Kelston Deaf Education Centre teachers have been learning adventure-based learning games as part of their new non-traditional approach for sports day.

Sports day is always one of the most popular days on the school calendar and this year, Kelston Deaf Education Centre is taking a more innovative approach to provide an experience for students that goes beyond sport.

With support from Sport Waitākere’s Healthy Active Learning Advisors, kaiako (teachers) at the school are planning a unique day that moves away traditional athletics to focus on more inclusive adventure-based learning activities. The new format will include an array of activities and games, including those like ‘stepping stones’ and ‘hoopla’ to encourage teamwork and cooperation.

By supporting teachers to better plan and implement the health and physical education curriculum across school life, including events, schools can ensure quality physical activity experiences for students, explains Healthy Active Learning Advisor Katie Dobson.

“The needs of every learning environment are unique, and our conversations with Kelston Deaf Education Centre definitely reinforced this. The teaching team were looking for innovative, more inclusive and cooperative teamwork activities, rather than traditional sports, that best catered for the needs and learning styles of their deaf learners.”

Lisa Sharman, Acting Head of School, said the teaching team were open to learning more interactive team tasks and excited about new ways to encourage fun and teamwork for students.

“Most of the activities are inclusive and concentrate on working effectively as a team. We are excited to teach our students the games which are fun and challenging.”

Due to the pandemic, the sports day was not able to go ahead in March as planned, but the Healthy Active Learning Advisors will continue to support kaiako to think differently about ways to keep students active and make links to the curriculum.

Kelston Deaf Education Centre is one of 20 schools in Waitākere selected as a Healthy Active Learning School. Healthy Active Learning is about supporting schools, kura and early learning settings to improve child and youth wellbeing through healthy eating and drinking, and quality physical activity. It is a joint initiative from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Sport New Zealand and provides schools and early learning settings with new resources ranging from new guidelines to health promotion staff and physical activity advisors.

Article added: Monday 22 June 2020