NOTE: In Term 1, 2021, we are trialing having a normal ‘House’ Sharing Assembly one week and a ‘Room’ Sharing Assembly the week after. In the course of a term, there should be 5 ‘House’ Assemblies and every one of our 5 rooms should take one assembly.
Our ‘Sharing Assemblies’ are an important feature of Opua school, promoting and exemplifying our ‘caring and sharing’ ethos.
On Fridays at 2.00pm, each room shows and describes to the rest of the school some of the work they have been doing during the week. Typically, all children in Room 1 will show their work and those in one of the four Houses (on a weekly rotation) from the other rooms.
Older students run the assemblies and help the younger children present their work in traditional Tuakana Teina fashion. Parents are most welcome and, indeed, encouraged to attend, as the assemblies give an insight into many aspects of the school. We publish in our newsletter which house is presenting which week so parents know when their child [ren] might be showing their work.
There are numerous benefits from these assemblies but some of the most important are:
- The older children gain experience of leadership and develop their sense of manaakitanga me te awhina.
- Children see that their work is valued and of interest to others.
- Children are given an opportunity to express themselves and develop confident public speaking from an early age.
- A strong sense of community is fostered and reinforced.
- The assemblies help children to exercise and expand their levels of attention, concentration, and focus.
- Younger children see the work of older children in other rooms and thus gain a sense of how their own learning and achievement will develop.