Newsletter - PDO [email protected] and register your interest. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. School Year 2012-2013 Issue 21 – The PDO School

School Year 2012-2013 Issue 21 – The PDO School Newsletter is compiled by Claire Bonham

Newsletter

Date: 13th June 2013 Issue: 21

Dear Parents,

Last week was full of learning for both our Teachers and Learning Support Assistants. The PDO Team

were inspired by three experienced trainers who are up to date with the latest best practice in

Literacy, Numeracy and the Early Years.

In Early Years, Pam Mundy provided practical suggestions on how learning areas could be utilised

even more, to develop both communication and mathematical skills. This focus on learning

through child initiated activities provides children with meaningful opportunities to develop their

skills in an exploratory environment. Of course teacher initiated activities will continue to play a

valuable role alongside child initiated activities.

In Numeracy, the team explored problem solving with Els de Geest, and how different approaches

can be advantageous and efficient depending on the type of learner that you are. The traditional

view that children move from representing problems by objects, then pictures and finally

calculations is in fact not a brain friendly approach. Instead any one or, more commonly a

combination of these approaches is most effective in enabling children to fully take on board and

understand what a problem is really about.

In the Literacy sessions the staff learnt about the importance and value of children’s mother

tongue. Jane Denby shared her own experience in International Schools and made us realise how

much we should be celebrating the bilingual nature of the majority of our children. There is no

doubt that moving forwards children who are proficient in more than one language will have the

advantage in terms of both opportunities and experiences. As the world continues to grow ever

more accessible the ability to bridge the language barrier will prove even more valuable.

We are often asked to compare ourselves to other schools. These schools tend to focus primarily on

achievement and the standard that has been obtained. Whilst we value achievement for us as a

truly international school the most important question is how much value has been added rather

than the end result.

Research shows that it can take 1-2 years for a child to become a proficient English Speaker and 4-

9 years to develop a technical grasp of written English. Therefore comparing a cohort of children

that have all learnt in English from the beginning of their time in school to our own situation where

new children are arriving throughout the year with very limited English skills is not a true picture of

the progress that our children make.

If we compare a child’s learning to a vegetable, it is not the measuring of the vegetable that helps

it grow. Instead it is the access to sunlight, water and nutrients. Children are the same as it is not

about the assessments or tests which help a child learn but the opportunities, input and reflections

they experience. Therefore whilst PDO School values the information provided by the assessments

to demonstrate progress and help set targets, assessments in themselves are not a learning tool.

PDO School

PO Box 81, Muscat 100

Sultanate of Oman

Website: www.pdoschool.com

Tel: (+968) 24675864

http://www.pdoschool.com/


The staff are currently taking some brain friendly slow thinking time to work out which ideas are key

and need to be implemented as a priority in the new school year. Exciting times are ahead!

We look forward to continue working alongside you to help your children learn and fulfil their

potential.

Kind regards,

The PDO School Team

Mother Tongue Book Drive

Research shows that maintaining a child’s first language can greatly help the child when it comes

to learning a second language. PDO School is committed to developing truly ‘Internationally

Minded’ young people and as such we value all linguistic backgrounds and cultures. To further our

commitment to ‘Passion for Learning’ we would like to create a mother tongue section in our

library. To do this we need your help!

HOW CAN I HELP? You can help in any of the following ways;

1) If you are leaving Oman, or know someone who is leaving Oman, or simply have unwanted

books at home that your children might have outgrown, why not consider donating any unwanted

first language books, comics, magazines etc to the school.

2) If you are returning to your home country in the summer break, considering asking friends and

relatives if they have any books, etc that they would like to donate.

3) If you are able, and would like to purchase one or two new books to bring back and donate to

the school that would be greatly appreciated.

Any books donated will have a donation certificate inside which will show who donated the book.

HOW DO I DONATE?

Please send donation books to school in your child’s green bag. Alternatively, there will be a ‘drop

box’ for book donations placed in the school foyer, at Reception.

WHAT KIND OF BOOKS?

Anything!!! You can donate books, comics and magazines on any subject. We welcome fiction

and non-fiction books of all types and in good condition. Any contribution you make will be greatly

appreciated both by the school as well as current and future students of the school.

Translation Volunteers Wanted

Would you be willing to volunteer your time to translate letters and other information to parents into

your home language? If so the school would like to hear from you! We would like to compile a list

of parents who would be willing to help occasionally as needed. Please email

[email protected] and register your interest. If you have any questions, please feel

free to ask.

mailto:[email protected]


Learning in Pre-Nursery (Miss Sangeeta’s Class)

In Pre-Nursery we have been learning about “Animals”; in particular animals which can be pets

and farm animals.

