Welcome
Dear Parents,
The purpose of this meeting is to inform you of the requirements of the senior infant class level and give you a sense of the general day to day running of the class.

Curriculum
The Senior Infants programme is based on the Revised Curriculum (1999). The overarching principles are: the celebration the uniqueness of each child and ensuring the development of the child’s full potential. The curriculum is spiral and developmental in nature meaning that concepts are revisited at each class level with increased complexity. E.g. Mathematics, Algebra: Infant Level, Extending simple patterns - 6th class, solving equations with variables.
Punctuality
The school day begins at half eight. I need every senior infant in at half 8.
Now I will present the contents of the curriculum as your children  engage in it on a 'normal' day.
Play
Structured play runs from half 8 to 8:50. Play is a crucial part of the school day. Children use play as a primary tool to explore and learn about the world around them in a fun and non threatening way. Play advances the social, imaginative, cognitive and linguistic development of the child.
Literacy
Our concept of literacy has moved on considerably from the traditional ability to read and write. My own definition of literacy is our ability to use all aspects of language effectively.
The literacy curriculum is equally weighted between oral language, reading and writing.
The curriculum affords a central place to oral language – speaking and listening. It is the  foundation of literacy development and its importance can’t be overstated.
Children need to learn and practice speaking and listening skills so that they learn not only to converse but also that they gain confidence and competence in speaking enabling them to communicate more freely, effectively and confidently.
Reading
As we all know reading is crucial to learning in all areas. However, children read when they are ready to ready and rushing children can be unhelpful for their development and can actually be counter productive. I will be adopting a child centred approach that focuses on the teaching of explicit reading skills: oral language development, visual and auditory discrimination, phonological awareness training, decoding skills, word families, sight vocabulary, reading rate, fluency in reading, comprehension, composition and language concepts.
I would really encourage you all to read to your children every night.
Writing
We use a system of print, lower-case handwriting . Encourage correct posture and help them to hold their pencil correctly when they are writing at home.   Children often prefer to write in block capitals as the straight lines of the letters are easier for them to form, but they should be discouraged from doing so at this stage. Also, please encourage them to write numbers correctly.
Maths
In Senior Infants we will be working on the strands of number, shape and space, measures, time, capacity, money and data. We will be using oral maths games, concrete materials, worksheets and textbooks to develop skills in each strand. The mathematical skills of applying and problem solving, communicating and expressing, integrating and connecting, and reasoning will be fostered and developed.
The emphasis is placed on real life maths that is relevant to the child.
Gaeilge
Anois go cursaí Gaeilge. Now to Gaeilge. Sa churaclam cuirtear an béim ar an gcur cúige cumarsáide. The curriculum advocates the conversational approach to Irish. An rud is tabhachtaí ná go bhfuil na páistí ag caint Gaeilge. The most important thing is that the children are talking Gaeilge. Bheidh mé ag úsáid an córais tumoideachais. I will be using the immersive approach. Beidh mé ag caint as Gaeilge an t-am ar fad, bheul go minic is féidir, ag úsáid áiseanna chun an míniú a thabhairt do na páistí. I will be talking Gaeilge throughout the lesson, as much as possible, using resources to explain myself. Bainfidh mé úsáid as cluichí, dramaíocht, ceol, filíocht chun an Gaeilge a mhuneadh. Déan iarracht do pháistí a spreagadh I Leith na Gaeilge agus bain úsáid as do chuid Gaeilge chomh maith. Encourage your child to speak as much Gaeilge as possible and use as much of your own as possible. Fiú bí ag foglaim as do pásití, let your children teach you!
Yard time
All children need a coat/jumper at school everyday
Mindfulness
Mindfulness is now part of our day in RMDS. It involves a few minutes reflection time after each break.
What is Mindfulness?
Mindfulness is paying attention here and now with kindness and curiosity. Examples of mindfulness practice include:
-Becoming aware of the breath;
-Feeling the various physical sensations of an emotion;
-Noticing thoughts as they pass through the mind;
-Paying attention to all the sounds in the room;
-Noticing what happens in the body when there is stress;
-Watching the thoughts that arise when there is boredom;
-Feeling the stomach rise and fall with each breath
Core Curriculum/SPHE:
Core Curriculum is a unique aspect of the curriculum of Multi-Denominational schools. It covers subject areas such as personal development and relationships, environmental studies, moral and social education, and information about different belief systems and religions. The Stay Safe Programme will be covered later in the second term. Topics covered are friendship, safe feelings, touches, bullying and strangers.
