Tātaiako with Kerri

Tātaiako

1. The different aspects of Tātaiako cannot be compartmentalised.  They have different definitions and influence the classroom, our practise and our learners in slightly different ways, but work simultaneously.
   
2. Tangata whenuatanga is Māori learners as Māori.  It is about contexts for learning where the identify, language and culture (cultural locatedness) or Māori and their whānau is affirmed.

In order to have these 2 over-arching concepts of Tātaiako explored, Whaea Kerri Sherard had us complete an oral activity involving unwrapping individual parcels of several layers.  This was to represent the 'onion layers' of a Māori student.

When we unwrapped the first layer we asked ourselves (and discussed):
How do you make new students to your class feel welcome?

Second layer

How do you communicate and make connections with whānau?

Third layer

How do you roll with relationships in your room?  What is the kawa?

Fourth layer

What are your success stories with relationships with children (perhaps your 'hard wax' kids?) 

When we finally reached the last layer of the parcel the prize was M&Ms to represent all the connections the children have to their past, present, community and future.

Sometimes you will be working with Māori students that have these connections within them (entrenched ideas of culture) but don't realise.  Our job is to bring this out in them.

Reflection

What I am doing that I want to keep:

• Introducing children to the classroom by using korus
• Weekly Tuesday transition visits
• Te reo commands
• Daily waiata
• Conversations about family and who we know in school
• Buddy class
• Whanau huis throughout the year

Things to introduce

• Drawing on whanau strengths and interests to have them in class.   Eg, Grandma likes gardening so bring her in to help with our garden.
• More streamlined Te Reo lessons for the children.

Differentiation in Writing

Gemma Gardiner
Waikato University
Frimley School - staffroom
Monday 4 September 2017

Main points:

Gemma was really interesting as she took us through the different building blocks for teaching children vocabulary, sentence structure and spelling.

• Verbs
• Adjectives
• Participles
• Complex sentences
• Compound sentences

Although a lot of this was pitched at students from a higher level, I found the teaching points a great goal to work with.  With the above areas, I aim to incorporate verbs first.  Making vocabulary charts and displaying them around the walls will be the first thing to go up!  The key will be in referring to these often and starting with an oral language focus first.  The children must be feeling confident to speak these new words and hear them with understanding before committing them to paper!

A focus on verbs before adjectives helps to make the sentences 'pop' more so than lists of adjectives.  This is also supported by the idea of meta-language and the different vocabulary and sentence structure sets on PACt.

Another school wide focus to ponder is the kids speak matrix and a shared language across the school.

New phonics focus for me is teaching the children the different between consonants and vowels and sharing with the children how vowels can make long and short sounds.  I have found display posters to show the difference between these long and short vowel sounds.  This teaching point is also supported by Quick 60 which begins teaching vowel rules such as; 'policeman e.'  Take, Face, Make

Gemma supported what Heretaunga Ararau has been focusing on - oral language and the importance of front-loading vocabulary.  AGAIN, children can't read and write what they don't hear or say.  Vocabulary needs to be unpacked and explained.  Using books such as, Giraffes Can't Dance, is an important tool.  I believe that Lucie does this well and she shared examples of this throughout the year with her Fairy Tales, for example.  I need to sometimes take a step back from Big Books and add in more substantial book study on other picture books also.

Gemma continued to endorse oral language by speaking about the importance of song in the classroom.  I need to incorporate more nursery rhymes, especially at the start of the year when children are slightly younger and transitioning from ECE centres.

QUANDRY
Gemma spoke about the importance of front-loading a given topic for accelerated progress.  How does this fit with children having their own choice of writing subjects?  Especially at 5 years old?  How can this be balanced in a writing programme and supported in a play-based learning programme?

Gemma shared a folder full of great resources:  Shared writing folder

Next steps:

• Vowel and consonant extension - support in writing and teach explicitly during phonics.
• Verb wall/word lists - unpacked and explained.
• 2018, all Ararau teachers showing evidence of how they front-load vocabulary in the classroom.
• Continue with Oral Language TAI focus for my teaching in 2018.