Let's become Maths Magicians!

                                    

Do you want to Improve your MATHS skills?  This website is full of useful activities.  Click on the link above.  It's a fun, interactive way to practice the skills your child needs to learn and links DIRECTLY to what we are learning in class.  I highly recommend it.  Sign up and practice.

What is e-ako maths?

• e-ako maths is a resource created to support students who are having difficulty developing a sound knowledge and understanding of place value, fractions, algebra and basic facts.
• Each student will have their own account so that they can explore the material at their own pace. Each account needs to have a unique username.
• e-ako maths provides a pathway of interactive learning modules (e-ako) for students to work through. Students can choose from the available e-ako,
• Each e-ako contains both teaching screens and interactive elements for students to complete. These interactive elements include matching tasks, multiple choice questions, and short answer questions.

How do I get started?

• To create an account for e-ako maths go to e-ako.nzmaths.co.nz/ and click on the "Register" link. Accounts are free to teachers and students within New Zealand.

School Picnic

Please remember to return your sausage sizzle orders and permission slips today.

New Furniture!

WOW!  We took delivery of new furniture this week.  Look at us enjoying the variety of places to complete our work.  We can choose to stand at the green standing table, kneel at the round table or the whiteboard table, lie on bean bag cushions, sit at a desk with friends or alone, or lie on the couch.  At the moment we are trying out different places to discover where we learn best.

Welcome to Room 3

Dear Parents and Guardians

Welcome to 2015 in Room 3!!!  I’m sure you and your children have had happy holidays and are eager to start a new year of learning.  We will initially be working on developing the routines of a new class, focussing on the Habits of Mind Listening with Empathy & Understanding and Persisting. The reading books your children bring home in the first few weeks may be easy, as we work on establishing these routines and I get to know the children.  These are a few notes to help your child settle in…

Brain Food – Each day starts with a healthy snack and milk to help activate the brain.  The snack should be fresh fruit or vegetables or plain crackers and cheese.  Please cut larger pieces of fruit such as apples into manageable segments that can be consumed in a short time.  No packets or sweet biscuits.  I am also introducing flexibility with eating during the day (at any time suited to your child).  Please provide several healthy snacks for this purpose.  Research shows that when healthy snacks are eaten regularly, students are more attentive and enjoy learning more.  Morning tea is eaten while the teachers read to children.  I ask that they choose something that does not have commercial packets as the noise is difficult for children to hear over as the wrappers crackle.  I encourage them to bring a bottle of water to the classroom and have this available throughout the day.  It is essential to keep the brain functioning well.  Please name bottles clearly.

Stationery – There will be school-wide information regarding the new system of ordering stationery through OfficeMax – either online or in the shop.   If this is organised early we can get straight into our learning programme.  Please keep any extra fancy items at home.  It saves worries about loss or damage of these items.  Coloured pencils may be used, but we do not require felt pens.

Sport – During the first few weeks of term our PE programme is aquatics (swimming).  The few weeks we have available to learn to swim are crucial.  It is expected that your children bring togs every day.  Even though some mornings may be colder it often turns out hot enough to swim in the afternoon.  If there is a medical reason why your child cannot swim please write a note in the homework book (or see me).

Topic Studies:  This term our topic is ‘Lest we Forget’.  We will explore the significance of ANZAC Day and study the heroes of war in all areas of learning.  Reading, Writing, Maths, Art etc. Our aim is to explore values such as respect, honour and our School Value of Belonging (A place to stand – our turangawaewae.  Being empowered and connected.)  Two Habits of Mind - Listening with Empathy & Understanding and Persisting will be the big ideas woven into everything we do.  Great Habits to set the tone for the year!  Thinking Hats and Thinking Maps will feature strongly in all areas of learning too.  A Writer’s Notebook will be used to generate ideas for writing.  Please encourage your child to bring along items of interest to glue in e.g. photos of pets, holidays, special events; newspaper articles of personal interest; tickets for rides, movies etc.  Even interesting words or phrases that you come across or that tickle your fancy which could be used in their writing can be included.

Homework

Each week there will be a homework sheet that should not require more than 20 minutes each night.

☺    The spelling list comprises of 5 words taken from the essential lists, children’s own writing, or senior levelled lists, and 5 words using the Chunk of the Week.  I expect children to be learning these words by following the chart that is glued into their books.  Please encourage them to learn words before being tested.  Using colour to practice with is a very good way to aid memory. 

☺    They will have a reading book taken from either the browse box (easy books at a lower level) or from the guided teaching session (more challenging) each day.  Please remember to record the date, title and a comment about the content of reading in the Reading Log.  This could be related to what your child already knows about the topic, what he/she has learnt, what surprised, frightened, worried or made him/her laugh.  “Good Reading” type comments can be made in the bottom section of the page.  Please discuss the reading with your child – this is crucial to understanding.  A question guide using de Bono’s Thinking Hats will be included in the homework book.  Use it every day.

☺    Basic Facts must be learnt each day.  Last year’s notebook will be continued and a new one started upon its completion.  Please send along to school as soon as possible if you have it at home.  See more notes on this in the Basic Fact book. 

☺     I have set up an online activity site (Study Ladder) for children to work on, at their own pace.  A separate letter will explain this.  There will be time at school for working on this too, so if you do not have access to the internet do not worry.  It is optional!

☺    Sometimes there will be a topic task, which is optional but of course will benefit your child’s learning if undertaken.  Let me know if it is too much.

☺    We also look at Habits of Mind and other Thinking Tools (Thinking Hats, Thinking Maps, and Thinker’s Keys).  Please discuss your child’s learning with them and ask about their ways of thinking.

☺    Poem books will be sent home on a Friday.  Please ensure these are returned on Monday.

Finally, if there is anything you are unsure of or that is worrying you, or you have something to celebrate please do not hesitate to email, call in or phone to make an appointment to discuss these matters.  Also, it is helpful to know when circumstances in your family change so that I can be aware of unusual behaviour etc.  (e.g. new family member, parent away for extended time, pet died, etc.)  Also, please use the homework book as a communication book.  It saves losing notes.  Feel free to email me on sue@haumoana.school.nz  It may be easier to email if your child will be absent or late, too.  I don’t mind – and it saves us having to chase up where your child is.  Please contact us every day your child is away – even if your child is sick for several days.  This is for security purposes and sometimes the reason changes!  They might be sick the first day but then need to go away for a family funeral/holiday etc.  Thank you.