Worry Dolls

Last term we made worry dolls with our buddy class.  Here are a few.  

Term 3 Newsletter

Wednesay 23^rd July

Kia ora parents, caregivers and children,

Can you believe we’re in to the second half of the year already?!

Student agency

The teaching staff has been thinking and talking about student agency this year. During the holidays we had an excellent professional development day exploring this with Kath Murdoch, an Inquiry learning expert from Melbourne. We are keen to support children’s independence and self-determination in their learning as much as possible, and are exploring ways to do this. This may take the form of independent mini-inquiries or passion projects, allowing kids to pursue a particular area of interest, and to consciously develop their independent learning skills (like time management, researching, collaboration, communication, etc.) at the same time. Other ways we aim to develop children’s agency are through learning reflections, weekly learning goals and class reflections. If you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback please let us know.

Inquiry

Building on last term’s wonderful inquiry into Changes to the Land, we are moving on to a design and innovation inquiry this term, exploring how we can be Kaitiaki of the Land. Children will identify a need and create designs for protecting and taking care of the land in our local environment. If you have, or anyone you know of has, expertise in design, landforms, erosion, local government, or the changing environment, and would like to share this knowledge with us, we would love to hear from you!

Our maths focus areas this term are Number: Multiplication & Division and Proportions & Ratios, Problem Solving, Basic Facts, Geometry, and Measurement.

In reading, we will continue to develop comprehension strategies through reading texts about changes to the land, design, and other interest areas. Our writing programmes will flow from this as we write reports, explanations, procedures, and scientific investigations, interspersed with ongoing recounts, character writing and poetic writing.

PE

Our focus this term is striking and catching. We will develop these skills through games and activities using small and large balls and different strikers: hockey sticks, cricket bats, etc. Let’s hope for some good dry weather to get outside and get active!

Parent help

If you can support our class programme with either regular or one-off parent help, we’d love to hear from you. Spelling testing and reading with children are particularly useful ways to help. We always welcome parents visiting to read a favourite book or share some knowledge or expertise; even if you’ve already read to the class, we’d love you to come back again!

Home learning

A reminder to return home learning folders to school on Mondays. Each Monday children will bring home a new list of ten spelling words, an updated Reading log (if needed) and a maths worksheet.

Student Teacher

M11 have been given the opportunity to have a Student Teacher from Vistoria University.  His name is Daniel Bell and he will be here from week 4 until the end of the term.  During this time, he will have three weeks sole charge.  He has already come and met the class where he learned their names and helped us create some art. 

Needs  - Could each child please purchase two new pencils and two new glue sticks for the next two terms.  Buy them from the office before school, purchase them when you are out and about or donate a gold coin to the class and I will sort it out.  We also need tissues and ice cream containers.

Dates this term

Wednesday 30^th July:                  Parent Teacher Child conferences (Year 4 – 6 Only)

Thursday 31^st July:                     Parent Teacher Child conferences (Year 4 - 6 Only)

Friday 1^st August:                        Freedom Friday begins

Monday 25th August:                  ICT Parent meeting

Thursday 18^th September:           Mahuri Celebration of Learning, 9.15am in the hall

Tuesday 23^rd September:             Parent Teacher Child Conferences (Yr 1-3 for those who had a PTC in term 1). 

Friday 26^th September:                Last day of Term 2

To be confirmed:                          A school trip to the landfill

Thank you for your ongoing support. As always, if there is anything you would like to discuss about your child’s learning, please get in touch to make a time to talk.

Nga mihi,

Shanon, Adele, Ximena and Amy