Hato Hone St Johns in Schools

Don't go breakin' ma heart.......I

Using kind words sometimes requires teaching children how to be kind and respectful, tolerating and accepting others differences.  Sometimes this even means giving them the words but a lot of the time it is about emotional regulation.  Naming emotions, sitting with them or asking for time and space is all part of this learning.  We all know that it is easier said than done in the heat of the moment.  

We have done 2 tasks this week that have been fabulous illustrations of this concept.  The first one was using a tube of toothpaste and getting kids to squeeze a bit out as an example of an unkind comment.  The purpose of this activity was to show kids that once something leaves your mouth and makes its way into someones ears it has a lasting impact on how someone feels.   We could not get all of the toothpaste back into the tube.   This was a strong visual message for our kids.  

Basically in a nutshell, you can't ever take words back. The kids had some really interesting perpsectives on forgiveness and apologies.  These are all good after the fact but the 'even better if' is thinking before we speak.  This is also the hardest thing to master.  

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No matter what strategy we used we could not get that toothpaste back in.

The second task we did was the heart activity.  We poured all of our time and energy into creating a heart  with all the things that made us special, that made us feel good about our selves.  This was to demonstrate how much time it takes to build confidence and self esteem.  

                     

Part 2 of this little experiment was scruching our heart up into the tiniest smallest ball.  This is what happens to someones heart when we choose not to encourage and support each other.  These are mean words on statements that others feel 'small'.  These are not always intentionlly mean comments but they still have an effect on how someone feels.  

When we unscrunched our hearts we noticed that we could not get rid of the wrinkles.  This is a little bit like remembering a negative comment.  

The wrinkles are visible !  At Worser Bay School we believe in building each others mana by focusing on the 'we' rather than the 'I'.  Our Flourish Model focuses on all the aspects to be our best selves. 

                                

   

Music and Movement Breaks

 

Its a 'WE' not an 'I' thing

 

In Tautoru this week we have been developing our strength of Teamwork.  This is really helped us connect and it is helping us with learning about each other so that we can work together better in our learning and play. 

We are learning the skills of compromise and negeotiation.  We are learning to take turns.  These are all important life skills. 

We completed some team challenges and we had so much fun doing them.  

"Teamwork is about working together.  We used hulahoops to work as a team.  We had to try and fit our whole team into a hoop."

"Teamwork is when you want to work together in a team and sometimes the team might be with new people.  At school today we worked in teams of 4.  We had to get a hulahoop then we had to all fit ourselves into it.  We played another game in a circle.  We all had to hold hands but we had to pass a hoop over our heads and over our legs and through, back to the start of the circle."

Patience, kindness, encouragement, compliments have all been important things to keep in mind when we have been playing.  

Thinking Outside the Box.

 

Our Inquiry learning at the moment is all about seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary and re-imagining new and exciting things,  We have been using every day objects.  We are looking forward to adding music, movement and use of space to tell our stories that are evolving.  .  

Eventually this learning is going to help us design some great pieces for an Arts Celebration.  
Positive Edication and Wellbeing is always a focus that we aim to weave across the curriculum.  

So how is this all linking to our Positive Education and Wellbeing teaching ? Where are the links ? 

We are encouraging a GROWTH MINDSET by viewing experiments and "mistakes" through dance and music as "surprising discoveries" that can lead to new ideas.
We are successful when we can be ok with something not going to plan. We can be flexible and we can say "Let’s try it a different way!".

"I can use my 'spark' to make something new." We are dialling up our CREATIVITY by

demonstrating how we can take a "normal" idea and stretch it into something "extraordinary" . This could mean solving a problem in an imaginary world or when we are playing.

We are successful when we can describe one thing that may not exist in the real world and explain why it is special or unique. We can also describe how we have made something interesting and new.

CURIOSITY AWE AND WONDER are evident if we can ask the 'what if' to explore new possibilities. Students demonstrate a natural curiosity by asking open-ended questions about their peers' imaginary worlds to help them grow their own ideas.

We are successful when we can ask "Wondering Questions" (e.g., "I wonder what happens in your land when it rains?") to help a friend add more detail to their world.

We can try new ways of moving and presenting our ideas, even if it feels a bit silly at first. We know that we have to dial up our strengths of GRIT AND BRAVERY.

You will see our creative bravery through our movements to a piece of music or through our presentations at assembly. This might be something new and different from how we might usually move our bodies or make sounds or present ideas.

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To get us thinking outside the box we have been opening a secret box to reveal a 'curiosity'.  So far this magical box has delivered a large feather and a sandy mixture that gave us many clues especially when we touched it. 

It felt sandy, it looked sandy but it also had shimmering pieces that were almost foil like.  The most amazing thing was that when we rubbed our hands in it, our hands changed colour.  We discovered that we could transfer this evidence into our Inquriy books.  We wondered where it had come from........

