This week we have been working on our number bonds to 10 and subtraction knowledge. The children have used solid objects, number lines and Numicon to respond to written word problems and number sentences/ calculations. The children enjoy using the Numicon as it provides a visual representation and enables them to generate their own
number sentences.
Our creative Year 4 teacher, Mr Wesbonk, inspired us to attempt to draw a character in Art on Friday.
Firstly we watched Mr Wesbonk Wants To…..and then we followed Mr Wesbonk’s tips and hints to create our very own characters. The finished drawings were fantastic!
We can’t wait to take them home to see if we can make our household appliances come alive – just like Mr Wesbonk did in his video!
Year 1 Wants To………say thank you, Mr Wesbonk!
Feel free to click on the link and follow Mr Wesbonk’s tips to recreate these fun artworks at home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp1zCzrxbwM
These past eight weeks have quite possibly been the most challenging, emotional, creative and spectacular weeks in my entire teaching career. With such a spectrum of emotions and experiences, I stopped today to reflect on the achievements that have arose from an experience we never expected to happen and I’m sure, we hope will not happen again. Leafing through the abundance of media I have collected, I see clearly, the strength, determination, perseverance, creativity, kindness, and love, exuding from each image.
I have proudly observed each child dive head first into their learning, reach for the stars to develop and accomplish embedded skills that have enabled them to produce beautifully presented, creative and thoughtful work. I have felt such pride as each child shared their deep kindness for one another and their community as words of consideration and love were artistically presented in letters and cards. I have been inspired by their ability to overcome challenges and look outside the box, to enable them to continue in such a way that has seen their character, skills and strengths expand beyond anything I could dream for them. As I observe the the vastly growing collection of media I have grown these past few weeks, I feel I am the luckiest teacher to exist due to my beautiful Piwakawaka children and their ever supportive and simply wonderful families.
Please enjoy this small selection of memories and recognise as I have, the sheer depth of accomplishment achieved by each child over our time as distance learners.
Well, what a different kind of March and April we have had this year!
We have been working and learning from home. I feel incredibly proud of everyone in the Tui Class – and the mums and dads. I know it has been very hard juggling all those balls, but everyone has managed to send work in for me to look at, and it warms my heart to see on our Zoom calls the smiles that are still on everyone’s faces.
I have missed all the Tui Class’ lovely smiling faces, but I have been sent some lovely photos and thought I would share them with you all. I can not wait to see you all again, in real life!
Bodhi decided to be a Year 2 teacher for the morning!
He chose a book and then took it home to learn. Then he brought it back to school the next morning and read it to the class! Bodhi did a fantastic job and everyone loved hearing him read.
Mr Donovan took the Year 1 and Year 2 classes to see his busy busy bees!
He dressed up in his special suit, which protects him in case a bee decides to sting, and showed us how the bees buzz all around the trees in his garden and take pollen back into their hive.
Mr Donovan also showed us how he uses special smoke to make the bees nice and relaxed, so that they don’t mind him looking in their hive.
It was such an interesting day for us and I am sure that the bees enjoyed our company as well!
The Year 2 class made some fantastic Self Portraits during Art time.
Looking at photos of ourselves, we made sure we added our eyes, noses and mouth exactly where they should be.
We finished up with some wonderful pieces of art!
Covid-19 has taken a lot away from us but it has also presented us with new opportunities.
Distance Learning, for example, was something that I had experienced as a University student but I had NEVER considered Distance Teaching.
On Wednesday March 25th 2020, Distance Learning began for our Kiwi Class. With the wonderful support of their parent’s, the Kiwi class have experienced learning from home.
I have been sent photos of wonderful diary entries, science investigations, stunning handwriting, lovely art and best of all………SMILING FACES! Seeing your excited, engaged and proud faces via the internet has been a highlight of Lockdown for me!
Thank you to our parents for your incredible support, trust and delivery of our Year 1 learning. I am so grateful to be a part of your learning community. Thank you!
Thank you also to our Kiwi class students! You have adapted beautifully to this new style of learning. I have loved our Zoom catch ups and will fondly remember our dress-up day!
Have a look at just a few of the photos that I will always treasure.
We have had the most interesting Shared News items lately and today’s example was not only interesting but tasty too!
Thank you for bringing in your home grown green pepper/capsicum! We loved cutting it up and looking at the seeds……BUT……..the best bit was when we got to EAT it!
Our Year 8 Wentworth College friends invited us to their Multicultural Day. The Year 8 Global Perspective students displayed posters and created food items to represent the culture of a specific country. We enjoyed our visit and we even tried some yummy (and new) treats!
Thank you Year 8 – we can’t wait to visit you again!
Today we had the absolute pleasure of hosting our Grandparents, as well as family and friends at school!
Our visiting Wentworth whanau were invited to join in with tongue twisters, singing and even dancing. We then took our family and friends into our classroom to look at some of things that we do in a school day.
Thank you to everyone who joined us. It was a special day and we loved sharing our school life with you!
Our Wentworth Beach Picnic is a fun day out for the entire whanau. We absolutely loved that our Wentworth community had the opportunity to get to know each other better and it was a delight to see our Year 7 and 8 College friends.
Highlights of the day included:-
Thank you to all who made it – I am certainly looking forward to next year!
