Figure 1.--Independent schools in New Zealand as in other countries offer the advantage of more individual attention such bas this boy in Christ Church is receiving as he practices his reading skills.
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Figure 1.--Independent schools in New Zealand as in other countries offer the advantage of more individual attention such bas this boy in Christ Church is receiving as he practices his reading skills. |
Images of New Zealand schools provide a much more effective glimpse of New Zealand schools than the authors could accomplish by describing the schools. Further insights are provided through the writingings and musings of the children and their teachers. The writings coulf from a wide range of sources. They include student musings and written work, school publications and prospectuses, interviews, staff writings, and others to provide a wide range of views about the New Zealand school experience.
There are no little red school houses in New Zealand. The rural elementary schools are normally white wooden buildings. Many of the older secondaru schools show the enduring influence of the British public schools. Newer schools have the increasingly universal look of subruban one-story schools common in America and Europe. Some of the traditional preparatory and secondary schools have, like their counterparts in England, lovely grounds.
New Zealand school boys are noted for cycling to school. This has declined in recent years. Fewer young children now cycle. Some schools require them to reach Year 4 (Std 2) to ride bikes to school. All children must wear cycle helmets. It is the parent’s responsibility to make sure that the bike is in a safe condition and that the child can ride safely. The Police give cyling workshops at school to ensure saftey. Older children now also less commonly ride bikes. An increasing number now come to school in cars. Even so, cycling is still common, but they also walk, take the bus, and are driven by mum and dad. Crossing guards ensure saftey. Once at school the little ones have a bit of a job getting down to their work uniform, especially at the more formal preparatory schools.
The first day at school is always a little unsettling, but it soons settles down to a comfortable routine. New Zealland students have widely varying views on their school expeiences. This varies widely from school to school and even by children at the same school. Many students take advatage of the many opportunities offered while other can't wait until they can go home at the end of the day.
A study needs to be done of lockers at school. They are wonderful extensions of the students' personalities. Some are neat and tidy. Some are simply with the detritus of the school year. Others have clippings and photographs.
New Zealand class rooms are often brightly decorated sunny rooms. The elementary classrooms are full of interesting collections and decorations. Many teachers use considerable imagination to create an exciting, interesting classroom. The secondary classrooms are more utilitarian, in keeping with the growing maturity of the pupils. Secndary classrooms are often well equipped with specialized equipment.
The first day at school is always a little unsettling, but it soons settles down to a comfortable routine. Have a look here at the various age-level classes from new entrants to year 13. A wide variety of different learning activies are cairred out in many cases breaking with decades of tradition.
The school day is a kalidescope of behavior. The children are polite, cheeky, rude, funny, cooperative, obstinate, curious, bored, active, daydreaming, and points in between. Have a look here at some of those behaviors.
New Zealand schools deal with a wide range of subjects. Primary schools still stress the basics, but often through interesting projects to engage the children's interests. Secondary schools, especially the larger ones, have quite diverse course offerings. Have a look here to see how different subjects are being taught.
Figure 2.--These primary children and Fruitvale School have found a comfortable place to read in the library. |
Most New Zealand schools have excellent libraries. They are stocked with a wide range of reading and reference material. Even in the digital age, books on a favorite topic are a strong attraction. The elemenary school libraries often have comfortable spots to curl up and read a book.
After a morning of classes, most New Zealand students have worked up a healthy appetite. There are not many cafeterias, so the students bring a lunch or buy sandiches and sacks in well-stocked canteens. Except when the weather is bad, they sit down outside in a comfortable spot and discuss some of their favorite topics while muching on crisps--which is what chips are called in New Zealand.
Participation in extra-curricular clubs and activities is expected at many schools. Some schools use the term co-curricular activities as the activity program have been worked into the overall academic program. At many schools, sports are the most popular activities, but schools offer a wide variety of other activities. The fine arts are an especially important component of the activities offered. Students take part in musical events, annual dramatic productions, team and individual sports, as well as outdoor activities which are a special feature of school life at many schools.
The busy modern child especially appreciates his free time. This is especially true of children at boarding schools where so much of the day is tightly scheduled. Even in day school, however, children appreciate the free time at recess or lunch to relax with friends or perhaps steal a few quiet moments amid the frenzied activity of the school day.
