I welcome all visitors to our South End School website. We are a medium sized school who have a dedicated staff and a very willing school community. Our school is very lucky in that we are able to offer two different pedagogies of teaching the New Zealand Curriculum.
At present three of our five classes are taught within the usual state system method and two classes are taught in the Montessori method. This develops the diversity within the school and our school community.
The purpose of our school is to prepare our children for their future. Our school vision is “Learning for Life” and the learning at our school develops from that vision.
I believe we can see what is in our children’s future and we can make some effort to prepare children for it.
If we try to view the future as physical possibilities, I think we can approximate what lies ahead. Nano technology, super conductors, neural controlled computer interface etc will all be a significant part of the future. But while technological change will be both dramatic and very different, human needs such as nutrition, shelter, care, love and recognition will remain the same. Our children can be prepared for this future human need. This part of their future we can see and in schools and classrooms now we can (and should) prepare children for this future by the following means;
* Teaching children how to learn.
* Teaching children how to think, especially higher ordered thinking.
* Encouraging open mindedness.
* Use of technologies (and the possibilities) as learning, entertainment and communication tools.
* Encouraging collaborative learning both locally and digitally.
* Using problem solving as a vehicle for some of the above areas.
* Teaching children how to communicate including through a second language.
* Interpersonal skills will become increasingly important.
* Inclusiveness of difference and preparation for a multi-cultural world.
* Knowledge of social justice and human rights issues.
To say we can’t prepare children for the future is akin to burying our heads in the sand or to say we shouldn’t teach children to read because they can use audio books.
We must prepare children for the future because we need to give them the skills and attitudes to adapt to it.
Rod O’Leary
Principal