Bayfield School Newsletter - Wednesday 19th of May
Bayfield School Newsletter - Wednesday 19th of May
Inspired Today-Prepared for Tomorrow
Dates to remember
Thursday 20th May @ 2:15pm - Junior school cross country
Friday 21st May - Assembly - Responsibility @ 9am
Pink Shirt Anti Bullying Day
Tuesday 25th May - Board of Trustees meeting @ 7pm
Wednesday 27th May - Digital Citizenship Parent Talk @ 6:30pm in Puriri space
Thursday 27th May - ICSS Cross Country @ Grey Lynn Park
Friday 4th June - Teacher Only Day - school closed
Monday 7th June - Queen’s Birthday holiday - school closed
A word from Kerri
Mathematics at Bayfield School
Mathematics teaching and learning at Bayfield School is taught through assessment to identify knowledge and strategy needs/goals, workshops to target the learning, follow up, practice and collaborative problem solving tasks. As a school we are very aware of the concerning data that has been reported around the decline in mathematics achievement and we are again reviewing our teaching and learning to ensure we have a sound balance between the teaching of knowledge, assessment tasks and practical applications.
We work very carefully as a staff to ensure that we don't “throw the baby out with the bath water” because there is a new fad or popular choice. We tread carefully to remove any process that is ineffective, keep what works and adapt or adopt new strategies to improve the outcomes for our students. In this newsletter, I have chosen some areas to discuss and over the term, we will share different elements of our mathematics programme with parents.
Mindset shifts
For some of us, we look at the way in which we think our children are being taught mathematics and think that it is unrecognizable from the teaching and learning we experienced and are perhaps frustrated or confused with why changes have been made over the years, when perhaps it appeared to work for us.
What I can reassure you with, is that fundamentally children are still learning the knowledge and concepts that were taught. What we want to avoid are some of the damaging mindsets that may have developed through the teaching and learning strategies in the past, where pressure and the need for speed and the focus on product could have contributed to children thinking “I can’t do maths, I am not good at maths, only boys like maths, I am too slow at answering, I don’t use an algorithm to solve my problems so I must do it incorrectly”.
At Bayfield we want our learners to be confident and knowledgeable mathematicians who are able to take risks and rework mathematical problems, troubleshoot issues and work with others to build on existing concepts and knowledge.
Depth over speed - memory versus concept
There is a debate of the use of basic facts speed tests or timed knowledge tests in mathematics and the purpose and impact of these types of tests on children. Whilst assessment of mathematical knowledge e.g. times tables is part of a comprehensive assessment system, the speed in which children recall facts is not always a good indicator of knowledge and a deeper level of understanding. At times the pressure of time or speed can cause children to “block out” or “freeze” and lose their ability to make connections between their prior knowledge and the calculations that they need to solve.
At Bayfield we have removed the timing pressure around these types of tests to alleviate the pressure to regurgitate facts on demand. We want our children to understand what 3 x 6 = 18 means not as a concept e.g. 3 sets of 6 items = 18 items ( and the reverse e.g. 18/3= 6) and then how this knowledge can be applied in practical and contextual settings.
Types of assessment
As a school we use the Junior Assessment of Mathematics in Years 1-3 (JAM), Global Strategy Stage test (Gloss) 4-6 as part of our formative assessment practice. These assessments are used strategically and some children who are above the expected stage or level in the junior school may be assessed on the Gloss test, so that the teachers can assess a greater range of knowledge and strategies.
As well as these assessments, we have regular assessment tasks that are analysed during the school day. These may take the form or a follow up activity from a workshop (where the teacher has taught a small group a goal specific to their needs e.g. converting a fraction to a decimal), teachers also collect observational data to make judgements about what a child might understand or need more support with during a teaching session.
Another assessment practice used is a think board, a think board is when a child solves a word problem with more than one mathematical concept and has to show their working and then explain their process to solve the problem.
In the next newsletter we will talk about:
How materials support maths teaching and learning
Targeted teaching at Bayfield
Contextual experience and links
Interesting reads for your information
Four Empirically Based Reasons Not to Administer Time-Limited Tests
Anyone can learn to high levels
Cyber Safety & Family Zone Parent Talk
Wednesday 26 May 6:30-7:45pm
Puriri Year 6 Space
Our kiwi kids are online and connected. Interacting, sharing and communicating online is an integral part of their daily lives and while opportunities abound, the increased time online can often lead to a greater chance of risk and challenge.
For parents, families and whānau, this can mean heightened anxiety, concern and a sense of helplessness…but it doesn’t have to be.
Join Pauline from Linewize's Success Team as she unpacks some of the online challenges and complexities young people face and offers some tips for supporting our tamariki as they navigate life online.
Feel free to bring your Bayfield children as Natalie will be running a Coding Club while Pauline is talking. Bayfield children of all years welcome.
RSVP: to Linda if you will be attending & your child/ren will go to Coding Club
Bayfield Let’s Get Inspired Highlights
Pink Shirt Day -
“Speak up, Stand up Together, Stop Bullying” Friday 21st May
There are a number of activities and competitions students can be part of leading up to Pink Shirt Day. The details of these will be shared with the students directly.
If parents would like to purchase a special pink t shirt or make a donation please do so online - click on this link or get one from Cotton On shops
Bayfield At The Movies: For kids and Whanau!
As you all know, Capitol Cinema (610, Dominion Rd) are hosting an afternoon at the movies for Bayfield. The following movie choices will be shared by the teachers of each year group over the next couple days for a vote. Please have a look at the movies choices / trailers so you know what the children will be voting for.
Movie choices and information for Yr 3 - Yr 6 coming soon!! This will be held on Sunday 20 June @ 3pm
Yr 1 - Y3
Tom And Jerry (link to trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgqEyC19538)
OR
The Lego Movie 2 (link to trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11K013qpRR4)
Session Time: Sunday, June 6, 3pm
Tickets are $12 per person (includes choice of either popcorn or ice cream). Older / younger siblings as well as as parents / caregivers are welcome to join in at $12 per ticket.
Parents/caregivers are also welcome to wait at the bar whilst the kids enjoy the movie, drinks are $8 per drink (beer or glass of wine).
Maximum tickets per session: 132. A link to purchase tickets will be sent through once all the votes are in and the final movie choice is confirmed.
Please email Chaitali (chaitaligthakkar@gmail.com) to register how many tickets you will need per family by Friday 28th May.
Bayfield Gardens - Fridays 1.30pm - 2.50pm for Term 2
Help - we are desperately looking for keen gardeners to work with a small group of Year 1 and Year 6 students on Friday afternoons in our gardens near the junior playground. This would include - weeding, sowing, pruning, harvesting and teaching the students the difference between weeds and other plants we want! If this sounds like you - please contact either Stephm@bayfield.school.nz or michaelap@bayfield.school.nz
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