Learning+pathways

=Teachers' toolkit= =Learning pathways= As students journey from early childhood through secondary school and, in many cases, on to tertiary training or tertiary education in one of its various forms, they should find that each stage of the journey prepares them for and connects well with the next. Schools can design their curriculum so that students find the transitions positive and have a clear sense of continuity and direction.

Early childhood learning
Te Whariki: He Whariki Matauranga mo nga Mokopuna o Aotearoa, the curriculum for early childhood education, provides children with a foundation for ongoing learning. It is based on four principles: Empowerment, Holistic Development, Family and Community, and Relationships. Te Whariki includes five curriculum strands: Exploration – Mana Aoturoa, Communication – Mana Reo, Wellbeing – Mana Atua, Contribution – Mana Tangata, and Belonging – Mana Whenua. Together, they provide a foundation for lifelong learning. These strands correspond to the key competencies identified in this document.

Learning in years 1–6
The transition from early childhood education to school is supported when the school: • fosters a child’s relationships with teachers and other children and affirms their identity; • builds on the learning experiences that the child brings with them; • considers the child’s whole experience of school; • is welcoming of family and whanau. This new stage in children’s learning builds upon and makes connections with early childhood learning and experiences. Teaching and learning programmes are developed through a wide range of experiences across all learning areas, with a focus on literacy and numeracy along with the development of values and key competencies.

Learning in years 7–10
During these years, students have opportunities to achieve to the best of their abilities across the breadth and depth of the New Zealand Curriculum – values, key competencies, and learning areas – laying a foundation for living and for further learning. A responsive curriculum will recognise that students in these years are undergoing rapid physical development, becoming increasingly socially aware, and encountering increasingly complex curriculum contexts. Particularly important are positive relationships with adults, opportunities for students to be involved in the community, and authentic learning experiences. Students’ learning progress is closely linked to their ongoing development of literacy and numeracy skills. These continue to require focused teaching.

Learning in years 11–13
The New Zealand Curriculum allows for greater choice and specialisation as students approach the end of their school years and as their ideas about future direction become clearer. Schools recognise and provide for the diverse abilities and aspirations of their senior students in ways that enable them to appreciate and keep open a range of options for future study and work. Students can specialise within learning areas or take courses across or outside learning areas, depending on the choices that their schools are able to offer.

THE NEW ZEALAND CURRICULUM PAGE 41