PDHPE Faculty News

Our three Stage 5 Child Studies Elective classes have had the opportunity to work with young children at Little Shepherd Preschool and Our Lady of Fatima Preschool and Long Day Care Centre in Term 2.

It has been such a privilege for OLM students to interact with children at these wonderful centres and they have learnt so much as they put theory into practice.

Our OLM students must be commended for their respectful and enthusiastic interactions with children and staff members at the two centres. It was clearly evident from the moment the girls walked into the rooms or playgrounds that they were totally engaged with their new friends.

The young children were delighted to have our OLM girls in their classes and did not want any of us to leave.

All 3 visits were a great success and we hope to visit again sometime in Term 3 or 4.

Katherine Chen (Year 9) reflected on her experience on the excursion as she wrote: 

The preschool visit was a completely different experience. Seeing the children interact with their surroundings and other peers was eye opening and a vast change from seeing it on paper or in videos. Simply observing how the children thought and acted allowed us to have first hand experience and truly engage with knowledge and skills we had previously learned in class.

In addition, our Child Studies classes had a special guest speaker in classes last week.

Emma Formica has recently finished her course in midwifery and spoke to the students about her process of study and her role as a midwife in a Sydney hospital.

Emma spoke to the girls about the importance of education in order to help prepare new parents for the care of a new baby. She explained her role as a rewarding experience as she gave mothers support while preparing to give birth and throughout the first 6 weeks after the birth of their newborn. Part of the midwife’s role is to ensure the mother feels supported and well informed.

The Child Studies students were able to ask Emma many questions to further their understanding and interests in being a midwife as a possible future career.

This week we will begin working with Kindergarten, Year 1 and Year 2 children at local Catholic primary schools as we learn about the growth and development of children from 0-8 years during Term 3.

We are all looking forward to further work in partnership with our community to further our knowledge and skills in Child Studies.

Mrs Alison Redman, Child Studies Teacher