Sister also has a class of her own and enjoys teaching. About 2015 her school wanted to raise the achievement of their students in Maths, Reading and Writing. To achieve this St Patrick’s School formed a cluster with 8 or 9 other schools giving it the name Manaiakalani. Together the teachers wrote a curriculum based on the New Zealand curriculum for their cluster to follow. The Ministry of Education were happy with what had been achieved and they told the teachers to adopt it. The achievement of the children increased in comparison with what it was. All the schools participating were decile 1 schools, 70% were Pacific Island children. In addition their cluster was the very first school in New Zealand to introduce Chrome books to schools. Each student starting from year 4-8 was given a chrome book. The students do all their work on this little machine. There are no more books and pens. The teacher has access to what the students do and the students have access to the teacher’s plan so they know what is expected from them’. The Ministry of Education observed this teaching method and they liked what they saw.
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Our Stories
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Sister Casimir Cahill
Patricia Josephine Cahill was born in Auckland on the 17 March, 1913, the third daughter of William John Cahill, Engineer, and Mary Anne Cahill [nee O’Leary] in a family of seven children...
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Sister Emilian O’Mahony
Honoria, daughter of Cornelius and Ellen O’Mahony, was born at Drimoleague, County Cork, Ireland and immigrated to New Zealand at the age of 30. She was a qualified Maternity Nurse prior to her arrival having received her training at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin.
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Sister Julian Smythe
Margaret Monica, daughter of John and Agnes Smythe was born in Kumeroa a small country town near Woodville.