KORU HIGHLIGHTS Term 2 Week 6-7

Kia ora!
What an action packed fortnight we have had! Enjoy reading about the highlights below:

Reminders/Notices
* If your child needs more stationery, we will send a note home regarding what and how to purchase this.

* Please check jerseys to make sure your child is bringing home their jersey. Several jerseys have been lost recently. Thanks also for sending your child to school in uniform black shoes.

* A big thank you for waiting until 8:30 to enter classrooms.

* Junior School Cross Country is on Thursday 22 June from 1.30pm. The postponement date for this event is Thursday, June 29th. If you would like to help, please email Caitlyn. If your child has spare trainers, please pop these in their bags over the next fortnight as we will be running practises, and the route can be muddy at times.

Gallery & Botanic Gardens
We enjoyed a trip to the gallery and botanic gardens, many thanks to Elizabeth (Gail) and fabulous parent helpers...many thanks to each of you.

At the gallery, we had a personal tour in small groups, and looked closely at some of the art on display. An animal themed exhibition was a hit with the children, particularly one stuffed sloth! The children each thought about what is important to them and completed our own Waka drawing.

Maths

We have been learning about measurement over the last weeks, as well as computation and practising number knowledge. The children have loved the hands-on nature of measuring things...and each other!

Key concepts covered:

* Length, height, width, capacity, volume

* Using informal measurements e.g. blocks or popsicle sticks to measure length

* Start and end point

* Placing our measurement tool (e.g. blocks) end to end.

Why not try measuring books, a self, a person or something else at home?

Circle Time

Each Hub continues to have a weekly Circle Time. Students are encouraged to share 'what's on top' for them, and to celebrate successes or resolve challenges collaboratively, with teacher support. Circle Time relies on honesty and acceptance - each person's view is valued. Each Hub has also been exploring different aspects of social-emotional learning, such as change, conflict resolution, mind-set and how it can impact learning (learn more here - Carol Dwek's research), respect and giving/receiving compliments.

Arts Programme
The teachers have created a collaborative movement/sound arts programme for Monday afternoons. Children get to enjoy a different activity each week, from Zumba with Caitlyn, to percussion with Charlotte and mindful movement with Amber. Choir with Dorinda is also on offer for our eager singers - the children are learning vocal exercises and an entertaining selection of songs.

Kapa haka:
Our children spend time with our kaiako Maori, Sherrilee, each week, and participate in these lessons with impressive energy and enthusiasm! These photos tell the story beautifully, and include children who have had only very little time at school yet, as well as one who is yet to start, but was visiting school last Thursday. Thank you, Sherrilee, for all you give to the youngest of our Beckenham School students.

Working with poi ...

Just visiting, but so beautifully confident!

Adding actions to the waiata

Sherrilee loved these kapa haka moves

Love this poi work

Day 3 at school at look at this confidence!

Beautiful!

Also beautiful!

...and again ... beautiful!

Discovery Stations:
Discovery Station continue to be a highly motivating time of each day. The children practise their Key Competency skills: Thinking; Relating to Others; Understanding Language, Symbols and Texts; Managing Self; and Participating and Contributing. They also show amazing skill at being able to intertwine their learning in the areas of Literacy and Numeracy, as the following photos demonstrate.