Waikanae School Home Learning Challenges 2011

Based on the PRIDE Challenge programme developed by Windsor School, Christchurch, our Challenge programme for Years 3 to 8 students, sits alongside our compulsory home learning expectations. There are a number of key differences between our Challenges and traditional homework. They include:

  1. The children choose to participate
  2. hildren can choose what challenges they undertake, including a 'design your own challenge' option within each broad category
  3. A wide range of engaging and enjoyable challenges that involve the family and child
  4. It acknowledges many of the out-of-school learning activities children are involved in
  5. It is learning through doing and then reflecting on the process
  6. It is fun, challenging, success-orientated and includes all the competencies, intelligences and learning to learn skills
  7. Children were involved in developing the programme, and will continue to be involved in its on-going review

How it works:

  • All children who successfully complete the minimum number of Challenges will bepresented with a specially designed jelly bracelet and a certificate acknowledging their achievement.
  • Completed Challenges are not 'marked' by the teacher. There is no grading given. The teacher may talk with a child about what they learnt from the Challenge, what went well, what they might do differently next time.
  • The completed Challenge is signed off in the child's Challenge booklet, and in the teacher's record book.
  • If they wish, children may have a clear file, journal or book to keep or display the 'evidence' of their Challenge in e.g. photographs, feed back, log, etc. This will be for each child to decide.

There are no consequences for children who choose not to participate in the programme.