Boneo Buzz: 10th August

Dear Parents and Carers,

Earlier this term, our staff trialled the PAT Adaptive Reading and Mathematics assessments which creates personalised test pathways determined by student responses, giving a more precise picture of student achievement and even greater diagnostic insights for our teachers. Over the last two weeks our staff have used this to develop what we call Learning Sprints. Each team is tailoring their teaching to meet the needs of the children. We have been influenced by Cognitive Load theory and the work of Simon Breakspear. Follow these links to get an insight into what we are implementing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbzmM30NXNQ

https://teachingsprints.com/starters

Does your child have challenging behaviour

Children experience a range of emotions and express themselves in many different ways. It’s normal for school-aged children to show defiance or sometimes lose control of their emotions while their social and emotional skills are developing. It’s important that parents and other caregivers provide support while your child is developing and learning to manage their own emotions. Guiding your child and encouraging positive behaviours will help them learn appropriate ways to behave.  

Signs and symptoms of challenging behaviour

Different families will have different expectations about what is acceptable and what is considered difficult behaviour. Some behaviours that families commonly find challenging in school-aged children include: 

• defiance (e.g. ignoring or refusing to follow your requests)  
• fussiness (e.g. refusal to eat certain foods or wear certain clothes) 
• hurting other people (e.g. biting, kicking) 
• excessive anger when the child doesn’t get their own way.

What causes challenging behaviour?

As your child gets older, they become more aware of what behaviour you expect of them and will be better able to control their behaviour. School-aged children begin to understand empathy and are much better at planning and making decisions about their behaviour than toddlers or pre-schoolers, because they begin to understand that their actions have consequences.

During primary school, children also begin to learn how to take on more responsibility, but they still require boundaries or limits to guide them as they develop.

Challenging behaviour is often due to your child not yet having the social and emotional skills they need to behave the way you would like them to.

There are a number of other things that may affect your child’s ability to control their reactions, emotions or behaviours, including: 

• being unwell 
• not enough sleep and being tired
• too much screen time 
• poor diet and feeling hungry
• a change in family circumstances or routine
• change of environment (e.g. starting a new school)
• being bullied or having problems at school

Sometimes, ongoing challenging behaviour can indicate other health issues, particularly if it is affecting your child’s ability to cope with everyday life. It is also important to consider their current situation or environment and how it may be affecting them. If you are concerned about your child, see your GP. 

How to deal with challenging behaviours

While dealing with your child’s ongoing negative behaviour can be very stressful, constantly responding to negative behaviours can teach a child that this is a good way to get your attention. Effective ways to discourage challenging behaviours in your child include: 

• Ignoring – for minor attention-seeking behaviours, it is best to ignore the behaviour (e.g. turn away from your child and respond only when they stop doing it).
• Offer choice – allow your child to make decisions by offering choices and teach them to consider consequences of the choices they make (e.g. “You can put the iPad away or give it to me”)
• Encouraging empathy – point out how your child’s behaviour is making another person feel (e.g. sad, hurt) and ask your child how they would feel if someone did the same to them.  

The best way to guide your child’s behaviour is to use a positive and constructive approach. Reward good behaviours often and focus on positive aspects of your child’s behaviour, rather than directing attention to negative behaviours.  

Year 3 – Willum Warrain

On the 31st of July, the Year 3 students visited the Aboriginal association ’Willum Warrain’ in Hastings. While on this Bunurong Boon Wurrung gathering space, the children demonstrated respect and curiosity as they inquired into civics and citizenship ideas of connection and community.
They explored the ‘Pun pun’ (wetlands), learning how the custodians had returned this from a boggy wasteland to a habitat burgeoning in Indigenous flora and fauna. This habitat is now teaming with traditional medicinal and edible plants that is an integral part of reclaiming culture and caring for Country.
The children were fascinated to discover the traditional roles of children, men, women and elders within the community and how rules and respect governed their relationships within the tribe.
Students studied artefacts and relics, learning the significance of the possum fur cloak that a Koorie child (or Bubup) was wrapped in from birth, which grew in panels throughout the person’s lifetime, telling their personal dreaming and keeping them extremely warm during winter. The hide of a possum is, in fact, among the warmest animal skins in the world.
Before returning to Boneo, ‘Uncle’ Peter (an elder) shared the Bunurong dreaming story of the Murrnong Daisy, which was a staple of the Bunurong people, on which Country our beautiful school resides.

Prep – 100 Days of School

🎉 The Preps celebrated 100 Days Brighter last Friday! 🌞🎉 Our little stars radiated with vibrant colors and big smiles, as they celebrated this significant milestone in their educational journey. Here’s to a hundred days of laughter and learning at school! 🌟📚🌈🎒