Developing REAL Learners

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At Maungaturoto Primary School we have a vision that all our students will leave our school being ‘REAL’ Learners – ‘REAL’ Learners are Resilient, Effective Communicators, Actively Involved, Lifelong Learners.

Our curriculum has been developed with this vision in mind. All classroom programmes use this as a basis for developing programmes.

By the time your child leaves us in year 6 we want your child to have skills that mean they are Resilient, effective communicators, actively Involved and are lifelong learners.

Objective 1: To learn to be resilient (Persevere, kia Kaha, Ability to bounce back)

What Does This Mean? 

To be resilient we need to learn to deal with problems and adapt to different situations, and cope with uncertainties. All of these are in our everyday life, and although as nurturing adults we want to protect our children, we also need to give them skills to be resilient and bounce back, and cope with the stresses that life undoubtedly gives us all at times.

How do we Encourage Children to gain these Skills so they are Resilient?

• We have our Well Being For Success Programme, which ensures that our caring culture is strong so children are in a supportive environment where behaviour and work expectations are continually high.
• We give our students challenges – activities that will take them out of their comfort zone in an environment where we encourage children to see mistakes and challenges as part of learning.
• We insist children complete what they start which encourages perseverance.
• We encourage and celebrate Kia Kaha – ‘a can do’ attitude.
• We support children to learn to bounce back after they have had a disappointment or are finding an activity / challenge hard.

How Can You Help You Child Gain This Skill? (We also continually encourage all of these behaviours at school)

• Encourage friendships so your child is learning empathy and building strong networks.
• Maintain a daily routine, which encourages your child to develop structures in their life.
• Encourage your child to help others (community projects).
• Teach your child self care – the importance of good sleep habits, eating well, exercising.
• Show your child it is okay to take a break – relax and have fun, laugh and enjoy the people who are important in their lives.
• Encourage your child to have challenging but realistic goals.
• Help your child understand that we all have weaknesses and vulnerabilities, but we also all have strengths and talents.
• Resist the urge to jump in and help whenever your child is in a tough situation – be there to support but try to give them time to solve the problem themselves.
• If your child starts at activity / project insist that they finish it – even when things are a little tough.

Objective 2: To learn to be an Effective Communicator (Be Confident, Respectful, Relate Well To Others, Be Literate and Numerate) 

What Does This Mean? 

To be an effective communicator we need to learn to communicate in many different ways with many different people. We must learn to listen, and to respond appropriately. Our literacy and numeracy skills need to be strong. We need to recognise and understand our own emotions and the emotions of others We must learn to be assertive without being rude.

How Do We Encourage Children to Gain this Skill?

• We give our students multiple opportunities to practice communicating every day.
• We promote our ‘CARE’ values continually.
• We have structured literacy and numeracy programmes with goals and next steps.
• We talk about what it means to be an effective communicator.
• We support children to communicate using many different methods – e.g. Oral. Written, technology.
• We ensure that children mix with a variety of people throughout the week.
• We give all the children opportunities to speak to an audience.

How Can You Help You Child Gain This Skill? (We also continually encourage all of these behaviours at school)

• Teach your child to response to the audience – whether it be one person or a group of people.
• Teach your child to be an active listener.
• Expose your child to a wide vocabulary.
• Encourage your child to ask questions.
• Help your child recognise non-verbal cues e.g. body language.
• Help your child practice and learn to fluency (know without having to think) essential spelling words.
• Encourage your child to read every day, and discuss the story with them.
• Make sure your child practices and learns to fluency basic numeracy concepts e.g. basic facts.
• Encourage and demonstrate the power of language as a problem solving strategy.
• Teach your child social courtesies and empathy.

Objective 3: To learn to be Actively Involved.

What Does This Mean? 

To be actively involved we will participate and contribute in different groups. We will have a sense of belonging, which will give us the  confidence to participate within new contexts. We will learn the importance of balancing rights, roles, and responsibilities and of  contributing to the quality and sustainability of social, cultural, physical and economic environments.

How Do We Encourage Children To Gain These Skills So They Are Actively Involved?

• We have expectations that all children will participate in many activities at the school.
• We offer many different kinds of activities both in the classroom, and in the playground.
• We practice having different roles in a group – e.g. leadership, support person.
• We demonstrate and encourage the acceptance of all people.
• We encourage Inquiry learning through teaching children to use prior knowledge, to question and to make good decisions.
• We are an Enviro School.

How Can You Help Your Child Gain This Skill? (We also continually encourage all of these behaviours at school)

• Give them lots of opportunities to be an active group member.
• Teach them that along with rights comes responsibilities.
• Be enthusiastic and interested in what your child is doing at school – ask your child what they learned today, talk about the skills that they are developing, and how useful they are in life.
• Encourage your child to take part in things they haven’t tried before. This challenges them and gets them involved in new activities and groups. Talk to them about the new skills and knowledge they gain.
• Support your child when they take on leadership roles at school or in the community. 

Objective 4: To learn to be a Life Long Learner (Have a love of learning, Be self motivated, Be an inquiry learner, A 21st century  learner, and Learn to be creative)

What Does This Mean? 

Our NZ Curriculum says 'To be a Life long learner a student must be literate and numerate'. Be critical and creative thinkers, be active seekers, users and creators of knowledge, and informed decision makers. We want our children to have the New Zealand ‘Number 8 wire’ mentality. We want them to question and plan for further learning.

How Do We Encourage Children to Gain this Skill?

• We have strong literacy and numeracy programmes.
• We teach questioning skills.
• We use assessment to help us work with the students to set goals for further learning.
• We plan Inquiry Topics.
• We teach and support children to seek new information from many different sources.
• We deliver lessons on many different topics with many different viewpoints.
• We encourage the acceptance of different strengths and passions.

How Can You Help Your Child Gain This Skill? (We also continually encourage all of these behaviours at school)

• Encourage your child to be curious. Answer their questions and encourage further questions.
• Promote problem-solving skills by letting your child solve a problem on his/her own.
• Teach resourcefulness – let them see that buying a product and a service is not the only option.
• Show them that learning happens in many different situations. Discuss something you have just learnt with your child.
• Show them that we use our literacy and numeracy skills in all areas of our life – not just at school.
• Introduce your child to new places and new experiences – this does not have to cost a lot of money.
• Discuss the world outside your child’s bubble – e.g. encourage him/her to take an interest in what is happening in the rest of New Zealand, and the rest of the world.
• Help you child extend their vocabulary – often we take for granted that children understand a word when they don’t.