Warm Up 

 Main Activity

Reflection with the students 

After the session: 

Planning with the Teacher
 (refer back to your original Term Plan document, discuss successes, explore challenges and make changes.)

Working with students
 (what is emerging, what is engaging them/not, what’s making them curious.)

Session 4

DATE 21.5.25

Warm Up 

Pa Main Activity (one photo)

Reflection with the students (one photo)

 After the session:

Planning with the Teacher

(refer back to your original Term Plan document, discuss successes, explore challenges and make changes.)

Working with students

(what is emerging, what is engaging them/not, what’s making them curious.)

Ideas moving forward

(ideas for next session, future lessons, discussed with teacher, do you need the teacher to do anything before you return.)

Resources

(do you need anything, who will source it?)

Warm up: 

Prior to the session, I created a People Bingo game card for students to use. At the start of the session, I reminded them that we’d be playing some games to get to know each other and introduced the rules of People Bingo. We went outside, and I gave the students five minutes to familiarise themselves with the game card before starting.

Both Mariya and I participated in the game, which gave us the chance to run around with the students, ask them about their likes and dislikes, and match their responses with our own to complete the cards. This also helped me start learning some of their names, which I wrote down on my card as we played.

One interesting observation was the clear division along gender lines. The girls mostly interacted with other girls, and the boys did the same. It took quite a while before they started approaching students of the opposite gender. I also noticed that a few students completed their cards almost immediately, which suggests there may be a competitive streak in the group. This could lead some students to prioritise “winning” over the intended purpose of getting to know each other. In future sessions, I’ll make it a point to emphasize that the goal isn’t winning, but learning about one another through the activity.

Lastly, with a class of 31 students, it’s clear it will take me longer than expected to learn everyone’s names. I had originally aimed to know them all by session three, but that timeline will need to be extended.

Main activity:

Prior to the session, I created eight activities based on the Gallery Walk students completed during session two. After transcribing their responses, I was able to target key questions they had around the topic of designing and creating a sustainable toy. These included questions about the materials used in toys, how long different items take to break down in landfill, what is recyclable, reusable, or waste, environmental impacts, how to make packaging more sustainable, and initial ideas for developing a more sustainable toy.

The activities I designed included matching answers to images, placing toys on a timeline, brainstorming, sorting, inventing, and drawing and labelling new toy ideas using specific materials.

I ran the activities in groups of four, giving each group five minutes per station with a one-minute warning before rotating. The class is large (31 students), and the classroom space is limited. Mariya used a tool to randomly assign students to groups.

Some groups worked well, but others did not. I observed students disengaging from their groups, chatting with others, or forming smaller pairs to complete tasks independently. I observed a few groups using their assigned roles (Timekeeper, Recorder, Materials Manager and Encourager), but rarely saw Recorders read out the full instructions for each activity. Most groups simply unpacked the materials, skimmed the instructions, and guessed what they were meant to do. When the timer sounded, some students didn’t respond or pay attention.

The stations requiring creative thinking, such as designing a new toy, proved most challenging. In one case, a student crumpled their work and chose not to submit anything. Roughly 50% of the students I observed completed the task, while the remaining 50% didn’t even pick up a pencil.

Some students appeared uncomfortable collaborating in small groups, and even when given clear instructions, a specific object, and examples, they struggled to generate original ideas. In one group, students only wrote one or two words per activity.

At the end of the session, I asked students to return to their seats, and we went through each activity together. I invited the Recorders to read out their group’s responses, but more often than not, no one shared anything.

Reflection:

At the conclusion of the activities and discussion, I spoke to the students about the Five Habits of Learning. I explained what each habit looks like in practice and asked them to identify which habits they felt they had used during the session. Collaboration and Persistence were the two habits most commonly identified.

I then asked students to reflect on how well their group worked together. I prompted their thinking with questions such as: Were the questions read aloud to the group? Did all members stay on task? Were roles completed? Did everyone contribute? Did everyone agree on the answers? Did they keep trying until they came up with a strong response?

To finish, I asked students to self-assess their group’s performance using a finger vote: 10 meaning their group worked excellently, 5 for average performance, and 1 indicating that their group needs significant improvement in collaboration and persistence.

Planning with the teacher:

After the session, Mariya and I discussed the students’ underdeveloped skills in collaboration and creative thinking. Moving forward, there is a clear need to place greater emphasis on helping students work together more effectively in groups. I also feel this class will benefit from a series of warm up activities specifically designed to build collaboration and creative thinking skills. These could begin with pair-based tasks and gradually progress to groups of three, and eventually larger group work.

Next week, I’d also like to introduce more movement into the warm ups, starting with a mirroring exercise to help develop foundational collaborative skills. I will update the creative schools plan accordingly, as our initial ideas need to be adapted to more explicitly target these habits.

