Tahuna’s beliefs, values and vision.
Curriculum delivery understandings / beliefs curriculum built on:
A definite move from coverage of content areas which often meant shallow learning, to developing each learners’ skills, attitudes, and competencies.
Emphasis on developing the key competencies
Higher level thinking skills, with tiered expectations, inquiry learning and habits of mind approaches.
Improved questioning by teachers and students.
The needs of our early adolescents and of 21st century learners.
Students learn best when teachers :
Have real and tiered expectations
Facilitate active engagement in learning
Encourage reflective thought and action
Enhance the relevance of new learning
Make connections
Provide multiple opportunities to learn
Facilitate collaborative learning
Create a supportive learning environment
Integrate ICT across the curriculum
Are seen as learners
Values :
Success
achievement
excellence
doing best
perseverance
competition
Respect
respect for self, others, differences, human rights and property
diversity, ( respect for others views, beliefs, cultures )
tolerance and inclusion
Responsibility
belonging
citizenship
co-operation
commitment
honesty
Community & Participation
Caring
environment, conservation, guardianship, ecological sustainability
Creativity
inquiry
curiosity
innovation
critical & creative thinking
open-mindedness
Vision : Key words
Confident
positive, respectful, energetic, initiative, enterprising, risk taker, communicator, skilled
Connected
seeks opportunities, thoughtful kind & respectful, communicator, tolerant inclusive, good citizen, co-operative, learning connected to real life, curious, empathy
Actively engaged
happy, committed, develop values, knowledge, competencies, risk taker, participant, reflective, opportunities, decision making, active approach to own learning
Learners
Emphasis on literacy & numeracy, creative & critical thinker, decision maker, informed choices, curious, adaptive, perseveres, inspired, disciplined, sound work habits, broad mind – experiences & views, HAPPY, satisfied
The following taken from our website and several school information sources gives a taste of what is important to Tahuna.
Starting out at Intermediate is the beginning of a journey. It is an adventure in which you will make new friends, try exciting new things, and learn about skills, talents and passions you never knew you had.
It is a transition – socially, physically and academically – from your childhood to your teenage years. In short, it is one of the most exciting times of your life! So it is important that you feel confident and inspired in your choice, Tahuna Intermediate School.
The Tahuna Adventure
The staff at Tahuna Normal Intermediate School are specialists in early teenage education. We are dedicated to the task of helping you learn independently, think creatively, and make the most of the huge range of opportunities available to you.
Our wide range of subjects and activities and top teaching team are determined to ensure your individual needs are catered for. Our positive learning environment ensures that learning is safe, cooperative, challenging, interesting, and most importantly, fun!
Plus we are a special teacher-training school – that’s what the word “Normal” in our title means – with very close ties to the University of Otago College of Education. This ensures that we have teachers of the highest calibre, lots of young and enthusiastic student teachers adding to our educational environment, and keep up-to-date with the latest developments in educational research.
You may have some ideas already about where you want to go and what you want to do with life. You may plan to be the next Tana Umaga, or the world’s greatest painter. If so, there is no better place to pick up a rugby ball or a paintbrush. You may have no idea yet what the future holds. If so, you will discover exciting new ideas and gain the confidence to succeed at your goals. When you leave us in two years, you will be older and wiser, with new skills, new goals and a new base of lifelong friends.
And you will be as well prepared as possible to start out on your next adventure!
Academic
At Tahuna, learning is more than knowing facts, although that’s important too. For us, learning is a way of life!
We have a vision of students who are logical and creative, open-minded and questioning, and confident in their ability to take risks, solve problems and challenge themselves. This is the academic environment we promote, through high quality teaching that emphasises the joys of learning and celebrates successes.
Classes in numeracy see students buzzing with activities and using many new hands-on resources. The programme is based on sound current research and builds knowledge, confidence and strategies to solve problems.
Tahuna is fortunate to be able to purchase wonderful reading resources and books for these special two years of schooling. Teachers have expectations that everyone will improve and work hard to develop life-long reading habits.
