News from the School

During the kindergarten parent teacher conferences, we shared our observations of the children’s writing development. A common question arose during these meetings regarding why children are reversing letters when they write.

There are many children in kindergarten who are experimenting with forming letters. Some children are just beginning to write their names whilst others are writing labels or even constructing short sentences. It has been observed by teachers and parents that the children write letters and digits backwards or as a mirror image. 

The extent that children do this varies from student to student from the occasional letter to whole words. As teachers, we know that this is a common developmental process but why do children do this?

Mirror writing is when a child writes letters or digits in reverse or upside down. It is a spontaneous and unconscious action.
 

When our brain processes images, it has learnt to recognise that many images are symmetrical or have a mirror image. When we look at a human face, we have learnt that the image belongs to the same object whether we look at it from the front, left or right side. This is called mirror generalisation. When a child begins to learn to recognise letters and digits at the beginning of their reading and writing journey, their brain cannot apply the same logic. The brain must visually learn to look at and distinguish between letters and digits differently.

Mirror writing is a natural stage of child development that occurs in children between the ages of 4 – 7 years with which they will usually grow out of over time. 

The play based experimental approach gives children the practice they need to go towards more formal learning approaches more successfully.  

My personal observations and experience bring me to the conclusion that mirror writing is not to be concerned about and is a natural part in a child’s writing progression.

Sarah Warner, Kindergarten 1 and 2

Mögen Sie in der dunkleren Jahreszeit auch so gerne Kerzen? Sie tragen zu einer besinnlichen Stimmung bei. Und wenn sie durch selbst geschnitzte Räben schimmern, ist es doppelt so schön! 
Wie jedes Jahr organisierte die SIS-Männedorf einen Räbeliechtiumzug. Im Voraus wurden die zum Anlass passenden Lieder geübt und mit der grosszügigen Unterstützung von Eltern, Grosseltern, Gotten und Freunden die Räben geschnitzt. Es ist immer schön, wenn sich alle tatkräftig ans Schnitzen machen. 
Am Abend ging der Umzug bei der Schule los und führte durch die nahe Nachbarschaft. Die Gemeinde hatte die Lichter gelöscht und so funkelte das Licht noch schöner durch die Räben. Zum Abschluss gab es eine leckere Verpflegung bei gemütlichem Zusammensein. Wir freuen uns schon auf den nächsten Räbeliechtliumzug!
 

Christine Andermatt, Primar 1 und 2

In November Year 5 went on a trip to Zürich Zoo. We started off in a warm area of the zoo where the amphibians live. The students had to walk around and find answers to a series of questions about amphibians. They learnt lots of interesting information about frogs and how they live. We then had a break at the Zoolino where we could see the ponies, pigs, rabbits and some goats. Afterwards we went to learn some more about amphibians. We learnt about their lifecycle and their special features. We made a little moving picture book that showed frogs' life cycle. After lunch we walked around the zoo and looked at lots of different animals. Overall, it was a fun trip and we learnt many interesting things.
Here are the children’s comments about their favourite part of the day:
 

My favourite part was when we went to watch the amphibians because I find they look cool. – Aron
My favourite part was the monkeys by the amphibian house because I love monkeys and one was right above the window and looked down and pulled his head back up. They are cute. – Adrian
 

My favourite bit was when we saw the rhino because the rhino was so big and their horn is gigantic. – Niclas
Walking around and looking at the animals because it was interesting seeing different animals. – Amelie 
The meerkats because there was one whole pile of meerkats and one just sitting on a mountain. – Julien 
The giraffes because they have such long necks and they look cute and they can sleep standing up, look at people and don't do anything. – Charlene 
I liked where the giraffes were because they have a long neck, and they are very cute and I liked the elephants too because they are super huge. – Julia  
I found the porcupines cool because it was the first time I saw some. – Henrik 
The meerkat that was standing on ‘Mt Everest’. – Ferry
 

I liked when we were on the big stone and sang and when we were on the bus and I liked the ride back because it was funny and we laughed a lot. – Leonis

We all learnt some interesting new things:
The most poisonous frog is one of the smallest frogs in the world. At the zoo the frogs are not poisonous because they don’t feed them poisonous stuff.  – Adrian

Frogs can only be poisonous if they eat other poisonous animals. – Niclas
 

Frogs make a big rock of eggs and toads make a string of eggs and for newts the legs in front grow first and with frogs their legs at the back grow first. – Julia 
Frogs lay eggs in different areas; some frogs hide their eggs and some frogs have them on their back. – Charlene
The frogs in the zoo are not poisonous because they would be too dangerous. – Aron

We discovered some really great new things but would still enjoy learning more about:
I would like to learn more about meerkats and what they eat. – Ece
I would like to learn more about snakes because I want to know how they move because they don't have legs. – Janik 
I want to learn more about where amphibians come from. – Aron  

Svenja French, Primary 5
 

La sixième classe en est à sa deuxième année d'apprentissage du français et maîtrise de mieux en mieux cette langue.
Au début de l'année scolaire, nous avons beaucoup parlé des "devoirs de rêve". Il en est résulté des boîtes qui sont créatives, individuelles et qui ne doivent pas être prises au sérieux. En effet, qui peut faire ses devoirs à Gryffondor, sur un terrain de football ou sur une île ?

Claudia Angehrn, classe 5 et 6
 

Welch fantastische Show! Die Kinder haben grossartig gesungen, getanzt und musiziert. Dieses Musikerlebnis wird uns noch lange in Erinnerung bleiben. Den festlichen Abend liessen wir bei anregenden Gesprächen und köstlichen Häppchen ausklingen.