What makes a school ...

He tangata, he tangata, he tangata!
My first blog since being away for a holiday in the States, and I have come back to a large number of applications for the teaching positions we have here for next year.

Looking through the applications, it becomes very real, that all these people have extraordinary skills and talents and quite a large number would be able to fit in and make an absolutely brilliant contribution to the learning environment here at Wairakei School.
Not only that, but being able to fit in socially and professionally with the staff and the parent community is of great importance.

The people here at Wairakei are "Absolutely Brilliant"! I love working here, having the support of such wonderfully dedicated professionals all with the main goal of providing awesome learning experiences for children and helping them to develop into happy, confident and adaptable people.

Keep smiling

Christchurch Earthquake

What a start to the week!
Yesterday was my birthday - one day after the September 4 earthquake. Obviously there was a bit of cleanup to do at home, so the birthday was a bit strange.
I spent about 3 hours at school also, checking that everything was OK and talking a great deal with Alan Grey, the Board Chairperson about the state of the school, what the next steps were to be and how we were going to support the community.
Fortunately, our school has not had any significant damage to the buildings. This doesn't mean that the community is not affected in other ways and the staff will be working to support our school community as well as supporting one another.

The Ministry website has some very useful information regarding traumatic response as well.
Canterbury Earthquake MoE link

School will remain closed until Wednesday September 8.

Auf Wiedersehen Paul

The end of an era is nearly upon us. Mr Paul Browne after 10 years teaching at Wairakei School, and 19 years living in New Zealand, is heading for Germany with his family to start the next chapter in their life. This Friday will be Paul’s last day teaching at Wairakei School, and we will miss his professionalism, enthusiasm, fun and commitment to education.

Paul has been a valuable member of the teaching staff, and has been instrumental in the development of the EOTC and sporting programmes we offer. He has always been keen to develop his professional learning in different curriculum and educational initiatives including the Assess to Learn programme, Numeracy Project and ICTPD, to name but a few. He has ably taken on the role of Acting Deputy Principal recently and latterly that of Learning Team Leader, responsible for the day to day pastoral care of the students, learning and assessment, and leadership in the Wairere Learning Team.

Paul will be missed by the Wairakei School community, but we know that being with family is very important and the new life in Germany will be made easier by knowing that family will be close enough to visit every week.

We wish you, Sabine, Sam, Lucas and Oliver all the best for the future and all that it brings.

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”

Henry Miller

Back again ...

It's been a while since I have been here.
I have a new toy!


Let me tell you about the amazing Flip Video!!!
My New Toy



I hope to use this around school and at home! 


Each of the Learning Teams now have a Flip Video to use. 

Dr Tom Mulholland - Healthy Thinking

As indicated in a previous post, reflecting on Work Life Balance was one of the themes of the NZPF conference I attended in the last week of the term. Being a person who regularly promotes the need for quality family time to school families and staff, but who only recently has begun to adhere to this himself, I found this a great theme.


Dr Tom Mulholland talked about Emotional Algebra and Healthy Thinking -  "a technique that can be applied whenever they feel an alarm emotion, to identify the trigger, and then the thought that they generated in response to it. They are taught techniques for reworking this thought to a more helpful one, and given a ‘language' to do it with."

Dr. Barbara Reinhold - Creativity Quotient

One of the best ways to increase your own CQ (Creativity Quotient), and hence be more productive in your career, is to regress a little and be more like you were as a kid. Did you know, for instance, that on psychological tests of creativity, only 5 percent of people 18 and older registered in the "creative" range? Among 17 year-olds, 10 percent scored "creative." But among 5 year olds, more than 90 percent demonstrated the creativity to suggest innovative ways of looking at situations and the ability to dream up new ideas.

