November Monthly Updates
Welcome to our new monthly updates layout.
Moving forward all monthly updates will come from the email address monthlyupdates@nchenz.org.nz it is a good idea to register the address @nchenz.org.nz as a safe sender as all contact from us comes from a variation of this address.
Visit the private members-only area of our website
BOOKMARK THIS LINK!
You can only access this section of the website through this members only link,
so it is best to bookmark it for future access.
Member Offers - Discounted Online Programs
Access discounts that are usually reserved for schools, available only to our members.
CODE ACADEMY - Open for enrolment all year now! A world-leading learning coding platform for students aged 5yrs+. teaching students how to code, logically sequence events, create playable games, and model real situations. Please click HERE for more information.
MUSIC ECADEMY - Open for enrolment. This is a great time of year to take up a subscription for Music Ecademy, which teaches music theory and aural training in a fun and engaging way for all future, amazing musicians! Please click HERE for more information.
START THINKING ABOUT THESE AMAZING PROGRAMMES COMING UP EARLY IN THE NEW YEAR
BANQER PRIMARY - Starts 21st Jan. Financial Literacy for Years 1-8. Approx ages 5-11. This year parents of Year 7 and Year 8 students have the option between Banqer Primary and Banqer High. Please click HERE for more information.
BANQER HIGH - Starts 28th Jan. Financial Literacy for Years 9-11 approx. This year parents can choose between Banqer High and Banqer Senior. Parents of Year 7 and Year 8 students have the option between Banqer Primary and Banqer High. Please click HERE for more information.
BANQER SENIOR - Starts 29th Jan. Financial Literacy for Years 11-13 approx. This year parents can choose between Banqer High and Banqer Senior. Please click HERE for more information.
STEPSWEB- Starts 31st Jan. A popular online Literacy program, building core skills for Reading and Spelling. Suitable for struggling learners. Please click HERE for more information.
When programmes are due for renewal Gin will email you from that programmes email address while all the emails are different they all end with @nchenz.org.nz so it is best to save this as a safe sender to ensure your emails don't get sent to spam.
If you've made a payment for a Member Offers program and not heard anything within a couple of weeks, please check your junk folder, or email the relevant program email address. Remember to save the individual program email addresses to your safe sender list too.
NCHENZ Website Highlight
As we approach the silly season remembering to take care of yourselves is so important, so this month we are featuring the Self-Care page.
When you decided to home educate you did not give up your right to self-care. You took on the responsibility of having your children 24/7, but there is no requirement that the price you pay to home educate is personal sacrifice.
Read through these tips and feedback from other home educators sharing their strategies for how they manage self-care while homeschooling.
There is no right way, self-care is a deeply personal event, while reading through this list take on board what you think is useful or relevant to you in your life style and discard the rest, each individual will find different strategies helpful.
Click this link to go directly to the self-care page on our website
Members favourite resource
Each month we will feature a member's favourite resource. This is a way for members to share with their community, not an endorsement, NCHENZ recommends you do your own due diligence before purchasing any resource, to ensure it meets your needs.
Let's Go Geography!
Kids can explore the world with Let's Go Geography
So many activities to support learning the units include Video & Pictures, Map & Flag activities, Colouring & Craft activities and Journaling.
Each year's curriculum covers 30 countries but the years do not build on each other so they do not have to be used in order. All levels have the same base curriculum then you can choose (or not) different add on’s to support.
With each year you get 32-weeks of lessons that can be used with multiple kids in multiple grade levels
No Clutter on Your Shelves!
The Flexibility of this curriculum lets you use it with your preschooler all the way to Intermediate aged child, all at the SAME TIME!
They even have a free sample to try before you buy.
Do you have a favourite resource you would like to share in the next Monthly Notices; Please send it to coordinator@nchenz.org.nz
Facebook updates.
Don’t have a Facebook, don’t see posts, Don’t worry,
the following are updates from our NCHENZ and Navigating Highschool & Beyond Facebook pages
School Sports NZ
We're all aware of the issue around home educated students and School Sports NZ. However, there's an intriguing new element that's just been added to this.
In the latest batch of charter schools that the government has announced there is a new school opening that is focused on high performing athletes. Being a charter school it is able to be a lot more flexible in how it operates than a normal state school.
There's an interesting interview here with the CEO of School Sports NZ discussing how/if this new school will be able to compete in School Sports NZ competitions. Whatever gets decided in this space could set an interesting precedent for Home Ed kids.
Let’s Talk Math!
Math can look so different for how we teach it from one child to the next! — and with so many resources, programs, and ideas out there, it’s always great to hear what’s actually working for you!