In addition, we will begin a craft activity during reflection time. Students will be making origami lucky stars in the colours of the Five Habits of Learning they demonstrate each week. The stars will be kept in a jar on their desks and, at the end of the project, students will turn them into keyrings or bracelets.

As a side note, I believe future planning days (with both teacher and creative present) would benefit from dedicated time to discuss what happens when gaps in student skills, particularly related to the Five Habits of Learning, are identified. It’s important for both creatives and teachers to understand that this is a normal part of the process and a key reason creatives are in the room: to support and nurture this growth. Creatives should also be prepared for the emotional challenges that come with this kind of work. It can be disheartening to invest time and energy into designing a thoughtful activity, only to find that it doesn’t go as planned.

Finally, Mariya and I are currently in the process of organising a Zoom meeting to continue planning the sustainable toy project in more detail.

Working with the students:

The students appear open to working in new ways. They are excited and curious about the idea of designing and making sustainable toys, and they’ve shown genuine interest in exploring this project further.

During the session, students were surprised to learn how long toys can remain in the environment before breaking down. This seemed to prompt reflection, and it’s possible some may go home and begin to think more critically about the number of toys they own and the environmental impact of throwing them away instead of reusing or recycling them. It will be interesting to see how their thoughts evolve and what conversations emerge with Mariya over the coming weeks.

They are also enthusiastic about making origami lucky stars. Next week, we will begin this activity after the warm up, as many students expressed a desire to make their first star, a purple one representing Collaboration, to reflect this week’s focus.

Ideas moving forward:

In the next session, it would be valuable for students to bring in one of their own toys to critically assess its materials, durability, usability, and sustainability. This will help them make real-world connections and think more deeply about the environmental impact of everyday objects. We could also begin to explore toy packaging in more depth, examining how it contributes to waste and how it could be redesigned more sustainably.

The main activity will need to be limited to under an hour to ensure there is adequate time for both the warm-up—essential for targeting the Five Habits—and the reflection, which will need to cover both this session and the next.

Additionally, students will begin learning how to fold origami lucky stars. I anticipate this will be initially challenging and time-consuming for some, so extra time and support may be needed as they build confidence with the technique.

DATE 22nd May 

Warm Up (one photo)

(Sorry I was really into the movement with them, forgot to capture…) 

Main Activity (one photo)

Reflection with the students (one photo)

After the session:

Planning with the Teacher
 (refer back to your original Term Plan document, discuss successes, explore challenges and make changes.)

Working with students
 (what is emerging, what is engaging them/not, what’s making them curious.)

Ideas moving forward
 (ideas for next session, future lessons, discussed with teacher, do you need the teacher to do anything before you return.)

Resources
 (do you need anything, who will source it?)

How can you share learning outcomes/stories of transformation with the wider school community (e.g. Connect newsletter, staff meeting, school newsletter, school social media platforms)

Session 2

DATE - 12/05/2025

The CREATIVE PRACTITIONER is to complete this document after each session. It is a tool to use weekly with your teacher to ensure you are reflecting and documenting the process. Please ensure your weekly reflection has been completed on Google Drive prior to submitting your invoice for that session as it is part of the payment. 

90-minute session in the classroom:

Warm Up (one photo)

Paste your photo here.

Main Activity (one photo)

Paste your photo here.

Reflection with the students (one photo)

Paste your photo here.

After the session:

Planning with the Teacher
 (refer back to your original Term Plan document, discuss successes, explore challenges and make changes.)

Working with students
 (what is emerging, what is engaging them/not, what’s making them curious.)

Ideas moving forward
 (ideas for next session, future lessons, discussed with teacher, do you need the teacher to do anything before you return.)

Resources
 (do you need anything, who will source it?)

How can you share learning outcomes/stories of transformation with the wider school community (e.g. Connect newsletter, staff meeting, school newsletter, school social media platforms)

Session 3

DATE - 22/05/2025

The CREATIVE PRACTITIONER is to complete this document after each session. It is a tool to use weekly with your teacher to ensure you are reflecting and documenting the process. Please ensure your weekly reflection has been completed on Google Drive prior to submitting your invoice for that session as it is part of the payment. 

90-minute session in the classroom:

Warm Up (one photo)

Paste your photo here.

Main Activity (one photo)

Paste your photo here.

Reflection with the students (one photo)

Paste your photo here.

After the session:

Planning with the Teacher
 (refer back to your original Term Plan document, discuss successes, explore challenges and make changes.)

Working with students
 (what is emerging, what is engaging them/not, what’s making them curious.)