The best news here is that creativity can be taught. In fact, you can boost your own creative capability just by practicing various forms of sideways thinking. Here are 10 "creativity boosters" that corporate creativity trainers teach their clients to help both individuals and work teams stretch their own imaginative powers:

Ask "what if" questions. (What if teachers got paid based on how well their students performed? What if executives got paid based on how well they understood the people who work for them? What if supervisors were elected?)

Daydream whenever you can. Just see what wild ideas you come up and jot them down on note cards. (And keep these cards in a file box of your wild ideas.)

Try your hand at cooking a meal creatively, without any recipes.

Do jigsaw and crossword puzzles.

Watch three-quarters of a movie on video, then turn off the VCR and imagine your own ending.

Interview people in your work group about some of the inventions they'd like to see happen.

Imagine changing places with someone in your office for a day -- what would you get to do differently?

Imagine that you've just won a month-long trip anywhere with the person of your dreams. But you have to choose the place in the next five minutes and leave tomorrow. Where will you go and why?

Go to or rent a foreign language film with a friend, one where neither of you knows the language nor are there subtitles. As you watch the film, share with each other what you think the main characters are probably saying, feeling and thinking, based just on their expressions and body language.

Eat a food you've never tasted for lunch or dinner today. Let the new taste sensations roll around on your tongue and try to imagine a "story" to go with them.

So what's the point of this? The point is to get you out of your accepted, expected and brain-dulling ways of experiencing the world. In order to succeed as grown-up leaders where we work, we must find ways to take ourselves back in time to a long-gone way of seeing and experiencing things afresh. Here's to being five years old again, at least once or twice a day!

Work Life Balance

Reflecting on Work Life Balance was one of the themes of the NZPF conference I attended in the last week of the term. Being a person who regularly promotes the need for quality family time to school families and staff, but who only recently has begun to adhere to this himself, I found this a great theme. It has since prompted me to look for more "experts" in this field and read about their ideas. Comparisons are then made to others I have heard or read about. 


Below is a Work Satisfaction audit from Dr. Barbara Reinhold.


WORK SATISFACTION AUDIT 

Carefully consider each item in the ten work/life satisfier groups to see how well it describes your own daily thoughts, feelings, and/or behaviors. On a scale of 1-4 (1= not much/ 4= very well), indicate how closely each statement seems true for your current work experience. At the end of each section, add up the numbers you’ve circled to create a total for that group of items.

Group One:

1 2 3 4 I know I’m good at most of what I do at work.

1 2 3 4 I wake up most work day mornings eager to get to the tasks of the day.

1 2 3 4 I keep current with new developments in my area of expertise.

1 2 3 4 The tasks I enjoy doing most are the ones that are most important in my job.

1 2 3 4 I get to do the things that inspire me, either at work or in the community.

1 2 3 4 My work still feels vital and fresh to me.

1 2 3 4 I have skills that I’m called upon to teach to others, and I like that.

1 2 3 4 I’m regarded by others as very proficient in the work I do.

1 2 3 4 It’s exciting to me to have new things to learn about the work I do.

1 2 3 4 My job requires the skills and information that are really fun for me.

Group One Total _____

Group Two

1 2 3 4 Things are run the way I like them to be at work.

1 2 3 4 I have good coaches and mentors for my work.

1 2 3 4 The managerial style of my organization works for me.

1 2 3 4 I’m getting the right blend of autonomy, guidance and collaboration.

1 2 3 4 My team knows me well and values me.

1 2 3 4 I’m able to be myself at work and still be accepted.

1 2 3 4 We laugh and have a good time at work.

1 2 3 4 I feel satisfied for now with the position I’m in.

1 2 3 4 I have respect for the abilities and styles of my teammates.

1 2 3 4 My team members and I have complementary skills.

Group Two Total _____

Group Three

1 2 3 4 I generally expect things to go well at my job.

1 2 3 4 I experience a good mix of stretch goals, some constructive mistakes, and good learning at work.

1 2 3 4 I have more good days than bad days at work.

