The young pupils in Ruma 11 at Newton Central School sometimes paint their spelling words on the concrete outside with water. They learn about symmetry and counting by threading yarn tukutuku patterns of their own designs through cardboard they've perforated with a nail. It's putting maths into practice but "they don't think of it as maths", says their teacher Nicola Blight, known as Whaea Nicola to her bilingual te reo/English Year 1 and 2 class. "They think of it as sewing; they say 'when can we do sewing?'."
Blight downplays another fun display as "not an art thing as such". Each child has created a paper flower of 10 petals. The newest pupils have simply written the numbers 1 to 10 on their petals, one number on each petal. Other maths groups have given their petals an equation that adds up to 10, or to 20, depending on their numeracy level. A glitter centre finishes each flower off. It may not be an "art thing" but it sure makes maths more fun than always using pencil in an exercise book.
I visited Blight to find out how she was using art to teach other subjects, but she conceives of her teaching practice in a more holistic way. It's about finding approaches " whether "artistic" or not " that suit the children. "With some kids, the hands-on thing can motivate them in a totally different way."
It's also about raising confidence and self-esteem, particularly in those pupils who aren't used to being top of the class, in a way that makes them excited to learn. Art "allows them to do something that's cool and celebrated", she says. Celebration includes displaying the artwork in the classroom, giving the children a sense of belonging. "This is their space, and they respect the beauty of it," says Blight.
Wonderful poems and prints showing "families" of shapes are strung low across the room, making grown-ups stoop, but allowing the kids to read them. Among other things, the poet-artists learned about rotational geometry and colour-mixing.
