Learning @ Taupaki
At Taupaki, students are challenged each day to succeed in recalling knowledge, working with others, applying new skills, and solving problems.
We have calm and purposeful classrooms that have a consistent culture based on working hard, relating to others and learning from mistakes. Warm relationships based on genuine mutual respect are fostered and help students to thrive and feel confident about their learning.
Staff work hard to plan lessons that consider the role of memory, knowledge and understanding in learning, giving students a strong sense of success and achievement as they progress and the knowledge sticks. Staff are also skilled at adding that touch of magic and wonder into lessons to engage our young people and leave them wanting more.
At Taupaki, we value literacy and numeracy, and strive to ensure that each child leaves the school reading at or above their chronological age, and with mathematical skills that will enable them to have choice in their future education.
Diversity is valued at our school. We cater for differences within each classroom. Children with special needs and abilities are identified using a variety of criteria and appropriate measures are taken.
To support students to reflect on their learning, we explicitly teach both the Taupaki Learner Profile and the Taupaki Learning Model, which we use to guide the inquiry learning process.
The Taupaki Learner Profile
It is also important to us that our students are well-rounded, relational and resilient citizens who can contribute their unique skills and passions to the community around them. Our learner profile helps us keep on track with this focus.
The Taupaki Learning Model
We are excited to be implementing a model of learning that guides our student inquiry process. Developed over a year of consultation and workshops, we believe this will help our students further engage with learning, pursue their interests, link to the wider world and see connections between different parts of the curriculum.
New Zealand Curriculum Information
Vision
The vision is for young people to be confident, connected, actively involved, lifelong learners.
Values
Students are encouraged to value:
excellence, by aiming high and by persevering in the face of difficulties
innovation, inquiry, and curiosity, by thinking critically, creatively, and reflectively
diversity, as found in our different cultures, languages, and heritages
equity, through fairness and social justice
community and participation for the common good
ecological sustainability, which includes care for the environment
integrity, which involves being honest, responsible, and accountable and acting ethically, and
to respect themselves, others and human rights
Learning Areas
There are 8 learning areas (or subject areas) in The New Zealand Curriculum:
english
the arts
health and physical education
learning languages
mathematics and statistics
science
social sciences
technology
The values and competencies in the New Zealand Curriculum are woven into these learning areas. They are designed to encourage enjoyment of learning and the ability to think critically, manage oneself, set goals, overcome obstacles and get along with others – the attributes students need to succeed as adults.
Key Competencies
Competencies are abilities and capabilities that people use to live, learn, work and contribute as active members of their communities.
The New Zealand Curriculum identifies 5 key competencies that it has a focus on children developing throughout their time at school:
Thinking - is about using thinking processes to make sense of information, experiences and ideas
Using language, symbols, and texts - working with, being able to understand, and making sense of the codes (languages and symbols) in which knowledge is expressed
Managing self - having self-motivation, a "can-do" attitude, and seeing oneself as a capable learner
Relating to others - is about interacting effectively with a range of different people in a range of different situations, including things like being able to listen well, recognise different points of view, and share ideas
Participating and contributing - being involved in communities, such as family, whānau, school, and be able to contribute and make connections with other people