We learnt how to drag and drop with our touchpads.

We learnt this by using the polyline and using your tōnui and tōroa fingers to drop and drag.

The challenging part was coloring the words.

A awesome tip to be successful is never give up and keep trying.

Do you know how to use your touchpad too?

Last term we completed our visual pepeha from our Ko Wai Au unit. We focused on learning the school pepeha, then in our Visual art pepeha we drew the maunga, awa, waka, marae and iwi. The tamariki worked hard to complete their art work and Whaea Paula helped a few with theirs.

Last week we completed some Candy Shoe Art after reading a book called Mrs Grindys shoes. Mrs Grindy wanted new shoes, but after trying on lots of shoes she decided she liked her old shoes best!

This week, Richard from the Regional Council came and worked with the Junior tamariki to support our Kaupapa for the term of “Whenua”. He talked to the tamariki about the bugs we have here in Aotearoa.  An interesting fact we found out was that there are more types of Moths than Butterflies!

The task for the day was to build a “Home for a bug” using giant bamboo stems, leaves. sawdust, sticks and bark. The tamariki had to gather all the materials from around the school grounds first.

We then filled the bamboo stems with what we had gathered.

After we finished building the small homes for the bugs we put the bamboo “homes” in a safe place in the school grounds. We hope the bugs love their new homes!

What a privilege it was to close out our ANZAC Day mini-unit this week! We were honoured to welcome Whaea Colleen into our classroom, and she brought with her a treasure trove of history that turned our lesson into a living, breathing experience.

She came to share the story of her Uncle Jack, a brave young man who served on a Lancaster Bomber crew during World War II. While we’ve read books and watched videos about the war, nothing quite compares to hearing a personal family kōrero (story).

to

History in Our Hands

Whaea Colleen didn’t just bring stories; she brought the physical evidence of Uncle Jack’s journey. The children were absolutely spellbound as she laid out:

• Black and White Photographs: Seeing the young faces of the crew standing beside the massive Lancaster planes.

• Service Medals: Shiny but heavy with history, these gave the students a real sense of the “honour” we often talk about.

• Letters and Telegrams: Reading the handwritten words sent across the world helped the children realise that these soldiers were sons, brothers, and uncles just like their own family members.

“The children were fascinated. You could have heard a pin drop as they looked at the delicate paper of the telegrams and the intricate details on the medals.”

Connecting the Past to the Present

This visit was the perfect way to wrap up our learning. It helped the students move beyond just “dates and facts” to understand the human side of ANZAC Day. They learned about the courage it took to fly through the night skies and the resilience of the families waiting for news back home.

A massive tēnā koe to Whaea Colleen for her generosity. Sharing these precious family artifacts allowed our tamariki to connect with history in a way they will never forget.



We have been learning about kōrero of our own maunga.

What you can see is our fact posters that share kōrero about our maunga.

We created this using Canva.

I am proud of my mahi because I learn’t awesome things about my maunga.

Something I found challenging was finding true and accurate facts about my maunga.

Something I learn’t was how my maunga got its name.

My tips about Canva is to use an existing template for your poster.

Do you know your maunga and how it got its name?

WALT use a speech bubble

Room 8 read a fantastic story called ‘Gigantic,’ by Rob Biddulph. Gigantic is a young small whale. One day his big brother Titan gets stuck in the shallow water. We imagined if we were Gigantic what would we say to Titan, to make him feel safe.

What would you say in your speech bubble?

Here is the story

We read the book about Hound the Detective. He followed clues and came to his very own surprise birthday (Ra Whãnau).

We wrote our own story where a character had to follow a map. We had to use bossy verbs like sprint quickly. We had to describe the objects, ‘Jump over the pointy tree’.

We made our own maps. We had to record using good expression. We had to make sure we didn’t go too slow or two fast.

What did we do well with our work? Have a look.  (Some maps are still getting finsished)

Taika’s Map

Ava’s Map

Ky-Mani

L.J.

Mila

Te Arepa

Weighing Feijoas

Here are the tamariki from Room 8 describing what they did:-

• We went to Room 2 and asked, who wants feijoas? There were 11 orders.
• We weighed feijoas with scales.
• We wrote their name on the bag and ticked off their order.
• Weighing is how heavy something is.
• We weighed 1kg of feijoas for each order. Each time we weighed it was approximately 1kg.
• We know that 1000 grams is equal to 1kg (kilogram).
• Room 2 said “Thank you.”
• We all took take home 1kg of feijoas.

Do you like eating feijoas?

Have you ever needed to weigh something?

What did you weigh?

