Week 8 NEWSLETTER

From the Principal

The TED talk is quite awesome to watch (pretty funny also if you like British humour) and contains some powerful messages...one being that “children are not frightened of being wrong” when they are young. Ask most teenagers before a big assessment (or think back to your own schooling…) and I’m not sure the statement is still true. Why is that? What happens across the early part of their education to change this?

Children enter schooling extremely creative, we know this and see this as parents when our young people play highly imaginative and creative games, when they pretend a stick is a sword and do battle with a dragon, when they are building structures from blocks, or when they play dressups. The graph above is from a study of creative (divergent) thinking and it clearly shows that over time we lose this ability to be creative, Sir Ken would say that we educate it out of children.

Children get very good at playing ‘the game’ of school and when the system rewards those the most who can do reading, writing and maths well...that becomes the game. The system is geared towards academic success as being the most important job of school and academic success being limited to a handful of subjects. As Sir Ken puts it the ultimate success of education is to produce a University Professor, top of the order are those who excel in mathematics and languages, followed by the humanities with arts at the bottom. Not to put down University Professors (you guys are awesome also), but is that really what we want from an education system...a method of selecting the next professor by whittling away people as they progress through primary, secondary, then tertiary learning? What the system does is reward those who can play the game well in those ‘important’ subjects, but dis-engage those who do not excel and potentially doesn’t recognise their unique talents (whatever they may be...all people have innate talent). The problem is then, according to Sir Ken, that many brilliant, highly talented, creative, intelligent people think that they are not, because their skill/talents aren’t as recognised.

Here at DPS we have a growing focus on creativity, to help keep that ability alive in our learners. It is one of our 4 Core Beliefs (alongside Agency, Critical Thinking and Collaboration). We believe that this capability is important and that it can be taught. We try to give opportunities for creativity, perhaps best seen in the play-based learning environments of Rimu and Kowhai. When not with a teacher for reading, writing and maths (these things are still important!) children are free to engage in play, to be creative, to build structures, paint, balance on tyres, make forts, slay dragons etc. These creative opportunities develop a well-rounded child, someone better prepared for the future.

Cultural Evening

An awesome spectacle last Thursday night in the DPS Hall. Packed to the brim with whānau, our performers had an amazing crowd. Once again all the groups & individuals did themselves proud...it was an amazing show. We speak a lot to the children about failing, resilience, taking risks etc. and performing in front of a crowd really captures that DPS Kid in action. To learn any kind of musical instrument is a lesson in failing. I know firsthand, getting my first guitar...thinking I was going to sound like Jimi Hendrix...instead making such a racket my parents asked me to practice in the garage! It isn’t an easy process, but we have young stars amongst us now. Young Maceo even performed his own original song, using a loop station to be his own backing band, thats not an easy thing to do. Loved the guitar group playing Radiohead backed by some kid singers, and Kaixin and Kaiyuan again performed a song in Mandarin.

The whole night was epic, a great example of our young people Daring to Dream. Mauria te Pono!

How early is too early?

We’ve started to notice more children arriving pretty early for school, some well before 8:00am. While we can appreciate that parents can be busy and off to work, having children here unsupervised at school does pose a risk. Teachers in the main arrive between 7:30am and 8:00am. Often before school some resource gathering, meetings, organising occurs and teachers aim to be in class by 8:15am. Until then...no adults may be present where you child is. Last year this was very noticeable when we had a false fire alarm at 8:00am, and as well as the staff evacuating a good 20 children came out of buildings as well. These children are unsupervised, which in the case of a real emergency wouldn’t be a good thing.

Here at DPS we think 8:15am - 8:30am is a good time to arrive, certainly 8:00am at the very earliest. Anything prior to that...just consider the risk.

Teacher Union Meeting Reminder: 2.00pm 28th June

Just reposting this to keep it front of mind. A bit of media coverage at the moment as the Union members consider whether they accept, or reject the offer from the Ministry. To reject means the potential of industrial action (strike). Just keeping this information prominent so no surprises can come later.

