Key competencies

 Key Competencies

As part of a general education, the New Zealand curriculum requires the teaching, learning and practising of five key competencies. The one Mr. Bach emphasises the most to students, as the key to all learning, is Self Management. Some students aren't learning because they struggle to focus, listen, carry out instructions, work independently for periods of time or understand the concept of time and place for different activities in life. The other four key competencies are Participating and contributing,  Relating to others, Thinking and Using Language Symbols and Texts.

Above - Room 6 show good self management skills during assembly.







Right and Below -
Room One students display the key competency of Participating and Contributing by taking part in assembly.

Library Time Room 6

 Room 6 - Library

Room 6 has its library time on Tuesdays from 11:45-12:30. As you can see there are lots of different choices made by students as to what they do at the library. The only condition is that it must involve books and children must read their own book for at least some of the time while they are there.

Sports BOP

 Sports Bay of Plenty

Sports BOP runs a lot of programmes in schools designed to teach children basic movement skills and/or skills for specific sports, such as tennis, soccer, rugby and netball. These sessions are a great addition to the school's PE programme and also allow teachers to get ideas for their own programmes. These photos of room 6 and 5 are from an indoor session at the end of last term, promoting athletics skills.

Google Apps for Education

 Google Apps for Education

Room 6 children have been receiving training in using the Google Apps for Education learning management system, starting from the beginning of term one. Mrs Cato has been coming in on Monday afternoons to assist teachers in getting the middle school children up and running. At first we were focusing on simple skills, such as logging in and creating and naming documents. We are slowly moving on to more complex skills such as sharing and collaborating on documents online with other students in the class on other devices. This Monday we will be teaching more about commenting on other's work appropriately using the comments functions on Google Apps. This basically entails writing something another student has done well and something that they can improve on.

 Children seem to really enjoy learning using computer devices and Google apps and listen carefully to Mrs Cato and Mr Bach.

 Everyone wants to have their turn using a Google Chromebook or Apple laptop to use Google Apps.

Children love being allowed to use Mr Bach's super-duper cool Apple mac laptop to access Google Apps as Te Oki, Mele, Krishn and Koby.

St Mary's Swimming Sports 2014

 Swimming Sports 2014

The swimming sports were a huge success last Thursday with the day proving quite mild early on for swimming and generally not too hot. The children were well behaved and in good voice for most of the day. Thursday eventually heated up to be a bit of a scorcher. Only a few minor injuries were to be reported by Mr. Bach the First Aid Monitor. Thanks to Mrs Gaston and all the other teachers and parents who helped make this a fantastic swimming day. Have a look below at a selection of the photos that Mr. Bach took throughout the day.