Science and Social Studies programmes are integrated. The inquiry learning approach involves students in setting their own study questions, and challenges them with high level thinking tasks. Students make choices, work collaboratively, and use ICT skills to access information. There are activity-based programmes where you will have the chance to explore new ideas, adopt a questioning attitude and begin to learn how we interact, culturally and scientifically, with the world. We aim to develop creative, critical, and reflective thinkers.
Learning a new language is both an exciting challenge and a good foundation for studying languages at high school. At Tahuna you will continue to learn some Maori, and be introduced to Mandarin, French, German and/or Japanese for the first time.
Individual tuition is available for music from talented, enthusiastic instructors.
Positive Learning Environment
We are totally committed to creating an environment at Tahuna that is safe, positive and best suited to the needs of our students. We have a zero-tolerance attitude towards bullying and the curriculum includes a number of programmes designed to help you make wise choices about your health and safety. We are also committed to providing special support and extension for students seeking greater challenges, and an inclusive, supportive environment for students with special needs.
“Kia Kaha” is a special programme for helping students deal with peer pressure and bullying. In Year 7 a unit is taught to help students meet the ongoing changes and challenges of puberty, and in Year 8 the “Keeping Ourselves Safe” programme is taught.
Tahuna welcomes students with special needs to our school. We have a policy of inclusive education that ensures that all students work alongside their peers in regular classes, and that special assistance and support is sought when required.
Tahuna provides and supports programmes for the gifted and talented and takes great pride in students seeking challenges and excelling. There is a positive culture of celebrating achievements and “doing the best you can”.
Opportunities
Tahuna prides itself on the wide variety of opportunities that students have available to them. Opportunities in all areas of the curriculum are enthusiastically planned by staff and students enjoy the challenge and the variety.
Opportunities in:
Art - including Art extension - outstanding art work seen around the school.
Reading - including the Tahuna Reading Awards scheme
Mathematics - including extension classes, mathletics & Otago Problem Solving
External examinations for those keen for the challenge
Spelling extension - including the Extra Spelling Competition
Written language with workshops that really appeal to our keen writers. - students submit work for publication and in many competitions.
Tahuna has won the Extra Current Events quiz for many years and students thrive on the challenges of these Tahuna workshops.
Science Fair - excellent opportunity for students to investigate and present their findings. The Tahuna Fair shows outstanding skills, efforts and scientific processes.
Music - including tuition and orchestra. Music sessions continue throughout the school week.
Music - creating amazing compositions, recording and presenting original and challenging items.
Tahuna has a large number of sports teams in a variety of sports. Teams enjoy competition and aim to develop skills, teamwork, sportsmanship and a love of sport.
Tahuna badges in fitness, performing arts, citizenship, and reading encourage students to strive to improve and to succeed.
Leadership - including school council.
Performing Arts
Are you a closet shower-singer, or a budding musician? Do you enjoy presenting ideas creatively, and making people think or laugh? Are you curious about Maori and Pacific Island culture? If you are interested in letting your creative juices flow, or you would like to gain confidence and try something new, there is no shortage of performing arts groups at Tahuna to get involved in.
Tahuna’s choir receives consistently high praise from audiences, and is a great opportunity to discover the pleasure of singing with others and developing your vocal chords in an enthusiastic environment.
The multicultural group is a popular choice for students of all ethnic backgrounds with its stirring performances and exploration of Maori and Pacific Island culture through song and dance.
In Tahuna’s music room you will find drums, keyboards, violins, clarinets, flutes, saxophones, cornets, trumpets, guitars, and an orchestra of talented young musicians bringing their music together. A fantastic experience for anyone interested in learning an instrument.
Dance is a fun way to exercise your body and your creative mind, and Tahuna’s special dance group regularly comes up with outstanding performances, especially at Dance Festivals and the Stars of Stage event – great fun!
Tahuna’s various performing arts groups entertain and engage audiences at local festivals, at school events, and throughout the wider community.
To see our amazing team at Tahuna click Staff
To view our website