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toc Welcome to Room 1, it is a pleasure to have your child in my class. I believe that education is a partnership between both the class teacher, the individual student and also their families. If you have any questions, concerns or comments regarding your child's education then please feel free to contact me at school. Alternatively if you have any information which would really assist me in helping your child to reach their full potential in my class then please also contact me - I would love to hear from you. Please also check your child's home learning book as I use this as a regular means of providing information about how you can best help your child at home. This page contains relevant information concerning the class programme and your child's learning. Check it out from time to time - I will endeavour to keep it updated as regularly as I can. You my also like to check out the children's pages.

SWIMMING, LIBRARY AND WATERWISE
Our swimming sessions take place on a Monday from 10:00am - 10:40am and a Wednesday from 12:00pm - 12:30pm. Please make sure your child has their togs on both of these days. If they are unable to swim on a particular day I would appreciate a note to let me know. Our library day is Wednesday from 10:10am - 10:40am. During this time children will learn how to use the library effectively, have a chance to get books out or renew books and we also have a sharing time of new books or books other students are enjoying. Waterwise happens on a Monday. Refer to the school newsletter for the dates for our class. Please also make sure your child has the correct gear for this. If for any medical reason they cannot take part in particular sessions please also let me know. Here is the note sent home on the first day:

LEARNING STYLES
During Term 1 our class topic is entitled "Identity". You can read more about this topic by clicking on the Term 1 page on the left or by clicking here. During this topic we will be looking at learning styles and the different intelligences we possess. You child will carry out several "tests" to help them identify their learning style or intelligence. They may have done this in previous years but often it can change as children mature. In Year 6 we examine how to use these learning styles in an independent way to maximise learning. We will examine what these mean - how knowing these styles helps your child learn. Your child will be asked to consider how knowledge of their learning style or intelligence can aid them in their learning. Over time, more and more emphasis and responsibility will be given to each student to take charge of their own learning and develop learning activities for themselves. It will also aid me, as their teacher, to develop relevant learning activities related precisely to each child's learning style or intelligence. You can help your child to develop their understanding of these by:
 * Discussing which learning style and intelligence your child is.
 * Discussing the sorts of activities that help them learn best.
 * Using their learning style and intelligence in their homework - guide your child to choose, plan and do activities that match these (you will probably find they get more enjoyment out of their homework by carrying out activities that match their these too).
 * Checking out http://www.learning-styles-online.com/ and [|SMARTS]

HOME LEARNING
A home learning sheet will be pasted into a homework book at the beginning of each term. Please discuss aspects of your child's learning with them and ascertain what interests them. Help your child to use the internet websites throughout the year. Discover new learning with them.

Each week you child is expected to complete some set tasks such as learning the basic facts in Mathematics (see above), practising of weekly spelling words and learning the meanings of the words and spending some time reading (based around their interests. I will sometimes direct the class to specific tasks which are expected to be completed by Friday. These tasks will be glued into the homework books. Homework books should go home on a Monday and be returned on a Friday for checking by the teacher.

Each week on a Monday spend some time with your child planning out their homework - what activities they would like to do, based around family committments such as sports, music and dance practices. It is a great opportunity for you to sow the seeds of discovery in your child and let them explore their own interests. To download the Term 1 Homework Brochure click here: This will provide you with some great ideas about how to help your child with their homework. You can also download the homework brochures and letters here:

FOOD FOR THE BRAIN
Children's blood sugar level cycles about every 45 minutes. In adults, it's every 90 minutes and in teenagers, about every 60 minutes. When their blood sugar levels are low, learning is difficult. Keeping your and their blood sugar levels up is important. However, what students eat is important. There are good foods for your brain and memory, and there are some not so good foods.

What is brain food? To begin with, one the best food groups for your brain is protein. The best sources of protein are unsalted nuts, chicken and fish. Fish, for many years, has been called brain food. Fish contains essential oils and amino acids that your brain uses directly. I'm not talking about the processed "fish and chips" fish, or takeaway chicken, but fresh good quality fish and chicken. Takeaway food looks quick and easy and even tastes good. On February 23rd 2002 I purchased a burger from a well known burger restaurant. I left it on a plate in my office. Four years later, this hamburger looks the same as the day I purchased it. The bread, cheese and meat hasn't gone mouldy. There are so many chemicals in it making it look good and taste good, and it doesn't have nutritional value for the brain and learning. Do this experiment in the classroom with your students - they will be amazed.

Another food group that is good for your brain is fruit and vegetables. Essentially, what your brain needs from fruit and vegetables is vitamin B and vitamin C. If you're not getting enough vitamins B or C, you may find it a little harder to remember things. In fact, research shows that when elderly people supplemented their diets with vitamins B and C, their memory recall went up 100%.

There is one other food that is absolutely fantastic for the brain, and you can eat as much of this as you like — popcorn. Popcorn is a complex carbohydrate giving you lots of energy without the sugar rush. It is best eaten plain and unsalted.

What should my students avoid?

Sugar creates an addiction cycle in your body that makes the brain work overtime. When you eat something sweet, your body starts to pump adrenaline and you feel good - the sugar high. However, while your body is using the sugar, your pancreas produces insulin to bring your body back into balance. This makes you feel worse than you did before eating the sugar. Then you think you need something else sweet to eat, and suddenly you've set up an addiction cycle. It's particularly detrimental for students around exam time and when they are studying because the brain focuses on the need for more sugar, rather than devoting energy to memory and learning.

Caffeine is found in tea, coffee, coke, pepsi and other manufactured drinks, cigarettes and chocolate. Smart drinks also have contain caffeine. Dr Batmanghelid, in his book "Your Bodies Many Cries For Water" states "It's an elementary but catastrophic mistake to think caffeine drinks are a substitute for water." He continues to say" It's true they contain water, but they also contain dehydration agents and use the water they are dissolved in as well as the reserves from the body." Caffeine is a diuretic and this means each cup or glass of caffeine that you drink dehydrates your body of up to three glasses of water. You may have a cup of coffee and then feel quite thirsty. You have another cup of coffee, become even more thirsty and have another cup of coffee.

Approximately 70% of our bodies are made up of water and over 80% of our brains are water. Not enough water can lead to dehydration which causes headaches, lack of concentration and focus and tiredness. Drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day is important for health and success. Younger children should consume about 4 glasses of water a day. Allow students to rehydrate between classes. They do not need to be sucking on a drink bottle continuously in class. However at any time of stress the body also dehydrates. Have you ever stood up in front of a group to speak and your month suddenly goes dry? According to Dr Batmanghelid, the ‘dry mouth' signal is the last outward sigh of extreme dehydration. Dr Carla Hannaford suggests under any stress the body needs two to three times the normal daily amount of water.
 * Written by Karen Boyes - Spectrum Education**