Thinking at Kingsmead 2021, off to an inspiring start.
We have just spent some time upskilling our new and existing staff on how to effectively implement the 16 Habits of Mind within their lessons, together with the 8 Thinking Maps to impart the various neural pathways of thinking. It is so exciting that we continue to develop students who are curious, collaborative and inspired to be life-long learners.
It is February, time for the Annual TSSA Roadshow. This year the Roadshow is titled: The Next Chapter in Teaching and Learning, with many international guest speakers. We have several of our staff attending this conference virtually, but even more exciting, is that Kingsmead have been asked to be part of this national roadshow within two spheres.
On Thursday 18 February, Tarryn McLaren together with our NEST of 2020 student-led drive team, will be interviewed by the CEO of TSSA, Jane MacIntyre, to understand how NEST runs. Kingsmead Junior School is the only school within South Africa to boast a Junior School student-led drive team. Our NEST students will speak after James Anderson, the International guest speaker from Australia, who elaborates on the importance of student agency and student voice.
Secondly, Tania O’Maker will be presenting alongside two students about our Student-Led Conferences, highlighting the work of, international guest speaker, Tom Schimmer ‘ Reassessing Assessment to Achieve Growth’. This will be an opportunity for two of our students to showcase how they incorporate the Growth Mindset Continuum as part of their learning journey. They too, will share their own personalised strategies to develop and nurture their Habits of Mind within their individual subjects. The students value assessments as tool for reflection and not solely the end results.
Tarryn McLaren
Deputy Head: Senior Primary
Isivivane: The Sanctuary of Stones
You are Welcome Here
As we enter the third week of onsite learning and being able to engage in person with our students, staff, service staff and parents it is important to reflect on the difference between feeling a sense of belonging and simply fitting in.
In Daring Greatly, Brené Brown shares what she learned about the difference between fitting in and belonging from middle school students.
Here is what they said:
Belonging is being somewhere where you want to be, and they want you.
Fitting in is being somewhere you really want to be, but they don’t care one way or the other.
Belonging is being accepted for you.
Fitting in is being accepted for being like everyone else.
I get to be me if I belong. I have to be like you to fit in.
We need to take a moment to reflect on the difference between how one behaves when we belong versus when we are trying to fit in. We need to ask ourselves – are we creating a school environment where all feel like they belong? Are we creating an inclusive and equitable learning community? And if not – What are we doing to ensure that all who walk through our gates feel a sense of belonging and welcome?
Last week our new students were welcomed to Kingsmead and were given the opportunity to beat the Dundun and place their stone in one of the three gabions in the Isivivane Garden. The gabions represent the three areas of our school, the Preschool, Junior Primary and Senior Primary. Our wish is that all who place their stones experience being seen and heard, being part of a sisterhood, and feel a strong sense of belonging.
The bass drum sound resonates deeply with the calling together of our community. Its rhythm transcends language and cultural differences and unites our community. It is when we learn to truly listen to each other and understand contextual experiences, that we are able to beat our individual drums in unison to make music. Our hope is that for years to come, the sound of the drum will be a sound of welcome on arrival and an echo reminding us of the legacy left behind when departing. It will be a call for the individual, who matters first and foremost, to join in the music of our global responsibilities.
Isivivane: The Sanctuary of Stones
You are Welcome Here – Marisa Di Terlizzi
Isivivane
Three Sanctuaries of Stone, Tower
Becoming.
Individually our Stories are Known. Cherished. Celebrated.
Our Differences Make Us Strong. Our Hopes Make Us One.
Our Hearts Beat. Dundun.
The Drum. Dundun.
Lifting. We Rise.
Our Vision Clear. We Rise.
Girls of Grit. We Rise.
Women of Courage. We Rise.
Franc ha Leal.
Irene Ilsley
Deputy Head: Junior Primary
The Library Checkout
Meet our Team:
Tania O’Maker and Ntombi Mthethwa
The Grade 7 Library Committee:
Top left to right: Milli Seekins; Emily Donly; Zeenat Patel;
Middle left to right: Ariana Boyd; Olivia de Lange; Kwezi Foss;
Bottom left to right: Hope Ngwenya; Jaimee Pruthab; Layla Ebrahim.
At Kingsmead Junior School, your daughter’s reading journey is ignited as early as her preschool years right up to Grade 7 before progressing into the Senior School.
In the Junior Primary, your daughter attends scheduled weekly library lessons. We are so excited to be able to welcome our students back into our physical library after a protracted time away last year. This year we commenced our weekly library lessons with all Covid protocols being adhered to. Please ensure that your daughter brings along her book bag to each session and in the case of Grade 3, your daughter needs to bring along her own ruler that functions as a shelf marker.
