• 
  
• During Term 2 at Owairaka you will find us 
• enjoying 'Science'

A super scientist (or two) asked what capabilities could contribute to a functional knowledge of science... 

•   Five capabilities have been identified:
• Gather and interpret data: Learners make careful observations and differentiate between observation and inference. 
• Use evidence: Learners support their ideas with evidence and look for evidence supporting others' explanations. 
• Critique evidence: Not all questions can be answered by science. 
• Interpret representations: Scientists represent their ideas in a variety of ways, including models, graphs, charts, diagrams and written texts. 
• Engage with science: This capability requires students to use the other capabilities to engage with science in “real life” contexts. 
• 
  
• Learn more about the five capabilities by going to http://scienceonline.tki.org.nz/Science-capabilities-for-citizenship/Introducing-five-science-capabilities

• At Owairaka we are implementing learning experiences that provide opportunity for our students to develop the five science capabilities

'Be Confident' is our whole school focus for Term 2.

Developing 'confident' learners @ Owairaka.
This is what it states in the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC, page 8) ...

Vision

What we want for our young people

Our vision is for young people:

• who will be creative, energetic, and enterprising
• who will seize the opportunities offered by new knowledge and technologies to secure a sustainable social, cultural, economic, and environmental future for our country
• who will work to create an Aotearoa New Zealand in which Māori and Pākehā recognise each other as full Treaty partners, and in which all cultures are valued for the contributions they bring
• who, in their school years, will continue to develop the values, knowledge, and competencies that will enable them to live full and satisfying lives
• who will be confident, connected, actively involved, and lifelong learners.

Confident

• Positive in their own identity
• Motivated and reliable
• Resourceful
• Enterprising and entrepreneurial
• Resilient

Connected

• Able to relate well to others
• Effective users of communication tools
• Connected to the land and environment
• Members of communities
• International citizens

Actively involved

• Participants in a range of life contexts
• Contributors to the well-being of New Zealand – social, cultural, economic, and environmental

Lifelong learners

• Literate and numerate
• Critical and creative thinkers
• Active seekers, users, and creators of knowledge
• Informed decision makers

Bee Writing

Have you checked out the Writers' Wall in the library lately?

There is some great writing about how to extract honey and all the equipment that is needed to do this.

We look forward to Learning Discussions  

Students are supported to 'lead' Learning Discussions ...
Learning Discussions will be held on Wednesday, 13 April and Thursday, 14 April between 2.30pm and 7.30pm (each day). Families: Let your child share their learning with you.

Make an appointment: Parents/Families, please 'book' in to ensure your child/ren can look forward to sharing their learning goals, what they are proud of, their progress and achievements (successes) with you.

Yes, all students are able to talk about their learning.

Students are being asked to share/talk about their recent learning. During the discussion students can ‘share’ a range of learning work - with a particular focus on reading, writing and mathematics. 

Students will take the central role during discussions. Our learning discussions take the form of a conversation between the students, their parents/family and their teacher. This approach gives students an opportunity to share with parents their growth as a learner.

Professor John Hattie (formerly University of Auckland) has published a list of the most effective influences on student achievement. This list identified 'student self-reporting' as a significant indicator linked to raising student achievement.
   

Have a safe and refreshing break.

School break: No school on Friday, 25 March, Monday, 28 March and Tuesday, 29 March. School starts back again on Wednesday, 30 March.

On our return to school 
our school focus is about 'Being Persistent' ...



Persistence is one of the five key characteristics that we develop within our 
'You Can Do It' focus ... the others are Confidence, Organisation, Getting Along and Resilience.

Our diversity = a 'strength' at Owairaka.
We celebrated 'Race Relations Day' with our School Community on Friday, 
18 March.
What an amazing day!
Look here for a sprinkle of our students 
on this very happy day!













...and a reminder that it is 'green week' ... 

Next week 'we' welcome further focus on our 'environment'...Awesome!

We are 'wondering' ... ?



Wondering .... It has historically been seen as an important aspect of human nature, specifically being linked with curiosity and the drive behind intellectual exploration.(Wikipedia).

Hello ... I hope you are having a great learning week!

Our current focus: Be Caring

Smiling and laughing can have a positive effect on your well-being.

Make and Take Morning - Hooray!

Thursday, 3 March, 2016

At least once a Term students and families can (for a couple of dollars) make the biggest salad lunch ever (for lunch) or super, sensational healthy sandwiches.

Thank you to students, staff and parents who help out on this morning.

It is genuinely yummy.

There is also pop corn ...and the best tasting muffins (made right here) in the world on sale. Tomorrow (Thursday, 3 March) there is a choice of peach and banana! 

Making the world a better place    

... is Owairaka's over-arching learning theme for 2016. 

The vision in the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) is for our young people to become confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners.  There is a future focus on sustainability, and on learners that value the environment and care for ecology.

'What can I do to make the world a better place?'   

'What can we do to make the world a better place?'

"Mō tātou te taiao ko te atawhai, mō tātou te taiao ko te oranga"

"It is for us to care for and look after the environment to ensure its well-being, in doing so we ensure our own well-being and that of our future generations." ...from Education for Sustainability - TKI

The five Enviroschools Guiding Principles are integrated in much of the learning and action we undertake at Owairaka.

Empowered Students are enabled to participate in a meaningful way in the life of their early childhood centre or school. Their unique perspectives are valued for the knowledge and insight that they bring, and they are supported to take action for real change.

The principle of Learning for Sustainability recognises the types of teaching and learning that foster student empowerment, decision-making, action and sustainable outcomes.

The principle of Māori Perspectives honours the status of tangata whenua in this land and the value of indigenous knowledge in enriching and guiding learning and action.

Respect for the Diversity of People and Cultures acknowledges the unique gifts, contributions and perspectives of individuals and groups, reinforcing the need for participatory decision-making in Enviroschools.

Sustainable Communities act in ways that nurture people and nature, now and in the future, to maintain the health and viability of our environment, society, culture and economy.

From Enviroschools website

Watch out for Green Week (21-24 March) this Term (Term 1, 2016).  

We are getting to know our Learners - Super!
'Growing Great Learners'
@ Owairaka

New Zealand's two national curriculum documents, The New Zealand Curriculum (NZC) and Te Marautanga Aotearoa, place the 'learner at the centre of teaching and learning'.


Staff at Owairaka value getting to know 'our learners' (and their families) - This is a 'must'.    

 

Success of teaching and learning is founded on the quality of the relationship built between the teacher and the students.  Relationship building (and maintaining) is a dynamic and on-going opportunity.

Ko te akonga te putake o te ako - the learner is at the centre of the teaching and learning.

         Be Organised Our focus over the next few weeks.

How did you model being organised today?

Growing Great Learners...Hooray!

As we start our learning year together ... 

We will again focus on developing the attributes/qualities/skills that feature within our 

'Growing Great Learners' Profile.

At the moment we have a particular focus on Manners.

'Manners' certainly make a great impression on others.

Thank you 
Owairaka School!  

When practicing good manners, we are respectful and showing those around us that we are considerate of their feelings. 
 

Fantastic!
It is great to be back for the 2016 Learning Year!

A special welcome to our new students and their families.





A fabulous comment from a Year 3 student on our first day: 'It just feels magical to be at school again.'