Education Outside the Classroom
Education outside the classroom is curriculum-based teaching and learning activities that go beyond the walls of the classroom. This also includes any curriculum-based activity that takes place outside the school ranging from a museum or marae visit, concert, to a sports trip, field trip, or outdoor education camp.  Experiences outside the classroom reinforce learning by enabling students to make connections between what they have learnt in the classroom and the world beyond the classroom. EOTC experiences also give students opportunities to demonstrate the key competencies identified in The New Zealand Curriculum; particularly managing self, relating to others, and participating and contributing.  As part of providing a holistic education and broaden their experiences we often have groups of children involved in activities or trips outside the classroom or school.  Below I have highlighted three out of class school activities that we provide:

School Gardens

We are in the process of redeveloping our school vegetable gardens to make them a more user-friendly learning environment.  One in which children and adults work together growing plants from seedlings, to looking after them and finally using them in food preparation and cooking.

We have a number of local community members working on this project with interested students. Please let us know if you are interested in knowing more or joining in.

We are presently looking towards becoming an EnviroSchool.  We are presently a 'Health-Promoting School'.  Wed have recently joined the 'Garden to Plate' programme.

Swimming

We are in the enviable position of having two amazing outdoor pools.  One is a learners' pool and the other a deep pool for more experienced swimmers.
During the Christmas vacation the local Council takes over the running of the pools for community access.  
During the summer months the teaching of swimming is taken most days of the week with the pool often open for recreational swimming during lunchtimes when hot. 

Music

The benefits of children being involved in learning music is well researched.  Shannon School is one of only a handful of primary schools that offers students the choice of learning from a number of musical instruments.  We employ a support person with musical knowledge and experience to teach and organise a number of music programmes and lessons. We presently also have a parent providing free music tuition as well.  At different times of the year the school organises a choir, kapa haka and school bands.  We also provide regular concerts and productions using our Performing Arts Centre with staging, sound and lighting facilities. In 2019 we were unable to provide for music tuition due to the inability to source a suitable music tutor.  We are pleased to announce that this will again be an option for 2020.