Doing our BEST for our Students

Our goal is for our students to become the ‘BEST they can be’ and find the courage to be active, valued contributors in this new world. To ensure we have happy, engaged children, we believe that we must set the example. As educators, we are continually reflecting and improving upon current teaching methods, keeping informed about the latest education theories, and creating facilities that reflect those practices, inspires us in our role as teachers and guides.

Our Philosophy

All of our children have one thing in common – they are unique! As a school, we celebrate individuality and the rich diversity of our special, multi-cultural community. It’s our role to ‘ignite the light’ within every one of our children, helping them to realise their full potential. We believe that learning is life-long. By attracting the best teachers and investing in their ongoing professional development, the positive knock-on effect for our children is self-evident. We know that we can’t expect the best from our students unless we demand it from ourselves.

 

WE ALSO BELIEVE:

Treaty of Waitangi Principles

The Treaty of Waitangi is one of eight principles in the New Zealand Curriculum that provide a foundation for schools’ decision making. The Treaty of Waitangi principle puts students at the centre of teaching and learning, where students experience a curriculum that engages and challenges them, is forward-looking and inclusive and affirms New Zealand‘s unique identity.

Every Child Matters

Every child is unique and has their own story. So we take the time to learn that story and find out what’s special about your child – and what matters to them. Our teachers listen carefully to the students when they talk about their rich life experiences and the wondrous world around them. These special interests are noted, carefully discussed and linked to the New Zealand Curriculum to provide an integrated learning unit that essentially plugs into the students’ world and interests.

We Aim to Inspire Every Day

Our quest is to motivate, stimulate and inspire our students to be truly great Kiwis. We work hard every day to prepare our children for tomorrow’s world and we’re constantly evaluating current practice and adapting to reflect the latest teaching philosophies. By investing in the most recent thinking and innovation, we arm our kids with the confidence to seek a bright future.

We’re here to help Children Shine

To become vital citizens in the new world, it’s important that our kids feel valued and connected to their environment, and recognise their role in it. With warmth, support and positivity, our kids are encouraged to safely step out of their comfort zones, embrace failure (as vital to learning!) and ultimately, to shine.

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–  AUTUMN’S RAINFALL BRINGS NUMEROUS FROGS TO THE SCHOOL FIELD. THIS REALLY EXCITED OUR STUDENTS, SO THE TEACHERS DESIGNED A LEARNING UNIT WHEREBY THE CHILDREN COLLECTED AND SET UP A HABITAT FOR THE FROGS. A GREAT LEARNING EXPERIENCE ON MANY COUNTS!

Managing Behaviour & Self

We believe it’s vital that our students are well equiped with the best tools available to help support them in their learning and approach to dealing with a situation or confrontation they may face – be it in the classroom, playground or outside of school. These tools are vital to ensure their successful transition from primary school to college and beyond, in the hope they have gained the confidence to be active and enthusiastic contributors to a new world.

 

THE TOOLS WE USE:

Restorative Practice

‟The essence of restorative practice is simple – human beings are happier, more productive, and more likely to make positive changes in behaviour when those in positions of authority do things WITH them, rather than TO them or FOR them.” – Adapted from Wachtel 2004

 

At Hobsonville School, we apply the principles of restorative practice. This means we put into action a belief that respectful relationships are at the heart of the educational experience. We promote positive behaviour through choice, reflection and elicited consequences – with the aim of developing responsible, reflective pupils who are proud of their own achievements as well as the achievements of others. The restorative process is a way of building, maintaining and respecting relationships through ‘REFLECT – REPAIR – RECONNECT’.

 

These ‘3Rs’:

  • Are all about relationships and building connections,
  • Are fair and respectful to the victim and the wrongdoer,
  • Teach humility and empathy,
  • Elicit consequences from the wrongdoer,
  • Help develop a sense of social responsibility.

The Eight Learning & Behaviour Layers

Alongside our school RRAP VALUES, our students use the ‘Eight Learning and Behaviour Layers’ to reflect and refer to on a daily basis. This helps support their learning and choices made both inside and outside the learning space. This is why we ask that our students arrive before the 8.50am bell, too get resourced and organised for their learning day. Here are the ‘Eight Learning and Behaviour Layers’ introduced by David Curtis and his ACTIV8 programme. This is displayed and referred to in every learning space at Hobsonville School.

