MASAM Workshop 1st March

I attended the MASAM (Māori Achieving Success as Māori) workshop today as part of my professional development.  The focus was 'Getting to Know Your Students'.  We viewed Tame Iti's thought provoking TedTalk and joined in a variety of activities that we could use with our students this term.

Many thanks to the organisers for an informative and helpful day.  We are in the 'scanning' phase of our MASAM inquiry.

New Learning Environment

This year I get to teach and learn alongside my students in a new, modern and I hope innovative learning environment.  Many thanks to Sepora, the Management Team and the Board of Trustees for providing the new furniture and repaint of the classroom walls.  The classroom feels fresh and spacious.

This leads me to write about how I am beginning to understand and incorporate Universal Design for Learning into my classroom practice.  Changes to timetabling and the inclusion of play-based learning every Monday morning gives me the opportunity to listen to my students' interests and weave them into the lesson planning for the rest of the week.  I also take note of student feedback to make improvements that remove barriers from the students ability to work on their learning.

Having the ability to re-configure the layout of the classroom to quickly meet the needs of large group work and then again to create quiet spaces for small groups and pairs of children working together is really great.

New Learning and Planning Website

Our Kowhai Toru Class Website is up and running.  I have just a few more improvements, to the way it looks, to complete in the coming days.  Sepora says, 'Kia Ora Jeanine, The site rationale is sound, effective and efficient.'   It feels good to have a place where I can easily access the information concerning learning and teaching in my classroom.

Teacher Only Days Attended During the School Holidays

Dr Te Taka Keegan's keynote speech was the highlight for me of the three days of professional development that I attended during the school holiday break.

I would like to incorporate into my pedagogy my take on his three principles which he explains in this video.

Āku Mahi Whakaako

1. Kia hiki te wairua
2. Kia hihiko te kaupapa
3. Kia hora te aroha