Our Term’s Living and Learning Focus is
TEAM KOTAHITANGA
Our School Values are
Tina Justice, Pono Truth, Aroha Compassion, Manaakitanga Hospitality and Tapu Respect for the Environment
Lived out in our Motto
Courtesy Care Co-operation Courage
The Learning Model for our school is: “To Know To Do To Use”
Learning to Learn at St Joseph’s #L2L
The following may be familiar to many of you who attended information meetings last year or who read extracts in the school newsletter but it contains important information regarding teaching and learning in today’s world, and specifically, here at St Joseph’s. There will be more information evenings for parents during the year.
BUILDING LEARNING POWER (based on work by Guy Claxton and others from the Centre For Real World Learning in Winchester, England.)
At our school, the teachers and learners like to use “learning muscles” to ensure that they work hard in order to achieve success. The way that learning happens in today’s schools differs from what most of the adults in the children’s lives experienced.
In the past, high stakes were put on the “19th century clerk model”:
•Being right and being in trouble if you made an error
•Copying from the board or a book
•Listening to teacher as “sage on the stage”
•Accepting what you’re told without question
•Working alone and being quiet
•Sitting still at a desk and not fidgeting
•Remembering facts
•Showing deference regardless of how you were treated
•Following instructions and not using your initiative •Being evaluated by a superior
Is our school fit for the 21st century? Are the learning experiences, environment and styles preparing our children for a world in which there is there is a need to be a “21st century explorer”?
•Being adventurous
•Creating ideas
•Discussing with peers
•Questioning things
Knowing what you are learning and why and what you need to do in order to achieve
Being a problem solver
•Working with others
•Being active
•Imagining possible solutions
•Showing initiative
•Taking responsibility
•Self and peer evaluating
At St Joseph’s, we are well on the journey to providing such a learning environment. We also recognise that it is a journey and we, along with the children,
continue to work on continual improvement and development.
One of the very big and exciting developments for us is the building programme which is going to provide us with the equivalent of 14 classrooms, but built in a totally different way from what we have been used to in the past. We will still retain 4 of the “traditional” single cell classrooms (Rooms 11-14). Meetings will be held for parents outlining our”plan of action” well before it becomes a reality. Our priority is to focus, during Terms 1 & 2, on teaching and learning in our current environments, whilst planning for the future.
The Building Programme
Work continues to progress as scheduled. Every day we see evidence of this and in the next 2 weeks we should be seeing, amongst other things: painting, more weather boards on the exterior and the basement windows installed.
Getting To Know You Evenings
Thank you to the families who supported the Kea and Kakariki Picnic and Information Evenings during the week.
ASH WEDNESDAY
Lent starts on Wednesday this coming week. There will be an Ash Wednesday Liturgy in the Church at 2 P.M. for the whole school. Parents are welcome to attend. Pope Francis has chosen as the Lenten theme: Light a Fire in the Heart of the World.” Lent is a time to reflect on our lives and make some changes to restore the balance in every aspect of our lives: physical, mental and emotional, spiritual and in family/whanau relationships. It is also a time when we try to do something practical to help those whose lives may be in darkness in some way. As a school community we are guided by Caritas. The children will be learning about aspects of life in the Philippines, particularly for people and areas badly affected by natural disasters and the money raised in our mission collections will be donated to Caritas at the end of Lent.
Our Year 6 School Leaders
All our Year 6 students are classified as school leaders. The expectation is that they have received much during their time at St Joseph’s, and will continue to do so till the day they leave. Now is the time to give back, to serve our school and contribute in whatever ways they can. Some will have received “titles” or specific “roles”. Some will receive these roles from mid-year onwards. Some have expressed no desire to be an “official” leader but may grow into the notion! Almost all of the Year 6’s (Except those at Waterwise) took part in A Leadership Day this week.
Ka kite ano! Have a wonderful weekend.
Phil
P. S. Remember School Prayers on Monday at 8.50 in the Hall (back entrance only) and Teacher Only Day on Friday 20 February
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