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.

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.

Assembly at St Mary's

 Assembly - Friday afternoon 2:05 - after 'Golden Time'

St Mary's has assembly every week on Friday after Golden Time, except when there is a mass on Friday mornings. Room 6 will be running assembly in week 9, so we will be working out this week who is going to read and participate, and what we will do as an item. Below are pictures from the special leader's assembly held earlier in the year, when the new year 5 and 6 leaders were sworn in and received their badges. If your child is a year 5 next year they may want to start thinking about whether they will take on any leadership responsibilities. If they do not really want to go in the formal leadership program, there are other options like First Aid, Playground Angel's and Young Vinnie's Groups. 

Golden Time - Interhouse 'Tug of War'

 Golden Time

On Friday for Golden Time the whole of St Mary's School had an Interhouse Tug of War competition. MacKillop came first and Mill Hill second. Normally Room 6 children will vote for the Golden Time activity of their choice on Monday for Friday. Children can lose some of their 30 minutes Golden Time during the week in 5 minute lots if they do not behave correctly and follow the Golden Rules. We all hope that as many children as possible get to enjoy their Golden Time each week. On week one no child lost any of their Golden Time - it looks like overall Room 6 is going to be a well behaved class this year motivated to learn as much as possible.

 The children really got into the Tug of War competition.







..... and the teachers did really well encouraging the children along.