Our library lessons are perfect opportunities for our students to check out or renew books for the week while also being entertained by a short storytelling session with Mrs O’Maker. The stories have been purposefully selected to harness our students’ love of reading for meaning and pleasure as well as growing an appreciation for languages and words. All the while, students are also deepening their understanding and exposure of different topics/themes and values that span across our teaching in the classrooms.
In the Senior Primary, we have designated specific tea break and lunch break slots for respective SP grades to visit the library. These are as follows:
Our Library Committee are looking forward to hosting some exciting events this coming semester during these slots for our Senior Primary students. This ranges from ‘First Chapter Readings’ to literature quizzes and much more. We have bookmarked a space in this Connection to share some highlights from our library on a more regular basis.
This year we kicked off with a friendly online Kids Literature Quiz towards the end of January. Students brushed up on their knowledge of classics, current events, rhymes and popular trending books and authors. Well done to the following students (in no particular order) who achieved such great scores and earned their houses some valuable points:
In addition to our physical library, Kingsmead also has a free reading service providing digital and audio books through Sora, the student reading app for our Grade 4-7 students.
The collection of digital books in Sora is an extension of our school’s physical library, only it’s in an app or via the web with 24/7 access to age appropriate ebooks and audiobooks. It’s convenient for our Senior Primary students to check out titles at home, on the weekends or even during school holidays with no worry about misplacing a book – these digital titles automatically return at the end of the lending period!
All Grade 5-7 students have been reminded of their Sora login details via TEAMS and in the next two weeks, Mrs O’Maker will be launching this exciting e-lending library platform with our Grade 4 students.
In the words of Betty Smith remember, ‘The world’s hers for the reading’.
Tania O’Maker and the Library Ambassador Team
SERVICE
Footloose Friday
Footloose Friday was a great success with 1569 pairs of shoes donated to the following beneficiaries:
- Kingsmead College Service Staff
- Isipho Primary
- Hotel Hope
- Fight with Insight
- Sunshine Association
- Kids Haven
- Dlala Nje
- Rays of Hope
Thank you to the entire community for donating generously and a special thank you to the PTA for assisting with the sorting, pacing and delivering of the donations.
ARTS & MUSIC
Why do Music?
‘What if a large number of scientific studies had found that there was one activity that could improve our cognitive function, help our memory systems to work, help us to learn language, help us to moderate our emotional state, help us to solve complex problems and help our brains to be healthier. What if that activity is beneficial undertaken at any time of our lives, but found by scientists to be most beneficial if it was undertaken under the age of 7. What if that activity, is actually enjoyable for everyone involved…’ Anita Collins TEDx
Click on the pictures below to watch these two insightful videos about the benefits of Music Education.
At Kingsmead we are incredibly lucky to have specialist teachers for Class Music teaching as well as for individual instrumental/vocal tuition. Meet our teachers: (click on the YouTube icon)
We are back on campus!
It has been such a joy to have our orchestra and choirs back on campus. Although it is a bit different to meet in smaller groups instead of the whole orchestra or choir together, we are loving making music together again. Details of all music practices have been posted on the relevant WhatsApp groups. If you need to be added to a group, please let us know by emailing efourie@kingsmead.co.za. Sign-up forms and the Music Application Form can be found on the App in the Extra-Curricular or Arts & Music folder.
SPORTS
Equestrian
Our Kingsmead riders participated in the South African Youth Showjumping Championships held during the December holidays. It is the highlight of the National Equestrian Calendar.
South African Youth Showjumping Championships:
The South African Equestrian Association was fortunate enough to receive the go ahead to host the annual South African Youth Championships, which was held in December. The 3 age categories at this event, Pony Rider, Children, and Juniors, saw some of SA’s top young riders competing for these 3 National titles. Jade Anderson and Francesca Logan from Kingsmead Junior School competed in the Pony Rider Category (0-16yrs, up to 1.20m), with the main championship class being the 2020 SA Pony Rider 1,20m Championship.
We would like to congratulate the following Kingsmead riders who participated in this event:
– Jade Anderson, who was crowned the 2020 SA Pony Rider 1.20m Champion, riding Lipizza Bannut Ooh La La.
– Francesca Logan, who placed 3rd in the 1.00m SA Pony Rider Championship, riding Equifox Lucy Linden.
WEBINAR
Kingsmead College will be hosting a webinar targeted to our Grade 5-12 parents and students hosted by social media company Klikd, who provide accessible resources for parents, educators, teens and tweens to ensure that social media is used happily, but safely and responsibly.
Parent should please click here to complete a survey before the webinar.
Join us!