Week Four - A Settled Week and Regular Timetable

For the first time in a little while, Room 7 and the Karawha block has had no extra-curricular activities on during the week where we have had to leave the school.  This has meant that the week has been much more settled, and has allowed us to really focus on the students furthering their understanding of literacy and numeracy concepts.   

In reading, the students have been focusing on individual and group targets to further their personal understandings of their texts.  At the moment, we are reading two books per student, per week, and the reasoning behind this is to give the students, not only confidence in their decoding of unfamiliar words, but to make sure that their understanding of print, and concepts of print are really honed in on.     The students really are showing promise with their work!

In writing, the students are further developing their knowledge of Explanations and how they differ from Recounts.  This week was really a week of differentiation, looking at how they were different to how we had been writing, and what made up an Explanation.  The students have worked hard to craft explanations in their writing groups of 'Why it is Important in New Zealand to Know how to Swim'.  Their arguments/reasons are very compelling and I am surely convinced of its importance!

In mathematics the students are working back with their dedicated maths groups rather than the groups which were constructed for our exploration of money.  The students are enjoying this return to normality and we have seen some real successes in Room 7 with Kolby and Govind both winning awards on mathletics!

Te Reo, P.E., Inquiry, and Art are all also showing promise.  The students are greatly enjoying our focuses of; feelings in Te Reo, Energy and Sustainability in Inquiry, invasion games in P.E., and painting in Art.

Thank you again to all Room 7 caregivers and whanau for your ongoing support.

Nga mihi,

Nicholas Shimasaki

Week Three - Back to Regularity and the Trip to St Chads

This week gave the students an opportunity to return to the regular timetable and the expected events of school.  Now that swimming has finished for Term 2 we have moved into our full reading interchange.  The children are settling back into this routine well and are enjoying the ability to take home books again.

This week these students were very lucky.  They got to experience another special play put on at St Chads.  All of the students in Room 7 represented Linwood North School well as we traveled to and from the venue.  This play  contained an interesting set of messages and challenged the akonga to read for enjoyment!

Below are some photos from the event:

In Week Three we have consolidated our knowledge of money.  The students have shown great movement even in just the short time period of three weeks.  The students in Room 7 can identify all New Zealand coins and notes and many of the students are feel confident in adding small amounts together.  Some students have even challenged themselves and practiced buying and selling classroom resources (like pens, erasers, and pencils) with pretend money!   

In literacy, the students have began working on explanation writing.  The writing this week centred around explaining why it is so important to learn to swim - something which all of the akonga should now be very familiar with!  The students have put in some hard work and I am sure that by the end of the week we will have some amazing and encouraging reasons from Room 7 to learn to swim.

I all Room 7 caregivers, whanau, and students have a wonderful weekend!


Nga mihi,

Nick Shimasaki

Week Two - Swimming and the Principles Challenge

The last two weeks have been absolutely action packed!  The children have been making a huge effort with their swimming, and have made huge gains in their confidence and skills.  It was absolutely awesome to see so many friendly caregivers and whanau taking the time to come to Aqua Gym and support their tamariki!  

This weekend will provide a great opportunity for all Room 7 akonga to recuperate from the change in pace that swimming caused, and to get some well deserved rest.   

In week two we continued our focus on money during our strand maths time.  In their ability groups the students worked closely with me to further their knowledge of monetary identification, addition, and subtraction.  Although we have made a good amount of progress within the past two weeks, next week will also be committed to furthering this knowledge, as it is so important and transferable within the realm of mathematics.  

In literacy, the students have now completed their study of recounts (a style of writing where they are required to recount an event or story).  This culminated with the completion of a recount on the story 'Where the Wild Things Are'.  The students put in some hard work across the week and they have completed some very good pieces of work.  Week three will see Room 7 moving on to explanation writing and will involve the students completing activities and explaining the processes behind it.

Below are some photos from Aqua Gym this week:

Week One - Return to School and Swimming!

Firstly, let me welcome everyone back to Term 2!

This term we have hit the ground running!  From day one the students were practicing their swimming at Aqua Gym and have since shown their aptitude in the water!  It has been a very fun week but also tiring as I'm sure the children have explained as there is so much on!  

In strand maths, we began looking this week at Money.  The students began by completing a pre-test to give us an idea of where they are at with their learning regarding this topic, and they have since been grouped so we can target their learning needs as closely as possible.  This has been an interesting and enjoyable segment of maths to look at with the children as it has a 'real' element to it where the children can use the mathematical skill on a daily basis.

With swimming the timetable has had to change slightly.  Within our literacy time we have began to consolidate our knowledge of Recounts so that we can move on to our next focus, explanations.  The students are showing their aptitude in this area and are currently working hard to complete a recount relating to the characters of Ice Age.

Below are some photos from Aqua Gym showing the enjoyment and hard work that all Room 7 students have put in to get to where they are!

I hope all students, whanau and caregivers have a great weekend and get some well deserved rest!

Nga mihi,

Nicholas Shimasaki