Term 2 Week 2 Reflection

Inquiry Through Play

One of the goals that I selected as a next step was to have a deeper understanding of the what the Pre-Operational Cognitive Stage through to the Concrete Operational Cognitive Stage in development is and where our learners sit within this continuum. Is this learner developmentally ready for what I am trying to do?

This has quite an impact on what I am trying to achieve in Whenua. I no longer try and push the learner into learning that they are not developmentally ready for - that it is ok to meet them where they are at present and respond to their current needs. This has led to a higher level of engagement from the learners (for example, J, F, E) and they are smiling and actively joining in what is on offer. - even continuing with the activities at home! There was one small group that threw a ball around each session (A, L, J), and at first, I was unsure of how to respond or encourage them to explore other areas of play. Then I realised that this was their ‘safe’ option and that they were not developmentally ready for anything else at that point- so I left them to it, working on the idea that they would tire of this and see what others were doing. By the fourth day, they had indeed moved on and were investigating insects, their homes and how they could design a suitable home!

A second goal was to get to know the NZ Curriculum inside and out, making links to what the learners are doing in their play and the AOs - using documented observation to inform next planning/response to play, planning for areas that do not naturally arise and how to inject knowledge (throwing the hook out and seeing who takes the bait - or not!). What a pleasure it has been to delve back into this amazing document. Armed with my notebook and iPad (for photos) I have observed what is happening, asked questions and dropped morsels into the conversation and walked away. From our observations we have set up provocations and invitations - some have been ignored but we are not concerned as we will offer them again at another time. The more we link what we observe with the NZC the more skilled we become. My aim is that in our Team Meetings we will share a photo we have taken and then map it back to the Curriculum. The example below is from the Nitty Gritty workshop I attended facilitated by Longworth Education at Takanini School in April. Our group brainstormed the links to the NZC. This is an example of what I would like to do in Team Talks.

From “The Nitty Gritty Workshop” Longworth Education, April 2018

Pounamu Poutama (further reading)

I have started reading "Healing Our History, The Challenge of the Treaty of Waitangi" by Robert Consedine and Joanna Consedine. All I can say is that this book needs to be a must read for educators - as it provides background to the struggle and conflict Māori continue to experience in Aotearoa and the part ‘Colonisation’ has played and continues to play in this.

Pause, Breathe Smile

We had our first session of Pause, Breathe and Smile with Tracey and Laura. Our Learners were asked to complete a self-awareness activity where they had to place themselves on a tree (see below) of how they felt about mindfulness and their response to it.

Interestingly there was a small group who placed themselves in ‘free fall’. They are a group we had already noted did not involve themselves in our Mindfulness programme showing disinterest, preferring to annoy others and fidget. We will repeat the activity in eight weeks time, at the conclusion of our module so are hoping to see quite a shift in their level of engagement.