“Nau Mai, Haere Mai”
Welcome to Our Little Fish
Te Ika Iti
Cool Kids of Te Ika Iti
“Stay Cool ’til After School”
Term One – 2020
Welcome to “Ika Iti” or “Little Fish” . We are as the youngest class in the school and located in the classroom next to the field which runs down to the Waihou River.
Like a school of little fish everyone in “Ika iti” swims together in the same direction. We embrace the Key Competencies of the New Zealand Education Curriculum as we focus on
- Thinking
- Relating to Others
- Understanding Number and Text
- Managing Self
- Participating
We face new challenges together, each in our own unique way but learn to work together as a team, show respect for each other and our individual differences and talents.
Everyone is unique with their own special strengths and talents and when everyone works together as a team “great things are achieved!”
In 2020 we look forward to exciting new learning experiences as we…
- Explore learning through play activities – through teacher provocation as well as led by the indivual’s own passions and interests
- Make and create after exploring picture books together
- Learn to set goals for our own individual learning needs
- Understand and use strategies to build skills in reading and numeracy skills
- Explore Digital Technology through hands-on learning opportunities
- Make new friends and feel part of a team through caring and sharing
We aim to build a strong sense of SELF as we become aware of who we are and what we are capable of and to feel a strong sense of belonging as team “Ika iti”.
Te Ika iti of Turua School
We have started Term One with 14 children who are eager to engage with others and new challenges. Who are caring and kind and listen carefully to others. Who are growing in confidence as they find their voice and share their ideas with classmates and their teachers.
Our day begins before 9:00am as children begin to arrive at school soon after 8:30am and together we set up activities for daily learning “Through Play” activities. Learning through child led discovery and authentic learning experiences encourages decision making, problem solving, communication and negotiation skills.
The teacher has opportunities to provide ‘PROVOCATIONS’ to encourage talk about what is going on for the learner. Providing a platform for early learning skills in reading, writing and maths.
“Learning floats on a sea of Oral Language”
Our Learning Goals are focused on the concept of Tataiako – Key Competencies, relating to learning achievement and capabilities as outlined in the New Zealand Curriculum and our School Charter qs listed below:
Tangata Whenuatanga – Place-based, cultural awareness and learning
Ako – Practice in the classroom and beyond
Wanaungatanga – Building Positive Relationships
Manaakitanga – Values and virtues – integrity, sincerity, trust
Wananga – C0mmunication, problem solving, innovation
Getting on together, organising ourselves for learning and working cooperatively as a team form the foundation on which young children achieve and grow as capable , self-confident learners who are willing to TAKE ON NEW CHALLENGES AND “have a go”.
Turua 2020 School-Wide Focus
FLYING HIGH
Term One: Who Am I – who lives here and why the need for environmental awareness
Term Two: Bird Migrations – Flying Far
Term Three:
Term Four:
(More detail to be added as the term progresses)
Class Notice Board
Ika iti is connected to an app called Class Dojo.
This is our own sharing website and is accessible only to parents, whanau and students who are signed into Ika iti. The class teacher invites you to join via your email. Class Dojo enables messaging between individual parents and the teacher as well as a shared page for class stories, photos and Individual Student Folders so you can access your own child’s work.
Just a reminder that our weekly Turua School Newsletter is also available on this website under the Homepage or clink on the link here.
If you have any concerns about your child’s well being or progress, please feel free to Class Dojo or make an appointment to meet before or after school.
Tissues for Class Use
Thank you for providing your child with tissues for class use.
Our School Library
Our library day is Tuesday and your child is able to take out 2 Books each week, for up to 2 weeks. Library books need to be returned within the 2 weeks so children can can take out 2 more new books. The Library Computer keeps a record of the books issued to each child and will not allow further books to be issued until these are returned and scanned back into the system.
Home Learning Expectations
Children in Ika iti can spend approximately 20 minutes each night reading their guided reader with you. Please complete the Kluwell Reading Journal with your child and keep this in their book bag to return to school daily. A weekly poem comes home on Friday for the weekend. Sight Words will come home as flash cards or word lists.
Please note that usually the same reader will come home for 2 or 3 nights to help your child become familiar with reading and enjoy the experience of rereading to gain confidence and fluency with a familiar text.
Please Note:
If you or your child feels tired it is just as beneficial for you to read the story to them.
Learning Activities for you to use at home…
Click on this link to NZ Maths Website which provides many activities and games for you to work with your child at home. Click on this link to Interactive Maths Games and Activities to play at home. www.topmarks.co.uk/maths-games/3-5-years/counting
Reading
You can read Sunshine Classic books on-line through clicking on this link:
Your child can record themselves reading a book and work on a variety of word building activities.
Click on this link to Interactive Literacy Games and Activities to play at home. https://www.topmarks.co.uk/english-games/3-5-years/letters-and-sounds
Spelling Homework
The Wordlab Phonics spelling programme uses a structured approach to spelling . We begin with learning all the letter names and the sounds they make within words. As we progress with recognition of letters and listening to their sounds, we begin to learn words.
When your child indicates readiness, sight word or spelling lists will be sent home as one word a day to spell aloud. As they progress, children are encouraged to copy and write each word and use word building activities.
This carefully structured process teaches patterns of words as well as words we just need to know (sight words) which support both reading and writing.