1 2 3 4 I’m confident at work because my roles and goals are clear to all, and I’m able to fulfill them.

1 2 3 4 I’m generally a half-full, rather than half-empty, kind of person.

1 2 3 4 When problems occur at work, I don’t take them personally.

1 2 3 4 I take good care of myself because I know I do better work when I do.

1 2 3 4 I don’t waste time worrying about whether I’m doing a good job or not, because I believe I am.

1 2 3 4 Even when people don’t give out much praise, I feel able to evaluate how well I’m doing.

1 2 3 4 I have high standards for myself, and I generally meet them.

Group Three Total _____

Group Four

1 2 3 4 The structure of my work day fits my own natural rhythms well.

1 2 3 4 I like the way my work space looks and feels.

1 2 3 4 The implicit or explicit dress code of my organization fits my preferences.

1 2 3 4 I’m able to vary my tasks and activities so as to stay focused and energized for most of my work day.

1 2 3 4 I have the right amount of space, light and fresh air in my work area.

1 2 3 4 The travel requirements of my work feel all right to me.

1 2 3 4 I have the right balance of alone time and collaboration at work.

1 2 3 4 I have the freedom to eat or take breaks when my body feels the need.

1 2 3 4 I’m able to make my work space(s) feel like “mine” as much as I want to.

1 2 3 4 The pace of work is right for me—not too slow or too fast.

Group Four Total _____

Group Five

1 2 3 4 I feel comfortable sharing my views and values at work.

1 2 3 4 I really believe in what my organization is trying to do.

1 2 3 4 The choices I need to make at work fit my own values.

1 2 3 4 I’m proud to tell people where and how I work.

1 2 3 4 I have good friends as well as colleagues at work.

1 2 3 4 I feel that I fit in at my place of work.

1 2 3 4 I don’t have to hide who I really am at work.

1 2 3 4 My organization “walks the talk” about the things I believe in.

1 2 3 4 I feel that my over-all life purpose is well-aligned with where and how I’m working.

1 2 3 4 The structure of my job leaves me enough time to do the other things I think are important.

Group Five Total _____

Group Six

1 2 3 4 My commute to work is easy enough for me.

1 2 3 4 I feel I’m paid fairly for the amount of responsibility I have.

1 2 3 4 The length of my work day seems reasonable to me.

1 2 3 4 The vacation system is generous enough to keep me from getting too fatigued—and I take all my vacation days.

1 2 3 4 I can get flexibility and special accommodations when I need them.

1 2 3 4 The financial “norms” of my work group fit me—my friends and colleagues at work have about the same discretionary income I do.

1 2 3 4 The social expectations of my work group are compatible with how I want to spend my time.

1 2 3 4 I can be successful at work and still have time for a full community and family life.

1 2 3 4 If I needed to work a reduced or flexible schedule (either periodically or permanently), my organization would let me do that without penalty.

1 2 3 4 My employer gives me the tools and resources I need to do a good job.

Group Six Total _____

Group Seven

1 2 3 4 The work I’m doing now is positioning me for where I think I want to be next in my work life.

1 2 3 4 I have a longer-term plan, and I’m focusing on how to make it happen.

1 2 3 4 I’m learning new things and developing skills and competencies to help me make it happen.

1 2 3 4 The people with whom I interact at work are able to help me do my job better.

1 2 3 4 I belong to community or professional groups that help me think longer-term about how my work fits into my over-all life plan.

1 2 3 4 I feel that I’m being valued for my work.

1 2 3 4 My supervisor knows about my life and work plans, and helps me think about my next steps.

1 2 3 4 In my organization, ongoing training and skill development is readily accessible.

1 2 3 4 My job requirements leave me time and opportunities for collaborating or networking with people I need to know better.

1 2 3 4 This job helps me to develop and sustain my self-confidence.

Group Seven Total _____  

Group Eight

1 2 3 4 I believe I’m being compensated fairly by industry standards.

