We expect high achievement and effort of our students and this is acknowledged and celebrated. Social skills are encouraged through contact with students of differing abilities and through our close bi-cultural interaction. Children learn at different rates and in different ways and we acknowledge this by providing a range of activities and settings for learning. On-going assessment informs the planning of programmes and ensures maximum achievement for all students.
A variety of effective teaching strategies and approaches are used to achieve success in learning. These include: an inquiry based approach, problem solving, authentic learning experiences that relate to real life contexts, co-operative learning, ability based, individualised and group learning, interactive and ‘hands on’ experiences, use of the environment and peer tutoring. We believe it is our responsibility to offer children the best and most effective strategies to suit their learning needs based on current research. Staff are well versed in effective pedagogy for individualised learning in a 21st Century learning environment.
Students need to know what they are learning, why they are learning it and what they need to learn next. We involve parents in this process. Our focus is on ensuring students understand the process of learning, how knowledge is created and what their role is in creating it, in a holistic learning environment. We believe in student agency and student engagement in learning. Student voice and co-constructed learning between the teacher and students is valued and practised.
We provide an environment that is flexible and caters for a wide variety of diverse learning experiences. Besides teaching core curriculum subjects we have learning te reo (with experienced support staff and the Resource Teacher of Māori, music (with free music tuition), art and craft, gardening (with community members), cooking, concerts and productions (in our Performing Arts Centre), dance, intershool sports, interschool cultural activities, small group trips.
Shannon School operates an open door policy and has a friendly, warm, approachable staff. It is our firm belief that working closely with families/whanau and our wider community enables us to provide an opportunity for children to develop into happy, educated, life-long learners who are familiar and comfortable in both Māori and pakeha settings. We have a number of students with varied diverse needs and these students are well catered through providing experienced special needs staff. We believe in catering for an effective inclusive environment for all students within the whole school environment.
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