Rissalah College Year Three Parent Information Booklet€¦ · Days, Isra and Miraj event etc. • Public recognition of school and individual students, e.g. Creative Writing, Public

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Rissalah College Year Three

Parent Information

Booklet

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Assalam aleykum wa rahmatulllahi wa barakatu. Dear Parents and Caregivers, Year Three teachers are happy to welcome you to the 2019 school year! We are looking forward to a productive partnership with you to ensure our children can achieve their highest potential. We ask that you guide and support your child’s learning by ensuring that he/she:

attends school daily and arrives on time completes all homework assignments given by teachers reads daily to develop a love for reading and to improve literacy skills shares school experiences with you so that you are aware of his/her school life

Homework: The homework system is changing. It is not only revision based but inquiry-based learning tasks. Please assist and guide your child in their weekly tasks as a facilitator. Also speak to your child of the importance of neat work when presenting their homework assignments. Sport: Students will be participating in different sports throughout the year and are expected to come ready for physical activities. Please refer to the PE timetable below.

Monday Tuesday Friday

3 Red 3 Blue 3 Green

Library: We hope to see our students in the library more often, reading and borrowing. We encourage students to borrow books at all times. A library bag is essential in order to borrow books. Refer to the library timetable below.

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

3 Green 3 Red 3 Blue

Communication: This year the school is implementing Dojo Class as the main mean of communication between school/teachers and parents. Please ensure you are all connected as teachers will post photos of your children in action. We are happy to share and communicate with our parents. If you have any concerns about your child’s academic progress please contact the office for an appointment with your child’s teacher. Academic performances will not be discussed on Dojo Class. In addition to Dojo Class communication, we highly recommend reading all notes and newsletters sent home as they include important information. Alternatively, a soft copy version can be found on our school website. http://www.rissalah.nsw.edu.au/resources/newsletters/ Please refer to the 2019 Newsletter, issue 1 as it contains essential information about changes, procedures and events. Please find enclosed copies of items that address our class procedures and guidelines as well as some general school policies. The Year 3 teachers feel privileged to be a part of Rissalah College community. We thank you for your support and look forward to an awesome 2019 InshAllah. Kindest regards, Year Three Teachers Ms. Raziq (3B), Mrs. Najjarine (3G) and Ms. Saab (3R).

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CLASS EQUIPMENT LIST

Stationery:

• 4x HB pencils • 2 x erasers • sharpener (with catcher) • 2 x glue sticks • coloured pencils/twist crayons • 2 x red ballpoint pens • scissors • pack of coloured highlighters • 30 cm ruler (not flexible, nor foldable) • tissue box (1 per term)

To avoid items being lost, please write your child’s FULL NAME and class clearly on ALL items as well as ALL parts of their uniform (hijabs included). Also, replace items as necessary throughout the year so your child has all of the necessary equipment for the classroom.

BOOKWORK GUIDELINES

1. Books will be sent home for clear contacting. Please cover as soon as you

receive the books and return to school as students need them in the classroom mostly on daily basis.

2. A sharp lead pencil is to be used for all forms of writing. It is the child’s responsibility to bring his/her pencils sharpened to school as it minimises class and learning disruptions.

3. The long date is to be written at the top of the page. 4. Headings must be underlined and centred on the line. 5. Only use coloured pencils or crayons. No textas are allowed, including in

homework. 6. Gluing is to be performed in a neatly manner. Place the sheet in the centre of

the page with all the edges properly glued.

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DISCIPLINE AT RISSALAH School Values Our school values underpin the teaching and learning which takes place in our school:

• Faith • Knowledge • Discipline

Code of Conduct The framework for school’s code of conduct is centered on the 4 Rs:

• RESPECT: Be respectful of yourself and others. • READINESS: Be ready to do your best. • RESPONSIBILITY: Be responsible for your words and actions. • RIGHTEOUSNESS: Be a good Muslim citizen.

