Discipline Based Learning
English - Literacy
At Hobsons Bay Primary School we are committed to the Victorian Early Years Program.
Students are provided with a variety of experiences integrating the strands of Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening. Teachers take into account the different learning experiences of each individual student.
Students are exposed to a wide range of texts. They are encouraged to experiment with writing and are given many opportunities to become confident speakers and attentive listeners.
Home reading provides students with the opportunity to choose texts to read at home with their family. During this time students will develop a love of literature and see reading as a leisure time activity.
Reading Recovery is a short term intervention program which helps students in Grade 1 who have not yet established effective reading and writing processes. The students receive daily individual Reading Recovery lessons in addition to the regular classroom program.
Parental involvement is welcomed and encouraged in the classroom as we work to develop a shared understanding of children’s literacy learning.
LOTE - Languages Other Than English
Our school offers Japanese as the Language other than English. Japanese is taught from Year 2 to Year 6 by a native Japanese speaking teacher. The students are introduced to the Japanese language, culture, lifestyle, food, music, art, tradition, history, etc. They have the opportunity to enjoy this through cooking, reading books in Japanese, games (board games & computer games), visiting artists, art and craft, and music. LOTE is compulsory to the end of year 4 and optional for year 5 and 6.
Our school has recently established a sister-school relationship with Shinden Elementary School in Anjo, Japan and it is our intention that students and staff from both schools will develop strong friendships and close communication ties with each other that will lead to opportunities for school exchange visits.
Each year a group of female university students from Nagoya who are training as teachers visit our school for a two-week period in Feb/March. The students homestay with families from our school and actively participate in the life of our school. A highlight of their visit is our Japanese Cultural Day where the students organise a broad range of Japanese activities for our children to enjoy.
Maths - Numeracy
The maths curriculum at Hobsons Bay PS is highly-valued. It is developed in conjunction with the Victorian Essential Learning Standards and is planned to stimulate and challenge our students.
We have a well-resourced maths department which offers students a wide variety of concrete materials and hands-on activities to assist their learning. The maths curriculum also includes whole-school activities such as our Family Maths Night and events that celebrate Numeracy and Education weeks.
Science
Students at Hobsons Bay complete many units of work which incorporate the various dimensions in Science and Technology. These are frequently incorporated into the Integrated Curriculum.
The many resources available help the students to experiment, plan, design, experience, make and evaluate their work. A highlight of the year is the annual Family Science/ Technology night which is always well-supported by our community and is the focus of much positive feedback.
Humanities
This subject, formerly known as Studies of Society and Environment covers a wide variety of sequential work units across all levels of the school. These include studies of the family, the local community, technology, healthy lifestyles, the environment, the solar system, history and geography, rules and laws.
Our staff have refined the school’s Scope and Sequence chart to integrate topics related to the garden into their themes. Excursions which support these programs and assist students to gain a better understanding of a topic are also conducted regularly.
The Arts
Visual Arts
The Visual Arts program at Hobson’s Bay P.S. is very comprehensive. It includes skill development in drawing, painting, printmaking, textiles, collage, modelling and construction. The elements taught include line, shape, colour, texture and pattern.
Units of art work often enhance the topics the students are working on in the classroom, eg. mini-beasts, Aborigines, Japan.
Students are introduced to artworks by famous artists, past and present, from Australia and other countries. Much of the children’s art is displayed and stimulates interest and opinions about the artistic world. Children are encouraged to share their work and feel proud of their efforts. Above all children are encouraged to enjoy the art activities and have fun!
Performing Arts
At Hobsons Bay P.S., the students are encouraged to apply and develop their Performing Arts knowledge by exploring various processes and ways to communicate concepts arising from personal experiences and from the world around them. Through the Arts disciplines of Music, Drama and Dance students, both individually and in combination, communicate ideas, observations and feelings using a range of materials, equipment and technologies. They consider the purpose and audience of their works as they experiment with various ways of presentation. They refine their work in response to feedback and self-evaluation. They identify key features of arts works from their own and other cultures. They can sing a repertoire of songs and learn to keep the beat with movement, body percussion and percussion instruments, recognise pitch, dynamics and tempo. They appreciate dance and music from other cultures.
In 2006 Choir and Dance united during the year to perform a small-scale production of The Wizard of Oz. We anticipate a similar event occurring in 2008
Aerobics and Dance
Students from Grades 3 – 6 have the opportunity to be involved in lunchtime dance and aerobics activities. Currently there are 30 boys and girls involved. The students work as teams to produce Funk and Hip Hop dances. In recent years we have competed in the Victorian School Aerobics and Dance competition.
In 2006 one of our dance teams reached the State Final.
Instrumental Music
Instrumental Music is offered at the school where students are taught by a trained instrumental music teacher. The instruments offered are keyboard, recorder, flute, clarinet, guitar and saxophone.
School Choir
Hobsons Bay Primary School has two active choirs. The grade 1/2 choir has 20 participants and the senior choir has 32 members. The choirs are conducted by specially-trained music and vocal teachers. The choirs perform regularly at school events, the Hobsons Bay Festival of Performing Arts, Windows of the West, Highpoint Shopping Centre, Altona Gate Shopping Centre and many other community events.
In 2005 our choir became famous when performing at a government policy launch and featured on the national news.
Our choirs are sponsored by Newport Timber and Midway Minimix and Garden Supplies.