Welcome to “Forces that Clash!” … Room 14 took on the ultimate elemental challenge, unleashing pure chaos as they split into Team Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. It was the raw heat of Fire versus the tidal wave of Water, the speed of Air versus the rock-solid strength of Earth.
Darlin hold my hand .. Nothing beats a “Force that Clashes!” Tune in now to find out which team wins!
Tēnā koutou! Room 14 had a superb time taking part in the Zespri Challenge this term! We learned that walking is more than just steps—it’s about getting healthier too!
We did face a couple of challenges we wanted to share:
Even with those hiccups, our confidence in sports and physical activity has been way up! Although we ran out of time to officially finish the Zespri Challenge, the learning continues!
We are so thankful for the opportunity and the great improvements Zespri helped us make. We are all going to keep walking and stay healthy! Check out our short trailer!
Kia ora whānau!
Last term was absolutely packed with excitement, especially with our bi-annual “Fiafia night.” It was a massive success, bringing together our families and communities to watch our amazing performers dance and sing the night away. What a brilliant way to wrap up Term 1 – “Joy, Koakoa mai, koakoa atu.”
Welcome back to Term 2! As we head into autumn and winter, it’s starting to get a bit nippy out there! This term, our learners are setting their sights on “beyond the sky.” Make sure to check out our Team 3 school immersion assembly, which showcase our Team 3 inquiry. This ties in beautifully with Matariki Day and our Language Week celebrations.
Our learners will be diving into dictation this term. They’ll be listening to audio and using slides to help them write a couple of sentences about our topic. This will help frontload their knowledge about our inquiry topic. It’s been awesome to see how excited they are about learning about the Solar System, the stars (Matariki), and our seasons. One of our curious lear
ners even asked, “Miss, where is Pluto?” … hmmmm? Great questions, I wonder if anyone can help us?
Don’t miss our first dictation topic: “Phases of the Moon!” How does the moon impact our planet? Not only does it give us our superpower sleep, but it also affects our environment. Hmmm, interesting, eh?
Check out our class blogs to find out more! Nga Mihi Nui
Today we introduced the Pr1me Maths, and honestly? The class was buzzing! Everyone was super keen to dive in, but we took it slow, step-by-step
, to make sure everyone got it.
First, short-form dates at the top of the page. Then, we went through the example problem, so they’d be able to use it while working on the following questions independently. Essentially, we used manipulatives whilst building math vocabulary (incorporate maths talks). With our learners, they’re working on reading the questions independently and figuring out what they’re being asked to do mathematically—similar to DMIC
The Prime online platform reinforced the work we did with manipulatives and practice books. Our learners liked the aesthetic, challenges, and rewards.
This week, our learners are transitioning to Chromebooks, moving from iPads. As a former Year 5 teacher, I sometimes forget how much there is to learn when starting with a new system. For example, our Year 4 learners must learn to enter long email addresses, navigate keyboards, input passwords, bookmark frequently used websites, and use Google Drive. These seemingly simple tasks can feel like they take forever to teach, but our learners usually pick them up quickly. Our school’s core values are learn, create, and share. Manaiakalani keeps us updated and informed on ways to improve our digital skills.
Manaiakalani supports our students and staff by using new teaching methods, teaching digital responsibility, and involving the community. It aims to give everyone equal chances, encourage creativity, and prepare students for a future where technology is important. They set up weekly Cybersmart challenges to help our learners develop their digital skills. Our learners have already signed up for affordable Chromebooks. It’s never too late to sign up; please visit our Office Administration.
We begin with the ‘Kawa of Care,’ an agreement between students, parents, and the school to ensure responsible Chromebook use.
We’ve got this, Year 4! Let’s go! #JoyInTheProcess”
2
025 began with a short week due to the Waitangi weekend. Our learners explored the Treaty of Waitangi, focusing particularly on how the principles of ‘Participation, Protection, and Partnership‘ apply to their daily lives. We’ve been working on our class treaty, our learners have signed our treaty by colouring in their feathers. Our learners are working on a sheet “All about Me”, I’ve found some interesting facts about our learners – one thing i’ve been intrigued is their ‘vision’ of what they’re wanting to become.
We also enjoyed a beautiful school picnic, with high tide providing a perfect opportunity for our swimmers. I am reminded that our learners require clear instructions and ample time to complete tasks. What feels like a lifetime to me passes in the blink of an eye for them.
I sometimes take for granted our familiarity with digital devices. As we are in the early weeks of term 1, we begin each day with handwriting practice, emphasising capital letters, finger spacing, and legibility.
Due to the ongoing process of establishing expectations and routines for our energetic learners, we managed to read only one text this week. But I wonder how our learners are finding their new teacher and space?
Our theme for 2025 “Joy – koakoa mai, koakoa atu“.
This is a new year of “Adjustments”. We can find joy in the nuances of our new space and learners.
This is my first year, being part of term 3 – I still get nervous when I start a new year, but even more nervous being in a new space.
However, we have a group of enthusiastic Year 4 learners who are ecstatic about returning to school after what they described as a ‘long‘ holiday. We’re looking forward to 2025, when we’ll be introducing ‘Pr1me Maths‘, a globally recognised structured mathematics curriculum with proven high outcomes.
I also plan to develop our learners’ digital fluency skills and implement a more personalised learning approach (Their learning styles, learners profile and tracking their progress). Super excited! Stay tuned for updates.
This year, our school is all about making kindness contagious with the theme “Make Kindness Go Viral” (Wheoritia te atawhai). One cool way to spread some kindness is with a special greeting – the Mana Wave!
What’s a Mana Wave?
It’s a Māori twist on a friendly wave. Mana, in Māori, is a powerful word that means much more than just prestige or status. It’s about respect, strength, and a special kind of energy. So, a Mana Wave is more than just saying hi – it’s about sharing that positive energy with others.
Who started it?
Truck drivers in Aotearoa/New Zealand came up with the Mana Wave. They’d give a big, enthusiastic wave to other drivers and road crews they passed by. It’s a simple gesture that shows kindness and creates a sense of community.
So give it a try! A Mana Wave is a great way to show someone you care.
Have a tumeke holiday PES – Keep the Mana PES!
Kia Kaha! #UpdaWahs!
Constable Gordon, our community guest speaker, talked to us about the real world today. We used laminated cards with different case scenarios to spark discussion in small groups about how to categorise them as safe, unsafe, or unsure.
Each case scenario was ambiguous because it depended on the context and the people involved. For example, “if someone is staring at you while you come out of the pools…”. If the person staring is a toddler or someone with learning challenges who is unaware of social etiquette, it is unclear whether the situation is safe or unsafe.
Key ideas:
• identify behaviours of other people that make them feel unsafe or uncomfortable
• distinguish between touch they like, touch they don’t like, and touch that confuses them
• say “no” to unwanted touch
• use Stop, Walk, Talk in risky situations.
Overall, the activity made us all more aware of our safety boundaries, regardless of who the other person is.
If you have any questions, talk with your teacher or an adult you can trust.
Room 9 love performing school plays. It grows their confidence in their reading, social and emotional development.
We’ve had a few students who are generally quiet, however when they’re performing theatre it almost gives them permission to overcome stage fright and build confidence.
At first our class struggled to work together, with alot of practice they were able to cooperate and work as a team to. Our learners were able to receive positive feedback from the teacher as well as their peers.
But we wouldn’t be surprised if any of these talented actors will feature on the big screen later on in their lives. Check out their play.
