The Directorate for Learning and Assessment Programmes would like to invite students from all year groups, at state and non-state schools, to participate in a ‘Digital Art Competition’. Teachers teaching at Primary or Secondary level are encouraged to collaborate and guide students’ participation. For any queries or more information, kindly contact:
•Mr Clint Gerald Attard on clint.gerald.attard@ilearn.edu.mt or 2598 1530
•Ms Daniela Zerafa on daniela.zerafa@ilearn.edu.mt or 2598 1528
Presenter: Dr Charmaine Bonello
Date: Thursday, January 12th, from 6.00 – 7.30pm (Online)
Have you ever questioned your actions and language when interacting with young children? Are you interested in learning more about adult-child interactions in the first years of a child’s life? If your answer is ‘yes’, do not miss this ECDAM online session. Drawing on the initial findings of an ongoing five-year longitudinal study with a mother and her daughter, Dr Charmaine Bonello aims to create a space for dialogue about the importance of responsive and sensitive adult-child interactions. Research shows that effective adult-child interactions are strong predictors of quality early childhood education and care and thriving home learning environments (Bradley, 2019; Centre on the Developing Child, 2016; Pianta et al., 2016; Sylva et al., 2004).
In this presentation, Dr Bonello will focus on the Serve and Return style of interactions. Recent neuroscientific evidence shows that Serve and Return interactions help build a child’s brain, starting before babies can talk (Centre on the Developing Child, Harvard University, 2016). She will unpack the story of one Maltese mother who intentionally used Serve and Return interactions with her daughter for fourteen months. The audience will have the opportunity to explore the attitudes, knowledge and skills the mother adopted to initiate and develop successful Serve and Return Interactions and the challenges encountered. How the process facilitated child-led play, interactions that engendered a sense of entitlement for rights, and decolonised interactions over time will also be discussed. The outcomes of this study are relevant to parents of young children, pre-service and in-service early childhood educators and anyone interested in joining the mission to raise liberated children and active citizens right from the start.
If you are interested in joining this online session, please register through our website: https://ecdam.org to reserve a place. The Zoom link will be sent to you a couple of hours before the session starts. Only individuals registered will be sent the link and assigned an attendance ticket to count for the issue of the CPD hours certificate.
The mental health of young people has been significantly undermined by the COVID 19 pandemic which has seen an increase in mental health difficulties, particularly amongst those already vulnerable. This mobile app seeks to provide a safe space for young people in these challenging times, providing a self-help tool for young people 18 years and over to manage their emotions and seek professional help when needed. It has been adapted from Blue Ice (NHS Oxford Health) by the University of Malta and the Malta Foundation for the Wellbeing of Society.
Safe Space/GħallKenn is an open access, free digital tool for young people 18 years+ in English and Maltese and may be uploaded either on App store or Play store (see QR codes below).
Users of SafeSpace/GħallKenn will be able to:
•monitor their thoughts and moods(mood diary)
•learn how regulate their feelings to reduce distress and uplift mood through simple techniques(personalised toolbox);
•become more aware of the local support services available for young people in difficulty and seek help when in distress such as emergency services, the new Helpline 1579, 179, Kellimni.com, and other services.
SafeSpace/Għall Kenn may also be used by practitioners working with young people as an extension of their intervention and support.
Click on the video below to learn more about the life of the Patron Saint of our College, St. Nicholas. Video prepared by Ms. Josianne Mallia, IT Teacher, Dingli Secondary School.
DECEMBER 2022
Monday 5th, Tuesday 6th, Wednesday 7th, Friday 9th at 930am & 11am: Carols at Christmas–A theatrical romp with Carols, three Carols to be precise. Meet Carol Kanzunetta, Carol Żfin & Carol Drammatiku. All three Carols are competing for the solo in the TOI TOI sell out Christmas Show for young audiences. A participatory event with singing, movement and laughs. Ideal for Primary School children, suitable for all ages. 40 minutes duration.
FEBRUARY 2023
Thursday 16th & Friday 17th at 10am & 12 noon: Macbeth for Schools –Director Stephen Oliver’s TOI TOI adaptation of the Scottish play, a Main Stage production designed for Secondary schools, specifically as an introduction to Shakespeare targeting Years 7 & 8, (11-13 years old). Duration 85 minutes.