        Preparing to weigh                                                                                                                    Delivering 

Checking the weight

Using the O.R.E.O resource in class to help structure persuasive writing has been beneficial, not to mention fun for the tauira in our kopa. Our class have had many laughs, arguments, disagreements and change of hearts during classtime, all of which has led to some great writing.

Last week, our kopa had the incredible privilege of visiting Te Hono – New Plymouth Airport, not to catch a flight, but to deepen our connection to the land beneath our feet. This trip served as the “living classroom” for our term-long inquiry into local history and identity.

While many see an airport as a place of departures and arrivals, for us, it became a storytelling hub. We gathered to hear the Te Atiawa creation story, told in the very place where the architecture and design intentionally reflect the heritage of our iwi.

Bringing Inquiry to Life

This term, we have been exploring the origins of our community and the significance of the landscape. Standing within Te Hono allowed our ākonga (learners) to see how those stories aren’t just found in books—they are carved into walls, woven into patterns, and embedded in the names of our landmarks.

From the Classroom to the World

It was a joy to watch the “lightbulb moments” happen as students recognised symbols and names we had discussed in class. This experience has provided a wealth of foundation for our final inquiry projects, as students now have a personal connection to the history of the whenua.

Miromiro recommends visiting the Len Lye Centre and the Puke Ariki ‘Rescue’ exhibition. We had a fabulous time learning and creating there.  We hope you enjoy reading our writing!

We had the best time on our trip to Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre, we all enjoyed making our own creations. When we got back to school we took photos and also named them.

Thank you to Matua Chris for such an engaging and fun experience.  

Noticing and Investigating is a key practice in the art of inquiry. Over recent weeks, I have focused on Rangaranga Reo ā Tā in my kopa. I have noticed that tamariki are becoming more confident in recognizing syllables and sounds. Many are successfully segmenting and blending words, which is supporting their reading and writing skills.

Through careful observation and reflection, I have considered how my teaching strategies influence these outcomes. Sharing these insights with other kaiako has helped me gain new perspectives on supporting my tamariki more effectively. By approaching teaching with an inquiry stance, I can better understand each tauira’s needs and adjust my practice to strengthen their learning in te reo Māori.

Structured rangaranga reo a tā sessions, combined with noticing and investigating, not only strengthen phonological awareness but also build collaboration, problem-solving skills, and pride in learning te reo Māori. Next, I plan to integrate more playful, hands-on activities that link rangaranga reo a tā to storytelling and shared writing experiences.

We are learning how to read these sounds when we see them in words, for example, zz in buzz, x in fox, tch in catch, ll in ball and seagull and ff in daffodil, stuff and cuff. What words can you tell us that have these sounds?

We made litle movies with Whaea Fi to show you how to care for your ipad. Do you have another way we should care for our Ipads? This is the first time this year we have lal recorded our voices. Do we have clear voices?

Reflections on a Vibrant Start to 2026

We welcome 2026 with open arms, embracing a year full of opportunity and inspiration as we greet our new Tau 3 (Year 3) students within Te Mātā Puawaitanga. While the start of a new year can feel daunting—and I certainly felt those “what if” nerves initially—the first week of kura has been incredibly grounding. Seeing my Tau 3 learners become comfortable and familiar with their surroundings has truly set my mind at ease.

Embracing Our Diverse Dynamics

To be honest, my classroom is a beautiful tapestry of different dynamics. Within our group of 22, we have a wide range of needs and strengths across Year 3 to 6:

• Learning Profiles: From beginner writers and readers to tech-savvy and creative tamariki.

• Neurodiversity & Well-being: Including Takiwātanga, high-energy learners, and those navigating trauma or regulation challenges.

• Cultural & Social Breadth: A mix of confident and shy students, including both fluent Te Reo Māori speakers and those just beginning their language journey.

While this variety might seem complex, as their Kaiako, I see it as my mission to ensure every learner thrives. We may work in a small space, but we make it work uniquely for us.

Success Through Tuakana-Teina

Reflecting on last year’s PGC—which focused on digital akoranga for Tau 3 and developing our tuakana as role models—I am thrilled to see that preparation bear fruit. It has been amazing to watch the nerves settle as my older students successfully guide their teina through their digital learning. Seeing our kopa thrive in this area has been a highlight of the year so far.

What is actually happening for my students right now? How is my teaching impacting their learning?

Pāngarau (Mathematics)

I am continuously evolving my approach to teaching tamariki, moving away from traditional rote learning toward a strategy-based framework. While I have historically prioritised strategy over memorisation, I have listened closely to the needs of our whānau and tamariki. Through the support of my fellow kaiako, I have adapted my habits to better support those students eager to master their times tables and more.

