The annual agricultural day is an important event on the calendar for many rural schools in New Zealand. Students at Omarumutu School in Opotiki harnessed this opportunity to develop key competencies and grow stronger connections in their community.
With the backing of teachers, the Board of Trustees, and a supportive farming community, students reared fourteen calves within the school grounds. Businesses from throughout the district donated a wide range of products and services to support the project, sparking students' interest in learning more about scientific aspects of agriculture.
The students found information about the importance of providing shelter for young lambs and calves, then contacted kitset building company OutPost to discuss their ideas. The company generously donated a Borderland Livestock Shelter to the school, and the school's 17 year eight students constructed an animal shelter.
Authentic contexts and the key competencies
This project provided an ideal context to develop students' awareness and understanding of the key competencies. Principal Courtney Andrews took photographs to document the project, and recorded student voice as they constructed the shelter.
"This experience gave me the opportunity to stand back and take snapshots of the student practicing the key competencies. Later on the students could see themselves doing this and having the discussion with one another about what they were doing."
Courtney Andrews, Principal
At the end of the project, students reflected on their learning by aligning their comments to the photographic records relating to the work they were involved in at each stage. Facilitated by their teachers, students became aware of the language associated with the key competencies and how they had used them within a related context. They solved problems, read instructions several times over or organised tasks with others.
Relating to others, participating and contributing, managing self, thinking, and using language, symbols and texts all contributed to a successful outcome:
Unloading the trailer required sharing ideas and negotiating the most effective way to transport the timber into the calf paddock.
Working as a team required lots of discussion about the best approaches, ideas, and ways of thinking to make sure they got it right. No matter how old they were, all students saw themselves as capable learners.
"We had to think, read the instructions, measure out the measurements right, and we had to understand builder's talk. You had to try and keep the boards straight so everything lined up when it came to adding the next piece. A trick I learnt to make it easier was to hold the drill at 90 degrees so it guided the screw in. I never thought that I would get to build a shed at school – it was something different."
Fenix Moana, year 6 student
Courtney reflected that she hadn't realised the scale of the project they were undertaking nor the potential it had to integrate a range of cross-curricular learning opportunities. This experience enabled teachers to see first-hand how authentic contexts for learning enhance the development of the key competencies. It offered opportunities for students at all levels to discuss and understand them. Their goal now is to ensure they plan for more authentic learning opportunities and in doing so, further develop connections with their community.
Key competencies
The project required students to make use of and develop all five key competencies. Some of the capabilities that were practiced included solving problems, asking questions, coming up with new approaches, working as a team, and communicating ideas. With appropriate teacher guidance the students were able to describe and evaluate their use of the key competencies.
Connecting with the community
The project created an authentic context for networking between the whole community, from the Board of Trustees and the business community to the parents and wider whānau. Caring for the animals and constructing the shelter enabled the community to be actively involved and drew them together for the purpose of learning and celebration.
The school hopes that the relationships developed through this experience will continue to evolve as new learning opportunities arise. Omarumutu students were supported in this project with funding from the Fonterra Grassroots Fund to purchase equipment to establish their student-led inquiries. This also assisted them to promote science learning throughout their community.
Community engagement principle
The agricultural day supported the community engagement principle by connecting with students' interests and the school's local environment. The school engaged the help of local businesses and whānau to source products, services, and knowledge.
You might like ...
Learning locally – Connecting kids to their community
Are you looking for ways to explore and develop your local curriculum? One way to get started is to identify the rich learning opportunities that exist in your own community. This blog offers some ideas, stories, and questions to help your students “learn locally”.
- Tags:
- community engagement
- key competencies
- partnerships
- primary
Return to top