Students are encouraged to take ownership of their behaviour; respect the rights of others and build commendable relationships with all. The Code of Conduct provides clear guidelines for appropriate behaviour incorporating students' views and teachers' expectations and reflecting the values of the community. Students are expected to:

• Treat students and staff with empathy and not tease or laugh at others • Be polite to everyone and treat them with respect. • Work and play in a safe environment and not engage in physical and verbal abuse • Treat the property of others with respect - do not steal or damage the property of other

students, staff or the school • Learn self-control by not denying the rights of others • Respect others as individuals and not treat them unfairly because they may be different in

some way • Co-operate with teachers and other students and not interrupt the learning process • Be clean and tidy in appearance • Keep the school clean and tidy - place any litter in the garbage bins provided.

Students are expected to abide by classroom and school responsibilities and policies.

4 Rs

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Whole School Reward • Two students from each class will be selected every week to receive an award for displaying behaviours in the code of conduct. This will be presented during morning assembling, K-2 on Thursdays and 3-6 on Fridays. • At the end of each semester two student from each class will receive a Principal medallion; one for Academic Excellence and one for Most Improved. These awards will be determined based on results collected from all forms of assessments completed in terms 1 and 2. • Recognition for their participation in special events, such as the Athletic Carnivals, Gala Days, Isra and Miraj event etc. • Public recognition of school and individual students, e.g. Creative Writing, Public Speaking, Quran Competition, Islamic Studies Quiz Competition etc.

In-class Behaviour Management System The in-class behaviour management system that Year Three implements is an interactive point system called ‘Class Dojo’ (www.classdojo.com). Students each have an avatar and are rewarded with points for specific positive behaviours and actions. Points can also be deducted for inappropriate behaviours. Children who follow the Class Responsibilities will also be rewarded with: • Praise at all times • Stickers • Stamps • In class awards • Table points system • Individual reward system (Incentive Chart and Class Dojo) As stated above, students will be encouraged to strive to their very best. Their hard work in class will be rewarded with the individual reward system and in class awards. Year Three Classroom Responsibilities 1. Always respect others, their belongings and the environment 2. Work and play safely 3. Listen and follow directions 4. Try our very best 5. Wait your turn to speak Year Three Rewards for Appropriate Behaviour Students who fulfil the classroom responsibilities will be recognised and praised through positive reinforcement and/or ‘Class Dojo’ points for their avatar. ‘Class Dojo’ points are reviewed as a whole class at the end of the week. We discuss behavioural areas of concern and how we can work together to improve this. Students who have received the highest number of positive points are rewarded with a small weekly prize e.g. pencil, notepad.

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Supportive Strategies within the Classroom

• Classroom Meetings • Social Stories • Visual Displays • Direct Instruction • Social Skills Program • Incentive Cards

Redirection Choices Behaviour management procedure:

1. Adjustment Strategies – calling students name, tactical ignoring, waiting and scanning, visual cues, descriptive encouragement, body language, proximity

2. Restorative Enquiry – informal 1:1 or small group chat about behaviour, redirection given choices. Students who have an ‘Individual Behaviour Management Plan’ may require additional support or actions from this point forward.

3. Reflection and Restorative Discussion – ‘Thinking Chair’ area for six minutes, ‘Restorative Discussion’, conferences between students where suitable

4. Guided Choices – procedures to follow Restorative Discussion, student takes action to resolve action/inappropriate behaviour, teacher may guide or elicit the action

5. Full Restorative Conference (Parents and Student) – if the above process does not sufficiently support the student in their efforts to improve their behaviour, a ‘Full Restorative Conference’ must be held with parents (inform coordinator of this)

‘Teachers are to always remain calm, cool and collected!’

Steps in Re-inforcing Discipline • First warning: The teacher will calmly inform the student what rule is not being followed and

the student will be requested to stop the negative behaviour. • Second Warning: If the student continues to display the negative behaviour, the teacher will

calmly address the student again, re-iterate the rule and ask the student again to stop the negative behaviour.

