customers. I taught research skills to Year 9 students using the topic of Bees and I taught paraphrasing skills to all Year 11 students. This was so popular that some General Science students popped in for the same lesson. Good paraphrasing skills are key to avoiding plagiarism. History classes dominated Term 1. Internals on the Springbok Tour (Level 1 NCEA), John F Kennedy (Level 2 NCEA), and an independently chosen topic at Level 3 kept both me and the students busy finding primary sources. Year 12 English research dominated Term 2 – with most classes moving in for six weeks whilst they completed the internal on Digital Literacy. This meant they had easy access to books and me, the teacher–librarian, so I could guide them to use the right online databases and websites and also be on hand for tricky referencing advice. There has been plenty of one-on-one help this year – and I am, as ever, always on hand to help boys find just the right book or resource for research. Year 13 student Angus Murray, in particular, kept me busy, digging deep into the interweb to find Art History resources. The library has been a busy thriving hub in 2019. Morning break and lunchtimes are extremely popular, with boys meeting to study, play chess and generally hang out in mixed House groups. I shut the
she left at Easter, travelling to London to undertake further study in educational psychology. We finished the year with the help of Lorraine Fuller, a former librarian at Ohoka School. They both made the running of the library at its most frantic times of the year a smoother and happier place. My last word goes to Lyn. A more enduring and hard-working assistant librarian cannot exist. She endlessly helps boys and staff to print, find books, find their way and always does it with a smile on her face … unless she finds you eating!
regular competitions this year, competing locally, nationally, and internationally. Aurecon Bridge Building Competition The Aurecon Bridge Building Competition is held each year in locations throughout Australia and New Zealand, with junior students constructing balsa bridges designed to an exacting set of specifications. After our first entry last year, in which Thimeth Wijesinghe’s bridge was awarded the Innovation prize, the department was eager to get more boys involved. To that end, we created the inaugural in-house bridge building competition for all Year 9 students. Following an engaging presentation on structural engineering concepts by three PhD students from the University of Canterbury, the boys spent the day designing and constructing their own bridges in teams of three. Bridges were judged in three categories: strength, incorporation of design principles from the presentation, and aesthetic appeal. The award for aesthetic appeal was given to Nathan Cranstone, Sean Jang and Lachie Short. The strength and design categories were both won by a clever entry created by Angus Gifford, Jaspar Thomas and Greg Robertson.
Lisa Trundley-Banks Teacher–Librarian
MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS Mathematics Staff At the end of the year we farewelled Assistant Head of Department James Bartlett, who left to lecture at the University of Canterbury. The Assistant HoD role was filled by Tamara Lerios. We also farewelled teacher Tony O’Connor, a former Olympic rower in his native Ireland, who left to coach the New Zealand rowing men’s eight, with a view to securing a place at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. New Zealand trained teacher Amanda Lester joins the team from Greenwood College School, Toronto, and Dr Neil de Joux joins as a first-year teacher. Each year in July, a Mathematics tutor joins us from either the University of Oxford or the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, while another departs. The tutor plays an important role – providing extra tuition, supporting individuals or groups of students during class, and extending the mathematical experience of our most able students. This year saw the departure of Andrew Quinn, and the arrival of Jenny Dingwall from Merton College, Oxford. Mathematics competitions College students have again gained a pleasing array of results in our
library to juniors for the trial examinations and end-of-year
examinations. And once again, boys flocked to the library with the sure knowledge they could find peace and quiet in order to study. After all, what is a library for if you cannot find a space to silently work? A big change for the library this year has been the decision to use the space for relief classes. At times up to five classes have been timetabled into the library, making it an extremely busy space. I have been fortunate to have two excellent extra staff members this year. We started the year with a graduate, Saradia McCahon. Sadly,
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