Term 1 Newsletter 5

From the Principal

It is with mixed emotions that I write my final newsletter piece for some time!

I am grateful to our board for allowing me the opportunity to travel overseas to experience life as an educator in Saudi Arabia. My wife and I are very excited about our upcoming journey, and we leave East Auckland with many happy memories and stories to tell our new colleagues and students in Al Majma’ah.

My final day is on Thursday, and I look forward to returning in 2025 with new perspectives, skills and expertise to bring back to our roles, and I wish Dylan and Linda the best of luck in their new positions- I am also very excited about the appointment of Mrs Trish Morgan as acting Associate Principal to join the Senior Management team!

I know that although there are new people in these positions, our school is founded on how staff, students and community embody our school values and work tirelessly towards our vision of providing ‘Education with a Heart’. I have loved my 9 years as principal to this point and feel an immense sense of pride in what we have created together. I cannot wait to hear about the ongoing achievements of our school whilst I am overseas.

Ian Dickinson

New Acting Associated Principal

We congratulate Mrs Trish Morgan who has been appointed the new Acting Associate Principal to replace Mr Marshall who becomes Acting Principal for Mr Dickinson’s leave period. Mrs Morgan will initially commence the role on a part time basis until the new teacher for Room 22 commences their role in Term 2.

Titoki Team Newsletter – Affirming Feelings and Beliefs

In Room 22 of the Titoki Team, we recently embarked on an enlightening lesson with the learning intention: To describe and affirm my feelings and beliefs about myself and others. Our exploration into self-awareness and empathy was both inspiring and thought-provoking, highlighting the importance of understanding and affirming our emotions and those of people around us.

Exploring ‘Mophead’:

The lesson began with an engaging animation based on the poem ‘Mophead’, which provided a vivid window into the emotions and experiences of Selina, the protagonist. Our students were captivated by the visual and emotional journey, using post-it notes to capture words that described Selina’s facial expressions and inner thoughts. This activity served as a powerful tool for understanding the subtle cues that reveal how someone is feeling.

Identifying and Affirming Emotions:

After identifying a range of emotions and thoughts reflected in the animation, the discussion shifted towards finding the right words to affirm others’ feelings. This part of the lesson was particularly meaningful, as students learned not just to recognize emotions but also to respond to them in supportive and uplifting ways. By discussing affirming language, we emphasized the power of words in validating each other’s feelings and experiences.

Learning with Whānau – Affirming Emotions Together:

We believe that the journey of emotional literacy and affirmation extends beyond the classroom. As part of our ongoing Learning with Whānau initiative, we invite families to engage in a simple yet impactful activity at home. Together, watch a short animation or read a story that evokes emotions. Discuss the characters’ facial expressions, their inner thoughts, and the emotions they might be experiencing. Then, practice using affirming words to acknowledge these feelings. This activity not only reinforces the lesson learned in class but also strengthens emotional bonds within families.