ADVERTORIAL
By Te Puru School student Lillian Berghan
All of our classes in Te Puru School get to experience a class called Kura Tātahi, or in English, Beach School.
This is unique to our school and makes Te Puru school one of a kind.
Here at Kura Tātahi we do all kinds of exciting learning activities at Beach School like paddle boarding, kayaking, swimming, water safety, fire safety, cooking, and learning the things we need in the outdoors.
But that’s not all of it.
One of our main focuses in Kura Tātahi is our values, Kaitiakitanga, Tū Kaha, Arohatanga, Whanaungatanga, and lucky last Manaakitanga. Matua Jason and Whaea Hayley run this program and they do a fantastic job.
Beach School is great as it brings classmates together, and lets them engage.
This programme aligns with Mātauranga Māori, including Maramataka and Te Whare Tapa Whā, which we use to connect to our Hauora/Wellbeing, as well as our Whenua/Land.
Matua Jason is always fun to listen to, he always has fun Māori myths.
A lot of our activities are based on the seasons. Raumati/Summer Takurua/Winter Ngāhuru/Autumn and lastly Kōanga/Spring.
Beach School is an enjoyable programme that all of our tamariki love.
Students make waves
By Izaac Garmey, Hayley Fenton, Jade Beaver and TPS teachers.
Today’s young generation navigates a society unlike any before in history.
At Te Puru School, we take the well being of our learners as front and centre for their future achievements. We embrace, enrich and empower our tamariki to be kaitiaki of themselves, each other and our taiao (environment). At our kura we embrace a culture that enhances well-being and resilience. This enables a positive and inclusive learning culture for all akōnga (learners) and whānau.
We enrich our learning experiences and outcomes for all through our localised curriculum that aligns with Mātauranga Māori, Te Whare Tapa Whā and Maramataka.
We see this through our school values; Manaakitanga (Kindness), Whanaungatanga (Belonging), Arohatanga (Respect), Tū Kaha (Resilience), and Kaitiakitanga (Guardianship) and our personalised inquiry learning framework connecting to Kura Tātahi (Beach School) and the refreshed curriculum.
Our unique environment means that we can empower our learners to be kaitiaki of our beach and surrounding area and strengthen connections with mana whēnua while engaging in inspiring projects that are made for our akōnga.
Rōpū Awhina students cook for the community
By Esther Bullock and Nelleke Zandvoort
In the Kahawai and Haku teams of Te Puru School, we have groups called Rōpū Awhina on Monday afternoons, run by Whaea Hayley.
In these groups, we focus on doing things in the kitchen that we can give back to our school or community.
For example, when it’s time for our yearly Hangi, our senior Rōpū serves the grandparents and special guests.
We plan to make a meal for our classes in our Haku team, and when we make things for our Rōpū, if there is some left, we share it with our kaiako. But we’re not just in the kitchen while doing Rōpū.
Another big part of Rōpū is being a team and working together, after all, Rōpū does mean group.
When we aren’t making things to eat, we’re making connections with each other by discussing our likes and things that are important to us.
Whaea Hayley is encouraging us to not hesitate to ask her when we need someone to help us or talk to.
We all enjoy having wonderful Whaea Hayley as our Rōpū teacher.
We are super lucky to have this amazing Rōpū here at Te Puru School and we cherish every lesson.
