DCIS Newsletter September and October 2019

Year 2 Learning Showcase
It was an exciting day in Year 2 as the children had the
opportunity to share their learning with their parents on the
Project Work topic of ‘Our World’.
The children showed their parents all the jigsaw research they carried out, which they then
used to write an explanation text about the different biomes of the world; desert, polar
regions or rainforests. The children explained how they designed and made their plants with
special features to allow it to adapt to a specific biome. They tested their parents on their own
knowledge of the continents and oceans of the world, plants that grow in the rainforests, polar
regions and desserts and what different animals have that allow them to live in the different
climates.
The children were fantastic and were so knowledgeable in their learning that I am sure the
parents learned lots of new facts. Well done Year 2!
Monica Dolan
Year 2 Leader
Advice and Guidance - Sleep
Our Educational Psychologist, Ms Wigford and psychology teacher, Mr Lindsay write about the importance of sleep.
Dover Court students are generally lively and
happy with plenty of energy. However, there
are also some students who are finding it
hard to pay attention, are forgetful, yawn and
fall asleep in class. These students may not
be getting enough sleep and are therefore
unlikely to be learning as well as they could.
Sleep is essentially a biological requirement
for physical and mental health and learning
(particularly memory consolidation).
Children and young people who don’t get
enough sleep often have problems with
learning and behavior regulation. Tired
students find it hard to focus, they may be
hyperactive and have mood swings which
can lead to upset. Many parents also have
problems sleeping and this can get in the way
of calm, responsive parenting!
We recently completed a sleep survey with
our Year 11 students to discover that 50%
of them reported getting the recommended
8-10 hours of sleep a night. However, the
other 50% reported that they were getting
less than 8 hours each night - no one was
sleeping too much!
8
We therefore thought a few tips/reminders of
the most effective approach to a good nights’
sleep might be helpful. Small changes in
routines can have a noticeable impact after
just two weeks.
Bedtime tips for a good night’s sleep:
Routine – go to bed at the same time even on
the weekends if possible.
Don’t go to bed with a full stomach or hungry.
Finish eating at least two hours before bed.
Avoid caffeine 4 hours before bedtime –
preferably avoid caffeine after lunch time.
The bedroom should be dark, quiet and cool.
No electronic devices from 1 hour before bed.
Calming activities such as reading a book
before bed time.
Getting plenty of exercise in daylight is also
important.
REF: Mindell & Owens (2010) A Clinical Guide
to Pediatric Sleep.
Dover Court International School (Pte) Ltd is registered with the Committee for Private Education | CPE Registration No: 197100313E | Registration Period: 05/07/2019 to 04/07/2023
The Committee for Private Education (CPE) is part of SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG)
Sleep needs by age:
Reception and Nursery (3-5 years):
10-13 hours recommended
Primary and Year 7 (6-13 years):
9-11 hours recommended
Secondary (14-17 years):
8-10 hours recommended
Adults (18 +):
7-9 hours recommended
Ms Wigford
Educational Psychologist
Mr Lindsay
Psychology Teacher