MOUNT Gambier North Primary School special needs teacher Judy Jenkin has come up with creative ways to teach her students important life skills.
Ms Jenkin’s class ranges from Years 4 to 7 students, with a diverse range of abilities.
She strongly focuses on literacy and numeracy education by setting allocated time slots to complete individual reading tasks, mapping the kids’ progress, while using conventional and interactive maths activities.
However, education for the experienced teacher does not end there.
Ms Jenkin strongly believes in helping students develop their cognitive and communication skills.
She also looks to build their self-awareness, creative and critical thinking and interpersonal relationships.
Ms Jenkin encourages the class to engage with fellow students on tasks and communicate ideas and emotions about different matters.
They are also supported to engage in creative activities such as cooking and maintaining livestock.
Each Tuesday Ms Jenkin and her support team take the students into the wellbeing area where students work together to prepare soup.
She said the group’s cooking and life skills had progressed as a result of the activities.
“Our little group has become so efficient,” Ms Jenkin said.
“Our kids come in the morning and start preparing food.
“Each student chooses their task and supports one another to complete them.
“We take a fraction of the time to prepare food and clean up from when we first started.
“They have come such a long way.”
Once completed, the students’ soup is donated to families across the Limestone Coast.
However, students’ life skills do not end there as they take care of the school’s free range chickens and occasionally calves and ducks.
The students learn about the appropriate treatment of animals by feeding the livestock daily and being responsible for their safety and wellbeing.
Ms Jenkin takes pleasure in witnessing the students enjoy learning as they develop their skills in literacy, numeracy and life.
“It is rewarding to see all of the kids develop their confidence and team-work skills, while learning a fundamental skill like food preparation,” she said.
