Author Archives: Dorinda Hampton

Kōwhai Sensory Spelling

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Sensory Spelling

We are inspired by a wonderful resource to help our tamariki learn words and concepts. Follow this link to explore more...


You can enjoy using these ideas at home. Learning concepts can be difficult. Research shows that all learners need to experience new learning in a variety of ways until it is permanently remembered. 

This technique is extremely hands and a powerful way to understand and learn new words.
Below are some photos of our Clay Experts hard at work.
Feel free to contact Dorinda or Paulette should you want to find out more about this method and how you could run it at home.




Kōwhai News Term 2 Weeks 3 and 4

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Swimming

What a fabulous two weeks of swimming. We have seen our children demonstrate 'We Love Challenge'.






We Love Learning

We see our tamariki inspire each other every day - here are some children working out at an exercise class that have set up themselves. Impressive!

STEM

We have been exploring Innovation through Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths Challenges. Check out our Build a Nest Challenge and Learning.


Kōwhai News Week 2 Term 2

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Swimming

Reminder that Swimming Lessons start next week and run for two weeks. Make sure you bring your togs, towel and swimming cap to school on Monday.  For full details look at our previous blog posts.

Staff Only Day reminder

School will be closed on Monday 20th May for a Staff Only Day. BOSCO is open for the full day and has spaces available for this teacher only day.
Bookings/Queries can be done via www.bosco.org.nz, or contact Yvette on 0276456632.

Book Amnesty

This term we will be doing a stocktake of our reading books at school.  Please, would you have a really good look for any readers that may be lurking behind the bookshelf at home, under a bed, or (as in our case) the toy box! Please send these books back to school as soon as possible.

Cross Country Photos

What a stunning day we had for the Cross Country - below are some of our wonderful athletes showing "We Love Challenge." Well done to all who competed. Here are our results...

Year 3 Girls - 1st Camryn Inglis     2nd  Holly MacIntosh    3rd Bonnie Hopkinson
Year 3 Boys - 1st Spencer Ingram  2nd Oliver Breitmeyer   3rd Finn Breitmeyer
Year 4 Girls - 1st  Jayde Inglis       2nd Isabelle Inglis          3rd Bobbi Gover
Year 4 Boys - 1st Archie Arnott     2nd Cahlen Stace           3rd Daniel Webster

There will be a Year 0-4 Cross Country Champion Competition, held at Hillview Christian School in week 10 for children who finished in the top placings.















Autumn Fun


Discovery Learning

Our mornings start with exploring and learning through play. There is immense value through talking, problem-solving and making connections with what we know and what we are learning. At this time, children are agents of their learning where they have the opportunity to decide what they want to learn or explore. The role of the teacher is to extend children's thinking by asking questions, providing opportunities to 'dig deeper' though researching, experimenting and testing. 






Passion Fridays

We have started our Passions on Fridays. Here are some photos of our Thorrington Rest Home Group. Making beautiful connections in our Community.





Kitchen Science

Check out our budding scientists exploring how everyday materials found in our kitchens react and change when mixed together! Be prepared - they may want to repeat these experiences at home!

Non-Newtonian Fluid - Oobleck!!!
Is it a Solid or is it a Liquid?



PTA DISCOs Save the dates
Friday 14th June: KIDS DISCO
Saturday 15th June: ADULTS 80s/90s DISCO. More info to come, start practising those moves!!!

That's it for another week in Kōwhai
Kōwhai Teaching Team


Koru News Term 4 Week 8/9, 2018

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REMINDER

Look in your bags, reading folders under the bed, in the kennel and bring back all your reading books as soon as possible please.
If you can help to put these away, please do check with your child's teacher. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Koru Year 1 and 2 Choir Trip

Wow - we had a fabulous time on Monday 10th December performing to the Cracroft Mens Friendship Group. They really enjoyed the singing from some passionate Year one and Two children. A big thank you to the parent helpers who came to help them walk to and from the event.



Koru Year 1 and 2 City Trip - Building Focus

We had a fabulous time on our recent trip into town, visiting the Christchurch City Council, Arts Centre including Rutherford's Den and the Botanic Gardens.
Enjoy the photos...



















Building our Knowledge:  Parent Talks & Discovery Play with Koru Year 1 & 2

Thank you to all the parents who came in to talk about their work to do with building. We certainly have learned a lot about Sustainable Building!!!!








 










Koru Term 1 Weeks 1 & 2

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Welcome Back!

Learning Conferences

It was wonderful to have such a large turnout to our Learning Conferences held earlier this Term. We appreciate your time to connect with us at school - setting our children up for a great start to the year.

Fill your Cup

We have enjoyed seeing the cups return, overflowing with some wonderful sharing. it is not too late to bring your cup - it is a great way to get to know each other.

Paint shirts 

Do you have any old, large shirts or t-shirts at home? We are hoping to have a collection of paint shirts for art. Please send in any spare old shirts that you don't need to be returned. Please don't name. Thanks.

Your Help 

Do you work or dabble in art, design or advertising?  Would you be interested in helping design our wellbeing definition? This will be central to our student wellbeing strategy this year....and beyond! Please contact me if you can help. Many thanks, Charlotte (charlotte.verity@beckenham.school.nz)

Reading 

We are excited about starting our reading programme from Wednesday next week. (New Entrant may be arrange differently). We have working through shared big books or poems to familiarise the children with our reading protocols and allow for assessment. Please enjoy reading these with your child, supporting them as they need. Your child will start bringing take-home books at their level after week 3.

Home Learning

We are in the process of a school-wide review of our Home Learning protocols. In the meantime your children will bring their reading book and Home Learning Book home every day in their reading folder. There is a tip sheet to help with the reading as well as a reading log that you can complete. 

Discovery Learning - Play Based

Our tamariki have embraced learning through discovery. They are getting to know other children in their group as well as to feel settled as they start the school year.
The following link provides some great information for parents and caregivers about our children's play-based urges (schema).  Nature Play

Would you like to come and share an aspect of your profession or an interest during Discovery Learning, e.g. yoga, art or an outdoor activity? Sessions run between 9.15 and 10.15, and we can support you with materials and resources. Please email Charlotte if you are interested. Thankyou.

Enjoy these photos of our children - doing what they do best!

We need your help!

Koru West Wing would love to start up a wood working play area. If you any tools like hammers, saws, hand held drills, nails, screws and screwdrivers - we would love to gather these in to create the area. Also any off cuts of timber and plumbing that are spare at your place. Dorinda will be collecting these donations.







































Fairness

We have had wonderfully rich talks about this picture - see what things your children notice - it's really fascinating! What 'box' does your child need to learn?