1 2 3 4 I know I’m valued at work.

1 2 3 4 Rewards seem to be fairly distributed at work.

1 2 3 4 My benefits package is adequate for my needs.

1 2 3 4 There is flexibility in how rewards are granted at work—so I’m able to have what I need.

1 2 3 4 I have a title and responsibilities that match my competencies and my experience.

1 2 3 4 Our performance review system is fair and helpful.

1 2 3 4 I believe that my supervisors or department heads have a realistic picture of my abilities and contributions.

1 2 3 4 My immediate supervisor lets me know when I do something great.

1 2 3 4 The developmental experiences I’m getting (courses, training, coaching, conferences, etc.) are just right for me in scope and frequency.

Group Eight Total _____

Group Nine

1 2 3 4 One of the best things about my work is that I get to keep learning.

1 2 3 4 The new skills I’m adding make me feel good about work.

1 2 3 4 My boss urges me to take advantage of growth opportunities.

1 2 3 4 I enhance my own skills by collaborating with others at work.

1 2 3 4 My good work gets showcased to others in the organization.

1 2 3 4 My supervisor expects me to set stretch goals and offers the support I need to reach them.

1 2 3 4 At work I’m encouraged to learn the things that interest me most and adapt my tasks to fit what I really enjoy doing.

1 2 3 4 Even if there has not been much change in my title, I like the fact that the work gets more challenging and interesting all the time.

1 2 3 4 It’s exciting to get to do new things and take some risks at my job.

1 2 3 4 The pace of taking on more complex tasks as things change at work is right for me.

Group Nine Total _____

Group Ten

1 2 3 4 The demands of my work don’t usually interfere with the other important aspects of my life.

1 2 3 4 My work doesn’t keep me from getting enough sleep.

1 2 3 4 At the end of the day, I have time and energy enough to enjoy a relaxing or rejuvenating evening.

1 2 3 4 I’m able to be successful and still make enough time for relationships.

1 2 3 4 I’m able to schedule events in my life because the demands of my work week are generally predictable.

1 2 3 4 I don’t let my work schedule keep me from getting regular exercise.

1 2 3 4 I make sure not to give all my best energy to my work.

1 2 3 4 My boss understands the need for the range of activities in my life.

1 2 3 4 I plan my leisure with as much care as I schedule my work.

Group Ten Total _____

SO WHAT DO YOUR SCORES MEAN?

#1 Right match of work with your current salient skills, interests_____

#2 Right boss and team structure for you ______

#3 Your own confidence and optimism ______

#4 Right daily environment and rhythms for you ______

#5 Right mission and values for you ______

#6 Compatible expectations, norms, supports ______

#7 Right position for next career moves ______

#8 Right reward system for you ______

#9 Opportunity for relevant challenge and growth ______

#10 Whole life compatibility ______

The list above gives you an indication of just how well the circumstances of your current work actually fit all of who you are now. Are you satisfied with your scores? Are you surprised? Can you see how you might make some changes, or how you might talk to others at work about some of the organizational shifts that need to happen? Take some time to talk with friends, family, colleagues or supervisors about what you might adjust in order to have a better fit between your work as you’re experiencing it now and what you’d really like. After all, not only your career success, but also your health—both mental and physical—is on the line here!

Holiday Fun

About three weeks ago, a very large macrocarpa tree came down in the storm at our bach in Okains Bay. It missed the house by about 10 metres, but took out a fence, the sheep shedding race, the vegetable garden and a number of little trees.

Over the holidays, we made time to go and flex some chainsaw muscle and clear up some of the mess. My brother in law had started a week before, so we spent quite a few hours clearing up trimmings etc and cutting branches into logfire size pieces.

