Emmaus Catholic Primary School
Term 3, Week 8 Newsletter: Friday 8 September 2023
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGES
Lord, we know that each of us will experience difficulties of various kinds at different times in our lives.
We pray for courage at those times, but we also pray for courage and strength to join others and be of support when they are in difficulty. Amen.
Courtesy of Praying Each Day of the Year - a 3-volume book by Nicholas Hutchinson, FSC
Motivating Children to Learn
I have noticed this semester that our students are settling into the Emmaus Schooling life. Being a new school, with new friends, new ways of doing things and so forth… it takes a bit of time to settle. What we now do in partnership between home and school is assist our children.
Children can achieve just about anything if they are motivated enough, yet they will learn very little if motivation is missing. Some children are internally motivated. They are hard-wired to try their best. The motivation and drive to succeed is high and comes from within. Their self-esteem is dependent on being successful so if they know they have a reasonable chance to achieve they will generally persevere at most things they put their hands to. It is in their nature to try their best.
Parents and teachers need to ensure that activities for self-motivated children are structured and delivered in ways that will help these self-motivated souls experience success. A combination of good teaching strategies, parental recognition and plenty of encouragement generally works wonders with these children. Many children are not so highly self-motivated and need more than good teaching to get them learning, particularly if they don’t achieve success initially or some extra hard work is needed. Feelings of success alone are not enough. A range of strategies is needed to motivate them to learn or extend themselves. These include:
- Establishing short-term goals with children.
- Making learning enjoyable with fun activities and games. The interactive nature of computers can hold the interest of many hard-to-motivate students.
- Competition: Many children just need a little competition to get them working. Getting a higher or even better score can be a prime motivator for some.
- Activities of high interest or immediate relevance to children’s lives. Many children are motivated to learn when they know that the activity is real and relevant to their lives.
- The use of tangible rewards. There is a place for offering a small reward as an inducement to get a child to work a little harder BUT rewards need to be given in very small doses otherwise you will need deep pockets.
- Parental recognition. A pat on the back from a mum or dad can be a huge motivator for some children who will really strive for parental approval.
How can you motivate your child to learn?
Sometimes it is just one factor but usually it takes a combination of many to motivate children to really try. Research suggests that purpose and relevance are essential for many kids to learn. The great challenge for many parents and teachers is to keep children interested in learning until its relevance becomes apparent.
To help motivate children extend themselves as learners try the following four strategies:
- Challenge children to set Personal Bests in a whole range of activities. Make this at home or at school.
- Help children see the link between learning activities and their areas of interest. For instance, reading non-fiction about their area of interest such as sport can help improve sporting skills.
- Keep a variety of high interest reading materials available at home. Check the materials that children pick up and read. That will provide you with an indication of the areas of interest that motivate them.
- Get some game-based learning materials relevant to children’s age and interest levels. Make sure you get guidance from your child’s teacher about suitability and interest level.
CIAO SIGNORA HACKNER
This week Mrs Hackner commenced her long service leave and by now is living it up in clothes stores and shoe shops in Rome. Although we will miss her greatly, she truly deserves a good break. The last year we have worked extremely hard to have the school up and running and Mrs Hackner has been a huge part of that work. We wish her a safe, fun, and enjoyable trip. We’ll welcome Mrs Hackner back at the beginning of Term 4.
In Mrs Hackner’s absence, both Ms Cameron and Mrs Turner will take on the role of Acting Assistant Principal. The ladies have started their role off in such a professional manner, and I am certainly looking forward to working with them. Congratulations to you both, ladies!
CHANGE OF UNIFORM - YEARS 1 - 5
From the start of Term 4, Monday 9 October
all students in Years 1 to 5 will be required to wear their full summer uniform.
Our uniform supplier, JFE will be onsite here at Emmaus on Monday 18 September from 8:15 - 9:00 am in the Multi Purpose Room for parents to purchase any uniform items you may require for your child to be dressed in their summer uniform for the commencement of Term 4. They will also be at school again on Monday 9 October from 8:15 - 9:00 am for any last minute purchases.
A reminder that the full summer uniform consists of:
Girls - Summer Dress with White Girls/Unisex Sports socks.
Boys - Summer Shorts (formal) with White Short Sleeve Shirt and Navy Boys socks.
You can also visit JFE at their shop during the school holidays, they are located at:
Unit 1/85 Guthrie Street, Osborne Park
Open from Monday to Thursday 8:00 am to 4:00 pm & Friday from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm
If you wish to order items online, do so via: www.jfe.net.au and enter the school code: 9641
CONGRATULATIONS!