• Step 3: If the student still has not settled down, it is ‘Reflection Time.’ The students in Kindy to Year 2 will use the ‘Thinking Chair’ while the students in Year 3 to year 6 will use the ‘Calm Down Corner.’ Students will remain here for a time limit: one minute per age of the student. The student will complete a Reflection Sheet in this area. The class teacher will have a ‘Restorative Discussion’ with the student: the teacher discusses the inappropriate behaviour and the desires expectation. The student is then given the opportunity to return to his normal seat and resume classwork.

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• Suspension: Students who exhibit violent behaviour, use foul language or commit any of the major breaches, will receive an immediate suspension. The Deputy Principal and/or the Principal will meet with the parents /caregivers to inform them about the events and consequences that happened.

• After receiving three suspensions, the student will be expelled by the Principal. • Forgoing all levels: Should a student become a risk for the safety of our students and staff

or exhibit extreme violence towards students or/and staff, the Principal will expel the student immediately. The Principal and/or Deputy Principal will meet with the parents and inform them in the meeting of the consequences of their child’s actions.

*Please refer to next page for Steps in Re-inforcing Discipline

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Steps in Re-inforcing Discipline in the classroom

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YEARLY ACADEMIC OVERVIEW

The following is a chart outlining the academic goals that each class group of Rissalah College hopes to achieve this year.

TERM 1

ENGLISH Reading & Viewing: Core Texts: “Fox” by Margaret Wild and “Duck for a Day” by Meg McKinlay Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary:

• special vocabulary • noun groups • prepositional phrases • grammatical features (nouns, adjectives, conjunctions,

connectives, etc) • adverbs • high modality words • paragraphs • complex sentence

Writing & Representing: • Genre/Type of Texts: Imaginative /Modern Narrative and Persuasive /Exposition

MATHEMATICS: Number & Algebra, Measurement & Geometry and Statistics & Probability SCIENCE: Living World – Watch it Grow HISTORY: Community: historical features and diversity of our community. PDHPE: Bullying, Nutrition and Health (dental) CREATIVE ARTS: Aboriginal Art

TERM 2

ENGLISH Reading & Viewing: Core Texts: Ziba Came on a Boat by Liz Lofthouse and Why I love Australia by Bronwyn Bancroft Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary:

• similes and metaphors • prepositions • connectives • plural and collective nouns • auxiliary verbs (to be, to have, to do) • evaluative language

Writing & Representing: • Genre/Type of Text: Imaginative/Personal Recount & Historical Recount

MATHEMATICS: Number & Algebra, Measurement & Geometry and Statistics & Probability SCIENCE: Material World – What’s the Matter? HISTORY: Remembrance: local, state, national symbols and emblems of significance. Celebrations and commemorations. PDHPE: Bullying, Personal Identity and Values CREATIVE ARTS: Drama: The Twits – Music: A Home Among the Gum Trees

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TERM 3

ENGLISH Reading & Viewing: Bilby Secrets by Edel Wignell Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary:

• verb tense • possessing verbs • paragraphs • relating verbs • verb groups • adverbial groups • technical vocabulary • connectives

Writing & Representing: Genre/Type of Text: Informative/Description, Information Report, Scientific Report MATHEMATICS: Number & Algebra, Measurement & Geometry and Statistics & Probability SCIENCE: Earth and Space Sciences - The Earth's Rotation GEOGRAPHY: Australia’s Places and Neighbours PDHPE: Feelings, Managing Conflict, Families: Roles, Rights and Responsibilities/Gymnastics CREATIVE ARTS: Art: Islamic Art

TERM 4

ENGLISH Reading & Viewing: Playground compiled by Nadia Wheatley Grammar, Punctuation and Vocabulary:

• pronouns • conjunctions • connectives/conjunctions • vocabulary • reported speech • complex sentences • quotation marks • comparative adjectives • apostrophes of contraction

