Week 6 - Term 2 - 2024

 He pai ake te iti i te kore

A little is better than none.

Week 6 3 Pipiri - 7 Pipiri  King's Birthday - Mon 3 Environment Week Year 10 Drama Workshop - All Day Tues 4 Estimated Credits due - Wed 5 LEF Grades due - Wed 5 Non-uniform day - Thurs 6 Manu Kōrero - Thurs 6 - Fri 7 Canterbury Cross Country - Thurs 6 Big Sing - Fri 7 Rockquest finals - Sat 8	Week 7 10 Pipiri - 14 Pipiri  Chamber Music Competition - Tues 11 - Thurs 13 German - UC Immersion Day - Wed 12 New Course Proposals due to BLS - Wed 12 GEO201 Urban Fieldtrip - Thurs 13 International Student Fieldtrip to Willowbank - Thurs 13 Door Competition Ends - Fri 14 Year 12 Formal - Sat 15
Assembly -  Mon - None Wed - Manaakitanga - Environment Week	Assembly -  Mon - Year 9 - PAC Year 12 - Gym Wed - Door winners announced!
Meeting  Mon:  Nil Tues: Learning Area Thurs: Nil	Meeting  Mon:  Nil Tues: Staff Thurs: PCT

Information for Staff:

1. Food for thought, recently I listened to a talk from a leader at a Christchurch school around how a number of teachers have trialed the use of Microsoft co-pilot as part of their teaching and learning program. Remember that co-pilot has commercial data protection, so that anything fed into the prompt is private to CGHS and our domain.

The first example was in a Year 13 class, where students are often asked to read quite complex articles.....

Students reported that by using the tool, it helped them to understand more complex articles, they progressed faster through the standard and better results reflected a better understanding of the task by the students.

The second trial was with a Year 11 English class asking for targeted feedback on writing.

The prompt was "Act as a friendly and encouraging writing tutor for a 15 year-old New Zealand student preparing for NCEA Achievement Standard 91926. First, prompt me for a piece of creative writing, and give me feedback on how to improve. Please provide me with feedback on the style and accuracy of my writing to help me improve how I write independently. Don't just rewrite things for me."

The third was to have co-pilot as one of the stakeholders who was giving feedback on a draft brief.

Always interesting to see what other schools are doing, and think about how a small target change can help student outcomes and grow AI literacy across the school.

2. How can pedagogy catch up to AI?

Week 5 - Term 2 - 2024

 

Kia whakatōmuri te haere whakamua

I walk backwards into the future with my eyes fixed on my past.

Week 5 27 Haratua - 31 Haratua Samoan Language Week BIO301 Field trip to Wainui - various classes out throughout the week. Otago University Open Day - Mon 27 Attitude Presentations - Different year levels - Tues 28th P1 - Year 11 p2 - Year 12 p3 - Year 9 p4 - Year 13 p5 - Year 10 CGHS/CBHS Production - Wed 29 - Sat 1 9ZOO FT to Orana Park - Thurs 30 TOD Accord Day - Fri 31	Week 6 3 Pipiri - 7 Pipiri  King's Birthday - Mon 3 Environment Week Year 10 Drama Workshop - All Day Tues 4 Estimated Credits due - Wed 5 LEF Grades due - Wed 5 Non-uniform day - Wed 5 Manu Kōrero - Thurs 6 - Fri 7 Canterbury Cross Country - Thurs 6 Big Sing - Fri 7 Rockquest finals - Sat 8
Assembly -  Mon - Year 11 - Gym Wed - Aroha - Service	Assembly -  Mon - None Wed - Manaakitanga - Environment Week
Meeting  Mon:  Nil Tues: Learning Area Thurs: PCT	Meeting  Mon:  Nil Tues: Learning Area Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff:

1. For your professional learning this week - you may be interested in listening to this podcast about the 'Science of Learning'. : https://thecurbsiders.com/teach-podcast/34-science-of-learning-with-dr-cindy-nebel

2. Something to think about - it is believed that 90% of Ad content will be created by generative AI by 2025. Worthwhile watching 'The Code' - put together by Dove.

Week 4 - Term 2 - 2024

 Kei ōu ringaringa te ao

The world is yours.

Week 4 20 Haratua - 24 Haratua Open Day - Tues 21 Late Start PLD - Wed 22 (school starts at 9.20) LEF's due - Wed 22 Numeracy CAA - Fri 24 (p1 &2) Rockquest heats - Fri 24 - Sat 25	Week 5 27 Haratua - 31 Haratua BIO301 Field trip to Wainui - various classes out throughout the week. Otago University Open Day - Mon 27 Attitude Presentations - Different year levels - Tues 28th P1 - Year 11 p2 - Year 12 p3 - Year 9 p4 - Year 13 p5 - Year 10 CGHS/CBHS Production - Wed 29 - Sat 1 TOD Accord Day - Fri 31
Assembly -  Mon - Year 10 - PAC Year 13 - Gym Wed - House Assembly	Assembly -  Mon - Year 11 - Gym Wed - Aroha - Service
Meeting  Mon:  Nil Tues: Learning Area Thurs: Nil	Meeting  Mon:  Nil Tues: Learning Area Thurs: PCT

Information for Staff:

1. Thank you to the Science Department for leading the karakia for the rest of the term.

The phrase is: Kia takina te karakia - the link to the sound bite can be found HERE.

