Te Wā Mahi Tahi- Learning by working together

The Junior School (Autahi and Tautoru) begins the week with our Te Wā Mahi Tahi sessions on the first block of Monday mornings. These sessions are designed to spark our creativity, develop our teamwork and problem-solving skills as well as springboard ideas for further learning during the week. We have been collecting lots of different loose parts materials that are able to engage us in creating, collaborating, adapting, measuring, testing, as well as a variety of other types of problem-solving.

Getting together and spending time being able to imagine, discuss and construct is helping us to learn both social skills (communicating and problem-solving) and the foundational skills for maths (estimation and measurement, Levels 1-2 NZ Curriculum), science (observing, testing, mixing, creating models, Levels 1-2 NZ Curriculum),  and technology (creating and testing prototypes, Levels 1-2 NZ Curriculum).

Te Wā Mahi Tahi gives us lots of ideas and language that we share with each other while creating, so it also gives us language to use for writing and further links we can make through reading about different topics.



Using materials to design a game that varies in challenge level


Sorting materials to create an invention. Testing the angle of tubes to transport a tennis ball. 


Testing ramps that will carry the tennis balls to the bucket

We have made links between what we are doing and the ‘grown-up world’. We identified that testing and constructing is something that, for example, scientists, builders, and engineers do, too. Lots of different occupations have to learn to use and look after different types of equipment, so we are really careful to pack up all the pieces carefully at the end of the session.






Here is one of how a Te Wā Mahi Tahi session links to the New Zealand Curriculum.


“We are working together to make a predator-free house.”
“Why is it predator-free?”- teacher.



“Because it has traps to keep the pests away from the native animals.”
“How is this helpful for the native animals?”- teacher
“The native animals don’t get their nests destroyed and they don’t get eaten by pests.”




Science Curriculum Level 2-
Life processes- Recognise that all living things have certain requirements so they can stay alive.
Ecology- Recognise that living things are suited to their particular habitat.


Technology Levels 1-2
Technological modelling: Understand that functional models are used to represent reality and test design concepts and that prototypes are used to test technological outcomes. Understand that functional models are used to explore, test, and evaluate design concepts for potential outcomes and that prototyping is used to test a technological outcome for fitness of purpose.

Nature of Technology - Characteristics of technology: Understand that technology is purposeful intervention through design. Understand that technology both reflects and changes society and the environment and increases people’s capability.