There is certainly a great deal of firewood to get from this one tree, but it is such a fun job to do. I must say, it is much easier with my new chainsaw (bought for my birthday present) than the old one. For a look at the specs, just follow the link. http://www.husqvarna.com/nz/landowner/products/chainsaws/440-e-series/#features

Reporting

At the end of last term, I was at the NZPF conference in Queenstown. There was some media coverage over the last two days of the conference about National Standards. Again it was reiterated that most, if not all schools believe in the notion of standards to measure children against. It is how they have been introduced, the speed that this has happened, and the use of data that is of concern to the NZPF. 

Our Board of Trustees have taken this stance as well; upskilling themselves around the issues through readings and discussions, supporting the staff in attending training and development of reporting practices. 

Ernie Buutveldt, the President of the NZPF, in introducing Anne Tolley said in his speech, “Lifting the achievement of all our students is clearly what schools and their leaders are about and not surprisingly, also a stated aim of government. Just how we use the tools, policies and resourcing in pursuit of this aim is sometimes contentious.

The happy place would be where policy-makers and professional practitioners, those charged with carrying out policy, are engaged in discussion so that good policy is informed by good practice, which in turn, enhances better practice toward achieving the shared aim.”

I know that we have great support from the Wairakei School community about how we report progress and achievement. The comments received about the written documentation and the information shared in Student Led conferences has been very positive. We will continue to refine what we do, but please remember that you are always welcome to talk to your child’s teacher about progress and achievement. Your child’s work in the classroom is one of the best ways to see evidence of progress and achievement, so make some time during the term to see this.

Back again! Communication!

Sorry about the lack of posts lately. Every time I think I have a bit of time to add a post, I find that the communication problems occur. That is, we have been having problems with our cabling here at school in the adsl line not maintaining a steady link.
Yesterday we had a techie in again to have a look. This meant that we were out for most of the day - even the phones.
This leads me on to the subject matter for the post.
Communication.
A big word with big expectations. I believe that clear communication is the key to nearly everything we do in life. It is about creating and maintaining relationships. It is about honesty and transparency.

There are many different ways to communicate and these are changing and adding to the diversity in our lives. Texting, SMS, MMS, Tweeting, Skype, web 2.0 tools,telephone, cellphone, faxes, emails ...
I think of this blog. How many people actually read it? I don't know and as with all bloggers, don't really mind how many people read it. It is just a form of communication to air thoughts and musings of the writer. Still, when I write, I need to be mindful of who might be reading it. Is it a child from here at Wairakei School; is it a friend of one of our children; is it a parent of the school; is it a prospective parent; is it a work colleague. The internet makes us communicate to a great number of people whether we like it or not if we tick the box that says let anyone view the blog.
So it is that we have to be mindful of both the intended and unintended audience.
I think that our newsletters are very welcoming and informative. I have had very good comments about the content and presentation of these.
Absolutely Brilliant newsletters

Our children are communicating their work via the website and their classroom blogs.

Blog sites
Next week the children will be communicating their learning so far to their parents through child led learning conferences. They will be able to share their work through samples, their understandings and progress through actual data, and be able to talk about their next step in the learning journey.

Communication is the key to maintaining the relationship between home and school.

Parent Help

It has been a while since my lost blog. It has been very busy around here! That really shouldn't be an excuse, because there is just so much to write about. I have chosen the topic of Parent Help for this post. Why? The last two weeks has seen the beginning of another term here at Wairakei, and with that, a number of parents around the school helping us in many ways. Last week, while finishing off some work before going outside for some interaction time with the children, I looked through the slim line blinds and saw three parents taking three different teams for sports practise, a volunteer high school student taking another, a parent coming out of a building after taking a PPP session, and another working in the office sorting out sports uniforms.
ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!

Tonight we have our monthly Home and School Committee meeting. Yet again, there will be up to 16 / 17 parents attending this meeting all wanting to help with improving the educational outcomes for children here at Wairakei School.

Where oh where would we be without the support of parents, caregivers, family friends and indeed, friends of the school. Seeing these people turn up to support us at Cross Country, assemblies, tree plantings, music events is just way cool.

