Author Archives: Emma Hayes-Smith

Kahikatea News – Term 4, Week 7

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Kia ora e te whānau,

Wow, these final weeks are just speeding by! We have been having a lot of fun in Kahikatea and we hope that you are all well.


Word of the Week

This week, we have been focusing on Empathy.

We have been discussing with the students that:

Empathy is being able to know how someone else is feeling, even when you aren't in the same situation. Sometimes, in more simple words, we explain that empathy is being able to "put yourself in someone's shoes" and see things from their view.


Transitions

On Tuesday and Friday afternoons this week, our students have been taking part in some transitions to help prepare them for next year.

Current Year 1 students --- 2023 Year 2 Students in Kahikatea

Current Year 2 students --- 2023 Year 3 Students in Kōwhai

During these transitions:

The 2023 Year 2 students remained in Kahikatea and were joined by the Koru Hub for a Learning Through Play session. These sessions allowed 2023 Year 2 students to meet some of the tamariki that will be in their hub next year.

The 2023 Year 3 Students went through to Kōwhai for some fun. This allowed them to begin to make connections with some of the teachers and students that will be in their hub next year.


Arts Rotations

We are still enjoying our arts rotation! By the end of this, all home groups will have had two lessons in each of the arts strands; music, visual art, dance, and drama. The kids have been having so much fun during these lessons and we have all loved teaching these areas!






New Junior Playground

We have had so much fun exploring the new junior playground over the past couple of weeks! We are loving seeing the kids enjoying it during break times, as well as after school!









More photos from the week:














Ngā mihi nui,

Team Kahikatea

Katie McFarlane 
katie.mcfarlane@beckenham.school.nz

Emma Hayes-Smith
emma.hayes-smith@beckenham.school.nz

Krystal Hunt
krystal.hunt@beckenham.school.nz

Megan Harris
megan.harris@beckenham.school.nz

Lisa Collier
lisa.collier@beckenham.school.nz

Kahikatea News Term 3 Week 9

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Kia ora e te whānau,

It is amazing to think we are already coming to the end of Term 3. This term has been jam-packed with incredible learning and lots of fun in the Kahikatea Hub.

Cooperation

Our word of the week was cooperation. We talked about how cooperation means working together to get things done. To be good at cooperating with others, you need to be a good team member. 

We found that when we cooperated we could get much further across the slack line, than when we tried it by ourselves!


Some of our home groups also demonstrated cooperation when doing Story Champs. We helped one another to re-tell stories and use 'Champ Checks' (a checklist) to see if we could remember all of the parts. We also worked on remembering and using 'sparkle words' (new, interesting vocabulary).





Swimming

In Term 4, all of our Kahikatea tamariki will be participating in a water safety programme at Pioneer Pool. These lessons are based on the principles of water skills and safety. These lessons do not replace or replicate swimming lessons. This is an opportunity to learn water safety. The students will have eight lessons starting on Monday 31st October, running through until Thursday 10th November.

A survey will be sent out to you soon regarding your child's confidence in swimming. This will also include an opportunity to indicate your availability for parent help. Parents are not required to get in the water and we will meet you at Pioneer as we arrive.

Learning Through Play

The tamariki have continued to show a range of skills and interests during our Learning Through Play sessions. The tamariki continue to challenge themselves, problem solve, and express themselves creatively and imaginatively. The kaiako and tamariki all look forward to these weekly sessions.

Check out some pictures of what we have been getting up to below:











Waiata

Over the last couple of weeks we have started to end our days as an entire hub in the Theatre for singing. It is such a great way to finish off the day for everyone and we love learning new songs.


Box Construction

We are on the hunt for some boxes and containers for our box construction creations during earning Through Play. Some ideas of what we are looking for:

  • biscuit, cracker, muesli bar boxes
  • cereal and shoe boxes
  • yoghurt pottles and containers

Request for Paint Shirts/Tops

We are also on the hunt for any old children's t-shirts or small adult-sized short-sleeved shirts for us to use during art activities. If you have any that you could spare, please bring them into the hub.

Athletics Day

We are about to begin training for Athletics Day Please ensure that your children are coming to school with appropriate footwear.

Sun Hats

Coming into Term 4 please remember that your children will need their sunhats at school.


Have a great final week at school and a safe and happy holiday break.

Ngā mihi nui,

Team Kahikatea


Kahikatea News Week 9 Term 1

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Kia ora koutou!

What a wonderful nine weeks we have had in team Kahikatea! We have been so proud of the hard work from all of the tamariki in our hub. Thank you for continuing to support us at this time, especially by keeping up to date with information being shared via HERO and by keeping your children at home when they are unwell.


A Week in the Life of a Kahikatea Learner

Below is an example of a typical week in the life of a Kahikatea learner. You may wish to talk about this with your child/ren. Some questions to prompt discussion could include:
- What is your favourite time of the day at school?
- Who do you enjoy playing with during morning tea and lunchtime?
- Which time of the day do you feel you learn the best? Why do you think this is?
- What is your favourite learning area? Why?
- What have you learned so far about being sustainable?
- What have you been learning in Structured Literacy?
- What have you been learning about during Maths?



Learning At Home

Here is the Learning at Home link for those of you who may need to use it. We are adding and updating our content every so often. This includes activities for Learning Through Play, Maths, and Literacy. If you child completes learning when at home, they can share what they have done via Seesaw. We would love to see the wonderful work that they are doing at home! If completing activities isn't achievable for any reason, then that is absolutely fine too.


Kinetic Letters Handwriting Programme

We have loved getting our Kinetic Handwriting lessons up and running. Thank you for the care that tamariki have shown Bounce and Skip when they come to your place for a sleepover. The excitement of the children when they get to take the monkeys home is delightful.





Sustainability

It has been wonderful to address our concept-based curriculum theme of Sustainability in Kahikatea in the past week. By the end of this term, all children would have had a lesson about taking care of our outdoor equipment, indoor equipment, water conservation, and how to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Dolls

One of the most popular toys played with during Learning Through Play is our dolls. We are on the hunt for more dolls, furniture for the dolls house, etc. to build upon what we already have.


Reminders

Please name your child's lunchbox (including any small containers), drink bottle, sunhat, and school jersey. Please also remind your child/ren to please keep their shoes on at school. Children who do take their shoes off are encouraged to place them on one of the shoe racks in the hub and to put their socks inside their shoes.


Library

Amber and Krystals home groups go to the library on Tuesdays, and Katie and Emma's home groups go to the library on Thursdays. Please ensrue that you child has their library folder with them on their allocated day.








That's all for now! Thank you for your ongoing support. Please feel free to get in touch via your child's teacher via email anytime.

Team Kahikatea

amber.donovan@beckenham.school.nz
katie.mcfarlane@beckenham.school.nz
emma.hayes-smith@beckenham.school.nz
krystal.hunt@beckenham.school.nz
lisa.collier@beckenham.school.nz