For our Entry Point we made our own masks of farm animals.

A lot of Pre-Nursery learning is about developing language in meaningful contexts. Our role-play

corners is currently ’The Farm’. Children develop their imagination and communication and

interpersonal skills as they play together.

The children learned names of many pets and farm animals, where they live, what their young are

called and what produce we get from them.


Children are supported in linking new knowledge to previous learning by learning through songs

and stories. We often plan a week’s learning around one story. Children have joined in

enthusiastically with retelling ‘Spot goes to the Farm’, ‘Do Your Ears Hang Low?” and ‘How do I say

Quack?’.

For Pre-Nursery children, certain skills are important to practise. Many are practised every day,

but we select a particular skill to focus on, each week. Recently we included cutting, holding a

pencil correctly, and counting,


New SMS Messaging system

Please be aware that due to the introduction of the new SMS messaging system, the class phone

trees are no longer being used. Parents will receive notifications by text message and email only.

These forms of communication are the responsibility of the school.

PTA end of year party

Please note that due to the end of year party on the 27th June, both Ball Games with Mr Robert

and Drama with Miss Hanneke will be cancelled.

Leavers

If your child is leaving PDO School at the end of this year, please ensure that you have notified both

the class teacher and the Deputy Heads as soon as possible. If your child was expected to leave

but you have changed your mind, please also ensure that you have let us know.


Learning in Nursery (Miss Marilyn’s Class)

As an Entry Point for our IPC unit ‘Shopping’, Nursery M went to Qurum City Center. We matched

the logo’s to the names of the shops and explored these shops to see what they were selling. We

shopped from a shopping list and bought fruit for our cookery class.

After shopping we shared a plate of French fries with our friends and then we went back to school

on a big bus.


In cookery class we chopped the fruit we bought and made fruit salad. We also ate ice cream

and chocolate sauce.

Our buddy class P5T invited us to share their learning about the ‘Rainforests’ and the animals that

live there. Our buddies made a drawing for us and they were surprised to see how well we colour

in.

We made music using pots and pans and during HSE week we made our own percussion

instruments for a Recycle Rap Band.


Boudewijn is learning

about board games.

Luqmaan uses the same

skills he used to make his

robot to make a teddy.

Abel and his

spinning top.

Marieke and her

favourite board game.

For this week’s edition of Eye on the IPC we asked children in Milepost 1 about their learning

highlights within their IPC unit “Toys – The Magic Toymaker”.

Luqmaan P2S and Boudewijn P2M Luqmaan and Boudewijn both really enjoyed

their learning on how to make a robot.

Luqmaan said they first had to colour the

pieces of the body and after that they had to

cut them. They then had to pinch a hole and

put all the pieces together with a split pen. This

was his learning highlight because the arms

and the legs of the robot could move and he

could give his robot a name. He named his

robot Robby.

Boudewijn really enjoyed this because he had

never done it before and it was really

interesting for him. He made his robot without

getting any help.

Abel P3R and Marieke P3H Abel’s and Marieke’s highlight was when they learnt how

to make a spinning top. Abel really enjoyed this because

he could do it on his own. He had to cut out the circle and

find the middle by putting the end together. He then drew

a pattern and put a straw in the middle to make it spin. It

was Marieke’s highlight because she got to colour and

when you spin the top it fools your eyes. It looks like the

colour are moving, but they are not.


Dates for your diary Please find below important dates that are coming up soon. A reminder that all term dates

are available on the school website www.pdoschool.com .

Date Event

19th – 20th P6 Overnight excursion to Sur

20th June Reports out

25th – 26th June Parent Teacher Consults (Optional)

26th June After School Activities finish

27th June PTA end of year party

30th June P7 Production

3rd July End of Term 3

http://www.pdoschool.com/


Car park Safety – Our expectations of all parents

The safety of all children at PDO School is extremely important. With this is mind

it is vital that we all follow these guidelines:

Please remember that:

There is a one-way system

Reversing is not allowed

All car engines should be switched off when stationary

Children should not be left unattended in a car

When dropping off children, drive to the end of the drop-off zone to avoid hold-ups

It is important to drive slowly

Mobile phones should not be used whilst driving

Children should keep their seatbelts on until the vehicle they are travelling in has come to a complete stop

Please help us to create a safe environment for our children and community by following these guidelines.

Documents

Newsletter - PDO [email protected] and register your interest. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. School Year 2012-2013 Issue 21 – The PDO School