The school is made up of various free-standing buildings. Each building houses two classrooms. This building includes Room 1 and Room 2 (the classroom where I have spent my first two weeks). The "front" door of the classroom opens out into one of the courtyards. Most of the day our classroom door is open and fresh air is moving through the classroom. The "back" door opens to what used to be the Toilet Block for Room 1 and Room 2. The Toilet Blocks attached to each building have been ripped around and there is currently construction to build more centralized Toilet Blocks. The space now consists of a half-wall that the students use when getting changed into their PE clothes.
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| Room 2 |
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| Room 1 and Room 2 |
The windows are tinted so we are able to see out of the classroom, but you have to put your face right up to the glass to see in. This leads to quite some fun for teachers when students use the windows as mirrors during Transition times and forget that someone may still be in the classroom.
Here are pictures of two of the courtyard areas in the school - simply beautiful space that the students have access to during the three Transition time periods during the day.
While construction is underway there is one centralized Toilet Block that all students are using. In Room 2 ask "May I go to toilet" or give the basketball "time-out" sign. Emma laughed at me the other night when I said I was going to the bathroom. She laughed even harder when I corrected it with restroom. Even in 8 weeks time I do not know if I will be able to say "I am going to toilet" with a straight face. Possibly "I am going to the loo" - but there is no guarantee. The building under construction is another Toilet Block being put in near Room 6. While is is currently just a frame, I have been told that it will also include changing space for students.
This building with the beautiful handcrafted totem poles is the library. It was locked when I had my camera out, but I will try and post pictures of the inside soon.
The Office includes your standard front desk, adminstrators offices, conference room, and teacher's staffroom. It is attached to The Hall. In this picture of the Hall the Prefects were preparing it for Weekly Assembly. The Hall is also utilized for different student activities such as Pasifika, Kapa Haka. Cook Island Girls, and Dance (which I wil explain and post pictures of soon!)
One area that might seem to be missing in a cafeteria or lunchroom. Students have three times during the day in which they are expected to balance eating and enjoying the outside - whether that be through sport, reading, or hanging out with friends. Regardless of what the students are doing they MUST be out of the classrooms and utilizing the school grounds. These time periods are referred to a Transition 1 (30 minutes - T1 for short), Transition 2 (15 minutes - T2 for short) and Transition 3 (45 minutes - T3 for short). For the first 15 minutes of T1 and all of T2 the students are expected to be in the courtyard and eat. Some utilize the tables and benches while others sit lined up against the buildings. The remainder of the T time they are allowed in the courtyard areas and on to the sport fields (pictures of those coming soon!). During T3 Netball, Rugby, Hockey, and Soccer practices take place while other students are playing pick-up games of those sports as well as Handball and Capture the Flag.
My favorite part of the school grounds in the beautiful mountains that I can see out the windows of Room 2 and while I am out on the sport fields. I find myself captivated by their vast presence and saying a quick thank you prayer to God for the amazing opportunity he has provided me with. While "home" for me is the Indiana cornfields and I would not ask for it any other way - I tell my students at Heretaunga every day that they are so so lucky to have such a breathtaking view.
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