Tauranga Rotary teaches lessons with play
Recently Tauranga Rotary Club donated $5,000 worth of toys and learning tools to Greerton Villiage School, forming a resource library for its teachers and pupils. Year 6 student leader Blessing Pasi explains how it all came about.
"Last year Rotary Tauranga were visiting our school regarding the dictionaries they had donated. "While meeting with Ms. Kimberly Henderson it was discussed how our school was in need of equipment, toys and learning tools to promote oral and language, communication and interaction between students.
"Rotary offered to help our school with the very generous offer to start a resource library for our students across our school to use.
"A range of equipment was ordered from blocks, puzzles, board games, train stations, Meccano and much, much more.
"During our school holidays our Rotary angels turned up at our school with two cars filled to the top with the most amazing resources our school has ever seen. Teachers are going to be able to book these out for classes to use and explore. We are very grateful to Rotary's very generous gift that we know is going to benefit our school and all our learners. On behalf of all the children and teachers at Greerton Villiage School we would like to say a big thank you to Rotary.
Tauranga Rotary Club president Toby Tagg says the toy donation was funded by the club itself along with a grant from the Rotary District.
The club's portion came from money raised at its annual Easter book sale.
"It’s the sort of thing that we think is a great thing because it's kids and it's learning" Toby says.
"And also the fact is that it's not necessarily technology based. The discussion points were the fact that a lot of the kids just don't get see or do any of this because at home there isn't any. And there might be a phone or tablet, maybe, but all these sorts of things, which are tactile they don't even get to look at.