Core Teaching Beliefs

Our teaching beliefs are symbolised by the koru which represents growth and harmony across the eight year groups. They provide a common language of expectations for the teaching staff on our pathway to achieve our Vision, Mission and Values.

Students as strategic leaders

Students will be clear about:

  • What they are learning and why

  • How they will achieve their learning

  • What the learning might look like

  • How well they have achieved the learning (self assessment)

  • Students will self evaluate and self regulate their learning by reflecting on their current achievement and progress to determine their next learning steps

Teachers to provide challenging, rich curriculum experiences to inspire an enjoyment of learning

When planning, teachers will make connections through:

  • Making relevant choices by using student interests and prior knowledge

  • Linking experiences to reflect the community and its heritage

  • Learning areas – challenging and motivating with opportunities to develop gifts and talents

  • Ability grouping

  • Clarity about the learning

Teachers to support students achieve their personal best

Teachers will develop quality reciprocal relationships and challenging programmes through:

  • Knowledge of the students

  • Building a positive classroom through humour, positive attitudes and high expectations

  • Goal setting

  • Scaffolding and modelling the learning

  • Coaching and feedback

  • Encouraging reflective discussion & questioning

  • Experiential learning

  • Bridging programme to New Entrant Level – Developing readiness for learning to achieve learning success for all

Teachers to develop focused classrooms environments

Using our values, teachers will create classroom environments with clear expectations that:

  • Support, reinforce and inform

  • Celebrate student learning and creativity

  • Are stimulating and challenging

  • Are safe and promote risk taking

Teachers regard themselves as learners in a learning community

Teachers will seek continuous improvement through:

  • Ongoing professional development linked to an effective professional appraisal programme

  • Collegial sharing of best practice

Hukerenui School provides inclusive learning opportunities for students who have special needs

  • Teachers will provide inclusive learning experiences for all students

  • Teachers actively seek the expertise of the RTLB and Special Education staff to ensure that IEP’s include all specialist support needed to enhance student achievement

Hukerenui School provides hands on authentic learning opportunities for all students. A group of students have developed and all students now use their land resource effectively for education and enterprise

Teachers integrate hands on learning through developing units of learning on the:

  • lavender plantation

  • orchard

  • native bush

  • bees in our hive

  • alpacas in our paddock

  • planting maize: trial site at school and leasing 5 + 2 hectares

  • planting a vegetable garden

  • creating compost through learning of soil science

  • yearly enterprise market

Hukerenui School will continue to find ways to increase their ICT equipment to support 21st century learning

Teachers develop skills to provide integrated E-learning opportunities for all students through:

  • ongoing Professional Development

  • knowledge of use of equipment available in school

  • develop skills to use website to the benefit of student learning

  • Teachers will develop reasonable technical ICT skills in order to troubleshoot minor problems with equipment

  • Hukerenui School will develop implementation of Digital Technologies from 2020