In Peka Peka we are all working together to be the best learners we can be. We are developing our mat manners to always “show me 5” - ask your child what that means! We are always encouraging good listening skills so that instruction time is short and then we have lots of activity time. We are learning to walk around our kura quietly and in a line so that we are not interrupting learning in other ALSs. In whānau hui, each Monday - the whole kura come together to share achievements and weekly notices, we are learning to sit quietly and listen to others with respect. 

Maths: MNP: We are continuing to work on number knowledge to 10 - this week we focussed on number language about numbers to 10 by using vocab such as fewer, more, compare, match, equal to, less than, more than, same, different. You could practise this at home by counting 2 different groups of objects with them having the same quantity or different quantities then use the same language to reinforce the learning we are doing at kura.

This week we will be learning about time in terms of night and day, days of the week, and months of the year.

Literacy: The rotations are going very well and ākonga are going to their lessons independently and quickly when the bell rings. This week our letter of the week was Tt, ask your child how many Tt letters they found in the poem that came home this weekend.

Next week our letter is Cc-ask your child if they know the sound that the letter Cc makes?

We have focussed on rhyming kupu (words) last week, so please encourage your child to listen for rhymes or make up some rhyming games as you do activities together.

Inquiry: We looked at early settlement in Aotearoa this week. Each homeroom did different activities: Mrs Galway’s HR created a pā on a ‘hill’ in the sandpit showing how Māori needed to use big strong tree trunks (toothpicks!) as palisades to protect themselves and defend their pā. Miss P discussed the hierarchy of the iwi and related it to the leadership structure here at kura. Miss Latham discussed clothing showcasing each child wearing the clothing of the day on Seesaw. Mrs Kneale discussed food, sorting where the food came from - sea, land…

Next week we will be learning about the arrival of the British.

PE: We have finished our PMP rotations and are looking forward to doing an obstacle course showing our newly acquired balancing, spatial awareness, and coordinated body skills. This will also give each homeroom a good opportunity to encourage each other to do their best and to try to not feel dejected if they are losing.

Buddies: Week 3 this week, the final week of the first rotation. Everyone is enjoying these sessions - our ākonga love seeing their buddies in the playground or when they come and join us during a wet lunchtime.

Some reminders:

Managing Self: At kura we encourage independence and self-sufficiency in each child. The kaiako ask our ākonga to put their hū (shoes) and pōtae (hat) in their cubby holes each day along with their school bags. If socks are taken off it is the responsibility of the child to look after them - put them in their school bags ready to take home. We also ask everyone to keep their pouaka kai (lunch box) in their cubbies. All the kaiako are vigilant at lunchtime making sure that everyone eats all their sandwiches and healthy snacks. Please do not include chocolate or sweets as a treat in the pouaka kai and minimise packaged food please.

It would be great if you could ask your child to pack their own school bag in the morning, to encourage independence and give them a chance to plan for their day ahead eg. hat, drink bottle, library/poetry books.

• 2:45 pm pick-ups on Fridays

• Drink bottles every day

• Pōtae (hat) are compulsory in Term 1 and 4

• Please have hū (shoes) that your ākonga can put on independently

• We have a no-toy policy at kura

• Our library day has changed to Friday

• We use poetry books on Friday, they go home over the weekend for you to read with your ākonga but need to be returned on Monday 

• Please read our notice about our Expo which is being held on Tuesday afternoon. This is a wonderful opportunity to come to find out about the awesome teaching and learning that happens at Te Kura o Manga Kawari. 

Have a wonderful weekend, enjoy the beautiful autumn days while we have them! 

Juanita, Penny, Ella, Sandy, Alison, Lynda, and Sally