We have successfully integrated Numicon into our lessons; however, I plan to revisit this rautaki (strategy) as we begin to align our practice with the Te Marautanga o Aotearoa refresh. Currently, I am utilising our new rotation system to provide targeted one-on-one and small-group support. By focusing on specific learning gaps rather than a rigid lesson plan, I aim to raise our achievement levels and begin scaffolding learning through more structured programs. It is heartening to see our tamariki driving their own learning: our tuakana are exploring whakarea (multiplication) and the relationship between operations, while our teina are focused on tātau māwhiti (skip counting) and strategies for tāpiritanga (addition) and tangohanga (subtraction).

Rangaranga Reo ā Tā (Structured Literacy)

2026 marks our first year implementing Structured Literacy. The Rangaranga Reo ā Tā handbook has proven to be an invaluable, convenient resource, providing scaffolded lessons that cater to the diverse needs within my kopa—ranging from Tūārere 1 to Tūārere 2.

Although we are only five weeks into this journey, we are already seeing encouraging progress. Our tauira are becoming more confident using kūoro charts to build words, and their understanding of oropuare roa (long vowels) and tohutō (macrons) is strengthening. My goal remains to build a solid foundation in pānui (reading) and tuhituhi (writing) for my teina. I look forward to further professional development with Whaea Deleraine to refine these skills throughout the year.

Huringa Rōpū (Rotations)

Reflecting on my teaching journey, I have traditionally favored a highly structured, “micro-managed” approach to rotations, where I pre-planned every activity for my students. However, after collaborative reflections with my colleagues, I have shifted toward a more fluid model to better support student agency.

I have moved from a teacher-led system to a free-flowing rotation of 6–7 activities where students choose their tasks in 10-minute intervals. This shift has been particularly beneficial for my tamaiti takiwātanga (student with autism), who thrives with consistent stimuli, as well as my teina, who benefit from exploring their environment. This transition has empowered my tamariki to become the drivers of their own learning and has freed me to provide intensive, specialised support to individuals and small groups. In my years of teaching, this has proven to be the most effective strategy for fostering independence and engagement.

Rāmere 06 o Poutu-te-Rangi 2026 (06.03.2026) i tū te pōwhiri mō Te Kāhui Maunga Kapa Haka ā-Rohe ki runga o Te Whaitaranui a Wharematangi ki te kimi i tōna Matua i a Ngarue (Waitara, Waitara Bears League Fields) mō te wā tuatahi o tēnei whakataetae ā-rohe. He rā hei mau pupuru ki ngā raumahara o ā tātou nei raukura.

On the Friday 6th of March 2026, Whaitara held Te Kāhui Maunga Kapa Haka ā-Rohe for the first time in history. We (Te Mātā Puawaitanga) were very fortunate to have been invited to join such an amazing experience for our hāpori as we stood proud to welcome on Taranaki and Wanganui onto our whenua.

This kapa haka competition is a qualifying year for our adult groups to get to Te Matatini 2027 held in Waikato, Hopuhopu where the qualifying teams will face many other teams across the country including Australia groups.

Our local rōpū, Ngā Purapura o Te Tai’auāuru invited all local kura of Waitara to join in Powhiri proceedings as haukainga where we came together to learn our haka pōwhiri ready for this day. This is a first time experience for all our tamariki of Puawaitanga so it is definitely one to remember. Many of our kaihaka in Ngā Purapura were also students of Waitara East and the surrounding Waitara Schools. Infact, The current Kaitātaki Wahine of the mōtu (country), Aroha B.P was a student of Waitara East and so was the current 3rd place Kaitātaki tāne of our rohe, Matthew T.R which has since been great role models and inspiration for our tamariki mokopuna. Ngā Purapura o te Tai’auāuru are the champions of 2026 regional kapa haka competition who will be representing us all at Te Matatini ki Waikato in 2027.

Many of our whānau had also taken the stage this particular competition and done so well, me mihi ka tika ki koutou katoa ā tātou rangatira.

Although, the day was a scorcher, our tamariki were able to walk away with their heads held high with so much pride. Yes they were tired after the pōwhiri as it took 3 hours, however, they were inspired by their tuakana and still talk about the pōwhiri. Some of our tamariki hope to one day be in Ngā Purapura which is an inspiring goal.

We congratulate our pakeke rōpū Ngā Purapura and our many kapa rōpū who stood xxxx

Mauri tū, mauri ora ki tātou katoa.