Thanks

What do I want to be when I grow up ...

School Holidays

A great time for rest and reflection!

There is a great deal to reflect on and also a lot to think about in the coming term.

Our Wairakei Curriculum is just awesome. I can tell that the staff are excited about the upcoming term theme, and this enthusiasm is passed on to the children.

Electrical circuits, electrical currents, static electricity, technology and inquiry! What a lot to look forward to!

Building a Chicken Coop - a holiday task

Building The Chicken Coop

View more presentations from Shane Buckner.

EOTC - What an experience!

This last week has been about the Purua Team (Year 3 & 4) enjoying Education Outside the Classroom activities.

The Year 4 children left on Tuesday to attend their camp at Living Springs. A full and varied programme has been undertaken, and we thank both the staff and the parent helpers who are attending for all their hard work. School camps are both rewarding and tiring but are great to help develop social skills, independence and our school value of “perseverance”. I went over on Tuesday afternoon and stayed until afternoon tea on Wednesday. During this time, I was able to interact with children and the adults and be the extra hand around the place.

I really enjoyed helping children be challenged while riding the flying fox over the ravine. There were a few children who were reluctant, but once sitting on the apparatus and buckled in, and some positive encouragement from other children and myself, all of the children were happy to be thrilled with the ride.

What a great place to wake up in. The sunrises and sunsets are awesome!

The Year 3 children are having their day camp experiences throughout the week, with the sleepover here at school on Wednesday night. Again, this sort of experience only happens when staff and parents work together.

Teacher Trainees

Today was the last day of the placement for our teacher trainee from England. Gemma Simpson has been a great staff member over the last four weeks.

This was a very different trainee placement as it was unsolicited from Gemma herself who is a teacher trainee from Newman University College in Birmingham. Gemma contacted me late last year through her cousin who lives just around the corner from school. She outlined in an email what the International Alternative Placement programme was and I was immediately interested.

I then did some snooping via google and found the following link:

http://www.newmansu.org/content/162225/your_student_union/your_executive/school_of_education_officer/

This gave me a bit of knowledge about who this person was, and then I was able to correspond further.

We have certainly been fortunate to have Gemma here. She is a reliable, friendly and positive person who immediately engaged with children staff and parents. It was especially so, as the second day she arrived, she was part of the EOTC programme at the YMCA.

Thanks to Gemma for her positive impact on Wairakei School.

Children's Day at Wairakei

First a bit of a history lesson ...

The initial idea for Children's Day came from a suggestion by the first Children's Commissioner, Ian Hassall, in 1991. His suggestion was developed and progressed by the Rotary Club of Wellington. In conjunction with the following Children's Commissioner, Laurie O'Reilly, the idea was then mooted to Government. The third Children's Commissioner and former Minister of Youth Affairs, Roger McClay, then endorsed the concept along with several other Ministers. In 1999, the National Steering Group was established to progress the concept of Children's Day. Interested government and non-government agencies were represented on this group.

The inaugural Children's Day was held on Sunday 29 October 2000 with the intention that Children's Day would occur on the last Sunday of October every year. In 2007 the date for Children's Day was changed to the first Sunday in March. Many schools hold their own Children’s Day as an event on either the Friday before or the Monday following.

Wairakei School held it's Children's Day on Friday 5th March and what a day it was!

From 11:00am on, children were placed in buddy classes and participated with their "buddies" on fun cooperative activities, usually craft based. There was a sharing session after this was repeated and there were some absolutely brilliant creations. The interactions between the younger and older children were just awesome!

During lunchtime, the Purua team had organised a sausage sizzle, a cake stall, popcorn and iceblocks to sell as a fundraising activity for their upcoming camp at Living Springs. Over $900 was raised!

The afternoon was again a fantastic event. All children were in their house groups and mixed into 12 teams. Each team then participated in 7 different tabloid activities. It was great seeing the parents involved in these too.

