Tena Koutou

Happy Easter everyone! Don't forget that there is NO SCHOOL on Tuesday; however the teachers are coming in to have a planning day to discuss our Term Two concepts.

Today we looked at healthier food options, and the children tried many different combinations of sandwiches and wraps. We also had some good old jam sandwiches so the children could see how easy it is to make a sandwich themselves. Many tried tomato relish and salami for the first time, and plain cheese sandwiches were popular also. One child had never eaten salad, so it was definitely a day of firsts for many!

Sadly we said farewell to Mrs Devi this afternoon. I know she is sad to say goodbye, but she has promised to pop in again from time to time.

Swimming is also over for the term. We will swim again in late Term Four.

Have a safe a relaxing Easter Break. See you again on the 30th March.

Kia ora! 

We have had another busy and creative week in Room 14. A highlight for me would have to be reading the children's writing about 'The Day There Were No Teachers'...one child was sad, many were nervous, and a few were happy - REALLY??? Come in and read the recounts for yourself, and see what they would get up to if there really were no teachers... 

On another note, it is hard to believe we are in the closing weeks of the term. You may have heard that our art festival has been postponed until term three; this is positive as it gives us the opportunity to build our skills during the next term and a bit...I would love to try some modelling with the children, and to be able to experiment before presenting our final pieces. 

Sadly, Mrs Devi will have her last week with us next week. I know we all (students, parents, and the Target Rd community) have contributed positively towards her journey to become a New Zealand registered teacher. I know she would appreciate any positive affirmations, so here is mine! I have felt comfortable with you in the driving seat of Room 14. You have connected with us, and shared with us important aspects of what 'Identity' actually means. Thank you Mrs Devi, for your dedication to the learning in Room 14.

I hope to see you all tomorrow (19th March) at the Railway Gala. Look out for Mr and Mrs Marsh rocking the Sausage Sizzle!

Thought for the week:  Always remember you’re unique — just like everyone else :) 

Lenny showing off his floating skills

Look! Lenny has learned to float too! The Learn 2 Swim programme has proved to be a great success. ALL of the children are now confident in the water, and almost all of them can now float confidently too; many of them are able to zoom up and down the pool on their tummy or on their back using a flutter board.  I am so proud of how far they have come in just a few lessons! Sadly Monday is our last formal lesson; although we will keep on practising our new skills on a daily basis.

The children have been writing about their swimming lessons, and many are able to articulate why it is important to feel confident in the water, and why floating is an important skill to have.

Mrs Devi has two more weeks with us in Room 14. She is an asset to our classroom, and together we have been working on consolidating number knowledge in mathematics; especially skip counting forwards and backwards in 2's, 5's, and 10's - ask your child to demonstrate this to you :)

I look forward to seeing you next Saturday for our Mini Gala. Mr Marsh and I will be running the sausage sizzle stand - yum yum yum!

Have a great weekend

Alicia Marsh and Razmi Devi

Making scenes using our toys for writing

On Thursday the children used toys, playdoh, and other 'found' objects to create a scene to write about. They worked in groups, and I must say how proud I am with the camaraderie they have been displaying recently.

This afternoon we painted the backgrounds for our Fantastic Mr Fox painting - I am sure most of you will have heard about this book we having been sharing. The paintings are going towards our Art Auction during the last week of term - this is why you won't see them on display! We are now reading George's Marvelous Medicine, and I know the adults who are at school a early to pick up their child enjoy listening as much as the children do!

Mrs Devi has had a great week in full control. We are lucky to have another teacher in the room at all times to support us with our class learning programme; however Mrs Devi is especially talented with taking literacy and numeracy groups. She will be with us until the end of Week 8.

The excitement is building around our Mini Gala - keep an eye out for Mr Marsh and I selling sausages at the sausage sizzle stand!

Have a great weekend

Alicia Marsh