Raphael House has always been keen to offer a curriculum that is as much as possible practical and connected with the wider world. Included in this vision are all the camps, work experiences, craft lessons and other 'Education Outside the Classroom activities.
These experiences are a wonderful balance to the classroom work, and help enliven the head, hand and heart of each student.
This year Class 9 were sent to 14 farm placements from Taipa Bay (Northland) to Pleasant Point, (South Canterbury), and from Waitara (Taranaki) to Gisborne.
The experiences included potato planting and grading, composting, possuming, lots of calves for calfetarias, macadamias and avocados, milking at dawn, and evening, planting of trees, collecting eggs and feeding chickens.
The students were back to the land. Not always getting the highlights anticipated, but
engaging, and having a great time in the spring.
Many former students of the school have commented on the value of these camps and experiences, even when (sometimes especially when!) they have been quite challenging.
We are very fortunate to have these opportunities at our school, thanks to the farm hosts and also to the dedication of our teachers who put in an extraordinary amount of extra after hours time to make such occasions possible.
