Sparklers 101

There are lots of ways to weave Sparklers into your teaching. Especially when it comes to getting ready for learning at the start of the day or lesson.

Learn A Bit About Sparklers if you're looking for connections with the NZ Curriculum, Te Whāriki or the Mental Health Education Guide.

A big mihi to you for laying the foundation for future development and growth, and helping tamariki build life-long skills. Ka pai!

Tailoring activities to meet the needs of tamariki

In the below video, you'll be orientated around the website and familiarised with the filters to navigate the Activities page and the Sparklers at Home page.

**NEW** Filters on the Teachers page:
Something For You, Kura Inspiration, and Tautoko Your Tamariki.

Do what you do so well and adapt activities to make them fly for your tamariki!

Sparklers has a range of activities that reflect the progression of key learning in the Mental Health Education guide (pp.59-63), mātauranga Māori (see pp. 17-21), and the New Zealand Curriculum (2007). Find out A Bit more About Sparklers (and why it isn't a programme).

Activities generally start with an inquiry-based framework to promote reflection and understanding to prepare tamariki for the learning. This is often followed by a summary of the relevant knowledge or pedagogical approaches needed to facilitate the learning, such as a discussion guide to enhance tamariki comprehension, along with step-by-step instructions on what to do. Activities typically end with ways to further the learning, through the next steps or other activities to try.

The three best ways to use Sparklers

Looking out for tamariki

Sparklers' is about creating activities that are modular, flexible, and designed to be positive and strengths-based. As part of negotiating a safe classroom environment, we’d recommend including an opt-out guideline should tamariki want or need to use it.

All our activities are intended to be revisited which can help build familiarity. If someone has a heightened response to a learning experience they may need a calm space to retreat or debrief. And, that’s okay. You are great at creating calm spaces.

If you have concerns about tamariki wellbeing – or their response to a particular activity – use your established school processes to respond and talk with a designated person in the pastoral support team.

School and home

We also have Sparklers At Home which you can share with whānau and guardians. As you know, the continuation of learning from school to home enables tamariki to develop, cement, and reinforce their abilities and skills for being well.

As well as whānau-friendly wellbeing activities, there is a range of guides full of easy ideas for helping tamariki find calm, manage worries, be grateful and kind, and feel good.