        

Maths Mug Cake

 

A serene, flour-dusted dream is really not the case in reality when it comes to baking learning experiences.  When maths smells and tastes like chocolate 'mug cake', our kids became engaged in the language of measurement really quickly and without any prompting what so ever because it made sense.  This was successful because of the authentic context.  (and the promise of chocolate cake within reason !) 

Here is how a simple baking session turned into a great maths lesson.

We were very hands-on and you might say it was a total sensory experience.

We looked at the difference between a cup of fluffy flour and a cup of packed sugar. 

Reading Scales, Jugs and measuring spoons: Pouring milk up to the exact measurement needed a good eye-level estimation. We actively practiced reading instructions and understanding units of measurement (ml, grams, teaspoons).

Fractions are notoriously tricky to grasp, but baking makes them visual and tangible.

We could visualise the whole but we could also see lots of light bulb moments when we realised that an 1/8 was smaller than 1/4 or a 1/2. 

This task was also really easy to level up for more of a challenge. We could think about doubling the recipe.   How much would we need of each ingredient ?

We had to manage our time well and set a time on the microwave.  We had lots of discussions about whether the time needed to change with more mugs in the microwave.

After all this success we know that we will continue to embrace the messy cooking, water play and exploring.   We aren't just making a mess—we are building amazing creative maths minds and confident bakers and makers !   

Have a go at the recipe at home and look out for other opportunities for 'everyday maths'. 

Here are some pieces of our writing from this baking experience. 

Haerenge ki te taone o Te Whanganui a Tara

Our kids in Tautoru have a natural curiosity for all types of machines and gadgets.  They really love to get inside and understand how things work !  You can imagine their delight when we were escourted into the belly of the new city Library where they could have a first hand experience seeing and leanring about the state of the art library book sorting machine....

We started off on the mezzanine floor travelling down to the entrance where books are carefully deposited into a slot once they have been read.  We watched in awe as the books lovingly travelled down a conveyer belt through the floor and into the room below.  

With eyes wide and questions flying around, we saw the amazing machine that sorts the books using a tiny microchip.  This room had a tray for every destination imaginable.  At the end of the second conveyor belt with the trolley of mystery.  This was for books that did not belong to any council library.  It was for the books that are swept up in the chaos and rush of getting those lovely books back on time !!!   There were buttons and lights galore and so many little engineers with wonderings. 

Next stop was the underground carpark.  We were able to see the earthquake pillars that we learnt were buried 40 metres underground to reach bedrock.  These amazing seismic pillars will be what helps this beautiful building withstand an earthquake.

Our second leg of the City journey was to Wharewaka to complete our second walking tour with Kura Ahurea.  We were able to recap our prior learning about the waka taua and the Atua.  We could really exercise our storytelling and knowledge from our Term 1 haerenga !!   

Miles talked to us about how he remembered the eyes of the waka and how karakia travelled through the eyes and down each side of the waka protecting the toa going to war.  On the side of the waka we could see the raukura from the albatross and we could explore the carvings of different atua.  

This time we also went on to the bride that connects the Whairepo lagoon to the other side.  We learnt about the wooden carvings and the signficance of the creatures depicted on the bridge.  Ngake and Whataitai are represented on this bridge.  Paris talked to us about the significance of the Albatross as a messenger and symbol of peace. This is really important to Taranaki Iwi both in Taranaki and Te Whanganui a Tara.   

Zero Waste

 

We are Creative Thinkers

We are diving deep into the world of imagination and inquiry. We aren’t just reading books; we’re exploring "Wonderlands"—those internal and external places where curiosity leads the way to imaginative play and dialling up our Creativity in different ways. 

Inquiry is more than just a skill; it’s a way of engaging with the world. Children use their imagination all day, everyday but often need plenty of opportutiies to grow this as well.  We are encouraging taking risks, thinking outside of the box, pondering the what ifs.....
We are using stories and music as our compass to create and navigate around imaginary landscapes.   Stories sometimes give us that map while music provides atmosphere and emotions. Soundscapes can transport a room into a deep forest or a bustling Martian city in seconds.

Here are some examples of what we pictured in our minds when we listened to a description and music. 

Simple Ways to Explore at Home. -   Here are a few ways to turn an ordinary afternoon into an inquiry-based adventure:

• The Soundtrack Swap Play a piece of music, then a slow ambient track. Ask: "What kind of creature lives in this music?"   What does the environment look like ? What is happening ? 
  
• Story "Fracturing" Read a familiar tale but stop halfway. Ask: "What if the hero made a different choice here?"  Change up a character or change a character into a villan.  
  
• Prop Prompts Place a random object (like a whisk or a scarf) in the center of the room. Ask: "In our Wonderland, this isn't a whisk. What is it?"    
  
• Go on that bear hunt, visit Dr Suess or make a fort that can transport you to amazing places.     

Mission to the Moon Quick Write

We have started the term off by learning about the recent mission to the moon - Artemis II.  For the first time since 1972 humans have been able to get close to the moon. 

