Week 6 NEWSLETTER

from the principal

Our Vision: Together we Nurture, Explore and Create for a Better Future

I’ve been writing about our vision word ‘Explore’, and relating it to the learning opportunities we provide here at Douglas Park…and, I have more to share!

Yesterday the Rātā team held a ‘Science Roadshow’ - inspired by the actual science roadshow that comes to school every second year, the team have been working through the House of Science kits that classes have access to, and then had to develop a display to show what they had learnt to an audience. The range on display was truly amazing, and what blew me away was all of our beliefs as a school about what makes good learning were also on display:

- the collaboration

- the creativity

- making physical artifacts

- using technology to demonstrate learning

- the children could talk very clearly about 'the science learning and concepts’ not just what they had made

- it was interactive, hands on

- it had a purpose, an audience

- and...it wasn't all just 'the same' - lots of similar concepts/the learning - but all shown in ways that were different. It wasn’t just a cookie cutter/recipe type approach where everyone made the same thing (like the old science posters I would’ve made back in the day!).

Today we have the first of the senior classes off to Pūkaha Mt Bruce for their overnight experience. Miss Mac and Mr Watt’s classes are first up…off on the bus as I type this! Pūkaha has been in the news this week around their funding…so hopefully our school heading out helps out a little bit. All 6 of the senior rooms are booked to head out over time. This is our first time doing the overnight experience, and we are using this year to assess how we can build it into our overall EOTC programme.

Last week we had two teams from the senior teams enter the Whakaoriori Book Quiz. Dedicated in the leadup, reading a range of books and discussing all about them. On the day the DPS Rātā team came second! Another great way for children to ‘Explore’ their passion, and dig right into it.

Even the staff have had great learning opportunities via the teacher only day on Tuesday. Everyone got to hear Professor Russell Bishop talk about what works best for teaching and learning in NZ, and we all got to hear Derek Wenmoth speak about using our passions in the classroom. Both of these guys are towering figures in education…absolute legends. Staff also attended two workshops, and had a great range to choose from…Artificial Intelligence, new maths curriculum, social-emotional learning, screen time, assessment practice, iPad in the classroom, leadership, secondary school maths and literacy…the list was pretty epic.

All in all…the opportunities for children (and staff) to ‘Explore’ their passions is pretty awesome. And don’t forget…this is all in amongst great, high quality teaching of reading, writing and maths.

Key Dates

Matariki Public Holiday: Friday, 20th June
Last day of Term: Friday, 27th June

Matariki evening - save the date

Whakaoriori Kāhui Ako Book Quiz

Over the last 8 weeks we have been meeting at morning tea on Tuesdays. We had to read 6 books all by New Zealand authors. Two were chapter books and the others were picture books. Lots of the books had a Matariki theme. We talked about the books and had mini quizzes that Mrs Jolliffe had prepared.

Last Thursday two teams (DPS Rātā and DPS Kahikatea) went to the Whakaoriori Book Quiz. The quiz was lots of fun and we answered 10 questions about each book in our teams. Lots of other schools were there and they had year 7 and 8 teams as well. We had morning tea while all the points were being added up.

DPS Rātā came second in the year 5/6 section and we were given a book for our library. One of the sponsors, Sally Keen, a book seller, also gave us a lot of free books for our library.