Computers were new and exiting stuff in the 1980s when schools first started getting them and adding them to the instructional program. Students and many teachers in the 1990s have a hard time understanding how schools ever functioned without them. They are a greatvassett as the younger children look on them as toys and clever programers can build programs that educate while entertaining. Older students take a more sphphisticated approch with substantial differences between boys and girls.
Figure 3.--Sports are enormously popular in New Zealand. At breaks and lunch there re always small groups tossing balls are engaging in pivkup games. . |
New Zealanders love their sport. There are few countries in which sport is more popular than in New Zealand. Rugby of course has pride of place, but schools offer widely varried sport opportunities. Most schools have sports programs that encourage participation by as many students as possible rather than for a small number of the most talented.
Many New Zealand schools have gone to great length to accomodate students with special needs. These children are mainstreamed as much as possible, but many schools have a variety of special facilities to meet their needs. Authorities believe that both the handicapped and the other pupils will benefit from the resulting interaction. Some schools sponser sensitivity training to help their pupils understand the difficulties that handicapped children must overcome.
Students at New Zealand Schools pursue a wide range of recreational activities during their free time at school, from gameboys to skateboards. One of the most popular, of course, is chatting about that awful assignment, unfair teacher, or the cute new boy or girl.
Many schools, especilly private schools, have a school pet. Many elementary schols keep animals of all descriptions in their classrooms. Larger animals have an honored place at many rural schools on "Calf Day." Innodern New Zealand, schools have often expanded Calf Day so that non-farm children can bring their small pets to school.
Students serve in allmkind of official and informal positions. The best knmow are the head boy and/or girl. There are all kinds of other positions, sports team captain, prefects, studen council representives, tutors, violence mediators, library assistants and a variety of other less formal roles.
It is some of the individual portraits that are the most interesting photographs. It is fascinating to look at these fresh young faces and wonfer what they will become and achieve in the coming years. Some writing by the children provide some insights as to the issues and concerns which they confront.
Often some of our best and enduring friendships are made at school. It is at school that we first learn to make friends and enemies away from the careful guidance of our mums and dads. Some of these friendships will last a lifetime.
And of course the teachers. It is the teachers in the final analysis that determine the success or failure of any school. We all remember some of our teachers, usually the best ones and the worst ones. Some made indelible impressions on us, forming our characters in ways we often do not even preceive. Others are long since forgotten.
A wide variety of annual events occur at New Zealand schools. One of the most memmorable is ANZAC Day to honor the heroic deeds of Australian and New Zealand soldiers in the two world wars. Calf Day is amajor event at rural schools, showing the counties rural roots. Awards Day recognized the accomplisments of the students, often focusing heavily on athletic accomplishments.
New Zealand's largest minority group are the indigenous Maori people which represent about 15 percent of New Zealand's increasingly diverse population. The Maori used to be a rural people, but have largely moved to the principal New Zealand cities. Maori students are an important part of many New Zealand schools. The schools which once ignored the Maori language and culture, now embrace it.
Many New Zealand schools incourage programs for foreign students. There are many exchange programs for foreign students to study in New Zealand and New Zealand students to study abroad. Many foreign students also attend New Zealand schools, both private and public, on a fee paying basis. This has proven a popular option with many Asian students.
School uniforms are widely worn at New Zealand schools. Most secondary schools require uniforms, although the types and styles of uniforms vary widely. Most elementary schools do not require uniforms, but private and catholic elementary schools usually do require uniforms.
New Zealand students participate in a wide variety of non-atheletic competitions. New Zealand schools offer a very extensive range of cultural, sporting, and social activities in which students can participate. Excellent facilities exist to support these activities. Participation in these extra-curricular clubs and activities is expected at many schools. Some schools use the term co-curricular activities as the activity program have been worked into the overall academic program. At many schools, sports are the most popular activities, but schools offer a wide variety of other activities. The fine arts are an especially important component of the activities offered. Students take part in musical events, annual dramatic productions, team and individual sports, as well as outdoor activities which are a special feature of school life at many schools. One of the most hard fought each year is the annual maths competition. The science competitions and fairs that attract a great deal of interest.
The annual outdoor camp is an event that many New Zealand school children look forward to. The camp event is carefully worked into the overall educational program. The cvhilden, however, look at it at fun. Older secondary pupils often participate in camps focusing on peojects for specific specialized classes.
Many private schools were set up on the tradition of English boarding schools. Many public schools in New Zealand also offered boarding. Quite a large number of New Zealand secondary schools continue to run boarding hostels.
