EduCampWhakatane

So yesterday Shelley Forster and I attended our first EduCamp here in Whakatane.  It was a great day!

Here are my thoughts about the day ...

• NZ teachers are amazing - we are definitely extremely passionate and highly motivated to provide the best teaching possible to increase the learning outcomes for our students!  I was blown away by the level of enthusiasm, commitment, collaboration, knowledge and awhi that all the presenters displayed today. Nga mihi nui ki a koutou katoa nga Kaiako ngakau pono!
• So many choices - Smackdown - wow the wealth of knowledge and possibilities is mind blowing! (see presentation below).  After listening to the 5min intros by each presenter I had to rethink - what is going to be most valuable for me right now?  So I chose to attend the Google Sites, Hapara and Bitstrips breakouts.  I found Google sites interesting perhaps not as valuable as I thought it would be purely because I have already 'self-taught' myself and set up my own class google site by 'tutuing' and using models of sites from several blogs and e-learning teachers that I am following - mainly Pt England School in Auckland and a few others from EdblogNZ.  It was interesting to see how other teachers use their sites and what they include in it as well.  Hapara - this I was very interested in as I've heard mixed comments about it.  The teacher that presented was very enthusiastic about it especially as she came on board at the same time that the latest updates did - namely 'interact' and 'workspace'.  Perhaps it was the speed of the presentation or because I started with Google Classroom but I'm not entirely convinced yet to give it a go.  I'm sure if I had more time to tutu with it I'd have a better understanding of its' pros and cons.  I have a few links to look at to help in this area.  I was the only one interested in Bitstrips so that was not presented but I will have a tutu with it sometime soon.  Shelley and I decided to work together to get our google sites up and running.  I was able to assist Shelley as best I could to get her site looking the way she wanted.
• Twitter - so I have steered clear of twitter thus far but today I was inspired to join up and became a tweep!  Anne-Marie Hyde @mrs_hyde  and Alex Le Long @ariaporo22 - a formidable pair shared their passion for Twitter.  How could I not give it a go!  Unfortunately the wifi was blocking twitter so I wasn't able to get started until I got home - needless to say but here's where I'm at now from 0-18 followers!  Very exciting!
  

The next challenge is to see if I can use it in class - Is Twitter excluded on our network?????  Here's hoping it's not because I'm keen to get involved in ...

So my buckets' filled with inspiration and possibilities - now my brain is fizzing with ideas - ooooh, What e-learning can we blend in to enhance our learning journey next term in Ti Kouka?

Here's the Smackdown presentation.  I will definitely be revisiting this presentation a lot to guide my planning and teaching for next term and to share with my other colleagues back at school.

Maori Language Week

This week we celebrated Maori Language Week.

As the Lead Teacher for Te Reo Maori me ona Tikanga is it my responsibility to engage all staff and tamariki in celebrating this important kaupapa.

As a committee we meet to discuss possible activities for the week.  In light of the many varied learning opportunities already planned for term 2 and given the fact that we have just celebrated Matariki at the end of term 2 we chose to keep our celebrations 'low key' this year.

The following is a copy of the information/expectations shared with the staff regarding Maori Language Week.

Maori Language Week 2015

Term 3, Week 2, 27-31 July

Celebration Expectations and Events

Theme: Whangaihia Nga Matua—Helping Parents to pass on Te Reo Maori to their tamariki.

It is expected that all children will be involved in activities related to celebrating and learning Te Reo Maori with the main focus being to pass on this knowledge to their parents/caregivers.  The suggested way of doing this is for the tamariki to make and then take home something/a resource each day to help encourage their parents/caregivers to learn and share Te Reo Maori as well.  If they do not make something for each day it is expected that they will have a more major resource to take home on the Friday instead.

Suggested resources for children to make are …

Make a board game, phrase cards—one for each day, Phrase booklet, jigsaw puzzle, flashcards (Quizlet), bingo games, online games (http://www.classtools.net/_mobileQuiz/index.php) slideshows, a mini resource box with a variety of activities inside, posters, labels for around the home, make titi torea, make Mutorere game boards.  Brainstorm ideas with your tamariki and have fun learning Te Reo Maori!!!

Website links for ideas and information:

http://my.christchurchcitylibraries.com/te-wiki-o-te-reo-maori-maori-language-week

www.maorilanguage.net

www.nzhistory.net.nz/.../maori-language.../history-of-the-maori-language...

www.korero.maori.nz

Resources from Te Taura Whiri i te Reo will be ordered and distributed when the arrive.

Kia ora, Kiri :)

In Ti Kouka we chose to make something to take home each day.  We made bookmarks, kiwaha placemats, and Mu Torere game boards.

Overall the feeling from the staff was that our celebrations were appropriate and successful.  Several classes worked with their Tuakana Teina class which enhanced whanaungatanga, ako and manaakitanga!

Tapatapahia ana!  Whakanuia Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori!

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.

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!