Kelvin Road School

Senior School Learning Team Years 5-6

Tina Matthews - Team Leader - tina.matthews@krs.ac.nz

The teachers of the Senior Syndicate strive to give opportunities to the akonga to fulfill the vision of Kelvin Road School, Kia Toa, Kia Manawanui - be the best you can be. This is achieved through collaboration not only with teachers throughout the school, but also with the tamariki and whanau.

These opportunities include:

•  Culturally responsive practice that normalised rather than something 'that is part of the programme' - for example:

1. Tuakana teina - peer to peer, older to younger and younger to older;
2. Integrated to te reo Maori;
3. Integrated tikanga;

•  Opportunity for the akonga to showcase their talents on a local, national and world  wide stage through the use of a well resourced e-learning programme;
• Different levels of competition in a variety of contexts;
• Well planned and thought through authentic learning activities;
• Learning environments conducive to learning where akonga are confident in taking risks in an effort tot develop their skills, attitudes and knowledge;
• Clarity for all as what is to be achieved;
• A variety of settings for learning to take place;
• Akonga being inquiring and critical in their thinking;
• Success being valued, measured and acknowledged in a variety of ways'
• The setting of specific challenging goals for and by the akonga;
• Support of akonga to be self directed;
• Nurturing individual strengths and needs;
• Preparing for the akonga for the next step in their educational journey.

The teachers of the Senior Syndicate firmly believe that 'every day is a new day'. If yesterday was unsatisfactory then learn from it and move on to ensure that today is better. As a syndicate, we value the involvement of our community in the development of the akonga. This may be as simple as supporting the tamariki at events or assisting them with their homework, or it may be as sophisticated as sharing a skill or resource in an effort to fulfill our vision: Kia Toa, Kia Manawanui - be the best you can be.