Kiwi Can Programme
What is the main objective of Kiwi Can?
To teach students critical life skills that
will help/guide them through, not only their schooling but also their
future. These life skills encourage the
students to never give up when times are tough or things become difficult which
encourages the students to be positive community citizen. Having a positive role model in the student’s
life encourages them to attend school each day.
How does this programme help Kiwi Kids?
It helps the students by learning important
life skills that don’t necessarily get taught through the New Zealand education
system. These life skills are critical
for any young person to have especially when they are facing difficulties at
home. It teachers the students that there
are many people that are willing to help and a Kiwi Can leader is another
support person for them. In the students
eyes a kiwi can leader is not classified as a teacher but are seen as a
positive role model for the students.
It is important that all Kiwi Can leaders,
lead by example and are a positive role model to the students, as some of the
students lack a positive role model in there lives. The Kiwi Can leaders usually work in pairs
with one a male and the other female.
This is so the students have the opportunity to have a positive role
model in their lives either a female or male depending on which they can relate
to best. I believe this is critical aspect
to the programme to allow each student the opportunity to relate to the leaders
and most important feel safe coming which in turn has shown an increase for
there attendance at school.
Difference between Room 37 lessons and
other classes?
Although each class at Manurewa
Intermediate all contains Year 7 & 8’s, and follow the same lesson plan. It is important to adjust slightly from class
to class as some classes have a better understanding where as some struggle
more. One of the classes that we need to
do a major adjustment is room 37. Unlike
the other classes Room 37 has Kiwi Can once a week, as they struggle to recall
what has previous occurred and understanding the topic, therefore the lessons
do get adjusted.
Difference between Manurewa Intermediate
and other schools where Kiwi Can is run?
A standard Kiwi Can programme usually runs
as follows:
Year 7 & 8 students (intermediate age)
have a 45 minute lesson and each class is seen once a week. There may also be a small variation to this
depending on each school actually timetable.
Each class has a lesson once a week instead of fortnightly. This reinforces the values and lessons being
taught. With the class being fortnightly
at MI this does make it harder for the students to remember what the theme or
the previous topics have been, but due to the size of the school and the
timetable particularly the extra curriculum activities, such as options &
Cultural afternoon, time doesn’t allow for the weekly classes.
Sheryl Greer – KIWI CAN
