mmg.com.au

Students and teachers have had a long wait to use the new school building, which was ready for their first term in 2011.

However, new state government legislation that came into force January 2011 postponed the move.

The legislation was related to bushfires and Lockington Consolidated School was in a high risk area, so the school had to have water pumps and tanks installed as safety measures before students could be allowed in the new building. The installation took 12 months to complete.

Principal Lynn Coulter said the new building created a relaxed atmosphere for the students and she was excited about using it in conjunction with the school’s Data Cafe teaching style.

The style from the US and involves integrating technology into every-day classroom activities.

Teacher Joe Sebire is in charge of the constantly updating technology and is helping other teacher to use it.

It includes students using iPads in their individual groups and transferring information to the main screen where other students can see their work and join in a group discussion about it.

“They are able to share ideas and work easier and quicker,” Mr Sebire said

With the new teaching system, the teachers plan their lessons together as they all work collaboratively with the grades three to six in the new open classroom.

“It’s a collaborative and commonsense approach to learning, which supports all of the kids’ needs,’’ he said.

‘‘Planning and organising is done as a whole which shares the workload and the responsibility,” he said.

Mrs Coulter said renovations had begun on the old school building where preps to grade two had their classrooms.