Weekly Newsletter

Haumoana School – Room 4 Newsletter, Term Four

13th October 2014

Topic – Our topic this term is: Hauora, a Maori philosophy of health and well-being where we will explore what we consider important aspects of both fitness and well-being in our lives.   We will also  be exploring photography over this term .  The focus will be discussing the “stories” told in photos, and how we can create our own stories in our lives through photography.  Over this Unit Study, the children will be learning about different styles, from landscapes, portraiture and macro photography.  Please discuss photos that mean something to you and your family.

Haumoana School – Room 4 Newsletter, Term Three

21st July 2014

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

I hope you have all had a good break over the holidays and were able to enjoy some fun family time.  This is a quick letter to let you know what exciting learning is going to be happening in our class in Term 3.

The value that we as a school will be focusing on this term is Integrity - "We are honest, fair and make wise decisions".  This will link in nicely with the skills the children have already gained through our Cool Schools program.  Dealing with each other in a fair, honest way and learning to compromise both in the classroom and out in the playground.

Our Habits of Mind for this term are:
Responding with Wonderment and Awe - Discovery is seeing what everyone has seen and thinking what nobody has thought. 

Creating, Imagining and Innovating - Creativity is not the finding of a thing, but making something out of it after it is found.

Thinking Interdependently - Coming together is the beginning.  Keeping together is progress. Working together is success!  H. Ford 

These all link in nicely with our Science focus this term which is the Living World.  In the first week we will be working with Life Education and learning about where food comes from and how our bodies use food.

We will also be working on Speeches this term. The children will firstly work on a topic they know well - "My Family".  This will enable them to gain the confidence and skills of both researching and presenting their findings to their peers before moving on to a more challenging topic area.  The senior syndicate have yet to finalise this topic.  I will update you all as soon as this has been decided.

We will continue to use a Writer’s Notebook to help generate ideas for writing and enable the children to build a bank of memories and ideas for future reference.  Please encourage your child to bring along items of interest to add to these books such as: tickets from events they have attended, family/holiday photos etc. 

  

Cool Schools – Myself and the peer mediators are keen to organise the "Haumoana's got Talent" competition this year, and see this as a positive way to celebrate the diverse talents of the children throughout the school. I will update you once we have met to discuss the planning of this.   

Sport – In Term Three we will be continuing  with winter sports and many of the children will be involved in a range of activities and will need to ensure they attend practices and arrive at school with the necessary equipment to participate fully.

Homework

Each week there will be a homework sheet that should not require more than 20 minutes each night.

☺   The spelling list comprises of 5 words taken from the essential lists, children’s own writing, or senior leveled lists, and 5 words using the Chunk of the Week.  I expect children to be learning these words by following the chart that is glued into their books.  Please encourage them to learn words before being tested.  Using colour to practice with is a very good way to aid memory. 

☺   They will have a reading book taken from either the browse box (easy books at a lower level) or from the guided teaching session (more challenging) each day.  Please remember to record the date, title and a comment about the content of reading.  This could be related to what your child already knows about the topic, what he/she has learnt, what surprised, frightened, worried or made him/her laugh.  “Good Reading” type comments can be made in the bottom section of the page.  I am encouraging all children to write their own comments that reflect on the reading, next to the title box.

☺   Basic Facts must be learnt each day.  Thanks to Jayne Clinton for her weekly testing of the children.  This has been so helpful and enables the children to maintain momentum in their learning.

☺   Sometimes there will be a topic task, which is optional but of course will benefit your child’s learning if undertaken.  Let me know if it is too much.

☺   We also look at Habits of Mind and other Thinking Tools (Thinking Hats, Thinking Maps, and Thinker’s Keys).  Please discuss your child’s learning with them and ask about their ways of thinking.

E-ako Maths

Do you want to Improve your MATHS skills?  This website is full of useful activities.  Click on the bright green link.  It's a fun, interactive way to practice the skills your child needs to learn and links DIRECTLY to what we are learning in class.

Finally, if there is anything you are unsure of or that is worrying you, or you have something to celebrate please do not hesitate to call in or phone to make an appointment to discuss these matters.  Also, it is helpful to know when circumstances in your family change so that I can be aware of unusual behavior etc.  (e.g. new family member, parent away for extended time, etc.)

Here’s to a great Term Three! 

Jon Lovell

Teacher – Year 4.