Welcome GROWING UP TO GRADE 4. ORIENTATION EVENING 2016

WHAT WILL CHANGE IN GRADE 4? MORE SUBJECTS TO DEAL WITH - Home Language (English) - Additional Language (Afrikaans) - Mathematics - History - Geography - Natural Science and Technology - Life Skills - Visual Art - Music - Physical Education

LARGER AMOUNT OF WORK More time will be needed for homework. Effective organisation of time. Parental guidance and support. WHAT WILL CHANGE IN GRADE 4?

DIFFERENT TYPES OF ASSESSMENT Tests and exams Projects that require independent work Rubrics Paragraph and full sentence construction Higher order and application questions WHAT WILL CHANGE IN GRADE 4?

MOVING FROM CLASS TO CLASS Time table is less flexible – must work in allocated time. Deal with many subjects in one day – ability to change mind set Deal with different teacher personalities Writing homework down in Homework Diary (Homework timetable and Web homework) WHAT WILL CHANGE IN GRADE 4?

READING SKILLS Faster pace of reading required Reading for information takes over from Learning to read WHAT WILL CHANGE IN GRADE 4?

ENCOURAGE READING AND VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT Identify the letters on number plates and find unusual words to make with the letters. Read a short story and re-tell it to a parent. Read a recipe to a parent who is cooking. Switch the volume off on the TV and ask your child to read the subtitles aloud – this could become a family participative reading activity if each member chooses a different character to read. Comics stories, factual information, menus in a restaurant, road signs, instructions on packets, credits at the end of movies…anything that can be read. HOW CAN PARENTS HELP?

ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO BECOME INDEPENDENT Teach children how to pack their own bags. This teaches responsibility. Teach children to check their pencil bags once a week so that they can ask parents to replace missing or finished items. Teach children to get the clothing and other equipment ready before they go to bed: school uniform, sports equipment, letters and homework for signing, etc. HOW CAN PARENTS HELP?

TESTS AND EXAMS One of the biggest adjustments in Grade 4 Encourage children to take notes in class and re-tell what they learned. Teach them how to summarise (Not only memorise) Teach the use of key words/mind maps and conversion to sentences Use Post-its to display key words on the fridge, mirrors, toilet doors, etc. Support the Study Skills Program Compile ‘practice tests’ / Download old exams from the website Go through marked tests to make sure the errors not repeated in future. HOW CAN PARENTS HELP?

GETTING ON WITH OTHER CHILDREN Encourage tolerance. Encourage children to be assertive – not aggressive. Your children tell you what they think will make you demonstrate that you love them. Their truth and reality are not always the same. If you believe half of what they tell you about school, we will believe half of what they tell us about home. HOW CAN PARENTS HELP?

SUPPORT THE BEHAVIOUR MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME Tracking system Kudo system Classroom Rules Code of Conduct Encourage honesty Behaviour Management is incremental and developmental rather than punitive Allow children to take responsibility for their own actions HOW CAN PARENTS HELP?

BE AN INSIDER – NOT A SPECTATOR Children Participate in extra mural activities Attend school functions Arrange for play dates HOW CAN PARENTS HELP?

BE AN INSIDER – NOT A SPECTATOR Parents Join the BOFFS or become a CLASS MOM/DAD Volunteer to help at functions Attend events and extra mural activities Ask your child “ What did you enjoy at school, today ?” This phrasing will help them to concentrate on the positive events of the day. HOW CAN PARENTS HELP?

Thank You for Attending GROWING UP TO GRADE 4. ORIENTATION EVENING 2016 Grade 4 Educators Mrs Singh – Head of Department Mrs Mpesu – Control Teacher Mrs Van Schalkwyk Miss D’Hottman DeVilliers Mrs Mc Gonnel