Learning Areas

Arts (Performing)

The Performing Arts are a broad and diverse field that encompasses drama, music, and dance. These Arts offer students a unique opportunity to express themselves creatively and to develop their skills in communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.

Drama is the art of acting and storytelling. Students who study drama learn how to develop characters, create dialogue, and perform in front of an audience. Drama can help students to improve their public speaking skills, develop their imagination, and learn about different cultures.

Music is the art of performing and creating vocal or instrumental sound through an expression of emotion. Students who study music learn how to read music, play an instrument, sing, compose music and learn about music in context. Playing a musical instrument can also help students to improve their memory, concentration, and creativity. It can also help students relieve stress and improve their overall well-being.

Dance is the art of movement. Students who study dance learn how to express themselves through movement, develop their coordination, and improve their physical fitness. Dance can also help students to develop their self-confidence and self-expression.

Here are some of the benefits of studying the performing arts:

Improved communication skills: The performing arts require students to communicate effectively with others, both verbally and nonverbally. This can help them to develop their public speaking skills, improve their listening skills, and learn how to work effectively with others.

Increased self-confidence: The performing arts can help students to develop a sense of self-confidence and self-esteem. This is because they are often required to perform in front of an audience, which can be a daunting task. However, when students are able to successfully perform in front of others, it can boost their confidence and self-esteem.

Enhanced creativity: The performing arts are a great way to express creativity. Students who study the performing arts are often encouraged to experiment and explore different ways of expressing themselves. This can help them to develop their own unique voice and style.

Improved problem-solving skills: The performing arts can help students to develop their problem-solving skills. This is because they are often required to think on their feet and come up with solutions to problems that arise during rehearsals or performances. This can be a valuable skill in any field, but it is especially important in the performing arts, where things don't always go according to plan.

If you are interested in exploring this field, we encourage you to do so!

Arts (Visual)

Commerce

English

The English Faculty at Whangaparāoa College is vibrant and forward-thinking. We are staffed by experienced teachers with a range of skills who are open to new ideas.

Emphasis is placed on the literacy skills needed for success in education and the world beyond school. Reading and writing are high on the priority list of classroom and homework activities. We are well-resourced with a wide range of modern and traditional texts, both written and visual. Teachers are aware of the importance of engaging students by using modern technologies where appropriate.

A number of philosophical beliefs underpin teaching and learning in an English classroom at Whangaparāoa College:

A supportive learning environment: Recognition that our learners represent a wide range of backgrounds, abilities and learning styles. This is supported by choosing texts which are appropriate to the class.

Encouragement of reflective thought and action: Allowing learners to evaluate the material they use critically and to reflect on their performance in assessment tasks.

Enhancing the relevance of new learning: Making explicit the reasons for doing each activity or the choice of certain texts. Where possible, learners are involved in the choice of texts or themes in order that they see what they are doing as relevant and for them to “buy in” to their learning.

Facilitating shared learning: Ensuring there is a range of cooperative learning activities being used on a regular basis in the classroom. Learners are encouraged to discuss their learning at home.

Making connections to prior learning: Finding out what the learners already know about a theme, idea or text. Learners are encouraged to make connections between their learning and their own experiences, as well as making connections between texts.

Teaching as inquiry: Teachers are aware of the mixed-ability nature of English classes and strive to differentiate to cater for the needs of all learners. The use of assessment data informs teaching and helps cater for the diverse needs of the learners.

Assessment: A range of programmes using internal and external assessment ensures most learners can enjoy success according to their individual abilities. Emphasis is placed in the senior school on achieving NCEA success, with specialised programmes for those learners who need help with literacy. Able learners are extended through the use of challenging themes and texts, with constant urging to aim for excellence.

Gateway

Languages

Māori Medium Pathway (Wānanga)

Māori Medium Pathway refers to our bilingual unit – He Kupenga Rua a Tāne. This journey can begin as early as year 10 with our junior wānanga class.

This class is application based with limited spaces available and runs very much like a standard year 10 rōpū whānau. What makes it unique is the classroom environment, the content taught in lessons and the extra-curricular expectations on the learners in this space (pōhiri, school tikanga & Kaupapa Māori leadership etc).

This class spends a year together being immersed in a mixed learning space that incorporates Te Ao Māori & mainstream education. Our curriculum is delivered using a Kaupapa Māori approach where tikanga, matauranga & Māori teaching and learning methods are prioritised.

Learners in this space apply with the intention of taking our senior Māori medium pathway (senior wānanga).

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In year 11, 12 & 13 learners can apply to join our senior wānanga. We have limited spaces available due to classroom size and teacher resource. This class is a mixed year level rōpū whānau (home room) that stay together for the equivalent of three subjects (half their timetable). During this time, learners cover classwork from three different areas of the curriculum - Te Reo Māori, English and History.

Due to the nature of wānanga (one classroom for up to 3 hours a day), learners can tackle their class work and assessments for longer periods of time, allowing them to knuckle down on one subject for longer when necessary. We attempt to form connections between our three subjects ensuring the teaching and learning we do is applicable across assessments and year levels. We often block teach a topic and link multiple NCEA standards to that learning.

