A walk around a creative school - the juniors

The walk down to the Junior School
This mural assisted by a retired Art Adiser

Junior classrooms in earlier (pre  Tomorrows's Schools)days were where one saw the best child centred classrooms. They were run along developmental lines, based on centres of interest and integrated language/arts based experience programmes. Exploring the immediate environment through their students senses with the belief that before the word the the experience was a strong feature of such rooms. The writings of Sylvia Ashton Warner and later Marie Clay were important references. 

Welcoming new children and their parents

Since Tomorrow's School;s educational change has been imposed from the top often by people with little classroom experience and , worse still, by politicians with competitive intentions contrary to the collaborative culture of schools. In recent years National Standards were introduced that were neither national or standard, and along with them tedious assessment and accountability requirements.

The Junior corridor gives visitors a clear message

The time has now come to recognize the creative teachers in our school system and to share their ideas.

As mentioned in my previous blog there are schools that still value creativity with principals that see as an important part of their role protecting teachers from the demands of current hyper assessment and Ministry and ERO requirements.

Junjior classes exploring bush on the mountain ( from school photo)

Now is time to replace compliance with creativity , fine down the assessment, and make teaching more fun.

 My walk around Vogeltown School shows me it can be done. 

Drawings , thoughts and information

Along with the more visual aspects the writing of the young students showed that teachers value their students voice, questions and ideas.Along with a creative principal Vogeltown has a very creative leader of the junior team.

Great weta drawings an stories

Once again I have had to limit my photographs but you will get the impression.

Junior tui studies and language

A little bit of imagination.

Continue to walk around the senior school