Te Reo Maori me ona Tikanga - Staff Meeting update

This afternoon Norah and I shared our reviewed Maori Achievement Strategy and Te Reo Maori me ona Tikanga Implementation with our staff.  At the end of 2014 Norah and I met to revise/update these two documents.  They were first written at the end of 2011 and were due for revision.

I lead the meeting with support from Norah.  We displayed the documents using the projector.  Both Norah and I spoke to the documents explaining the updates and making clear links to why and how we meet the needs of our Maori learners.  Some key concepts that we have now made more explicit is the concept of Student Well-being being more than just ensuring our tamariki are fed, clothed and ready to learn.  It includes providing learning opportunities for our tamariki to engage in learner that is appropriate for them and their whanau - knowing our learners and catering to all their needs not just physical needs but mental and emotional needs as well.  This is at times challenging but worthwhile and rewarding.  We intend to build the leadership of our tamariki this year by providing opportunities for them to develop and share their 'hidden' talents and abilities.

This was a timely update as often we get stuck doing what we are doing because it's what we do.  We do know why we are doing or teaching something but our Implementation Plan which links directly to our Maori Achievement Strategy are the basis for our teaching and including Te Reo Maori me ona Tikanga into all aspects of learning at James Street School.

TOD 2015 - Staff Health

This morning we had a two and a half hour workshop with Life Coach Denise Simons from Relate Coaching, www.relatecoaching.co.nz.

This workshop was brought about in recognition of the need to provide our staff with strategies to cope with stress.

We began by listing the positive and negative aspects of 2014.  We then listed what we predict will be the positive and negative aspects of 2015.   By doing this we were able to voice our stresses and then wipe them clean.

We also learnt how to how we are both 'Wairua and Skin Bag'.  Often we let the skin bag side of ourselves take over.  We leart a simple technique of using your hand as a reminder to change that voice inside your head to wairua when the skin bag side (stress) gets too loud.

We then went through a process called Getting Complete.  This involved acknowledging how you react when your back is up against the wall.  Do you get resentful or upset?  From here we worked through listed things that we were resentful about or regretted.  Then we listed our requests and finished off by acknowledging the process in order to be complete and move on from the things that we regret/resent.

After this we learnt how to be Committed Listeners.  This technique is used to scaffold the 'getting complete' strategy.  You need to find a buddy who will listen to you and commit to being available and keep your discussions confidential.  We learnt the process and the rules for being a Buddy.  We then practiced with a Buddy.  This technique allows the speaker to speak and be heard by their buddy and themselves.  It acknowledges the need for the speaker to realise that they have been heard and therefore are able to move forward with an action to resolve the issue discussed or to clear the slate because your aired your issue.

Overall it was a good morning.  Basic message is, acknowledge positive and negative stresses.  Use the strategies to minimise and move on from stress.  Remember your Wairua side and don't allow your skin bag to dominate.  Maintain your integrity with yourself otherwise you will not be able to maintain integrity with others or with what you are passionate about.  Seek support - make regular 'appointments' to meet with your Buddy.  List your regrets/resentments and work through the getting complete process in order to move on and leave the stress behind.

Ahhhhh, my Wairua is speaking to me now and it wants to sing and dance to music.  So chow!

Te Reo Maori me ona Tikanga at James Street School

So today I met again with our Principal Norah Schreiber.

As Lead Teacher for Te Reo Maori me ona Tikanga it is my responsibility to lead the Te Reo Maori Committee in order to meet our Charter goals and policies.  In 2011 Norah and I co-contructed our school's Maori Achievement Strategy, our Te Reo Maori me ona Tikanga Implementation Plan and our Two-yearly Te Reo Maori me ona Tikanga Foci Plan.

The aim of our meeting to-day was to reflect and revise these documents now that we are three years on since their implementation.

We have therefore made some additions to the M.A.S and I.P to include greater emphasis on Student Leadership, Well-being, Engagement and Hauora as well as fostering productive partnerships with students, whanau, teachers, school and community.

So we are all set now to continue teaching Te Reo Maori me ona Tikanga in 2015 with our updated documents which will be added to each teacher's resource Kete for future reference.

It was a productive, engaging and exciting meeting in regards to the future of Te Reo Maori me ona Tikanga at James Street School.

Year 6 Leaver's Evening

Tonight we farewelled  our Year 6 tamariki who head off to Intermediate next year. A lovely bunch of gorgeous tamariki all but two who spent all their primary years at James Street!

Parakuihi i te Kura

Parakuihi i te Ata

So I tried to blog this event when it happened but seems like the school's network doesn't like my phone and won't let me upload directly from my phone.  But anyway, I digress ... So these photos we taken at our whole school breakfast which is a community event we host usually once a year.  We invite all our whanau's to attend.  All staff are involved in preparing and serving breakfast.  Today was a lovely day!  

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