We’d love for you to share your favourite math resources below
YouTube channels
Curriculum or workbooks
Apps or downloads
Websites
Tips, tricks, or homeschool hacks that make math fun and engaging for your tamariki!
Whether you’ve discovered a creative hands-on approach, a game that makes learning enjoyable, or a simple routine that’s helped build confidence — We'd love to hear from you! email socialmedia@nchenz.org.nz so we can all be inspired.
Responses so far -
I’ve just discovered this "Sums of Anarchy" instagram account and she’s awesome at breaking down math in an easy to understand way! She has resources available too. I wish she’d been around when I was at school. https://www.instagram.com/sumsofanarchy?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
We use the Saxon math curriculum paired with Nicole the Math Lady using the videos and automatic grading. For skip counting/multiplication we used Number Rock YouTube videos, which were fantastic! And then we supplement with Beast Academy for problem solving and higher level thinking.
Infinityplusone on YouTube is fantastic too
We use White Rose Maths. It's from England. There are learning videos - about 10 minutes long that teach the concepts and then there is an accompanying worksheet and assessment material at the end of each unit. Very thorough and my boys enjoy it
Alcumus is fabulous for high school level students that want so etching like IXL with more problem solving. From the creators of Beast Academy but free! If the student gets the question wrong they can read through how to work it out, or watch the videos: https://artofproblemsolving.com/alcumus
For students that find a lot of written information/pictures overwhelming the New Wave Mental Math books are fabulous. Can also be used as review challenges.
No teaching material, but the questions themselves help the student to develop math ability. I teach to the problems that they haven't been able to work out. I've used these successfully for all my children: https://theschoolshop.co.nz/.../new-wave-mental-maths...
Khan Academy for math here. It has all the levels and they typically do awesome you tube clips to help students understand.
Math Antics also, great for visual learners!
Mr7 seems to pick up maths concepts quickly. We use Beast Academy workbooks from Engaging Minds, as well as their puzzle books. He then plays some prodigy maths.
Math antics videos....good at explaining concepts simply.
Saxon math...good old fashioned solid math teaching.
We are doing IXL. My daughter seems to enjoy it and loves the encouragement
So today I just discovered Yay Math and it looks really good! The videos are free online, there is a full curriculum that can be purchased, it begins at Algebra 1. I will try it next year and see how it goes as a supplement. https://www.yaymath.org
My son loves the YouTube channel Veritasium by Derek Muller. It explores physics, maths, and critical thinking through engaging experiments and explanations. It’s excellent for us for homeschooling because it makes complex maths concepts visual and practical, encourages curiosity, and links maths to real world problems. Great for supplementing a lesson or sparking interest before diving deeper.
Homeschooling Business Owners: Meet Duo Dance Dynamics
Meet Charlie (16) and Breana (13) — two homeschooling students from North Canterbury who have turned their love of dance into a thriving business: Duo Dance Dynamics.
For the past two years, these talented young women have been running their own dance studio, teaching classes each week to homeschooling students. What started in a home studio has grown so much that they now rent a professional studio space to accommodate their expanding classes.
What they offer:
Lyrical, Jazz, Hip Hop, Ballet, and Acro Classes
A Junior Dance Collective Class introducing beginners to a variety of genres
Private lessons tailored to refining individual skills and preparing students for regional dance competitions
Running Duo Dance Dynamics has become an incredible real-world education opportunity, teaching them skills across many areas:
Business & Leadership – writing terms and conditions, creating registration forms, budgeting for expenses and wages, planning annual recitals, and managing studio dynamics
Branding & Merchandising – working with a graphic designer to create their studio logo and with a merchandiser to produce uniforms
Organisation & Communication – writing start-of-term emails for families, holding business meetings, and keeping parents informed about events and recitals
Arts & Physical Education – strengthening their own skills while teaching safe technique, choreography development, conditioning, and stretching to their students
Life Skills – negotiating as business partners, developing strategies for managing class dynamics, and balancing passion with responsibility
Charlie and Breana’s journey shows how homeschooling can give young people the freedom to pursue their passions while gaining practical skills that reach far beyond the classroom.
At just 13 and 16 years old, they are already building a business, shaping a community, and learning lessons that will last a lifetime.
If you would like to know more about Duo Dance Dynamics and what they offer, you can email Charlie and Breana at duodancedynamics@gmail.com.
We’d love to hear from you! What amazing projects, businesses, or passions have your homeschooling tamariki turned into learning opportunities? email socialmedia@nchenz.org.nz — your story might inspire another family to see what’s possible.