 

PROBLEM SOLVING (when enquiring into a problem)

  1. Getting Resourced – People, ideas and equipment.
  2. Getting Organised – Organise your team / self with what you are about to do.
  3. Getting On With It – Begin what you are doing!
  4. Look Back / Look Forward – Reflect on what worked or didn’t work. How do we move forward from here?

 

MANAGING LEARNING & BEHAVIOUR (applies at all times)

  1. Acting or Reacting – Acting in a positive manner (powerful). Reacting to others (powerless).
  2. ME to WE – Thinking about others. Shifting our focus from ME to WE. We are more powerful as a team (WE).
  3. STOP & GO – Stop myself (body), think, then go (when asked) OR if it’s safe or the right choice.
  4. Looking for Certainty – Who am I certain will help me make the right choices (e.g. I’m certain the teacher will help me).

Student Agency

“Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” – Benjamin Franklin 

 

Student agency is having the ‘power to act’. When a student feels in control of events happening around them, they realise they can also influence the outcome. When students take a more active role in their learning, it’s called having ‘agency’. At Hobsonville School, our teachers are encouraged to enable student agency, through offering them choices in learning environment, subject matter and approach. The goal is that, by the time our students leave, they have the inherent sense that if they act strategically, they can accomplish their goals.

We develop agency in our students through considered questioning by our teachers, who know that language is the most powerful tool to influence what our students learn and become. Authentic assessment, experiential learning and mastery-based learning all provide opportunities to increase student agency, which can create higher levels of engagement and commitment to the learning process from students. Students may be ready for varying degrees of agency at different times.

 

The steps towards student agency are:

  • Stage 1 – Guided
  • Stage 2 – Self-regulated
  • Stage 3 – Self-directed
  • Stage 4 – Agent

 

To find out more: CLICK HERE >

Te Reo & Tikanga Māori

“Ko ngā pae tawhiti whāia kia tata, ko ngā pae tata, whakamaua kia tina.”
The potential for tomorrow depends on what we do today.

 

Te reo and tikanga Māori (Māori customary practices) are cherished and celebrated at Onekiritea Kura (Hobsonville School). These practises are included in our learning space programmes as well as having a very active junior and senior kapa haka group. Our Māori specialist, Arapeta Whaanga (Matua), works in our learning spaces on Thursdays and Fridays, teaching our students te reo Māori, kapa haka and mau rākau Taiaha (traditional Māori weaponry classes and New Zealand history).

Matua also helps lead waiata and our karakia which we perform together as a school on Friday mornings at 8.50am. Our parents and community are invited to join us and share in these gatherings. We believe that language is the vehicle which allows us to understand and respect the values and culture of people. So by fostering the well-being of te reo Māori, the more it will flourish in New Zealand.

 

We aim to:

  • Nurture and develop knowledge of the Treaty of Waitangi and the early history of New Zealand,
  • Provides opportunities for the kapa haka to perform at festivals, powhiri, school events, the use of basic te reo Māori, waiata and tikanga in a range of situations,
  • Use WAI AKO to incorporate te reo into daily use in the learning space as much as possible,
  • Teach from level 1 of the curriculum and stepping into level 2 as we are able to (Curriculum Guidelines for Teaching and Learning te reo Māori in English-medium Schools: Yrs 1–13),
  • Use the approach of tuakana teina (older person to younger person teaching) to assist student led-learning across the school,
  • Recognise that teachers too are learners in this process,
  • Ensure that Māori culture is valued in our school and that Māori children succeed as Māori,
  • Develop an environment that reflects our culture.

Our School Karakia

 

We share our karakia as a school every Friday and at the beginning and end of the school day. It is non-denominational and allows us to come together and begin our day in a calm way with the intention of reminding students of our expectations – this can be spoken in te reo Māori and also in English so that the meaning is really understood. It reinforces our school vision, philosophy and habits. Our karakia is important because it encourages a positive mind-set and to leave any negativity behind us. It is a guideline to help our students stay focused during their learning.