2. With the latest release around a possible change to the direction of our curriculum to one that is knowledge focused rather than skills based. You may be interested in reading this report that has come out of Australia - "A knowledge-rich approach to curriculum design"

You may be interested in the following clip from Melissa Derby on 'The purpose of education'.

Week 3 - Term 2 - 2024

 I orea te tuatara ka puta ki waho

A problem is solved by continuing to find solutions

Week 3 13 Haratua - 17 Haratua 9WMA & 9OXA Acland Fieldtrip - Mon 13 Building evac prac - p5 Mon 13 Discover Forestry visit - Mon 13 Athletics Canterbury Road Race - Tues 14 NCEA Parents Evening - Tues 14 Camp America Talk - Wed 15 Otago Junior Maths Comp - Wed 15 Junior Drama Production - Thurs 16 @ 6pm Paid Union Meeting 9 - 11am, school starts at 11.40am - Thurs 16 Theatre in Ed p1 (all year 9) and p2 (all year 10) Year 13 Formal - Sat 18	Week 4 20 Haratua - 24 Haratua Open Day - Tues 21 Late Start PLD - Wed 22 Numeracy CAA - Fri 24 (p1 &2) Rockquest heats - Fri 24 - Sat 25
Assembly -  Mon - Year 9 GYM Wed - Prefects	Assembly -  Mon - Year 10 - PAC Year 13 - Gym Wed - House Assembly
Meeting  Mon:  TWH Tues: Staff Thurs: Nil	Meeting  Mon:  Nil Tues: Learning Area Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff:

1. The Science of Learning

One of the Minister's newly-announced priorities for the sector is around 'establishing a knowledge-rich curriculum grounded in the science of learning'. The science of learning phrase, is an umbrella term for a large body of research mostly concerned with promoting student recall of information that they are learning.

You may be interested in the following quick links to find out more:

• Summary video of the essential aspects of the Science of Learning from Columbia University's online course 'The Science of Learning and Effective Teaching Strategies'. [Link]
• Science of Learning infographic summary and podcast on six tips educators can use to improve retention and understanding of content in students. [Link]
• The Education Hub also has a good summary and links to resources that may be of interest.

Week 2 - Term 2 - 2024

 He Totara wahi rua he kai nā te ahi

A tōtara split in two is food for the fire: unity in strength

Week 2 6 Haratua - 10 Haratua Otago University Visit for Yr 12 - Mon 6 13ENL Fieldtrip to Turanga - Tues 7 Cross Country - p3 & 4 - Tues 7 Year 12 & 13 Careers Evening @ CGHS - Tues 7 GEO301 Fieldtrip to Franz Josef - Wed 8 - Fri 10 LEF Grades due - Wed 8 Careers Expo Wolfbrook Arena - Thurs 9 - Sat 11 Music Concert 6.00pm in PAC - Thurs 9 Enviro group Clean up - Thurs 9	Week 3 13 Haratua - 17 Haratua 9WMA & 9OXA Acland Fieldtrip - Mon 13 Building evac prac - p5 Mon 13 Discover Forestry visit - Mon 13 Athletics Canterbury Road Race - Tues 14 NCEA Parents Evening - Tues 14 Camp America Talk - Wed 15 Otago Junior Maths Comp - Wed 15 Junior Drama Production - Thurs 16 @ 6pm Paid Union Meeting 9 - 11am, school starts at 11.40am - Thurs 16 Theatre in Ed p1 (all year 9) and p2 (all year 10) Year 13 Formal - Sat 18
Assembly -  Mon - Year 11 & 12 Values Assembly - GYM Wed - Sports/SADD	Assembly -  Mon - Year 9 GYM Wed - Prefects
Meeting  Mon:  Teaching and Learning Tues: Learning Area Thurs: PCT	Meeting  Mon:  TWH Tues: Staff Thurs: Nil

Information for Staff:

1. For some professional learning, you may be interested in listening to 'Up to Speed with Te reo Māori.' This is a series of short podcasts hosted by Stacey Morrison. Each podcast is no longer than 10 minutes and focuses on a different area such as Pepeha, kai, sports, and the weather. At the recent symposium she outlined how the 'mana, status and usage of te reo Māori has increased in mainstream media' and that we don't want to leave people behind. So this is a easy way to practice and learn your own te reo and help your understanding.

2. Our next PLD late start is on Wed 22 May - period 1. School will start period 2 that day. We continue with the same groups that you were assigned to last time as these align with our strategic goals for 2024. If you would like to change your group or discuss an alternative possibility please come and see me (BLS).

A reminder that the groups are:

1. Culturally Responsive Practice
2. House Spirit/Culture
3. Literacy across the junior school
4. Numeracy across the school
5. Restorative
6. Teacher Profile