Junior School Retreat Days
For many of our Junior School students, the past week has been an opportunity to recharge minds, body and soul, with Retreat Days for Year 3 and Year 4 last Thursday and Friday, and a Retreat Day for Kindergarten to Year 2 on Monday.
Have you ever felt the need to take a pause from the whirlwind of daily life? As we head towards the end of another busy term, our energy levels typically shift and change in the same way as the seasons do. So our Kindergarten to Year 4 students were delighted to have an opportunity to recharge their batteries this past week. The Junior School staff organised Retreat Days so that students could take a well-earned break from their day-to-day routines, learn new skills and improve old ones, and build their confidence, collaboration and communication skills too.
The Retreat Days for Year 3 and Year 4 were held last Thursday and Friday. Teachers mixed the students into small groups, across year groups, so that the students had an opportunity to develop new friendships. In the Hall, they worked in groups to negotiate a fun obstacle course that tested their balance, coordination and spatial awareness skills. This included walking across a series of stepping stones and guiding each other over hurdles while blindfolded (lots of great communication skills on display). They had to work in pairs to toss beanbags into the air and catch them in a sheet (lots of great teamwork on display). The students were up for the challenge and relished the opportunity to test out their gross motor skills. All in all, it was a great way for them to be physically active, which is important for a healthy lifestyle.
Elsewhere, Year 3 and Year 4 got arty. They used their creativity skills to make origami, puppets and dreamcatchers. And they practised mindfulness, which included a yoga session. The Retreat Days helped to break down barriers between the different year groups, encouraging students to step outside their comfort zones, talk to new people and try out new things.
On Monday, it was Woodstock鈥檚 turn to hold a Retreat Day. Our Kindergarten to Year 2 students were very excited to head off to The Athenaeum, where they had an opportunity to make bliss balls, which also gave them a chance to learn about the benefits of healthy eating.
They had a fantastic drumming session in the piazza, learning a range of different styles and techniques. It was noisy, but so much fun! Then they attended an outdoor yoga session on the Woodstock playground, which helped them to develop an awareness of their body鈥檚 abilities and to enjoy stretching in the fresh air. This was followed by a sketching session in the garden and a Reading for Wellbeing session in the library.
All in all, the Retreat Days were an excellent way for our younger Junior School students to take a moment out of their busy lives and relax, recharge, reflect and reboot.
Well done Junior School!