At Kelburn Normal School, we nurture the well being and identity of tamariki to realise our vision of growing lifelong learners.  We do this guided by the frameworks of our local curriculum and strategic plan, and alongside the values and Key Competencies of the NZC.  Our kaupapa is to empower children to develop agency and voice as active and creative members of an inclusive learning community.

 

In their journey through the school, children's identity will be strengthened through ako (teaching and learning) and positive relationships.  Tamariki will become empowered by their learning experiences within the strategic pillars of Pūkengatanga (excellence), Manaakitanga (wellbeing) and Whanaungatanga (interdependence), and the everyday learning of the key practices.  The children's understanding of ako and the pillars will build throughout their journey, because of the coherence between the schools key practices and the pillars.

 

For each student, their learning experience will attempt to develop an understanding of the factors that influence the development of healthy individuals, groups and society, based on our strategic pillars of Pūkengatanga (excellence), Manaakitanga (wellbeing) and Whanaungatanga (interdependence).

 

​​Our approach is holistic and addresses the whole child,  including their emotional, social, physical, and cultural needs.  In their everyday learning, the child brings who they are, and explores who they might be, to build their identity and agency.  Key to this agency for each child to conduct themselves in a way that both express who they are, and value the qualities of others.  This includes resilience  (being attentive and finding their way through challenges and difficulties), resourcefulness (building the skills to become independent and solve problems), relationships (communicating with, valuing, and empathising with others), and reflectiveness (standing back and reflecting on, and taking responsibility for yours’ and others’ actions).

 

Each teacher has the responsibility of building learning communities in partnership with their tamariki. Whatever the curriculum context or specific learning outcome, teacher actions and learning practices need to be aligned with our overarching pillars, and with the foundation of our KNS key competencies - interaction, multiple literacies and self-efficacy. Teachers will model the valued behaviours, and guide tamariki so that they will take responsibility for their own behaviour: to make good decisions; to solve problems; to be fair; and to recognise and value others. By experiencing manaakitanga and whanaungatanga daily, children will realise how personal and collective agency go together.

 

Our tamariki behave well. In managing behaviour teachers will use the restorative process, encouraging dialogue to understand, resolve, rebuild relationships and reset situations. For more serious situations, whānau will be involved, again using dialogue to reset the situation.

 

EFFECTIVE PEDAGOGY

The Effective Pedagogy elements of the New Zealand Curriculum will always be at the forethought of the teachers when designing and leading learning experiences

• Creating a supportive learning environment

• Encouraging reflective thought and action

• Enhancing the relevance of new learning

• Facilitating shared learning

• Making connections to prior learning and experience

• Providing sufficient opportunities to learn

• Practice-based research and Teaching as Inquiry