​Students from Classes 7, 5 and 4 enjoyed a visit from filmmaker, linguist and teacher Daniel Bradbury this week, as part of their study of Indonesian language and culture.
 
Dan, who has lived in Sulawesi and Timor spoke to Class 7W about environment and animal habitat in Indonesia, and the class enjoyed watching and discussing some of his films.
 
Class 5, who have been looking at Indonesian habits, customs, faith and religion and how the Indonesian culture compares to our way of life in Australia, heard stories about the lives of village children on an Indonesian island.
 
Class 4, who have been looking at an Australian program teaching basic literacy, hygiene, nutrition and farming to families in a remote poverty-stricken area of East Bali, discussed the idea of gotong royong - a Javanese saying that refers to the collective carrying of a burden on all shoulders. Dan was interested to hear about the Shearwater gardening and farming program and spoke to the Class 4 students about how planting and seed-saving knowledge brings power, and ultimately well-being to the community.
 
We are so grateful to Dan for sharing his knowledge and love of Indonesian culture and language with us.
 
Emily Joy
Indonesian Teacher

Class 4L began the term with an introduction to fractions - perhaps one of the trickiest mathematical concepts to teach to children. But by keeping it practical (cooking up a feast), we integrated weights and measurements with dividing the whole into parts.

The ancient Egyptians introduced the concept of fractions as the bakers delivered the bread to gangs of workers at the pyramids. The first worker marked the bread into eight pieces and the last worker, the eighth person, received the first piece. Hence the first person ate the last slice. We made our Egyptian bread using the flour we grew in Class 3. Very rustic and authentic. Just like an Egyptian!

Mandala form drawings were divided into fractions and our mums received beautiful cards and poems.

As we entered into the realm of Gilgamesh and Enkidu, the children delighted in dressing up and immersing in Sumerian culture. They relished in questioning the plights of Gilgamesh as he strove to find his way, help his companion, and return to the world where all was familiar and life would continue forever as it ever was. Such is the age of the ten-year-old child.

Linda Mayer
Class 4 Teacher

What a sublime day it was last Friday. A feeling of pride was tangible as our wonderful new sports oval was officially opened, followed by a Junior High School soccer game with Byron High, Round 2 of the Bill Turner Cup.

It was wonderful to see such engagement from High School staff and students, who came to watch the opening and the match. The sports field will be widely used for daily PE lessons, internal school carnivals and inter-school games and sports days. 
 
The Shearwater team played with enthusiasm and skill. But final goals in the last 15 minutes saw Byron take the lead. We wish them all the best for their next game against Xavier College.
 
On another note, Cape Byron is coming to Shearwater this Friday to play in a volleyball gala day for Years 7 and 8, followed by the Year 9 and 10 comp at Cape Byron next week. A great opportunity for some fun and friendly competition.
 
Magnum Brotto
PDHPE Teacher

We are all enjoying the sunny and rainy days of autumn here at Kindy, and looking out for the bright colours of Rainbow Glow in the sky.
 
Rainbow Glow shines oh so bright, she fills our hearts with love; 
A warm glow shines within us all when a rainbow shines above.
 
The children have been busy weaving their own autumn rainbows, and it’s been heart-warming to see their excitement and pride as they add each new colour and see their rainbows grow.
 
As the days grow colder and the autumn breezes blow, we have been watching Whistling Wind dance with the leaves, grasses and seed pods while Mother Earth weaves her autumn blanket to keep the new seeds warm. This week the children made autumn kites to swoop and soar in the cool autumn winds.

The children are all helping to make a class autumn weaving and are enthusiastically gathering colourful leaves, grasses, flowers etc… a lovely way for them to contribute their own nature discoveries and appreciate the abundance of gifts that Mother Earth provides.
 
Last week the children all painted terracotta pots and filled them with soil making cosy beds for their Bulb Babies who are all now tucked in and dreaming of springtime.
 
As the cooler weather gently encourages more contractive activities, little hands are eagerly learning to finger knit. The children are making woollen handles ready to sew onto their craft bags which they carefully tie-dyed, making surprising star patterns in all the colours of the rainbow.
 
In our Kindy garden, the warm golden light shines all around as the children climb Mother Mulberry Tree, extend their skills on the monkey bars, make elaborate creations in the mud pit, and sand pit and care for our guinea pigs and each other. They are really forming a harmonious group…. an absolute joy to behold!
 
Kara Mallory
Hummingbee Kindergarten Teacher

​Term 2 started with great enthusiasm in the cooler and dryer weather and the focus has been on building  athletics skills - running, jumping and throwing.

The High school junior soccer team (pictured above) has been busy training for the Bill Turner cup. They won their first match against Mullumbimby High School last term, and are looking forward to next week's match on Shearwater's new oval, against Byron Bay High School.

Magnum Brotto
PDHPE Teacher

Each year, with so many things competing for our young people's attention, we do our best to foster a love of reading right throughout their high school years.

Having just completed their independent novel study, the three Year 8 English classes came together in the Hall to talk about their chosen stories in small groups. They discussed the main themes explored in their novels, the storyline and who they thought might enjoy reading it. The Hall was abuzz with chatter and we hope students came away with a few ideas about what to read next.  

Along with enhanced brain activity and an improved vocabulary, regular reading is shown to increase the development of critical thinking and assist students in their understanding of others. Thankfully it's also incredibly enjoyable once you find the right book!

Sarah Ndiaye
High School English Teacher 

The age of 13 is an important benchmark in human development. Class 7 marks the birth of the intellect, with the need to experience the world in a more complex way. With the development of the capacity for reason and objectivity, we see subjects reflecting this.

In Maths we have just finished a Main Lesson of Euclidian geometry, which is training the students to develop their critical thinking, in contrast to the more artistic geometry of the Primary School years. History and Geography expand horizons, bringing expansion and depth to their knowledge of the world: from Ancient China, to our study of the continents, coral reefs and rivers. Anatomy of the human being is a look inward, to objectively understand the mechanics of the skeletal system.

The students are beginning to embed themselves in the High School, a process that will be completed in Term 4 when the two classes will become one, and their new Guardians will replace the Class Teachers that have guided them through the Primary School years.

Outdoor education, organised sport, art and music are vital to the Class 7 curriculum and great outlets for the emotional upheavals of adolescence. 7W is beginning to prepare for a week-long bushwalk in Washpool National Park, a camp which 7C enjoyed last term. This will be a challenging hiking camp with all food and gear carried by the students.

In sport, we are preparing for inter-school soccer and volleyball matches, along with lessons in tennis and golf. The students are also enjoying our TAS subjects: metalwork, digital technology, fabric design (including learning to be proficient on a sewing machine), and are building skills which will be developed over their high school years.

William Keyte
Class 7 Teacher

To be a Board member, an active interest in the wellbeing and future of our School and the School community is vital. Board members typically devote an average of 1-2 hours per week to their volunteer role, so some spare time is also key.

Professional expertise or experience that will benefit the Board is also important. Director roles are to be held by volunteers, not currently in employment at the School, with various professional backgrounds and expertise. This includes Waldorf/Steiner education, school management, law, planning, financial and business management, human resources and industrial relations management, building and project management or fundraising and marketing.

You can see the current Board make-up here. Currently, we hope to find one or more Board members with expertise in the areas of law, building and project management or fundraising and marketing. If you are interested in becoming part of the School Board and can support us in one of these areas, please get in touch.

Have more questions about the School Board? Click here to see all Ask the Board questions to date.