We knew that some of our kids would know lots about this and others would find this new information fascinating. We got straight into using this mission as inspiration for our writing. 

We also used some visuals to engage our imagination and inspire some interesting looking words. We could use these to paint a picture in our readers minds.

We really focused on discussion, honing in on our oral language first.

We know Writing is an incredibly complex task.  Our students are learning to manage multiple things at once:  They are constantly asking themselves:

• What do I want to say?

• Which words should I use?

• How do I order these words?

• How do I hold the pencil? What does a 'b' look like? Which way around again ? What letters make the sound 'ch'?

• Last but not least, punctuation and all those writing courtesies we tend to do automatically as adults.  

Keeping all these balls in the air does not come easy.  We see the impact of these complexities on a daily basis and it looks different for each student.  

We have always known that 'Great writing floats on a sea of talk'.  By focusing on oral language, we can help students master their content and ideas, vocab and sentence structure before they pick up a pencil.  Discussion helps in the composition of our thoughts and ideas so that our writers can focus more on the mechanics of writing.

Our job is to inspire and start the discussion, prompt and push for more and plant 'ideas' that can help little minds wander into new places and spaces.  Encouraging lots of curiosity ! 

Mondays task was a quick write with some simple success criteria. It was a task that is going to be repeated in different ways and it will certainly enhance this terms Inquiry learning. We are going to be engaging our imaginations and the exciting part is not knowing where this journey is going to end up !

Below are some examples of our quick writes. You can see some examples of writers dialling up their strengths of Creativity and some beautiful examples of personal voice shining through. Imagine Pole Vaulting through space !

Our students took some great learning risks and were not held back by not being able to spell interesting words. This part we can tackle in the editing phase. These are some unedited pieces of writing and others are still going through this writing process. Hopefully you can see the potential that we can in these quick 15 minute writes.

Success Criteria worked well as the students knew exactly what their writing needed. It is going to be an exciting term if this was day 1.

Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua - Learning about our past to move forward into the future

 

Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua

(Learning about our past to move forward into the future.)

Ko Ranginui ki runga 

Ko Papatūānuku ki raro 

Ko ngā Atua ki waenganui

Tēnā Koutou

  

Nei ra te mihi ki a koutou ngā Mana Whenua o te rohe nei - Ko Te Ātiawa. 

Ngā mihi nui ki a Taupuruariki Brightwell me ngā Kura Ahurea mō a rātou mahi toi me nga pūrākau me te kōrero tuku iho e pā ana ki a wahi whakahirahira - Ko Whetūkairangi.  

I te tau 1842, E ai ki ngā Ōhākī o Te Rangatira - Te Wharepouri, I muri nei, kia pai ke aku taonga Māori, taonga Pākeha, kia tae ake te haruru o tō reo ki ahau i Te Reinga. 

We would like to acknowledge Te Ātiawa and their work through the Kura Ahurea programme and Taupuruariki Brightwell.  This artwork helps us tell the stories and learn about the history of this special place and its surrounding areas including the people that came before.  

In 1842, Te Wharepouri, a great rangatira from Te Ātiawa left a wish for us all .  "After I have gone, be good to my Māori and my non-Māori, let the thunder of your voice reach me in the spirit land. "

The ōhākī ensures that these stories and facts are shared with our kids so that they are understood and can be shared with whānau.  

How fantastic to see so many of our Worser Bay whānau joining our Haerenga this week.

We live and work in a very special place where we experience the awe and wonder of Whetūkairangi on a daily basis. The natural beauties of this place are matched by fascinating mythological and historical stories that surround it.

Our teaching team have been working with Te Ātiawa and Taranaki Whānui - Mana Whenua on a programme called Kura Ahurea. There are many variations of the pūrākau that are told differently across iwi and cultures. But these are the stories that have shaped our place here at Whetūkairangi, and also wider Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

Some of the art on display was created by Worser Bay students in response to their learning. But the wonderful black, red and white art is the creation of the artist Taupuruariki Brightwell and Kura Ahurea. 

The pou in our courtyard are our anchor point for how we connect to our stories, and also the land, sea and sky. We began at our pou together, before exploring the wealth of artwork and information on display around the school. This was a chance to hear, read and retell and the stories of how our environment has been shaped by natural and human forces. History, mythology and immense geological happenings are all in the mix.

By clicking on a QR code, we were able to hear some of our stories being retold by our students: we hope to add more to this library.

With our stories in mind, we headed to the lookout and then down to Worser Bay beach, viewing and visiting many of the places that appear in the stories we had been sharing. 

We are learning more all the time and and are keen to share and continue to build our knowledge and understanding. So this Haerenga is just the beginning.

We will send the links via seesaw so that you can hear our recordings and view some of the resources and beautiful artwork again.  You can also scan the QR codes that are dotted around the school.

"Tuia ki runga, Tuia ki raro,  Tuia ki roto, Tuia ki waho, 

Ka rongo te pō, Ka rongo te Ao 

Haumi ē,  Hui ē , Tāiki e"