Last week, Mackenzie (Year 3) received two very special Sacraments at St Helena of the Holy Cross Church. Mackenzie was Baptised and received her first Reconciliation.
Congratulations, Mackenzie! May this special moment mark the beginning of a blessed and faith-filled journey in your life. May God’s love and guidance always be with you.
FATHER'S DAY BREAKFAST
On Friday 1st September, our Father's Day Breakfast was a resounding success!
Our sausage sizzles were a hit, with countless delicious servings devoured by all. However, it was the children's enthusiasm and energy during the tug-o-war that truly stole the show. It was great to see everyone come together for some friendly competition.
We want to extend our thanks to all the people who helped to put this event together.
And, of course, a big shoutout to all the fantastic father figures who took the time to attend and share this memorable morning with us. We look forward to more exciting events in the future!
SWAN VALLEY MEMORY CAFÉ
On Tuesday morning we welcomed Members from the Swan Valley Memory Café and their volunteers to Emmaus for a morning with our Kindies. We had a lovely morning reading stories, making blossom trees, decorating ladybird biscuits, colouring-in, building amazing creations with blocks, making insects with playdough and loose parts, and completing puzzles together.
The children were so happy to show their friends all the clever things they can do now that they are 4! We have made many new friends and look forward to our next visit in Term 4. This partnership is very exciting as we extend our Intergenerational Play Sessions into the whole school and excitedly prepare for a Christmas Concert for the Members at the end of the year.
TABLOID SPORTS DAY
Wow, what a day! A fantastic start to the sporting culture of our school.
Our students put in their best efforts, showcasing their sportsmanship and enthusiasm throughout the day. It was truly heartwarming to see them giving their all in the various fun-filled activities. The smiles and laughter were contagious, and it was evident that everyone had an absolute blast.
Thank you to all of our parents and grandparents who were able to attend and support our students in making this day so memorable for our young athletes. Thanks especially to the parent volunteers and our amazing staff who worked tirelessly to put this event together.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNER OF OUR PARTICIPATION RAFFLE:
Adrian from Year 4!
We look forward to more exciting events ahead and the continued growth of our students in both sports and character.
R U OK? Day
EMMAUS DAY & CRAZY SOCKS DAY
On Friday 15 September, as a school, we will celebrate Emmaus Day.
The day will begin with a whole school mass led by the Year Three students, at 9:00am. Parents and guests are welcome to attend the mass. From 10am to 11am, students will learn about The Emmaus Story in their classrooms. Between recess and lunch, there will be a range of exciting small group rotation activities for the students to participate in and the day will finish off with popcorn and a movie.
This day also coincides with our Crazy Socks Day. Students are asked to bring a gold coin donation and wear their funkiest socks. There will be prizes for the craziest socks!'
Crazy Socks Day for 4K will be on: Wednesday 13 September
Crazy Socks Day for 3K will be on: Thursday 14 September
VACATION SWIMMING LESSONS - ENROL NOW!
Enrolments are now open for VacSwim swimming lessons during the summer school holidays. VacSwim offers fun lessons at beach or pool locations. They are a great school holiday activity and they teach valuable safety skills to help keep your child safe in the water.
Enrol at education.wa.edu.au/vacswim
- Tuesday 12 September - Year 3, 4 & 5 Excursion to Kings Park
- Tuesday 12 September - P&F Meeting @ 6:00pm
- Wednesday 13 September - Footy morning session from 8:10 - 8:30 am
- Thursday 14 September - Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
- Thursday 14 September - R U OK? Day @ 8:00am
- Friday 15 September - Emmaus Day Mass @ 9:00am
- Friday 15 September - Crazy Socks Day (gold coin donation)
- Monday 18 September - Uniform Shop @ Emmaus from 8:15 - 9:00 am (Multi Purpose Room)
- Wednesday 20 September - Footy morning session from 8:10 - 8:30 am
- Thursday 21 September - 3K Photos by MSP Photography
- Thursday 21 September - Whole School Assembly
- Thursday 21 September - Last day of term
- Friday 22 September - Pupil Free Day
- Monday 9 October - First day of Term 4
* Note - The School Disco which was scheduled in the calendar for Thursday 21 September will be rescheduled and held in Term 4 with the date to be advised.
Our next newsletter will be sent out on Thursday 21 September.
Have a fantastic weekend!
God bless!
Sandro Coniglio
Principal