Information for parents

Homework at Riverdale School

Riverdale School does not support the handing out of worksheets and busy time filling activities for homework. We encourage our kids to get on with playing and learning through doing...they have had a full day of focussed work. Many students can access learning through class blogs and websites and continue learning and inquiry from home.
We do have a policy of "targeted filling the gaps activities" for home and school if deemed appropriate by the teacher.

Learning sent home

Learning that may be set up by the teacher between home and school could include;

Reading mileage
Essential spelling lists
Basic recall facts
Writing mileage
Phonics / sight words

Home learning

Home Learning is an option for those children and families that desire it through a list of online resources via classroom blogs and websites that can be accessed freely. We have students who have access to StudyLadder and Khan Academy. Students take part in 'Eplore and Creativity' during school hours and often want to continue their thinking outside of school because of natural curiosity, this is encouraged and is called authentic learning.
As students move through the school they have tasks and learning that extend into the home; Quiddage, SDL or SDA tasks, inquiry, personal investigations and proposals.
Other options are; reading library books that your child brings home, cooking or play games together, board games, team sport, music or drama lessons, Scouts, Girl Guides or just the old fashioned notion of getting outside and having some fun.
If you are really intent on practice then there are a number of workbooks that you can purchase in bookshops. Remember our children have already put in a full day’s work before they get home to you.

Mathematics in the 21st Century.

Why doesn't maths look like it did in the 1900s.

The skills a student requires at each year level are informed by the NZ curriculum, The National Standards and Numeracy Project Material. The Numeracy Framework is broken up into a series of progressive stages ranging from 0-8. Each of these stages consists of Knowledge and Strategy skills. Each stage equates with a curriculum level as outlined below.
Curriculum Level 1
Curriculum Level 2
Curriculum Level 3
Curriculum Level 4
Curriculum Level 5
At the end of two years at school
Year 3& 4 - Stage 0 - 4
Years 5&6 - Stage 5
Years 7&8 - Stage 6
Year 9&10 - STAGE 7 & 8
Each stage requires different skills and these are built upon progressively. Each stage has a different set of knowledge and strategy domains which will be explained later. Students can be working at different stages for different domains.
Number Knowledge
Each stage has important aspects of knowledge that a student should know in order that they have a secure number base to apply to their solving of problems (strategies) Number knowledge is split into the following domains:
Number Identification
Number Sequence and Order
Grouping/Place Value
Basic Facts
Written Recording (to be addressed later on)
Strategy
At different stages children display different thinking. As they progress through the Number Framework they develop their understanding of strategies that they could use to solve particular problems. Students then select appropriate strategies that they can use successfully and accurately to solve problems. The Framework is split into 3 domains, Addition and Subtraction, Multiplication and Division, Proportions and Ratios. There are 8 strategies though the first three are often grouped together and are generally completed during the first year of schooling. The NZMaths website describes the strategy stages as:
Stage 0-3: Counting from One - children can solve problems by counting from one, either using materials or in their head.
Stage 4: Advanced Counting - children can solve problems by counting in ones, or by skip counting, starting from numbers other than one.
Stage 5: Early Additive - children can solve simple problems by splitting up and adding together the numbers in their head.
Stage 6: Advanced Additive - children use a range of different methods to solve more challenging problems in their head.
Stage 7: Advanced Multiplicative - children use a range of different methods to solve multiplication and division problems in their head.
Stage 8: Advanced Proportional - children can solve complicated problems involving fractions, decimals and percentages using a combination of methods.

How can you help your child?

We do not send home random / unrelated / disconnected learning tasks. But rather, if there is something that we feel would benefit your child specifically. We will send it home, such as: basic facts games / tasks or revision activities.

Please follow the link to the NZMaths website to learn more about Mathematics in the New Zealand curriculum.

Click