Kataraina shares her special pukapuka about Australia...

Thank you for sharing your photos and memories of your fantastic trip with us!  We want to say a very special hello/kia ora to Poppa Clive up north, hope he enjoys this video of you :)
We are so lucky to have your moko in our class!
Nga mihi mahana, Whaea Janine

Haere Mai/Welcome Manaia

Our new friend Manaia is settling in to Room 3, we are getting to know each other and think you are a kind, enthusiastic, fun friend already :)   a big mihi to your Mama and whaanau, hope you enjoy our blog, please comment and I will read it out in class.

Kia Ora Ani!

Ani is an exceptional young lady who comes to visit us during the breaks from Room 5, she volunteers her time to help me (Whaea Janine) with Homework books, cutting out words for word rings, sorting the craft table, designing Kapa Haka posters and more!  

She is a role model for the tamariki with her taonga/gifts of enthusiasiasm, friendliness and helpfulness.  On a rainy day for example like today, Ani watched over the tamariki while I heated up my lunch and when I returned it was so peaceful.   She is responsible and well respected by us all so much that I have nicknamed her my 'Deputy'.  All the children now have a Tuahine/big sister to look up to and play with.

We are so grateful for your manaakitanga of Room 3 Ani, we wanted to say a big KIA ORA/THANK YOU and as well I have gifted you a special origami craft book for home.

Harere Ra Matua Royce!

Today we had a special assembly to farewell our very special and funny caretaker Royce Nurse.  He has helped us keep warm/mahana by organising our new heat pump and he always involves us when he's doing his duties round the school/kura.  We will miss your cheeky smile and warm and friendly presence at Tongariro, what an amazing contribution of 19 years to the school!!! I'm glad they gave you a Taonga/Pounamu/Greenstone today...

Our pictures of Matua Royce at work with his dog and his wheelie bin.  Cole drew him a motorbike and Dean said thank you for looking after Papatuanuku! (Mother Earth)  We have been learning the Maori Legend and talking about Ranginui and Papatuanuku and how people shouldn't drop rubbish on her.

The bow is holding Cressida-Lyn's story which nearly made him cry it says;

"Matua Royce is really nice and he jumps up and down all day long (picking up rubbish) and he is the best out of Tongariro School and more schools, he is the best!"

Front cover of our card by Owen- Matua Royce and his amazing robotic arms taking care of the school...

Back cover of our card by Heleina - Royce in his treehouse with his friends beside the children in Room 3...

All of us with our favourite caretaker, we wish you all the best for your move to Taumarunui.  Noone can fathom what you have done... you're amazing we will remember you when we dance as you loved to catch us dancing and laugh and point through the window!!   :)))

Whaea Maureen's Group

Each term I have sent four children to work with Whaea Maureen on oral language skills for half an hour most mornings, last term the four I chose were targeted ones in that their Oral Language scores were low, this Term I chose four children who would enjoy some small group time, not necessarily due to low scores but to my intention in Room 3 for all children to access learning opportunities.  So if your children says I go see Whaea Maureen this is an example of what they are doing...

Yesterday we were finally able to start on our new Oral language kit and its AWESOME!!! The kids (Heleina, Hemi, Cole and Cressida-Lyn) have really taken to it and I can say that this kit is gonna be a REAL hit with them all.

Anyway so just abit of info for you all -  the kit we have is the "MAGNET" kit.

Key words we will be learning and using will include the following:

# Magnet

# Magnetic marbles

# Iron filling

# Magnetic

# Non magnetic

# push

# pull

# stick

#plastic/ wood/ glass and stone

There was sooooo much laughter with all the groups yesterday when I pulled the resources out especially with our younger ones as they couldnt make out why the magnet was moving on the table yet no one was touching it. Another little activity we done was telling the difference with  magnetic and non magnetic items - the kids picked up on this really quick which was pretty impressive.     Whaea Maureen, Room 6

Thank-you Whaea Maureen, you are doing a wonderful job!  Arohanui Room 3 tamariki :)

Oral Language is an essential skill

This was an Oral Language session with Room 3 and tamariki from Room 7 because Whaea Amanda was on a course.  We began by choosing a toy and describing three of its features like mammal, bird or insect... size, colour, pattern, some children even invented names and a little story about their toy...

 We then played one of our favourite songs 'Cake by the Ocean' and danced, when the music stopped we had to follow directions and balance our friend on our wrist, shoulder, elbow, ankle, spine and nostrils -I was purposefully using vocabulary not often used (instead of arm, legs, head) and other positional language to foster their oral language comprehension/development.  

Recently Whaea Amanda and I attended an Oral Language Workshop and it was quite shocking to hear how children's language skills are on the decline due to;

Family stress

Working parents

Violence

Screens

Forward facing pushchairs

Age segregated day care

Dummies

Poverty

Strongest language not being used

Did you also know that children who hear less talking, are slow readers and stay behind! so please TALK to/with your child as much as you can, get them to describe things and make up stories with their imaginations and read with them, its so important :)

Congratulations!

Winner of the best dressed Superheroine Competition for the Kowhai Team  Esther-Marie, she made her costume with Mum as well as one for a friend, Tu meke!   here she is holding her cool prize :)

Library browsing

We love going to the library on a Friday and finding our favourite books on the things we love, well done Room 3 bringing back your books each week so you don't miss out on getting a new one to share at home!  On this day we had some children from Room 7 with us :)

Disney's The BFG - Counting down till its release!

I have read this book over Term One and Two to the children - now we are so excited that a movie has been made and we are counting down until we can go see it in July.  I will be taking my daughters so if you are keen come and meet us at the Starlight Cinema in Taupo, a invite/notice will come home in their book bags in July :)

Kapo Kapo Jump Jam - Matariki Concert Week 10-Please practice!

We're performing this with Room One and have been practising together, its so complicated but we are not giving up!

Cross Country