Big changes have occurred since my last Quill article. Our class has grown considerably with the amalgamation of Class One and Class Two at the start of this term. The children are settling well to the new situation and I am really pleased at the way they are working and playing together. They have become quite a cohesive group in  a very short time and are adapting well to the changes to routines.

We have been reading “The King of Ireland's Son” as part of our Celtic Tales main lesson. It is a rollicking tale and the children have been writing about the exploits of this gallant young man as he encounters ever more difficult challenges against a bewildering array of foes. As always they are illustrating their work with great care and working hard to improve their handwriting skills.

We continue with the Sounds-Write program with the help of Katerina. The class is split for these sessions and the Class 2's are showing amazing improvements in their reading and writing skills. Maths practice is a part of our daily routine and we continue to fit in our origami sessions, much to the relief of the Class 2's! The classes are split for Indonesian and we are using these times for Main Lesson work and for painting.

A highlight of the week is our Tuesday afternoon Environmental Studies class with Kristi. She has created a space where the children can completely relax and get down into the earth. I apologise for the state of their clothes (!) but if you saw them in their play you would be as delighted as I am that they are able to engage with the natural world in such a creative way.

Ashley continues to take the children on Friday's and is always bringing his musical touch to the class. 

I must thank Jewels for volunteering to help in our class every Monday. She spends the whole day with us and is such a valuable and greatly appreciated addition to the classroom. We also have several parents volunteering to come in for knitting sessions and for reading with the Class 2's. Their help is very gratefully received.

Thank you to all the lovely parents who have offered their support in this transitioning time. I am incredibly lucky to work with such a group.

Jan