Grandparents Day/ Music Concert

What a fantastic day, apart from the weather, Grandparents day was. We had around 300 grandparents attend and managed to sell 200 of the new cook books. These make fantastic presents for Christmas and we fully expect them to continue to sell well. Whitcoulls in Palmerston North has offered to sell them as has our own Haymans Book Shop in Marton. Hawke's Bay people can purchase these books at Diahann Boutique. A reminder that proceeds from the book are going towards providing a lift for injured boys to reach the top block.

The Music Concert was one of our best ever. The bands were amazing and I was extremely pleased to see a variety of performances. Certain boys really shone on the day and a number mentioned the quality of our bands. The rock band was great to watch and they even managed a few AC/DC songs! A real tribute to our guitarists.

Gisborne Show

Pam and I thouroughly enjoyed attending the Gisborne show, catching up with our families and old boys. A number of our old boys visited and kept me up to date with current happenings in their families. They always have facinating stories to tell about their time at Huntley.

We also enjoyed catching up with our friends from Wanganui Collegiate, Lindisfarne, Saint Paul's Collegiate and Hereworth. This year we took our whole family on the trip, it was the first time our boys had been to Gisborne. They thoroughly enjoyed all the rides and dining out. I am still recovering from a forced ride on the "Hurricane".

Teaching as inquiry

Development for 2010
Next year we will be choosing a school wide goal and using teaching as inquiry as the tool to achieve this goal. The reason we will be doing this is I believe that this process done well has the ability to move us forward professionally. As part of my experienced principals group I have chosen this as my project. My facilitator will be assessing our effectiveness in using this process. I believe we have come along way professionally over the last few years and that this is the next step on our learning journey.

What is teaching as inquiry?
Since any teaching strategy works differently in different contexts for different students, effective pedagogy requires that teachers inquire into the impact of their teaching on their students.
Inquiry into the teaching–learning relationship can be visualised as a cyclical process that goes on moment by moment (as teaching takes place), day by day, and over the longer term. In this process, the teacher asks:
· What is important (and therefore worth spending time on), given where my students are at? This focusing inquiry establishes a baseline and a direction. The teacher uses all available information to determine what their students have already learned and what they need to learn next.
· What strategies (evidence-based) are most likely to help my students learn this? In this teaching inquiry, the teacher uses evidence from research and from their own past practice and that of colleagues to plan teaching and learning opportunities aimed at achieving the outcomes prioritised in the focusing inquiry.
· What happened as a result of the teaching, and what are the implications for future teaching? In this learning inquiry, the teacher investigates the success of the teaching in terms of the prioritised outcomes, using a range of assessment approaches. They do this both while learning activities are in progress and also as longer-term sequences or units of work come to an end. They then analyse and interpret the information to consider what they should do next.

Aladdin

Welcome to Agrabah, City of Enchantment, where every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail! All of your favorite characters are here in this stage adaptation of the Disney hit, including Aladdin, Jasmine, and of course, the Genie. Filled with magic, mayhem, and flying carpet rides, audiences' spirits will soar with excitement. Most of all, the tuneful, Academy award-winning score with songs including "A Whole New World" and "Friend Like Me" will certainly make this musical a favorite for many years to come!Welcome to Agrabah, City of Enchantment, where every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail! All of your favorite characters are here in this stage adaptation of the Disney hit, including Aladdin, Jasmine, and of course, the Genie. Filled with magic, mayhem, and flying carpet rides, audiences' spirits will soar with excitement. Most of all, the tuneful, Academy award-winning score with songs including "A Whole New World" and "Friend Like Me" will certainly make this musical a favorite for many years to come!The Year 8 Production of Aladdin is going extremely well and the first show has been fantastic to watch. The boys kept the rest of the school entertained throughout.

Golf Day

We are looking forward to another fantastic day!

Check out our webpage. http://www.huntley.school.nz/article/495.html

Sir Ken Robinson

http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

This has been around for a while now but is well worth a look. Many thanks to Maree Cave who sent it in. (Maree feels that Huntley certainly doesn't kill creativity!)

Swine Flu

Huntley School has it’s own pandemic plan and this means that we have systems in place to help us cope if the outbreak becomes more severe. The most important thing you can do as parents and caregivers is reinforce these messages to your children:
· Ensure your children wash and dry their hands thoroughly and regularly – especially before meals and after toileting.
· Always use a disposable tissue when coughing or sneezing and discard it in a closed rubbish bin.
If your child has flu-like symptoms, please keep them home until a doctor or nurse has checked them and okayed them to return to school. Swine flu symptoms are similar to seasonal flu and include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people have also reported diarrhoea and vomiting.
Families travelling overseas are asked to monitor their son’s health upon return and not send them back to school if he or anyone in the family is showing any flu like symptoms. They should keep their son at home for a week before return.
We’re updating our emergency contact details for all students so if yours have changed please let the Office know.

Boy’s education- It’s all about culture

There has been a lot of exposure in the media about the lag of boys academically, especially in primary schools. The primary school element is probably more pronounced due to a range of factors such as absence of male role models, lack of single sex schools, the teaching styles employed at primary levels etc. Many schools are waking up to this and are looking to make changes. Unfortunately a lack of cohesive programmes sees many of these attempts fail to meet their well intentioned potential. Fortunately independent schools in New Zealand are well known for the innovative programmes they provide and many have worked for decades on providing specifically for boys. There are a number of independent schools in the primary area that do solely cater for boys. Many have been round for many years

and have an in-depth understanding of what makes boys tick. Many have a proven track record of preparing boys for their secondary education and beyond. So what are the main factors a parent should look for before sending their sons to an independent prep school?