The senior wānanga is taught by a team of three teachers. It is taught bilingually with the use of English & Te Reo Māori. All learners are welcome to apply, and any level of Māori language is accepted. Please note that whānau involvement is a huge component of this class and parents and caregivers play a crucial and active role in our space. Learners in our space are responsible for running numerous Kaupapa Māori initiatives throughout the school and community. We take great pride in being one of a few bilingual spaces in Aotearoa New Zealand that attempt to bring parity to secondary school education by way of honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and offering a dual pathway to accomplishing a secondary school qualification.

Māori Studies

Maori studies provides students with an opportunity to learn about the culture, traditions, and history of the indigenous people of Aotearoa New Zealand. This subject is designed to deepen students' understanding of Maori culture, as well as its role in shaping the country's history and identity. Students learn about the Maori language, customs, beliefs, and values, and how they have evolved over time. They also study the major events that have shaped the Maori people and their relationship with the broader New Zealand community.

In Maori studies, students have the opportunity to develop their cultural competency, empathy, and respect for different cultures and ways of life. The subject also provides students with a deeper understanding of New Zealand's unique cultural heritage and the contributions made by the Maori people to the country's development.

Maori studies offers students a chance to develop their critical thinking and analytical skills as they examine historical events and the ways in which they have influenced contemporary Maori society. Through a variety of learning activities, such as group discussions, debates, and written assignments, students are encouraged to think deeply about the themes and concepts covered in the course.

Overall, Maori studies in secondary school is an important subject for all students, as it provides them with a better understanding of the country's history, cultural heritage, and the contributions made by its indigenous people.

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Māori Performing Arts offers learners a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich cultural heritage of Aotearoa. Through these courses, learners gain a comprehensive understanding of traditional and contemporary Māori performing arts, including kapa haka (traditional Māori dance and song), mōteatea (traditional chant), and other performance disciplines.

This course enriches learners culturally, deepening their appreciation and knowledge of Māori culture, history, and tikanga (customs and traditions), fostering a strong sense of identity and belonging. Learners develop a wide range of artistic skills, including singing, dancing, and performance techniques, and gain expertise in using traditional instruments and costume design.

Additionally, the course enhances proficiency in Te Reo Māori, as performances and songs are often in the Māori language, promoting bilingualism and linguistic competence. Participating in group performances and collaborative projects builds confidence, enhances communication skills, and fosters teamwork and leadership abilities. Learners explore their creativity through the composition of new performances and the interpretation of traditional works, encouraging original thought and innovation.

The course involves critical analysis of performances, both self and peer, encouraging constructive feedback and reflection, which are essential skills in all areas of life. Māori Performing Arts integrates physical, mental, and emotional learning, promoting overall well-being and a holistic approach to education.

Learners can expect hands-on learning through regular practice and live performances, in-depth study of the historical and cultural contexts of the performances, and opportunities to perform at school events, community gatherings, and competitions, fostering a strong connection with the wider community. They will experience learning in a supportive and inclusive environment that respects and celebrates diversity.

By taking an NCEA Māori Performing Arts course, learners not only gain valuable artistic skills but also contribute to the preservation and revitalization of Māori culture, preparing them for a variety of future pathways both within and beyond the arts.

Mathematics

At Whangaparāoa College Mathematics courses focus on developing the ability to apply some of the essential skills described in The New Zealand Curriculum Framework: communication skills; numeracy skills; information skills; problem-solving skills; social and cooperative skills; and work and study skills.

To do this learners will be put in situations where they can be lead to “rediscover” concepts, develop and maintain skills, and tackle applications while learning to think mathematically. It is important that problems in real world contexts that are relevant to the learners are investigated. Connections to other learning areas will also be highlighted and explored. General objectives (GO) from Mathematics in the New Zealand Curriculum which Whangaparāoa College Mathematics teaching and learning aims to meet.

GO 1. Develop a belief in the value of mathematics and its usefulness.
GO 2. Nurture confidence in the learners’ own mathematical ability.
GO 3. Foster a sense of personal achievement and encourage a continuing and creative interest in mathematics.
GO 4. Develop skills, concepts, understandings and attitudes which will enable learners to cope confidently with the mathematics of everyday life.
GO 5. Develop a variety of approaches to solving problems in mathematics including the ability to think and reason logically.
GO 6. Help learners to achieve the mathematical and statistical literacy needed in a society which is technologically oriented and information rich.
GO 7. Provide learners with the mathematical tools, skills, understandings and attitudes that they will require in the world of work.
GO 8. Provide a foundation for those learners who may continue studies in mathematics or other learning areas where mathematical concepts are central.
GO 9. Help to foster and develop mathematical talent.
GO 10. To look for problems and solve them in flexible and creative ways reflecting critically on the methods chosen.

In Mathematics learners explore relationships between quantities, space and data. They learn how to express these relationships in ways that help them make sense of the world around them.

Learners will investigate and communicate patterns, relationships and models to solve problems in real life and hypothetical situations. These are drawn from a wide range of social, cultural, scientific, technological, health, environmental and economic contexts.

By studying Mathematics learners develop the ability to think creatively, critically, strategically, and logically. They learn to structure and to organise, to carry out procedures flexibly and accurately, to process and communicate information, and to enjoy intellectual challenge.

Mathematics also contributes to the Essential Learning Area of Technology through the use of calculators (Scientific, Graphical and CAS), computers (Particularly spreadsheets, graphing, dynamic geometry, statistics and simulation applications) and Interactive Whiteboards. Technology should be used to focus on the mathematical concepts and ideas where routine mechanical manipulation intrudes on the real point of learning situations.