Writing & Representing: Genre/Type of Text: Persuasive/Review of a Written Text, Review of a Visual Text & Response to Imaginative and Dreamtime stories MATHEMATICS: Number & Algebra, Measurement & Geometry and Statistics & Probability SCIENCE: Physical Sciences – Heat GEOGRAPHY: Climate of Places, Similarities and differences between places PDHPE: Personal/Internet/School/Home Safety + Swimming Program CREATIVE ARTS: Music & Dance: Listen, Leap and Learn

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Arabic and Islamic Studies

Arabic is widely spoken; it is the official language of 22 countries spread over two continents and an official language of the United Nations. Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the official language of the Arab world. Arabic is the language of a significant number of Australians from various backgrounds and is considered a vital link between them and their cultural heritage.

The aim of the Arabic program is to enable students to develop communication skills, focus on languages as systems and gain insights into the relationship between language and culture, leading to lifelong personal, educational and vocational benefits. Students will develop the knowledge, understanding and the listening, reading, speaking and writing skills necessary for effective interaction in Arabic. Students will explore the nature of languages as systems by making comparisons between Arabic and English, leading to an appreciation of the correct application of linguistic structures and vocabulary. Students will develop knowledge of the culture of Arabic-speaking communities and an understanding of the interdependence of language and culture, thereby encouraging reflection on their own cultural heritage. The aim of the Islamic Studies program is to provide students with a comprehensive Islamic education, comprising general Islamic knowledge based on the Qur'an and the Sunnah and how to live according to the beliefs and practices as a model global citizen. We want to teach students the ethical values conveyed by the message of Islam and how to apply these principles in everyday life. Educate our students about the history and life of the Prophet Muhammad and how to live according to his guidance. We want them to understand the importance of the Holy Qur’an as revealed to our beloved Prophet Muhammad; how to recite the Qur’an based on Tajweed rules, and memorise and understand the meaning of the Surahs. Students engage in 1 hour of Arabic and Islamic Studies a day (30 minutes Arabic and 30 minutes Islamic Studies). We have Sheikhs and accredited Arabic teachers delivering the program. This year, students are using a new Arabic and Islamic textbook to make the learning more colourful, engaging and appealing. Students pray every day at school. Year 1 pray in the classroom while years 2-6 pray in the school hall. Every Friday we have Jumu’ah. Islamic values are discussed every morning in the halaqa and reinforced in the homework to make meaning of the value by linking it to their everyday life.

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K-6 FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS SCOPE 2019 Achievement standard – By the end of the year, students in Year 3 should be able to demonstrate

the following knowledge and skills.

Area Year 1 Literacy Spelling

• Letter patterns • Word families • Synonyms and antonyms • Syllabification

Grammar • Capital letter: for the first word of direct speech • Question mark: after a sentence that is really a question • Quotation marks to indicate titles • Colon: lists, rations, proportions • Abbreviations

Numeracy Numeration • Numbers 100 – 999 • Identify place value in 2 digit numbers • Read, write and order numbers to 1000

Addition • Addition to 100 • Add combinations of one digit and two digit number up to 100 using

concrete materials Subtraction

• Subtraction involving 2 digit numbers • Subtraction of 2 digit numbers using comparison • Demonstrate and describe the use of counting on and counting back to

compare the difference between 2 digit numbers in problem solving • Model and discuss problems involving subtraction using concrete

Multiplication • Number facts x3, x9, x6 • Recalling x facts involving 3, 6, 9

Division • Sharing up to 100: Share 100 objects into equal groups with and without

remainders • Division by repeated subtraction to 100 • Share up 1000: Share 1000 objects with and without remainders • Recognise, name and use the division symbol

