Some thoughts about teaching and learning from the principal.

It is a great privilege to have a combined primary and secondary school. Conservative churches throughout the western world, without their own school through to secondary classes, are in a state of decline. There are exceptions, but they are few. Small numbers of an increasingly aged population may continue the outward form of the church for several years, but the writing is on the wall when the number of youth lowers to a critical point wherein they can no longer find spouses from their own community. I know that God can do all things with or without means, but it is His usual way to use the means. It has been His pleasure to build up the church locally through the means of the school to support the preaching of the Word.

Ponatahi Christian School is an undeserved gift from the LORD, for which we have an awful account to render on the Day of Judgment. It is a solemn duty that I have the calling from the LORD to be the Principal. It is a task I can not do with any “strength” or “wisdom” of my own, but require daily guidance from above, to be able to do the following …

To uphold the honour of God as defined in the School’s Special Character. I believe that when the LORD’s honour is lost, then all is lost. This includes, in the first place, to seek and pray for the salvation of the young people’s souls.

To win the respect and confidence of the staff and students. I want to see happy faces in the classroom. If the staff enjoy their teaching, and the students enjoy being there, then the environment is so much more supportive for learning.

To have a constructive and friendly dialogue with the parents/caregivers. Parents after all, are our clients. I am available, home or school, to listen to any parental concern but please do not ring on the LORD’s Day, or during family time 5:00 - 7:00.

To work together with the Board Of Trustees, other Learning Providers, and various Government Agencies in a positive manner.

It is a joy and privilege to be a witness to young people about the wonders of God’s creation studied in Science and Geography, the orderliness of God exhibited in Maths, the gifts which God has given man exhibited in Language, Technology, and the Arts, the providence of God shown in History and the salvation of God studied in Religious Studies.

Education, today, is a lot more than passing exams: it is preparing young people for their future. Hence the Mission Statement as seen on the front cover.

Students must be given the opportunity to develop the talents that the LORD has given them. It is a solemn duty to be a bearer of God-given talents, and I expect each student to perform to his/her maximum. It is our task as teachers to make sure that each student is taught to his/her individual needs. I want to see the brightest student challenged, and on the other hand I don’t want to see a single student fall through the gaps. It is a continual challenge for each teacher to meet all needs in a busy mixed ability class, and usually with 2-3 levels of students within the class.

Education has changed a lot in the last generation. Whiteboards have replaced blackboards, computers are more visible, and the children are more active in their learning, rather than sitting silently in rank and file all the time. But the changes are deeper than this. In the past the focus was on these pigeon holes called “subjects” with minimal over riding plan and anything not in a “subject” not being taught, no matter how useful it may be for real life. There was a lot of memory retention and the main skill being assessed was the ability to regurgitate what was memorised. We still have these pigeon holes called “subjects” and the memory of important facts still has a place. But the main focus is now on “Key Competencies” with the subject areas being the vehicle to deliver the Key Competencies.

At this school we identify six Key Competencies which students need for education beyond school and to work and live successfully in this world in which God has called us to be pilgrims.

• discernment between good and evil
• thinking
• using language, symbols, and texts
• managing self
• relating to others
• participating and contributing.

We believe that these skills are collectively much more important that the ability to remember a list of capital cities, colours of chemical precipitates, and the ability to solve quadratic equations, etc. Information is at our fingertips. We don’t need to remember everything, as long as we know how to obtain it, how to evaluate it, how to process it, and how to use it, not just for ourselves, but for the benefit of others around us. It is inevitable that “open book” assessments, even with technology tools and internet available, will soon be the norm to better reflect real life challenges.

Yet with all this God changes not. The means that the Holy Spirit uses to instruct His people remains the Word of God - written and preached. We do not want to see a generation growing up who no longer have the skills and attitudes required to read and understand the Bible (KJV) or who are not able to concentrate upon the sermon in church. This is very important to us and therefore is directly written into the last bullet point of the school’s Special Character. Therefore, with all the changes in education and technology, it is still important that the children continue to grow in strong reading skills, and in the ability to listen attentively for extended periods to a teacher in front of the class (didactic teaching). If we, and the next generation of teachers and administrators, remain faithful to the Special Character, the Lord willing, it is this very point which is likely to see education at this school differ more and more from education elsewhere in the years to come, as I.T. rapidly changes the face of education. I.T does not change the most important thing in this life in that we are pilgrims travelling on our way to eternity, and we need to be reconciled to God.

Information Technology has its place. I am not against I.T. as God has called us to live in this rapidly changing world, and our children need to be trained for the skills needed beyond school. Yet there is no sound evidence that I.T. actually increases education outcomes.

As the students get older they need the skills of critical thinking, self evaluation of one’s learning, computer skills, social skills, research skills, self management, ability to link ideas, recognise themes, recognise bias, to reach a conclusion and justify it, and being willing to modify a position upon further learning. These skills are reflected in the Key Competencies. “Topic subjects”, such as science, social studies, health, and technology, provide lots of opportunity for non-didactive teaching, students working together, participating and contributing, developing their own questions, and pursuing things they are interested in. Neither do we want to see creativity stifled. Many successful businesses are the product of creativity rather than being on top of the class in numeracy and literacy skills. I would like to see creativity enhanced by compulsory art lessons up to at least Y10, but as of now, timetable constraints and the inability of a small school to hire a really effective art teacher is hindering this.

In all these matters we need the LORD’s blessing upon the efforts of students and teachers at school, and the support of parents as equally valued members of the school community.

Greetings, P Bertram