Nau Mai Haere Mai ki te Wahanga 2
Kia ora koutou,
Nau Mai Haere Mai ki te Wahanga 2! A warm welcome to Term 2. We are so pleased to be back for another great term of learning ahead.
We were delighted to start the week with a pōwhiri welcoming new staff, student teachers and tamariki to our kura. It was particularly special to have 50 tamariki, staff and parents from Te Kura O Urumutu/West End School to tautoko Vicky Cheetham. Vicky is coming to complete a placement in Whaea Mere's class as part of her study with Te Rito Maioha to become a teacher. Welcome Vicky! We also welcomed 7 other student teachers from Massey University who will be with us this term on their first placement. We would like to welcome:
Laura Bundy into Akomanga 13
Kate Saunders-Foxall into Akomanga 2
Harry Jaques into Akomanga 4
Maddy Mcapline into Akomanga 10
Carter Maclean into Akomanga 11
Grace Lutze into Akomanga 12
Linaya Wereta into Akomanga 14
I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Georgia Green and Hannah Forth who both graduated today with a Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching in Primary. Akomanga 18 and Akomanga 16 were delighted to see their teachers today in their gowns and mortar boards! What great role models for our tamariki!
Term 2 Learning
Alongside our literacy and numeracy, this term we are using the narrative of Ranginui and Papatūānuku and their children to explore ngā atua Māori. This narrative is about genealogy & whakapapa. In the past the word 'atua' has often been translated to the word 'god' but it is better translated to 'guardian' or 'kaitiaki' as it has no faith basis.
As we explore this narrative this term, we will be learning a song to the beat of Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’. It starts off with the phrase ‘Whaia Kia Tutuku’ (strive to your potential) three times. It explores six atua Māori and an aspect of the character of each atua. These are the examples:
Rongomātane - I am happy
Māui Tikitiki - I’m ok
Ruāmoko - I’m not ok
Tūmatauenga - I need to stop
Tawhirimātea - Find a friend
Tangaroa - I’m much better now
In classes teachers will then begin using these aspects to Check In with students throughout the day about how they feel, and help them to identify strategies and 'go to' people to help them if they need it.
Our school value this term is Manaakitanga. At staff meeting on Tuesday, the staff unpacked the meaning of Manaakitanga and decided what it meant to us. We know that if we want our tamariki to show manaakitanga to each other, we need to also model this. Our focus for the first three weeks is: ‘We are welcoming'.
As a staff we have decided to particularly model to each other and to the tamariki that:
We can mihi (greet and praise)
We can introduce ourselves to new people and share spaces
As a staff we are working on noticing and acknowledging one another when this happens. We have challenged ourselves to write speech bubbles to one another when we notice these things in another colleague. These will be displayed facing outwards on the staffroom windows for students and whānau to see. In time we hope that students will also recognise when they see the adults in our kura showing our school values.
Staff will now take the value of Manaakitanga into their class, unpack it together and decide what their class actions (or 'We can' statments) will be. Keep an eye on Seesaw to see what your child's class are focussing on.
Safety To and From School
As I am writing this newsletter, I have received a notification that this afternoon a child from another school in Palmerston North was approached by a member of the public and offered a 'lift' home. This child did a great job saying 'no' and alerting some nearby adults. Please spend some time reinforcing safety to your children, especially if they walk to and from school independently or with a group of other students.
A Reminder
And finally from me - a reminder that we have a Teacher Only Day following King's Birthday weekend this term. This is Tuesday 4th June. Our staff will be engaging in some professional development on this day.
Ngā mihi nui
Whaea Elly
Tumuaki