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HOMEWORK

Homework is an essential part of the learning process for your child and has many benefits. Parents and caregivers can help by: * Assisting in the child's learning by giving time to listening to their child read. * Guiding the children in their homework – not doing their homework for them. * Ensuring that there is time set aside each night for homework. * Ensuring and supporting students to complete homework. * Providing where possible, a dedicated place and desk for homework and study. * Encouraging the children to read and take an interest in current events. * Assisting teachers in monitoring homework by signing completed work if requested in addition to becoming aware of the amount of homework set. * Communicating with teachers any concerns about the nature of homework their children's approach to the homework. Students can help by: * Being aware of the importance of homework. * Completing homework within the given time frame. * Alerting parents and caregivers to homework expectations * Seeking assistance from teachers/parents/caregivers when difficulties arise. * Showing their homework to their parents/caregivers * Completing homework to the best of their ability – homework should be neat, complete and handed in on time. * Organising their time to ensure that enough time can be given each night to complete homework in time for each Friday. * Working independently as much as they can to maximise educational benefits of homework. * Trying all questions/parts of homework Students must provide a written note if homework cannot be handed in. Students who have not completed the homework three times in a term will be issued with a letter of concern for parents to read and acknowledge this ongoing problem.

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HOME READERS

Helping with Home Reading.

Before Reading

Talk about the cover, title and the pictures Encourage the student to guess what the book may be about

During Reading Discuss the story so far Encourage the student to guess white might happen next Ask him/her questions about the story and the characters

After Reading Talk about the story Ask questions about the story and the pictures Relate any relevant aspect of the story to the child’s experiences

If a child is stuck on a word…

Pause for 5 seconds so the student can think and have a try If the student is still stuck, prompt him/her by: Suggesting he/she goes back to the beginning of the sentence,

or read past the difficult word till the end of the sentence, or read past difficult words to the end of the sentence

Ask the student to sound the word out Look for a clue in the picture or the words Look at the first letter and think about what the word could be Give the student a hint eg. “Where was the …?”

If a word read does not make sense…

At the end of the sentence ask them “Did this make sense?” Ask them to read it again Tell them the word

If a word read, does make sense, but is wrong

At the end of the sentence, point to the incorrect word and ask “What does this word say?”

If the word has regular letters that can be “sounded out”, ask the child to check the sounds

Tell them the word Praise the students for…

Efforts Accurate reading Self-correcting Making a determined effort to work out a word by sounding

out the word, using the picture or using the story plot to have a guess

Some hints… Read for 10 minutes each day Arrange a regular time which suits you and your child and

stick to it Choose a special place with no distractions eg. TV, small

children Let your child know this is a special time for just the two of

you, and that you enjoy it

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USEFUL WEBSITES FOR HOME

Year Level

Topic/subject Website link

K-2 English: Phonics http://www.phonicsplay.co.uk/

K-2 English: Phonics http://mrthorne.com/

K-6 Children’s search engine

www.kids.net.au

K-1 Reading and comprehension

http://www.starfall.com/

K-2 Reading and comprehension

http://pbskids.org/lions/

K-2 Phonics

http://www.learningplanet.com/act/fl/aact/index.asp

K-2 Reading

http://www.storyplace.org/eel/eel.asp

K-2 Reading

http://www.storyplace.org/eel/eel.asp

K-2 Reading

http://www.storyplace.org/eel/eel.asp

2-6 English – English games

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/interactive/English.html

2-6 English – English games

http://activities.bradleys-english-school.com/

K-6 Mathematics games

http://au.ixl.com/?gclid=CI-88fWHgqgCFQP1bwod5X_Gqg

K-4 Mathematics games

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/4_11/site/English.shtml

K-4 English – English games

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/4_11/site/Mathematics.shtml

3-4 Reading and grammar

http://www.globalclassroom.org/2005/inservice/reading.html

K-6 Science games http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/websites/4_11/site/science.shtml

K-6 English – English games

http://www.eslgamesworld.com/

3-6 Mathematics– addition

http://www.gamequarium.com/addition.html

K-6 English and Mathematics games

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/grade_level_help.htm

K-6 Mathematics games http://www.harcourtschool.com/menus/preview/harcourt_math/activities04.html