Week 3 of Tabloids Sports

This week we added 2 different events for our tamariki to test themselves.

They were the 3 Legged Race and Over-Underball

We found that the key was communication and teamwork. Cole and Ethan displayed huge amounts of both.

But still the favourite was the Boat Race. Our students are continuously trying out new strategies to stream line their advance. Everyone worked well.

Don't forget we have our inter school tabloid event on the 26 March at Shoesmith Domain in Warkworth. All Year 2 and 3s will be going...and a couple of Year 1s. Wish us luck!!

Nik..

Week Two of Tabloid Sports

Week two of Tabloid Sports saw Sanderson whanau and Woodcock whanau out on the field again, repeating the activities from last week. Having some experience under their belts, it was good to see the children more agile, and able (in both completion of the games and their ability to discuss them). It was also fantastic to see the children's confidence grow somewhat, enabling them to participate more fully this afternoon. 

There are many challenges within these games and this is an important opportunity to develop the children's resilience and ability to 'have a go' and grapple with tasks that are not easy (we call this being 'turtles'). Some children, especially, are learning to deal with apprehension and they are all learning that it is okay to make mistakes. Miss McKenna calls mistakes 'learning opportunities' and Sanderson whanau, especially, knows that she makes them too - everybody does! 

When others make mistakes we need to be supportive of them and Gus, Ruby and Samuel were three students who showed fantastic teamwork and cooperation this week when they helped others who were having some trouble or showing apprehension. They helped to guide younger children through the activities and offered them kind words of encouragement (great communication guys!).

Gus helping Damian by putting a coat the right-way-in during

the dress-up relay.

Ruby being on hand if Mikayla needed assistance with a 

tricky belt during the dress-up relay.

Ruby and Sienna tackling the water-relay course together.

Samuel and Gus walking alongside teammates Finley and 

Hayden, encouraging them and being on-hand to help 

if needed.

Miss McKenna's group did more problem-solving this week when they realised that no team members were on the course at one point! Why was this? Because no-one had told the next person that they needed to go/the last person had completed the course. This made the children aware again of just how important communication is. After some discussion Ruby and Samuel made an especially good effort at communication, taking a leadership role in their teams to make sure everything was running smoothly. Great job Ruby and Samuel!

A new learning point this week regarded the rules. Some students worked on modifying rules of the potato and spoon race to make it run faster. Miss McKenna's group had found that they were very slow in completing this game because Miss McKenna made them go back to the nearest cone each time they dropped the 'potato' (today we used a tennis ball instead of a potato). The children decided, through discussion, that next week if they drop it they do not have to go back to the beginning; they will just stop, place it again and carry on. They think that this will make the game run faster and more smoothly. We will put it to the test next week and let you know how it goes!

Introduction to Tabloid Sports

Sanderson whanau and Woodcock whanau had their first Tabloid Sports Club session with Mr Massey and Miss McKenna today. It was heaps of fun and lots of learning was had. 

Rosa and Curtis doing up belts as part

of the dress-up relay.

The focus for this first session was learning to play tabloid sports. First, Miss McKenna gave students a brief outline of what tabloid sports are. Then Mr Massey began the lesson by demonstrating some tabloid sports (today's games included 'Piranha Crossing', a potato and spoon relay, a water relay and a dress-up relay). He also explained how speed is of common importance to all these activities. After this introduction the children split into two groups to have a go at the activities themselves.

The water relay where teams had to race to fill buckets,

using only a sponge was very enjoyable!

During the activities tamariki reflected on the games and discussed several themes which came up. These were teamwork, communication and respect for equipment.

As the children are completing all the activities in a team they are learning to respect others by sharing and cooperating. Teamwork was an especially big part of the 'Piranha Crossing' where students had to use just three hoops to cross an imaginary piranha and crocodile-infested river. This task also required communication which proved to be an area in which the children have got a lot of room for improvement.

Being careful not to touch the 'water'!

(The children were great at using their creativity 

and imaginations with this game. 

What great 'unicorns' they were being.)

Using teamwork to pass the hoops overhead in 

order to cross the piranha-infested 'river'.

 The children were also good 'turtles' in this game. 

Miss McKenna kept sending them back to the start 

if they touched the 'water' and they didn't give up

 - they showed resilience. Great!

One student who showed excellence in communication this week is Dylan who explained the potato and spoon race task to Xzavier by talking to him and guiding him. Well done Dylan, we are proud of you! Xzavier you were a good listener and this is a big part of communication too - tino pai!

George and Xzavier balancing potatoes on spoons. 

(You can see Dylan behind Xzavier...he has just been coaching him.)

After listening to Dylan, Xzavier is using a good technique.

Respect for equipment was a much easier responsibility for some children than it was for others. One group discussed how it is important to look after the equipment because if it wasn't there (i.e. if we ate the potatoes!) they couldn't do the activity and, as Ruby put it, they couldn't 'stretch our brains' or learn about balance which the relay was teaching.

Abby, balancing a potato as she makes her way

back to her team.

Our Learning Capacities focus for tabloid sports is on Positive Learning Relationships and this week Tessa stood out for the way she cooperated with her group, especially when one team needed an extra player and she offered to switch groups. Ka pai Tessa, you are helping us to solve problems!

Next Monday the children will get another go to become familiar with the activities and Mr Massey and Miss McKenna look forward to introducing new games as the children develop their ability and skills with those introduced so far. 

Look out for more posts from us and for information about an interschool tabloid sports competition some of us will be competing in later in the term!