Woohoo!!!!

A Follower!!

Thanks Kim

Family Picnic and together times

We had a great time yesterday at the Omaka Scout Camp just relaxing as a school family. I had spent the weekend over at Okains Bay with my family before coming back early to attend the school picnic. These times are so important to maintain the community / family feel which is so vital to the well-being (hauora) of the school. Informal interactions between parents, children, staff help develop and maintain connections - important healthy connections.

It was super special for me to spend time alone with Sam from the Friday night through to Saturday late afternoon by which time Sarah and Toby were joining us. It was the first time in a long time that we have spent that sort of time together without any other distractions. I found out about his sporting pursuits and what he likes best about his new school. He told me about his transition t0o High School and the differences he was feeling about Primary and secondary schooling. I had heard a lot of this second hand previously through Sarah. He has more time to chat with her after and before school but it was so important that he feel free to talk to me and I was able to listen.

This type of listening is so important also as a teacher. I remember something that has always stuck with me from listening to a speaker about engaging with boys. He said that you really need to get down to their level and discuss the nitty gritty of the weekend, the experiences had, the parallels you can come up with as a young boy, and being aware that boys do boy things occasionally.

Growing School Leaders

Having spent some time reading over the applications from our Year 6 children who wish to become Student Leaders, it reinforces to me the very Values and Principles we have here at Wairakei School.

Each child on the application form, has to give three reasons why they would like to be a student leader. The children all talk in their applications about the need to work hard, to think , to apply their knowledge or skills to tasks, and to respect others – children and adults! These children are role models in our school for others.

There is also an endorsement of the qualities described by each person given by the teacher and the parents. This partnership is of great importance and is certainly a meaningful connection between home and school.

I look forward to seeing the successful applicants grow in leadership throughout the year and to represent our school well at all times.

Swimming Sports

What a great morning we had at the Jellie Park Aquatic Centre.

The Wairere and Purua Learning Teams had their Swimming Sports this morning. I must congratulate Mike Lynch on his absolutely brilliant organisation of the event. The team all worked in unison to make the morning seem effortless!

The children were great, producing excellent results while showing off their abilities in both swimmer and non-swimmer events. The can do attitude shown by all children was yet another testament to the staff at Wairakei - the way they encourage children to achieve in anything they do.

I can't wait to be part of the Otakaro Learning Team's Swimming Fun Day.

Personal Commentary

Lots of people are aware of my non-pc attitude towards the "everyone's a winner" mentality that crept in to New Zealand society. Children who are good at something should actually relish in the fact that they are good at it and others should also share in that celebration!

We had a great number of children who are good at swimming on show today. They may be natural swimmers, or have parents who are able to get them to swimming lessons. Good on these children for being good at swimming!

There were also some children who were non-swimmers who took part. I was so proud of their achievements. One child came up to me after he had finished just half way across the pool in a non-swimmer event. He was so excited that this was the best he had ever done. He wanted to share this milestone with me. He was proud of his own achievement. He doesn't need a certificate to say he "participated" in the swimming sports. He did more than participate! He achieved a PB!!!! We high-fived!!!!

Sometimes by giving out these PC awards (Participation Certificates), we are actually belittling the personal achievements of those we think we are making feel better.

Creative and vibrant Learning Environments

Wairakei School certainly prides itself on the way we present our classrooms and other learning spaces. Each term, classes are given an area in which to display some artwork created by the children. I have enjoyed visiting the classrooms during both the motivation and the practical sessions where children have opportunity to practise their skills and then produce their final artwork to a level they are happy with.

Many different artworks are displayed and this comes from a variety of motivation tools used to encourage children in their artistic awareness. The teachers had used actual artworks, slideshows on the data projectors, tactile objects and works around the school for the motivators. What you get from this awesome planning, is awesome artwork.

Well done to all the children and all the teaching staff.

You are all absolutely brilliant!