MARCH 2023
Thursday 2nd & Friday 3rd at 9.30am & 11am. MEET CUTE–A TOI TOI Jukebox Musical, an introduction to New Musical Theatre written and Directed by Petra Sant with music chosen from an array of current musicals on the West End and Broadway featured throughout this unconventional RomCom. Suitable for Primary and Secondary School age children, specifically 8-13 years. Duration 40 minutes
TOI TOI tickets are capped at €6 per school child, teachers tickets are free of charge. For all queries teachers should email education@teatrumanoel.mt or to make a booking bookings.mt@teatrumanoel.mt. We hope to welcome back a lot of children this year and to introduce the magic of live theatre education into their learning.
Presenter: Sabina Sixsmith
Date: Thursday, December 15th 2022, (Online) 6-7.30pm
Outdoor Learning gives children the opportunity to learn through a hands-on approach where they can enquire and experiment. It creates a safe, non-judgmental nurturing environment to give children a chance to engage in activities and take risks. This session will help educators understand the benefits of outdoor learning, as well as discuss the challenges, thus inspiring deep and meaningful connections to the world and an understanding of how a child fits within it. Outdoor Learning offers children opportunities in a natural environment that allow for a holistic view of the child, as the educator focuses on all aspects to contribute to the various abilities.
If you are interested in joining this online session, please register through our website: https://ecdam.org to reserve a place. The Zoom link will be sent to you a couple of hours before the session starts. Only individuals registered will be sent the link and assigned an attendance ticket to count for the issue of the CPD hours certificate
The Directorate for Learning and Assessment Programmes in collaboration with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Austrian Embassy, is organising a German activity about notable people from the German Speaking World: Made in DACH.
Who may participate?
•Students in Year 6
•Students in Year 8 who do not learn German at school
•Students learning German in Year 7, Year 8, Year 9 andYear 10
This is a great opportunity for our students to explore the world of famous people from German Speaking Countries and find creative ways to describe them. All participants will get a certificate of participation and a pack of resources will be given to all schools during an official ceremony at St Ignatius College Middle School, Qormi on Tuesday 31st January 2023. Schools (Primary and Secondary) with most entries will get an extra pack of resources. Interested teachers are kindly requested to send the students` videos, photos or presentations by Friday 16th December 2023 to Ms. Erica Kawka Armeni on erica.kawka.armeni@ilearn.edu.mt. Collaborative work is also encouraged. Participants will get the opportunity to showcase their work during the ceremony. For further information please either access the following link: https://education.gov.mt/en/foreignlanguages/german/Pages/Main.aspx or contact Ms. Erica Kawka Armeni on erica.kawka.armeni@ilearn.edu.mt.
During the current scholastic year 2022-2023, the National Literacy Agency is organising reading for pleasure sessions through the programmes ‘The Magic of Stories/Seħer l-Istejjer’ for Kinder to Year 2 classes and ‘Pleasure of Reading/Gost-il-Qari’ for Year 3 to Year 6 classes. At present 43 primary schools in Malta and 9 primary schools in Gozo are hosting these programmes.
Each reading session features the sharing of stories from books as well as other interactive activities animated in such a way that stimulate the children’s interest and imagination. These stories and the corresponding activities help the children to interpret, discuss and analyse stories in a critical way. Reading sessions are held in Maltese and in English.
The Policy on the Use of Social Media in the Public Service which was issued in terms of OPM Circular 21/2015 has been revised and may be accessed from the following link.
The aim of the policy is to provide guidance on the proper use of social media by individuals,
both for official purposes and for personal use, whilst ensuring that such communication does not degrade, degenerate or in any way jeopardize the reputation of the Public Service. The policy is applicable to Public Officers or any other Public Employee or person on a position of trust performing Public Service duties; persons forming part of Boards and/or Committees addressing Public Service exigencies, working on a full-time/part-time, temporary/back-to-back, or on an apprenticeship basis, including student workers; as well as any individual who is authorized in writing by the Permanent Secretary or Head responsible at Law, as applicable, to engage in social media for official use
St.Nicholas College Malta 