Guided by the achievement objective from the New Zealand Curriculum: Relationships with other people: Students will demonstrate respect through sharing and cooperation in groups: Identity, Sensitivity, and Respect, the focus of lessons has been on what it means to share, cooperate and show respect in a classroom community.
Learning began with a conversation on what respect “looks” and “sounds” like. Students had a strong understanding of respect, being one of our POWER Values.
It means listening to your friends
Respect means taking turns
Saying kind words and playing nicely together
The Team Tower Challenge provided a perfect opportunity to explore and observe how students worked collaboratively. Each group received a range of materials to try to build the tallest, strongest tower. Excitement and laughter filled the room as towers wobbled and new strategies were tested.
Students soon discovered that success depended on communication and teamwork, rather than height. They practiced taking turns, sharing materials, and encouraging each other.
We need to choose how we are going to build our tower or it will keep falling
Our group's tower was the tallest because we talked calmly to each other and when it fell down, we kept trying.
Over time, the language students used began to change. “Let’s try your way” and “can I have a turn next?” became more common.
Another activity, the Friendship Web, helped students explore the power of kind words. Sitting in a circle, each student held onto a piece of yarn while passing it to a classmate and sharing something kind about them. By the end, a big web of kind words filled the mat.
If we all say kind words, our web stays strong
The spider web looked really cool on the mat and it was all from our kind words about each other
Cooperative games provided a physical way to explore respect. Other activities such as Pass the Hoop, and Pass the ball, encouraged turn-taking, communication, and encouragement. Smiles and giggles filled the air as students practiced balancing, moving in sync, and passing the hoop. These games also provided opportunities to develop motor skills in a novel way.
We had to move carefully and talk to each other, or we would drop the ball!
The hoops were tricky to pass , we were all holding hands so we couldn’t use them, we had to bend and use other parts of our body to get the hoop through.
Through these experiences, students connected their words and actions to the idea of respect, reinforcing the POWER Values. Students made the connection to the POWER poster hanging on the wall, with many ideas already noted:
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Share and take turns
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Listen to teachers and peers
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Use kind words
These simple commitments guide behaviour and interactions in everyday classroom life, as well as outside the classroom.
This learning journey highlighted that respect grows through small and shared experiences, a tower built together, a kind word, or a fun game. Each activity strengthened empathy, communication, and belonging. Through these lessons, students are developing the skills to become confident, connected, and actively involved learners, demonstrating the Warakei School values in meaningful and authentic ways.
With 5 ½ years of teaching experience and a lifelong connection to Tāmaki Makaurau, Auckland, my passion for education has been shaped by growing up in a rural community, surrounded by nature and animals. Wairakei Primary feels like home, reflecting the sense of belonging and community that made school such a special part of my childhood.
Now settling into life in Taupō with my husband, time is often spent exploring the region—enjoying hīkoi’s by the lake, swimming, fly-fishing, and camping. Dance has always been a huge part of my life, and rediscovering this passion as an adult has been an exciting journey.
My strengths as a Kaiako are in teaching The Arts, Hauora (Health), and Te Reo Māori. Creating Mana Ūkaipo—a sense of place and belonging—is at the heart of teaching, ensuring that every student takes pride in who they are and where they come from, allowing them to flourish.
Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa. Let us keep close together, not wide apart. This whakataukī highlights the importance of connection, relationships, and shared journeys. Strong school-whānau partnerships are key to student success and engagement, and being part of the Wairakei community brings excitement for the relationships, learning, and growth ahead.
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