Members-Only Offers
A lot of you are aware, but many of us forget, that as a member of NCHENZ, you have access to exclusive discounts and online programs that are normally reserved for schools. These special offerings are part of what makes your membership so valuable. Key benefits include:
Discounted subscriptions on online programs & curricula.
Early enrolment opportunities and limited intakes for top programs like Typing Club, Code Avengers, Skoolbo and more.
How it works:
Make sure you're a current member of NCHENZ — membership is free and open to all homeschooling families in Aotearoa.
Log into the Members-Only area of the website (there's a quick link to this in our featured posts), where you’ll find the offers and enrolment details.
Enrol into the program via the member links and follow the instructions. Some have limited spots or one intake per year — act early!
Make sure you retain your discounted rate by maintaining NCHENZ membership for the duration of the program.
Have you used one of the discounted programs? Share your experiences and which ones you found most useful!
Need help or have questions? Feel free to drop a comment here or email us at memberships@nchenz.org.nz.
To keep up to date with all these great offerings, join the Members Offers Facebook group where Gin keeps everyone up to date with renewal dates, new offerings, and everything else you need to know about the programs being offered!
Coloured Sand Recall
For those who use coloured sand please check the brands. There has been a total recall of the brands Educational colours, Creatistics and Kmart brands due to asbestos. (There have been further recalls of similar items since this was posted).
Let’s Talk Books!
We know many of you lean on books for guidance, inspiration, and practical help in your homeschooling journey.
We’ve gathered some of the most-loved titles from our community here: https://www.nchenz.org.nz/best-books
But we also know there are so many more gems out there!
Tell us: What books have made a difference for you? What would you recommend to someone just starting out?
Share your go-to reads below
Responces -
-'How Children Learn' by John Holt 'Free to Learn' by Peter Gray 'Connect with Courage' by Roya Dedeaux (Plus any books by Julie Bogart and Pam Laricchia - they are both great!)
-Also by Peter Gray: “Evidence that Self-Directed Education Works”
-The Call of the Wild + Free solidified my decision to home educate.
-Naomi Fisher’s books are so good - she’s a clinical psychologist so they’re thoroughly researched!! -/- Especially ‘Changing Our Minds’ (about self directed education in general) and ‘A Different Way to Learn’ (about SDE for neurodivergent kids/teens).
-'The Gentle Art of Learning - a Charlotte Mason Companion' by Karen Andreola.
The unistart program offers over 50 different courses. These courses are for teens in year 12 and 13. Don't be put off by the entry requirement too much. Just as a student can gain UE with discretionary entrance that looks different to NCEA credits, you can arrange a discussion with admissions for these courses too. What they will want to see is that your teen has competency in literacy (and possibly numeracy) so that they have the skills to succeed, and it is up to you to showcase that somehow:)
Two unistart papers can be completed for FREE as they are covered by scholarships!
2026 paper list is not out yet, but have a look at this year's offerings : )
Unistart :: University of Waikato https://share.google/DavXXAXLTqY2CReOV
For anyone with teens interested in climate change science, run through Waikato University via online learning and two on campus days. Total course length 15 weeks.
I have had communication with a parent whose teen gained entry via 1x NCEA L2 subject, 2 x NCEA L3 subjects and a conversation with the uni. Having completed the Climate Ambassador program the teen was granted provisional entry into fulltime university study.
Climate Ambassador Programme :: University of Waikato https://share.google/oziPXt62MXlxUkcN2
I'd like to share a free resource that I came across last week which has some Career-Life-Work workbooks and manuals as well as a bunch of other subjects. We found it through the Easy Peasy All-in-One High School website when we were looking at some of their high school subjects. It is a Canadian website and has some modules on Career Development, Dealing with Conflict and Stress, Job Success Strategies, Personal Management Skills etc. My daughter and I going through the Conflict one at the moment as it is something neither of us like dealing with, and are finding it quite helpful, so thought I'd share in case others would find the modules helpful too
About NCHENZ
The National Council of Home Educators NZ (NCHENZ) has been an Incorporated Society since 1998, dedicated to supporting and advancing home education across Aotearoa NZ at a national level.
We are the only nationwide homeschooling body in NZ representing all home educators, and we hold a strong commitment to neutrality. As per our Constitution, we do not endorse or promote any particular political, religious, educational, parenting, or socio-economic philosophy or methodology. Our focus is on creating an inclusive environment where all members, regardless of their cultural background or beliefs, feel welcomed and respected.
We have had zero membership fees for many years to ensure that the organisation is accessible to the entire homeschooling community, regardless of personal circumstances.
Email us on info@nchenz.org.nz