MT ROSKILL
INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL
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SPECIALIZATION
One of the highlights for students coming to Intermediate School is the chance to work in specialist classrooms. The students love the practical, “hands on” nature of the specialist programmes. It also gives students the chance to participate in areas of the curriculum they haven’t experienced before. They might come to realise they enjoy learning about technology, or they are good at cooking or maybe enjoy music and performance. This helps them make good decisions about which direction they may want to take at secondary school and later in life.
We have specialist teachers in Science, Music and Performing Arts, Hard Materials Technology and Food Technology. All of these teachers operate in specialist classrooms and are exceptionally well resourced. Students will work in each specialist area, twice a week for 16 weeks over the two years they are at our school. Besides giving students the opportunity to learn many new and exciting skills, the specialist programme also allows students to learn from a different set of teachers. This gives them some experience of moving to a different classroom and of forming a working relationship with someone new. They learn to be confident and ask questions with the new teacher, to accept that the teacher may operate in a way that they are not used to and they must organise themselves to complete homework and tasks these teachers may set. These skills are particularly important at secondary school and by developing them early, we prepare our students for future educational routines.
LITERACY
The English programme is designed to facilitate progress in several areas:
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Writing for a variety of purposes. This includes making appropriate organisational and vocabulary choices.
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Understanding ideas and information through reading a wide range of material.
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Using oral and visual language to communicate effectively.
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Support is offered to students experiencing difficulties in the above areas. These students will be part of extra classes that aim to fill the gaps they have in their literacy learning.
In every area of English we encourage students to think critically and in depth, to analyse language choices and to evaluate the effectiveness of their own and others' work.
WRITE CLUB
The Write Clube is an extension writing programme is offered to more able writers. This group meets once a fortnight to write, review and publish writing. The students identify writing targets and choose their own writing topics. This is an on-line writing community using google docs and students have the opportunity to write and respond to each other’s writing outside the writing sessions. Writing is published on a wiki, which all students can read and enjoy.
STAR READING
Supplementary Test of Achievement in Reading (STAR) was developed by the NZ Council for Educational Research. It identifies students’ ability in reading, and helps teachers to group students for reading instructions. STAR is usually used twice during the year to measure progress.
ASSTLE
Assessment Tools for Teaching and Learning (E-ASSTLE) gives teachers and schools baseline data for setting targets and measuring student progress. It provides learning pathways for individual students. It identifies at which level students should be working, and assists teachers in planning appropriate programmes in English.
LANGUAGES
The School puts great emphasis on opportunities to learn other languages. Year 7 students have the opportunity to choose either Mandarin, Korean, or Japanese as part of this programme. They study the chosen language for six months which then continues through to Year 8 for a further six months.
The teaching emphasis is on the communicative approach and the use of language in real life contexts. Extension groups are available for those students who wish to broaden their knowledge and skills.
UNIT STUDIES
Over the students' two years at MRI, students will study topics from the six conceptual strands that provide the framework and achievement objectives for the Unit Studies.
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Global Communities
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Inventions and Innovations
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Sustainability
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Land Forms
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Icons
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Earth's Secrets
NUMERACY
The aim of Mathematics education is to develop a belief in the value of Mathematics and to develop in students the skills, concepts, understandings and attitudes that will enable them to cope confidently with the Mathematics they will encounter in thefuture. We need to help students achieve the mathematical and statistical literacy necessary in a society which is technologically orientated and information rich.
In keeping with the curriculum, the emphasis is on a balanced approach to Mathematics learning, incorporating problem solving with the mastery of basic skills. Mathematics is for all students regardless of ability, background, gender or ethnicity and the School provides programmes that acknowledge these important factors.
MATHLETICS
Mathletics is an online learning platform that helps students explore mathematical concepts, enjoy maths and improve theirresults. All students receive a Mathletics login and tasks are set each week to support curriculum learning.
MATHS BUDDY
Maths Buddy is an online learning platform that teaches students different strategies and allows students to have a choice
in what they do. Weekly tasks are set by students' form teacher.
IKAN
The Individual Knowledge Assessment of Number (IKAN) can be used to determine a student's stages on the knowledge domains.
ASSTLE
Assessment Tools for Teaching and Learning (E-ASSTLE) gives teachers and schools baseline data for setting targets and measuring student progress. It provides learning pathways for individual students. It identifies at which level students should be working, and assists teachers in planning appropriate programmes in Maths.
MATHEX
Mathex is a maths problem-solving based programme that talented mathematicians are invited to participate in. Weekly practice sessions take place. Later in the year Mathex teams are selected to participate in an Auckland wide competition.