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Our highest endeavour must be to develop free human beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and direction to their lives.  – Rudolf Steiner
 
As we reach the pointy end of the year for our graduating class, we acknowledge the particular challenges the Class of 2020 have faced and wish them all the best for the home strait. This week, we celebrate our six Shearwater Certificate students (pictured above).

​The Shearwater Certificate is an alternate pathway for Year 12 students offered here at Shearwater. It gives students the opportunity to create and execute a self-directed project in an area of personal interest. They develop a proposal, present their idea to a panel of peers and teachers, and then immerse themselves in the  project with the support of mentors in the wider community, as well as school staff. Time-management, organisation and communication skills are among the many growth areas for the students, who document the journey in a process diary.
 
This project work is carried out in conjunction with HSC subjects, including one of the English courses and two or three other subjects of the student's choice. They complete these subjects alongside their peers, including sitting any external exams and completing major works.
 
This year, we have six Year 12 students doing the Shearwater Certificate, with a range of projects that they have summed up in ten words each. Their work will be presented in Term 4.
 
My project in 10 words…
 
Creating a look-book of everything I have designed and made. – Chloe
 
Sustainable surf-wear company designed for people who love the ocean. – Bodhi
 
Creative, atmospheric installation of original tattoo designs on body parts. – Venus
 
An EP comprised of original songs recorded in home studio. – Ean
 
Online hand-selected vintage clothing store called ‘Well Dressed Men’. – Ashta
 
Circus choreography and performance combined with costume design and creation. – Nelle

Anna Delzoppo
Visual Art and Design Teacher

This term, at Hummingbee Kindy, we have been immersed in stories, songs and poems about the journey of Wallow Whale and his family, from the icy lands and sea where penguins play, up the coast to Golden Bay… North to where the waters are warm, back to where Wallow Whale was born. The children were very enthusiastic in acting out a puppet show of some of Wallow’s adventures.
 
In craft, the children’s fingers have been busy finger-knitting wool in all the colours of the rainbow for a larger surprise project.
 
In the garden, our bulb babies have sprouted into dancing daffodils, much to the delight of the Kindy children. The children have been enjoying the winter sunshine; making cubbies, building large obstacle courses, engaging in games of push and pull with the big rope, making potion shops, creating elaborate pulley systems, and extending their skills on the monkey bars.
 
Our new guinea pigs, Blueberry and Ginger are settling into their cosy home, and caring for them is a focus every day, with the children picking fresh greens, filling their water bowl, and giving them LOTS of gentle cuddles.
 
On our weekly cooking days after proudly harvesting produce from our Kindy garden, the children have baked delicious sunshine pumpkin cake, spinach rolls, wattle buns and pasta pile ups on rock melon boats.

This term, the children of Class 5A are exploring the world of the Ancient Greeks. We began with the mythology, in which the gods play out the whole pantheon of human experiences – being powerful or powerless, being hateful or loving, being generous or exploitative. We also researched the geography of Greece and how this shaped the Greek culture and the Greeks' interactions with other cultures.

The children then delved into the refined art of mapmaking. A reflection on the art of Greece, most prominently found in sculptures, and a comparison with the representations of Ancient Egyptians, brought an admiration of their dynamic and expressive gestures.

The Greeks loved coming together to celebrate athletic competition and sportsmanship, and beauty and grace were held in high regard at these events. In this spirit, the children are preparing for the Greek Olympics that is traditionally held with Class 5s from other Steiner Schools. This is a joyous pathway into athletics which is empowering for both boys and girls alike.

The practical arts have complemented our theme as the children made amphoras with Ben in the clay workshop. Here they showed their individual approach, which they typically apply to any project. Some worked the clay the fast and furious way (with some amphoras collapsing). Some liked thick and sturdy walls, whereas others preferred slender shapes. The individual strokes and the moulding of the material brings out not only creativity but also a new self-awareness about one’s preferences and strengths.

Anja Grapentin
​Class 5 Teacher

The Primary Well Being Coordinator is a brand-new position within Shearwater and one I am honoured to accept. As part of this new role, I aim to integrate a multi-dimensional social skills program within the Primary School that develops a variety of interpersonal and friendship-making skills. This will incorporate cognitive and behavioural activities and take into consideration specific child development stages. 
 
Having stepped into this new role, I felt my first task was to really get to know all the children within the Primary School. As a Class Teacher, I have the honour of knowing my class inside and out, yet feel that even though I know a lot of faces, it is now time to get to know names and personalities on a deeper level. By experiencing different environments, different friendship groups and dynamics within a class, I have more information at my fingertips to assist Class Teachers with any behaviour issues arising within a learning environment. 
 
The last few weeks has seen me step into most of the Primary classrooms to run sharing circles as an introductory session before beginning the above-mentioned program. It has been a real honour to not only meet all the children in a caring circle space but also to have the opportunity to step into the beautiful classrooms at our School. Not only are we blessed with a rich physical environment, but the love, warmth and support of the teaching staff is a delight to behold and I thank all my colleagues for their support with this new initiative. 
 
Penny Martin
Primary Well Being Coordinator