The NZEI (teachers’ union) have finished negotiating with the Ministry, and have an offer on the table for teachers to consider. The meeting is very important one with big decisions to be made about accepting or rejecting the offer. Last term I mentioned the teacher shortage (less people entering the profession, more people leaving) and that the Union isn’t just after a pay rise, they are trying to address this shortage. This offer goes some way towards that, but the collective body of teachers across NZ will need to decide what they do next. We thank you in advance for your support as we finish school early. We will send children home at 2pm (the meeting is in Carterton at 2.30pm). Thanks in advance for this.

2.00pm 28th June, Children home as teachers head to their Union Meeting

WHAT'S HAPPENING AT DPS?

Subway lunches can now be ordered on Fridays.

Order forms available in the school office, orders to be made before school. Correct money please as change not available. See below for the menu.

The following extras can be purchased with the lunches:

Mini pump water $2.90

Cookies $1.10

SPC Fruit Crushup - Strawberry $2.50

2018 Skip-a-thon - Friday 29th June

Kia Ora All

The 2018 skip-a-thon is on the iCal for Friday Wk 9. It will run from 11.30 - 12.30pm out on the turf, netball court and in front of Tui - Rm 15. If it is postponed it will be on the last Friday of this term.

Sponsorship forms and a notice will come out to kids today of tomorrow. FoDPS will be supplying each pupil with a skipping rope and these should arrive this week.

Last year we raised over $5,000, so we ask that you promote this with your kids as it is a fun and active way to raise money for them. Lots of reminders will go on the daily notices, in the newsletter and on FB.

Many thanks for your support,

FoDPS Team

writing

A selection of writing from the Rimu Syndicate

I went in a ginormous monster truck and I raced someone else. I won the trophy.

Kieran Bilton

I am terrified. I got away but the snake nearly got me. It was not sticky enough.

Jensen Ormsby

I went to the lolly shop and I had a loveheart lolly. My brother had an ice cream and my Nan gave me chocolate. Delicious.

Ruby Johnson

I saw a pirate ship and the pirates shot people. The houses are on fire. Aaaagh!

Eli Cameron-Whale

Woah! Why am I floating? I know, I am part of friendship. I am getting pony ears and pony wings and a pony tail.

Thane Warwood

The shark ate me. Munch, munch, divers for lunch.

Melchishua Torea

I am climbing the mountains. It is snowy. I like the snow because we can have snow fights.

Kingzton Thomson

COMMUNITY NEWS

July School Holidays at Masterton District Library

There are still places available for our Winter Warmers reading programme, also taking place during the July school holidays is the Maths is Funprogramme.

Maths Is Fun is free for all primary aged children. Its aim is to encourage children to have fun with numbers, increase confidence in maths, and understand how it can be is used in everyday life.

Children explore maths concepts through games and activities that can be shared at home.

Maths Is Fun is led by trained teachers and is made up of two, 2 ½ hour sessions on Monday and Tuesday for Years 1-4 and all day sessions for Years 5 – 8 on Wednesday and Thursday during the first week of the school holidays.

Jane Horsham....Children & Youth Services Librarian...Masterton District Library

janeh@library.mstn.govt.nz 06 370 6261

This tour is different...its no rush, its as much about about getting out into the countryside as it is spending time with friends in beautiful inspiring gardens and with lots of extra things at each garden for your to discover throughout your day. Your tour includes four impressive, different and beautiful garden spaces in the Wairarapa Countryside not often seen by the public. Brancepeth, Morland, Stablehouse Garden and Alderbrook. Each garden is between 5 & 15 minutes east of Masterton.

At each garden there will be delicious local and artisan food you can buy, coffee, or a tipple, refreshments and a wide range of interesting things to discover, learn or buy. Every garden will have plenty of relaxing places for you to sit and calmly enjoy your day together while sipping and nibbling on delicious treats!

Please find the link to purchase tickets or for more information below, and we look forward to seeing you.

https://www.eventfinda.co.nz/2018/a-rare-and-artisan-country-garden-tour-2018/masterton