Arts
The Arts subjects are Music Drama and Visual Arts
The Arts program is concerned chiefly with self expression through the arts and responding to arts.
The music curriculum sees that the children develop their musical concepts of pulse, duration, tempo, pitch, dynamics, structure, timbre and style through the strands of Listening and responding, composing and performing. The Ceol programme is being continued from Junior Infants.
The drama curriculum embraces the dramatic elements of Belief, Time, Role and character, Tension, Action, Significance, Place and Genre using drama to explore feelings, knowledge, and ideas, leading to understanding.
The Visual Arts curriculum develops the artistic concepts and awareness of line, shape, form, colour and tone, texture, pattern and rhythm and space through drawing, paint and colour, print, clay, construction and fabric and fibre.
Encourage your children to form opinions on the arts and explain why or why not they like art pieces be that music, drama or visual arts. Encourage your children to be specific and technical (to a degree) – I didn’t like it because it was slow, it sounded boring, I prefer fast music.
SESE
The SESE curriculum is concerned with the study of environments, ‘the surroundings where individuals (human and other living organisms) or community interacts’.
The Geography curriculum develops the children’s sense of place and space. Encourage your children to develop their sense of place by talking about journeys particularly to and from the home, or to and from school.
The children will learn about human and natural environments and environmental care.
The science curriculum is concerned about Living things energy and forces and materials.
Skills development is very important in SESE, encouraging children to work scientifically: to question, observe, predict, investigate and experiment, estimate and measure, analyse and record and communicate.
Encourage your children to be inquisitive. The question why is a very powerful question and promotes cognitive development as children make connections and deductions.
The history curriculum explores each child’s personal history and how he/she had changed from birth to now. An important part of history is stories and the chronology in stories. Children are encouraged to sequence events in the correct order.
Encourage your children to discuss change and continuity, what has changed and why? But also what has stayed the same.
Lunch
R.M.D.S encourages a healthy eating policy as part of Core Curriculum. Dublin Corporation provides milk every day.  Crisps, sweets and fizzy drinks are not allowed and you are reminded that lunch time is limited. Please ensure there is enough food for both breaks. Infants play on the yard for first break with first and second class. The second break Junior and Senior Infants play on the roof garden. All breaks are fully supervised by a teacher and SNA’s.
Homework
The purpose of homework in Senior Infants is to provide a link between home and school and to practice skills learned at school. It is given from Monday to Thursday inclusive. They should be able to understand and complete the tasks given, as they are fully prepared and explained in school. It may sometimes be necessary to read the instructions with them. All written homework should be completed with a lead pencil only. Folders are distributed on a Monday. Please ensure child’s name is on each sheet. Reading should be practiced every night and the reading sheet signed. Please sign your child’s homework nightly. Homework should take no more than 20 minutes of concentrated time. If your child experiences any difficulties please let me know.
Toys
The children are allowed to bring toys into school to play with before 8:50 am and at break time every Friday. They are not allowed to take them out in class. In keeping with the ethos of the school, please do not allow your child to bring toy guns or other weapons to school.
Parents/Teacher Meetings
Formal parent/teacher meetings will take place in November. If you wish to have a meeting with me at any other time, please feel free to make an afternoon appointment.
Discipline/Behaviour
In Senior Infants, an atmosphere of mutual respect, tolerance and sharing is fostered. There is a whole school approach to promote positive behaviour. The children help to make the rules and when sanctions are necessary for misbehaviour, they are always explained. Positive reinforcement incentive systems are in place to encourage good behaviour. A star chart system has been established to encourage good team work.
The Code of Behaviour and the anti- bullying policy is available on the website and in hard copy from the office.
Forest School
Forest school will take place in the summer term and there will be a class meeting after Easter to explain.

Amal Perera

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Ranelagh Multi-Denominational School,
Ranelagh Road,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.
T: +353 1 496 1722
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