Potatoes Potatoes Potatoes!

More potatoes to come!

Still having trouble with technology!  Watch this space.

Second POTATO Harvest!

We were so excited!  

The final harvest was done last week and we cooked and ate our potatoes.  Sorry it has taken so long to post photos - technology has not been my friend this week!

These were the most delicious potatoes I have ever tasted.  We all enjoyed them....Now you know how to grow potatoes and you can make a meal.

What have we been doing?!!

So much has been happening lately!

The children are very excited to be starting to harvest our potatoes!  They were disappointed to see the foliage wilting and turning yellow (dying) but now they realise that this means they may be ready for harvest.  They now wish all the plants could be wilting.  Patience.......and then we can have a feast!

Learning Buddies

As the year draws to an end, we have been reflecting on our learning.  As you know, the children have been learning how to work together in order to gain new knowledge.  They have been TALKING.....A LOT!  The structure of our lessons has changed and we now seldom work in ability groups.  Mixed ability pairs and small groups has had benefits for all.  

I am impressed with the progress they have made in many areas.  The way they manage themselves during independent learning times makes me feel proud.  They have learned to initiate discussions, debate issues, explain their thinking clearly and in various ways, and their academic achievement has increased beyond expectations.  

The children have enjoyed, and see the benefits of this type of learning.  Here are some of their comments regarding their learning in 2015.

Sometimes when me and my buddy were talking we both got the same answer but we worked it out a different way.  We explained to each other about our different ways we discovered.    Joshua S When I forgot or was stuck my buddy always helped me.  I felt more relaxed when I worked with my buddy.  I felt more open when I was working with my talking buddy.  I prefer to work with a buddy because I could explain to my buddy what I meant. Chloe I felt more confident working with a buddy because it helped me through the problem quicker. Neve

I like working with my buddy because they realise my mistakes.  Me and my learningbuddies help each other figure things out.  That’s why I want buddies.      Hena-C

I like talking because I learn because my buddy says stuff that I don’t know.  There’s nothing I don’t like about working with buddies.

Eddie D

I have to follow the instructions from the talking cards so that I could start my sentence.  I feel excited when me and my buddy work out a hard problem together.

Erin

MATHS

There is so much information on the website nzmaths.co.nz for you to help your child.  Explore here to find out how you can help.