Ideas moving forward
 (ideas for next session, future lessons, discussed with teacher, do you need the teacher to do anything before you return.)

Resources
 (do you need anything, who will source it?)

How can you share learning outcomes/stories of transformation with the wider school community (e.g. Connect newsletter, staff meeting, school newsletter, school social media platforms)

WARM UP:

Today, when I arrived after recess, it was quite cold and some of the students were visibly shivering. Mariya and I asked the class if they would prefer to postpone the warm up activity until later, when it might be a bit warmer outside, and begin with the main activity instead. A few students agreed, but then one student raised their hand and asked, “Will the warm up activities warm us up?” It was a great question and sparked a quick discussion. Mariya and I decided to let the class vote on what they would prefer to do first. To my surprise, the majority voted to begin with the warm up. This was a fantastic outcome, especially considering that I felt last week’s “People Bingo” warm up didn’t go particularly well. I may have underestimated how much the students enjoyed being active and outside right from the start–perhaps they appreciated the challenge and fun more than I had realised.

Today’s warm up was “Mirror Mirror.” The students stood in a circle and really engaged with the activity. They took it seriously and had a lot of fun. Here's how the game works: everyone stands in a circle. The first person (A) starts miming an activity, like eating an apple. The person to their left (B) asks, “What are you doing?” While continuing the original mime, A responds with a completely different activity–for example, “I’m playing the piano.” B then starts miming playing the piano. The next person (C) asks B, “What are you doing?” and the cycle continues. There are no repeating activities and no similar ones. The students did this in a large circle first, then broke off into smaller groups and partners to try again, this time getting faster. During the large circle, at one point, I prompted Mariya to mime scratching her bottom–something that was meant to be playful but I now realise was a bit inappropriate. In hindsight, I need to be mindful of maintaining a professional tone and avoiding my son’s five-year-old potty humour from sneaking into the Year 6 classroom. Overall, the students seemed to be having a great time during the warm up. When we returned to the classroom, I asked if they had enjoyed the activity, and the majority raised their hands and were laughing and smiling, a positive and encouraging response that reinforced the value of starting with an engaging, active warm up.

MAIN ACTIVITY:

I am taking smaller steps with the Year 6 students to gradually increase their comfort levels with tasks that require the use of the Five Habits of Learning. Today’s main activity focused on Collaboration and Persistence.

To build engagement, I linked the task to their ongoing toy design project, which has now become a competition: students will be designing and making toys for their Year 2 little buddies. The Year 2 students will take part in a pitching session and choose their favourite toy design. The winning designer will receive a voucher, kindly donated by Mariya. This competitive element has added a lot of excitement and motivation to the classroom.

To hook them into today’s task, I shared data from toy manufacturers that specifically target 7-year-olds. I then introduced the rules and materials available for the toy design project. Students were asked to complete a ranking ladder–a sequence of steps they believed would be involved in creating a toy from start to finish.

Each pair or group of three received 11 small slips of paper, each representing a stage in the production timeline. These included steps like collecting data from their little buddies, researching toys, designing, planning for materials, constructing, seeking teacher approval, and preparing for the pitch. By providing the steps rather than asking them to come up with them from scratch, the task felt more manageable. However, requiring students to discuss and determine the correct order still made the task intellectually engaging. It was fascinating to observe how deeply they engaged with the sequencing. Students took the task seriously, frequently double-checking their process and seeking my feedback. I made sure not to give them the answers but instead pointed out where their ranking ladders needed more work. This encouraged persistence, as students returned to their partners to re-evaluate and refine their ideas.

Overall, the students did extremely well. At the end of the session, I asked them to rate their collaboration, out of 10 using their fingers, as we did last week. One student was notably honest, giving himself a zero–which was interesting, as I had observed him allowing his partner to do most of the work. This opened up a valuable conversation about collaboration.

We also reflected on persistence, and students ranked themselves again. I noticed they are becoming more comfortable with my presence in the classroom. They’re more willing to ask questions, seek my feedback, and revise their work–signs of growing confidence and trust.

REFLECTION:

Following on from the main activity, we continued our discussion of the Five Habits of Learning and began working on our origami lucky stars, using coloured paper to represent the habits we had demonstrated. Last week, we identified Collaboration and Persistence, and the students recognised that they had used those same habits again this week.

To begin, students were asked to fold their paper lengthwise into sixteenths–a difficult task that required focus and precision. They then cut a thin strip along one of the folds to use for making their star. Each student selected a strip in the colour of the habit they believed they had demonstrated most during the session.

Some students were able to begin making stars right away, while many others needed step-by-step instructions, provided in both picture and video formats. The stars are very small and intricate, requiring strong fine motor skills and a great deal of patience. As a result, most students were unable to finish a star during the session.

