However, soon it will be the model example all other classes at the school will follow.
The about 25 pupils in the class are the "guinea pigs" for the school's new curriculum and, if all goes well, all year 9 social studies, science, English and maths classes at the school will be taught the same way next term in preparation for full implementation at the start of next year.
Mathematics teacher Garry Turner said computers would play a big part in teaching of the new curriculum, because they allowed pupils to take greater responsibility for their own learning.
"They are guinea pigs in the sense that we're attempting to incorporate our information communication technology personal development objectives with the key competencies in the new curriculum."
The new curriculum is only being trialled in a year 9 class of accelerated maths pupils, and already there had been a noticeable change in the attitudes of the pupils towards learning, he said.
As part of the new curriculum, each pupil has been given a username and password for the Mathletics website, and they have been challenging other online users across the world to mathematical contests.
The website also allows for pupils to gain online credits through completing tasks designed to complement the New Zealand mathematics curriculum, he said.
"Students have elected to improve their mathematical knowledge by gaining gold bars for tasks completed to a standard of 90% or better.
"Many students have been disappointed to find they have answered one or two questions incorrectly and they have chosen to complete the task again and try for 100%.
"The site allows for students to self direct their study and they have fed off each other as they gain success in specific curriculum areas.
"Students have consistently displayed positive attitudes across all the key competencies by managing themselves, participating and contributing, thinking, relating to others, and of course, using language, symbols and text as they gather credits . . .
"Perhaps best of all has been the levels of excitement students have shown as they engage in improving their mathematical knowledge," he said.
Year 9 pupil Jake Massih said he was surprised at how inspiring the teaching technique was for him and fellow pupils.
"I'm actually learning something. I was doing it on my own rather than have the teacher spoon feed it to me."
The new curriculum was introduced early at Kings so any complications with the implementation could be smoothed over before it became compulsory for all schools to introduce the new curriculum next year.
