Western News: September 24, 2020

8 Thursday September 24 2020
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
WESTERN NEWS
September 2020
Commitment,
Achievement,
Resilience,
Respect
New skills
required for
the 21st
century
Kia ora koutou. Talofa. Kia Orana. Malo e lelei. Bula.
Fakaalofa atu. Namaste. Kumusta. Haere mai haere mai ki
Te Kura Huruhuru Ao o Horomaka. Warm greetings to the
Hornby High School community.
Educators keep talking about creating an education system
for the 21st century. Odd when you think of it because we
are already 20 per cent of the way through the century.
At a Canterbury secondary principals’ meeting last week I
was reminded of this with a presentation from the CEO of
ChristchurchNZ in which we were presented with data on the
Christchurch economy, and in particular what employers are
looking for in employees if they are to create the agile and
productive economy that will be the base for our collective
prosperity. This survey repeated things we have been told for
the past 20 years, that it is not specific subject skills like those
presented in economics (my own subject), or maths, or history,
or whatever, that employers are looking for.
They are looking for employees who can collaborate (work
with others in teams), who can communicate, who can think
creatively and critically.
This is a huge affirmation of the changes we are making at
Hornby High School (for junior students at the moment). We
are putting more time and effort into what we call the “front
end of the curriculum”. This is the part of the curriculum that
emphasises the skills of thinking, of collaboration, the skills we
call the five key competencies: thinking, managing self, relating
to others, communicating with language, symbols and text, and
participating and contributing.
The foundation of our junior curriculum is the development
of these key competencies which have been at the centre
of the New Zealand curriculum for more than 15 years. We
have built into the learning day time that we call “wānanga”,
time in which relationships are key, and in which those key
competencies are both implicitly and explicitly developed
and taught. We are already seeing the benefits of this for
our students. They are increasingly well engaged with their
learning, their focus continues to grow – from an already
high base, I might add. This will provide an ever better base
for those senior years of study, years in which students are
equipped for the rigours of senior study, and the demands
of that essential post-secondary school preparation for
employment and life. This is perhaps the most important part
of “education for the 21st century”. Join us in this journey.
Jayden, Year 8
Ngā mihi nui
Robin Sutton
Tumuaki
Hair-raising fundraiser
On Wednesday,
September 9, Hornby
High School staff and
students supported
“Wig Wednesday”,
raising $470.10 to
support Kiwi
kids with
cancer.
Left: Miss
Keene and
Mrs Beer.
Right: Deputy
Principal Mr
Goodfellow.
Mr Stock, Mrs Allan-Fletcher and Miss Aitken.
Alex, Year 10
Volunteers help planting project
The Graeme Dingle Foundation’s
Stars-opoly is all about exploring
opportunities in the school and
community, and learning about
community-based organisations. It
aims to connect young people with
their community by giving them
opportunities to explore resources
and support through interviews and
challenges.
Groups have two hours to complete a
series of challenges across a Monopolystyle
board, designed to simulate their
school journey and connections with
their community.
By questioning organisations, students
are able to define Turangawaewae – “a
place to stand my feet” – and where
they stand in it.
The organisations involved were: Surf
Lifesaving, Family Planning, Volunteer
Canterbury, NZ Police, NZ Fire &
Emergency, Keep Canterbury Beautiful,
St John, YMCA, Christchurch City
Council Regional Parks, Graeme Dingle
What a stunning day we had on
Thursday, September 3, planting
trees with Christchurch City
Council for our Hornby High
School Stars
Community
Project!
More than
50 ākonga
volunteered
their time
and energy
to help
re-vegetate
parts of the
Broken River
Run in Wigram.
Community projects
teach our rangatahi the importance of
positive citizenship and giving back. They
also learn valuable skills such as team
Foundation, and Jude Howie from
Hornby High School.
Participating organisations create and
strengthen links with the school and
have opportunities to get to know our
students and how they can work with
them.
Stars is a 12-month interactive
programme that supports, motivates,
work, caring for the land, and how to use a
garden spade!
Many thanks to park rangers Heidi and
Yvette for your guidance, and Sanitarium
Health Food Company NZ for the
sustenance needed to get the job done!
Stars-opoly boosts community links
and reinforces Year 9 students during
their first year at high school.
The Graeme Dingle Foundation aims
to inspire all school-age New Zealand
children to reach their full potential
through programmes that build selfesteem,
promote good values, and
teach valuable life, education and
health skills.
Students explore leadership roles at camp
Every year, Year 13 students, whether
they like it or not, act as role models for
the junior students and are ‘asked’ by
staff to step up into senior student roles
around the school.
Students are often unsure about what
it means to be a role model. Are they
ready to ‘Step Up’ or are they more
comfortable in a supporting role – a
leader is only as effective as the people
who are supporting them.
The aim of the
Next Steps Camp
is to provide
senior students
with a chance to
experience what
it is to be a leader/
role model and
also experience
different styles of
leadership.
Staff are able to
observe those at
camp and will be
able to make a
better informed
choice, from those
who attend camp,
as to what role they
could fill as senior
student leaders/role models.
From the moment the campers assemble
at school the challenges begin, all
Students working their way around the Stars-opoly board.
designed to get them working
together as teams using the
skills they have.
They begin with some puzzles
based at school before using
bus money to get themselves
to camp at Blue Skies in
Kaiapoi. Along the way they
need to find certain locations
and answer questions. They
need to arrive at camp by
a particular time with as
many questions answered as
possible and with change and
receipts that tally up.
Once at camp groups are mixed for each
different activity, showing how you can
work with anybody and that we all have
skills to help with the challenges faced.
Boundaries are pushed and limits found,
all useful things to know for the future,
both at school and beyond.
A highlight of camp is bonfire night.
The impromptu one-minute speeches
provide entertainment for all.
Students continue to be observed back
at school, are they still using the skills
learnt on camp as we begin the process
of choosing our future leaders.
Regardless of what leadership role
or support role they have at school
and beyond, the camp provides a firm
foundation from which the students can
start.