Environmental Responsibility

This week Room 24 discussed the importance of being future ambassadors for the protection of our environment.

Some students created a pledge to Aotearoa for their future commitment to be guardian's of the land, or show Kaitiakitanga, pledging that they will take on the responsibility to be kaitiaki, or guardians, of the land and protect it for future generations.

When you read some of the student blogs you will notice this theme in their posts.

One of our Reading tasks this week was to read 'The Lorax' by Dr Suess. This story has a strong environmental message that linked our learning with being future ambassadors for protecting Aotearoa.

The students had to read, then create an interview with one of the characters, The Once-ler, whose actions, thoughtlessness and greed destroyed a pristine environment where nature was at it's best. This is also shared on their blogs.

The challenge to be set for the upcoming week, is to consider what impact your decisions have on our environment.

Kia Kaha!

Welcome to Room 24

The start of Term 4 arrived with the challenge of Alert Level 3 Lockdown in Auckland. 

As much as I enjoy working from home in Huia, I was pleased to work on site at school on the first day of term. I welcomed some of our students back to Bubble School, enjoyed connecting with a few colleagues and having the opportunity to seek out some resources for the new classroom.

I welcomed Room 24 to their new classroom space via Google Meets. An online introduction to your new classroom and your new teacher was a little daunting for some! 

Fortunately at New Windsor we aspire to be the best we can be by using our School Values - Confident, Collaborative, Creative, Responsible, Respectful and Resilient. Room 24 presented themselves well at our first online Meet and Greet.

For our Year 6 students it is their last term at New Windsor School. We look forward to making their term full of great learning and good memories. 

Hopefully we will be back on site at school soon to work face to face and celebrate our lovely new learning space.

 

Kahui Ako Student Leaders Wellbeing Lockdown Special Hui Toru 😷🙏

Last Thursday the Student Leaders from Kahui Ako Schools meet via zoom to continue with their Student Leaders Wellbeing Huis. I was one of six teachers at the meeting supporting their students. The Kahui Ako Hauora Committee organize these student led huis to gather student voice around the support they need for their wellbeing.

This was the third of four hui our Student Leaders, Nicole, Buster, Ehsani and Isla have attended this year. We have met face to face at Lynfield for the other huis. The students discussed their school values, feedback from the Student Wellbeing survey and how much has been gained as a collective group to move forward with the Hauora Website.

The huis are facilitated by a team of Student Leaders from Lynfield College. They are outstanding young people who work alongside our students with passion and enthusiasm.

The Facilitators presented the Design Theme 'Voyage' for the upcoming website, then showed the students what it will look like.

The goal is to design a website that encompasses the collective ideas from all the schools in Kahui Ako.

During the zoom meeting we went into break out rooms to connect with students from other schools, have a few games of picker wheel and generally have fun.

The meeting was wrapped up with a game of Kahoot.

The ten questions clarified the student learning and contribution so far:

1. Why do we have huis? To create a website.
2. What do young people need? To be happy, healthy and motivated.
3. What shape were the website buttons? Bubbles
4. What is the theme of our upcoming website? Voyage and Waka
5. What school are the huis at? Lynfield College
6. What are some of the values that the schools have in common? Respect. responsible, confidence, leadership.
7. What did we get to eat at our face to face student hui? Pizza
8. What do we want to do with the website? Making wellbeing accessible for all. Empowering students.
9. How many schools came to the hui? 10
10. Which of the wellbeing frameworks were mentioned in the first hui? Fonofale, Te Whare Tapa Wha.

The only disappointment for our students at this Lockdown Special was the lack of shared kai at the end of the hui. Do you think Ms Harland may owe our Student Leaders a Pizza?