Holy Spirit Students and their string instruments
Holy Spirit Primary School St Clair is fortunate to offer a unique music program to their primary students.
The ensemble program is in its third year and allows Year 3 and 4 students to play instruments such as violins and cellos — which not many schools are set up to teach — without the cost of purchase or private tuition.
Mr Glenn Green, Music Teacher at Holy Spirit, says interest has grown since the program’s inception. “Parents are grateful that their child has the option of learning a musical instrument within the school at an affordable price and some students select to participate in additional lessons which are offered to small groups of students in Years 3 to 6”.
Students also have the opportunity to perform at school assemblies and masses. Year 5 student Jada Thomson plays the viola in the school’s string ensemble. She says these are opportunities to share with the wider community. ‘‘It’s fun and exciting,’’ Jada said. ‘‘The viola is bigger and has more strings than the violin. I like the strings and the sound of it. It’s slow and relaxing.’’
Research states that the consequence of children who study music is accelerated learning in other academic subjects. If a child studies music constantly over a period of time, they do better in school in many ways, including academically and socially. The earlier a child begins studying music, the more the child’s brain growth will be influenced.
Principal Anne Hines says “Our school recognises the unique learning path that each child takes whilst providing a rich array of stimulating experiences for students.”
Holy Spirit Primary St Clair
www.hsstclair.catholic.edu.au
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From Facebook
Year 6 Excursion to The Coal Loader, Waverton! Our Year 6 students had a fantastic day exploring The Coal Loader Centre for Sustainability in Waverton! The excursion provided students with a wonderful opportunity to learn beyond the classroom while discovering the fascinating history, sustainability initiatives and natural environment of this unique Sydney site. The students enjoyed exploring, asking questions, working together and connecting their classroom learning with real-world examples of sustainability.
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Our Year 5 students had a wonderful day of learning and discovery at Barangaroo, exploring the deep connection between Aboriginal people, culture and Country. During our guided tour, students learnt about the significance of the land and how Aboriginal people have cared for and lived sustainably with Country for thousands of years. They discovered a range of native plant species and explored how different trees and plants were traditionally used for food, medicine, shelter and everyday life. The students also learnt about traditional tools and artefacts, gaining a greater appreciation of the knowledge, skills and resources used by Aboriginal communities and the importance of passing this knowledge from one generation to the next. Our final session brought together observation and creativity as students sketched the Sydney skyline, using the spectacular harbour and Barangaroo landscape as inspiration. And, of course, there was time to enjoy lunch and some well-deserved play, with the beautiful harbour as our backdrop! It was a fantastic day of learning beyond the classroom, connecting history, culture, nature and art in a truly memorable setting
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