Parents approaching a boys school should be looking at the culture that exists within the school. Does the school display a strong ethos to everything it does? If the boys within the school are proud of their achievements you will find that your son will very quickly start to set his own goals for the future. He may see himself as a future member of the first eleven, choir, debating team or drama club. It doesn’t really matter as long as he can feel the sense of pride the boys have in the school. He will naturally set about finding his own niche. Finding his niche is also an important part of boys’ education as their confidence will develop, and with that academic achievement tends to lift as well.

Another aspect is boundaries, boys love them. They need to be fair, consistently applied and with clear consequences should a boy fail to meet expectations. Fairness is the important aspect here; boys smell out inconsistency and will do all they can to circumnavigate any discipline they can if they feel unfairly treated. Routines are an important part of this as boys love knowing what they are doing where and when.

Many independent schools have fantastic peer and staff role models and mentoring programmes that positively reinforce these boundaries. Boys love something to aspire to such as leadership positions, recognition for their abilities etc.

Sporting and Cultural opportunities for boys are another vital aspect of boys schooling. Boys need to be part of a team or group to help them learn the vital lessons of working with others. Many boys are dying to try something different like learning a musical instrument but often get put off because of adverse peer pressure. Independent school boys are often immersed in an environment where it is cool to be seen as a member of a band or able to play and individual instrument.

Boys’ academic achievement is affected by a combination of the things above. There are also important aspects that boys naturally find appealing or challenging. Many boys are not confident orally so they need to be forced into situations where speaking confidently is an expectation. Many independent schools make speech making, sports reports, debating, and drama a compulsory part of their curriculum. Reading is another traditional area boys will shy away from if given the chance. Compulsory reading periods that offer high interest, action, adventure books with plenty of non-fiction being made available can turn a reluctant reader into a voracious reader. Once again its all about finding the area of interest for the particular boy and exploiting it. Reading mileage is another important aspect as is senior boys reading to junior boys. Ask a boy to write something about his summer holidays and he begrudgingly will, don’t expect him to proof read it! Ask him to write a manual about how to change the tire on his bike and he’s captured. Finding points of interest are vital for boys to buy in to the requirements.

The final ingredient in helping boys succeed at school is the relationship between Parent and School. Parents and teaching staff working together is another important aspect for boys’ education. Boys will invariably try and play the home off against the school if they get the opportunity. However, if the school and parents are on the same wave length and heading in the same direction it makes a huge difference. Sometimes believing in a school’s professional advice can be hard but parents need to acknowledge that the school is acting to help their son. Once again it comes down to consistency on both the parents’ and the school’s part. Read about what the school stands for and if this fits your general philosophy then it makes sense to get in and support it. Parents sometimes do irreparable damage to their son’s educational opportunities by not supporting decisions made by the school.In summary it is my view that there is nothing wrong with our boys in our education sector as long as they are exposed to the right elements listed above. There is no doubt that the right combination of ethos, boundaries, role models, sporting and cultural opportunities, tailored academic programme and supportive parents and schools working together will produce outstanding boys.

Beware the Swine Flu

Interesting isn't it that Swine Flu sounds like it is in past tense. However put it in present tense and you get "Pigs Fly", which we all know is impossible? Anyway we are looking out for any boys displaying "Rashers" or who have the "Trotters". We have even put some warning posters up about the dangers of getting to close to pigs.

In all seriousness we are well prepared for any event and I am keeping in close contact with the ministry. Having been through the norovirus last year has proven that we can deal with these issues rapidly.

Colin Powell's rules for leadership

Thought you may enjoy this collection of leadership rules from Colin Powell.

Boys Education

I have just been reading ERO’s latest research into boys' education. A significant finding also highlights why Huntley achieves the results it does. Not surprisingly it relates back to positive male self image.
“The dominant research perspective is that connected to issues of male identity formation - specifically how boys see themselves as learners. Much of the research suggests that issues of gender identity are the most significant area to understand and address in boys’ education issues. In this approach, consideration is given to how boys perceive themselves as learners in contemporary classrooms and how this translates into educational achievement.” http://www.ero.govt.nz/Publications/pubs2008/boys-ed-gp-jly08.doc
It amazes me how many prospective boys come for interviews and say things like: “At my school it’s not cool to be bright” or “There’s no way I’m learning a musical instrument.” Whilst this is deeply saddening from a male perspective I am also determined to see this change when boys come into Huntley. I often pop into classes and get told things like: “I never worked this hard in my old school” or “Hi, Sir. Guess what! I’m learning the drums this term!”
What is it about Huntley that makes the difference? There are a number of factors, but I think teacher expectations, parental expectations and most importantly peer group expectations are the difference. Positive male role modelling pays a huge part in the impact on boys when they first arrive at Huntley. It’s not hard to understand. Imagine arriving at a new school and everyone around you is motivated towards doing their best. It stands to reason that you in turn will try your best so that you fit in as quickly as possible. Stepping out of your comfort zone has been a bit of a theme for me with the boys this year and for good reason. The very act of coming to Huntley will push your son out of his comfort zone and make him address who he is. Isn’t it reassuring to realise that the role models around them are giving positive affirmation of what a positive male identity is?