Sport

Sport is an important piece of the NZ Intermediate curriculum. Once a week the students have a PE session with Mr. Whitt plus at least two sessions with their teacher. They are taught specific skills for each sport through drills, practice the skills during games, and complete a self- and teacher-assessment at the end of each unit.

During my time I got to observe and participate in Rugby, Hockey, and Football (Soccer) instruction. Below are pictures from Rugby with Room 6 and Hockey with Room 17.

Working on passing...

No forward passes...

Pop Pass

Practicing a Try

Mr. Whitt demonstrates the Grubber Kick

Grubber Kick Pro

Room 17 Hockey Battle

Waiting on the sideline for numbers to be called

Stealing the Eggs

Final Game for Assessment

Every Friday during Block 3 all of the students participate in School Sport. The students in each of the Syndicates – Tawa, Rata, Kauri, and Rimu – are divided into 4 teams – Rugby, Football (Soccer), Hockey/Indian Chairs, and T-ball/Capture the Flag – that they stay with through the entire term. In the first 3 weeks each of the Syndicates play each other in order to be ranked and placed in seeds. In the final weeks of the term they are placed in a bracket towards winning the Winter Sport Syndicate Shield. I have spent my Fridays rotating through the different Sport events to see all of my students play.

Each sport also has an Inter-Class competition. A bracket is set up placing each class in competition with each other. The games are played during T3 or joint PE time blocks. The winner of the Inter-Class competition wins the shield for that sport. Room 9 has the shield for Swimming and Beep Test displayed in their room.

There is also the opportunity for students to try-out and play on different sport teams to represent the school in competition. Emma is coaching the top Netball team so I have had the opportunity to help out at some of the practices. Last weekend I spent my Friday evening watching the Heretuanga hockey team play and my early Saturday morning watching the Nike Netball team play. Check out the pictures below!!!

Grace in the goal in her new gear!

First day at Goal Shoot and she scores!

For each sport there is also the Inter-Intermediate Competition. Through trials of the sport teams a group is chosen to represent Heretuanga. They spend an entire school day competing against teams from the other area Intermediate schools. During Term 1 Heretuanga’s volleyball team brought home the top prize!

As you can see being physically fit and healthy as well as healthy competition is of utmost importance in New Zealand. Many of the classrooms complete a 10-minute run around the school grounds every day. Possibly a mentality to bring into my classroom in the States…