The Year 6s will be once again heading to Canberra on their annual camp in Week 11.
The students will be given the opportunity to participate in a variety of educational programs with a focus on Australia's history, culture, heritage and democracy.
The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist the school in meeting the cost of the Canberra Camp, the Australian Government is contributing funding of $90 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the camp.
We wish the Year 6 students well as they set off on a unique and unforgettable adventure!
Uniform Shop
Playdate With Prescott
Our next Playdate with Prescott is coming up soon! On Wednesday, April 3rd we will be exploring the theme of 'Living Creatures' with some fun crafts, activities, and nature play. We look forward to spending this fun morning with the families in our community. Please RSVP to join us for a fun morning!
OSHC School Holiday Program
