Out of the Square – Into the School
Thursday afternoon programme
1.30 – 4pm Transport will be provided.
Note: There are 6 tours with codes A, B, C, D, E, F. You need to select a tour (according to code letter), and enter it on the homepage with your name and your other conference details.
Tour A (code)
Bluestone School
Bluestone School is a Decile 5 full primary school that was created as part of a school review. The school has been completely rebuilt as four learning communities. Special features of our school include
- innovative building and layout featuring subconscious
learning ideas, renovated hall with new lighting and sound
system, portable staging, music room and a new library
- Music programme – You will see 2 specialist teachers working
with groups of students on a wide range of activities
- Radio station – run by students that broadcasts both within the
school and to our school community
- Teaching and learning using Interactive whiteboards,
interwrite pads, COWs, Wii Pens etc
- Have a look around the school, meet ALEC our Bluestone kid
and find out about our heart chart values behaviour system
Tour B (code)
Highfield School
Kiwican, the values based education programme that works so well in many of our local schools here in Timaru. All students, Y1-8, have one session a week in Kiwican with the two Kiwican leaders. They plan and implement sessions to reflect needs identified in the playground and in the classroom. The challenge is to integrate and reinforce these healthy values across the school and into the wider community. Check out www.kiwican.org.nz
Timaru Technology Centre
Tour a purpose built Technology facility that meets the demands of the new Technology Curriculum document… and beyond. An overview of the overall function of TTEC and how each room facilitates the delivery of an integrated Technology approach.
Tour C (code)
Grantlea Downs
Grantlea Downs is a full primary Decile 4 merged school born from the review four years ago combining Grantlea and close-by rural Seadown. As a result of this there has been extensive building undertaken which you can see as you wander through all classrooms seeing the programmes in action. See unique class displays, children managing the school environment and hear about the “Schoolcar” as a school icon. A chance to get into others’ classrooms!
Tour D (code)
Arowhenua
Putting the M in Curriculum
Developing a meaningful curriculum that promotes Maori Student Achievement
Arowhenua is a small rural school with a unique character. Our roll is 99% Maori and we are the only mainstream primary school offering a bilingual option for more than 150kms. We have developed our new curriculum using iwi values and current best practice for Maori achievement. Imbedding our students’ culture in their learning programmes and the school charter has resulted in achievement in literacy and numeracy that is above national norms and positive engagement with the Maori community. This is an opportunity to see what we’ve done to promote Maori achievement through the implementation of the New Curriculum and identify approaches that will contribute to greater success with Maori achievement in your own school.
Tour E (code)
Waimataitai School
- Waimataitai School’s Wai Learners, and their six attributes for successful life-long learning, play a major role in the school’s learning culture to meet the needs of the new curriculum. Wai Learners are happy, team playing, respectful, motivated, reflective, and curious learners. They’re all around the school in various forms. Check out the March 23, 2009, Ed. Gazette Focus p.7 for more details or www.waimataitai.school.nz
- Waimataitai School’s principal, Jane Culhane, is on sabbatical leave for Term 2 this year and is off to the UK to do some research around ‘Nurture Groups’. This is really interesting stuff and targets those kids who need nurturing in conjunction with more traditional education. Often these are the kids who haven’t had the healthy families’ thing. Check out the website www.nurturegroups.org. Jane will deliver a school based workshop / introduction to the topic. Aorangi School in Christchurch is well underway with this. It is definitely ‘Out of the Square’ but should perhaps be in the square for those kids who need it.
- Whiteboards, Smart Boards, Data projectors, COWS, Mimios and Wii Pens. They’re all here in classrooms. Mix with those working with them, kids and teachers.
- Rebuilding innovations
Tour F (code)
Cancelled
