Teaching and learning at Kaingaroa school is underpinned by the following approaches: Place based education (PBE), Positive Pedagogy and Project Based Learning.

Place based education “emphasises the connection between a learning process and the physical place in which teachers and students are located. In other words, it uses the local community and environment as a starting point to teach concepts in language, arts, maths, social sciences and other subjects across the curriculum”. (TKI, NZ)

Positive Pedagogy offer children a multitude of benefits that extend across cognitive, social and emotional domains. It reflects the idea that how a teacher educates, not just what is taught, is a key factor in building student wellbeing.

Teachers who encourage positive interactions among children help them grow their ability to connect with others. Infusing positive education into teacher pedagogy allows wellbeing to be built in all classes and subjects across the entire school and not just in those classes that explicitly teach positive education programs (Waters, 2021).

Project Based Learning aligns with place-based education approach. It is a multidisciplinary, constructivist form of learning or pedagogy where students study a topic or concept in a holistic approach instead of in a subject-based approach. It creates the conditions for exploring, thinking, discussing, investigating, and creating that reflects the real world (TKI, NZ)

Reference:

Place Based Education: https://elearning.tki.org.nz/Beyond-the-classroom/Place-based-education

Project Based Learning: https://elearning.tki.org.nz/Teaching/Future-focused-learning/Project-based-learning

Waters, L. (2021). Education Pedagogy: Shifting Teacher Mindsets, Practice, and Language to Make Wellbeing Visible in Classrooms. The Palgrave Handbook of Positive Education.

Structured Literacy – Reading and Writing

Structured Literacy focuses on 'phonemic awareness and alphabet knowledge' - alongside other key components -giving children the skills they need to read, spell and write with confidence.

Reference: https://gazette.education.govt.nz/articles/structured-literacy-provides-solid-foundations/

Languages

Portuguese and Te Reo Maori

Learning a new language provides a means of communicating with people from another culture and exploring one’s own personal world. It improves memory and brain function Learning a language strengthens the area of the brain which is responsible for memory, speech and sensory perception. Bilingual people are better at retaining lists, sequences, names and directions. They are also more creative, perceptive and can concentrate for longer”.

Reference: https://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Learning-languages

Maths

· Mathsbuddy – independent maths learning programme

MathsBuddy is New Zealand's leading computer-based training program, designed to complement what students learn in class. It helps guide students lesson by lesson, allowing them to pause, rewind and repeat all or part of any lesson until they fully understand it.

· Moneytime – financial literacy

MoneyTime combines interactive financial literacy lessons with a money management game to make learning about money fun. Students are rewarded with virtual money for answering questions correctly then get to make decisions on how they spend it.

They can shop at virtual stores, donate it or invest in things like further education and property that will increase their long-term wealth. In this way MoneyTime enables children to learn the consequences of their financial decisions, without risk, or fear of failure.

Kaingaroa school is an Enviroschool

Enviroschools is an environmental action-based programme where young people are empowered to design and lead sustainability projects in schools, neighbourhoods and country.

Reference: https://enviroschools.org.nz/

Future – Focuses Learning: CODING

Coding club – online lessons

Importance:

· Coding Boosts Problem-Solving Skills ·

· Coding Improves Computational Thinking ·

· Coding Encourages Persistence ·

· Coding Teaches Creativity

· Coding Helps Teach Digital Literacy

· Coding is a Career-Building Skill

· Coding Improves Confidence and Communication Skills

EOTC

It’s a curriculum-based learning that extends beyond the four walls of the classroom. EOTC provides opportunities for learning in context across the curriculum and for integrated learning.

Coming up…

Term 1

· March Camp

· Bikes roadworthy

Term 2

· Cross Country (Kaingaroa)

Term 3

· Speeches (Pitt)

Term 4

· Athletics (Te One)

· August- September Ski/Snowboard Queenstown /visit to Franz Joseph Glaciers

· November: Trip to the North Islands (Tongariro National Park, Taupo, Rotorua) Learning: Summer sports (canoe polo) Volcanoes (TBC)

· August- September Ski/Snowboard Queenstown /visit to Franz Joseph Glaciers.