I actually feel this is a fantastic outcome. Learning a skill like this slowly over time is a powerful way to build resilience and reinforce the Five Habits of Learning, particularly Persistence and Discipline. I fully expect that it may take several weeks for students to come close to successfully making a lucky star, and that’s perfectly ok. I’m determined to show them the reward that comes from perseverance and consistent effort over time. It’s also worth noting: I can’t make the stars yet either. I’m looking forward to going on this learning journey alongside the Year 6 students. I believe this shared experience will help build a sense of mutual respect and encourage the students to keep persisting, even when the task feels frustrating or difficult.

PLANNING WITH THE TEACHER:

Mariya and I had a Zoom call in the afternoon following my session. We both agreed that today’s session went well and that the students were engaged throughout. The toy project now feels more purposeful and authentic, as students are creating toys their little buddies will enjoy and be able to take home. After I left, Mariya noted that some students already had ideas for the toys they want to make.

WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS:

What’s emerging is a noticeable increase in engagement, particularly since introducing the competition element to the toy design project. The idea of designing a toy for their little buddies has also added purpose and excitement–it gives the task a sense of responsibility and relevance. Because they’re creating something for someone else, students seem more invested, and it avoids the risk of the task feeling too childish, as it might if they were designing a toy for themselves. Credit to Mariya for thoughtfully connecting these components and fostering an inclusive approach that ensures all students are genuinely on board with the project. It’s clear that this blend of competition, creativity, and empathy is tapping into their curiosity and motivation.

IDEAS MOVING FORWARD:

Next Monday is a public holiday, so I won’t be attending the classroom until the following Monday. In my absence, Mariya will work with the students to develop questions for their little buddies, helping them gather relevant information to design toys that match their buddies’ likes and dislikes. She will also organise a session where the Year 6 students can meet with their buddies to ask these questions and collect data for their designs.

Back in the classroom, students will use the collected data to begin researching toy ideas that align with their findings. Mariya will create a simple spreadsheet to record each student’s initial toy idea, which I will use to help plan and gather materials for my next session in two weeks (focusing on imagination and blueprints, patterns, layouts and designs).

Before that session, I’ll visit REmida to take photos and collect potential materials. I’ll present these options to the students to support their planning. Once their designs and construction steps are developed, I’ll return to REmida to collect any additional items based on their materials lists.

Mariya will also prepare student display folders to track their progress and store collected data. Additionally, she will photograph 3D models she has seen at Carousel to inspire the students and help them visualise possibilities for their own designs.

.

Main Activity 1

Reflection with the students (one photo)

After the session:

Planning with the Teacher & Ideas moving forward (refer back to your original Term Plan document, discuss successes, explore challenges and make changes.)

Working with students
 (what is emerging, what is engaging them/not, what’s making them curious.)

 (Resources
 (do you need anything, who will source it?)

How can you share learning outcomes/stories of transformation with the wider school community (e.g. Connect newsletter, staff meeting, school newsletter, school social media platforms)

Warm Up (one photo)

I didn’t get a photo, their faces were all toward me and we got deep in the philosophy of maths! But we had great suggestions and discussion on the implications of them: what if there was no number 1? Would that mean there are no other numbers because they are all collections of 1? What if there was no maths? Would there then be no biology and no buildings? What if we could only count to 250? What is there were 100 dimensions instead of 4? (This kid is going to be a physicist!)

Main Activity (one photo)

Reflection with the students (one photo)

After the session:

Planning with the Teacher
 (refer back to your original Term Plan document, discuss successes, explore challenges and make changes.)

Working with students
 (what is emerging, what is engaging them/not, what’s making them curious.)

Ideas moving forward
 (ideas for next session, future lessons, discussed with teacher, do you need the teacher to do anything before you return.)

Resources
 (do you need anything, who will source it?)

How can you share learning outcomes/stories of transformation with the wider school community (e.g. Connect newsletter, staff meeting, school newsletter, school social media platforms)

Great to start my Creative Schools on-the-road visits this week.
Elly and Lynleigh's Y5/6 workshop at Rosalie PS was fantastic! 

TERM 2 - PROJECT TITLE: The Bird Set Free.

Summary: A “what if” scenario based on the book “The Black Cockatoo”. Students brainstorm characteristics for the main characters/location, what will happen to the storyline if some of these characteristics were to change? How can we keep the essence of the story with these changes? Students will make mini worlds with their new invented characters/locations and reflect on how they have changed the story and what outcomes may change/stay the same.

My favourite quote from the visit came from this enthusiastic student: “Creative Schools is the funnest thing I’ve ever done in my life. I’ve never had the materials like this before. Do I have to go out for recess? I want to keep working on my mascot.” (Student)