Class 8   The Class 8 child (Year 9; Age 13 -14 years): “Identity” 

 

Ka pu te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi 

“The old net is cast aside, while the new net goes fishing”. 

 

The fourteenth year is a milestone year in the inner life of a young person. There is an increasing realisation – and assertion – of the individual sense of self, of the uniqueness of one’s own identity. After the breadth of exploration of the world, covered in Class 7, the Class 8 year is one of turning towards inwardness, even, at times, self-absorption. 

 

However, in this year, there is still a strong connection to, and care for, the outside world, and the curriculum exploits this in lessons such as environmental studies, the impact of the industrial revolution on humanity, and in responding to the biographies of others who cared. 

 

At this age, the concreteness of refining skills, meeting boundaries, and being able to articulate emotions are all important ways in which the young person can be supported to feel safe and interested in his or her own place in the world. 

 

The Teachers’ Pedagogical Aims For Class 8 Are: 

 

1. To foster a sense of connectedness to the world 

2. To polish skills for learning  

3. To develop social skills more consciously 

4. To re-discover notions of beauty and goodness in light of one’s own responses to the world 

5. To support the individual’s developing sense of uniqueness 

6. To encourage courage 

7. To promote active searches for meaningful role-models or people who are worth emulating 

8. To stimulate personal goal setting and a sense of responsibility for oneself.