At Mihi School, the student is at the center of the learning. This is because we know that everyone has their own passions, wonderings, questions, strengths and needs. At Mihi School, our localised curriculum is explored through Discovery Learning.

Why?

Discovery Learning is a child’s natural way of exploring the world we live in. It covers all aspects of learning – physical, social, emotional and cognitive. It provides learning opportunities that are interactive, multi-sensory, creative and imaginative. Students are not only learning about the activity or working towards an outcome, they are engaging with each other, negotiating, cooperating and fostering friendships.

Why is Discovery Learning important?

Discovery learning provides a positive transition from early childhood centres to primary school for our new entrant tamariki. As students move through to the senior levels of primary school, they start to use skills developed when exposed to new knowledge and capabilities through hands-on activities, inquiry and research.

Discovery learning enables students to learn positive values and habits for learning. It promotes self-regulation and oral language. Discovery learning offers students choice, while consolidating skills learnt through structured and explicit learning with the teacher.

Year 0-3: Learn through Discovery - teachers provide provocations and tasks for students to complete to increase and share their understanding of our localised curriculum. Teachers adapt these provocations to meet the learning needs and interests of the students. 

Year 4-6: Discover through Inquiry Based Learning - students complete tasks to consolidate, build upon and share their understanding of our localised curriculum concepts. Tasks provide the opprotunity for students to work across multiple curriculum areas. Students can choose the order in which they complete these tasks over a p[eriod of time. Teachers support students with these tasks.

Students shared their learning at the end of each term - keep an eye out for times that you can pop in and see what we have learnt.

Examples of Year 4-6 Inquiry Based Learning Boards