Week 10 Term 3 - Mental Health Awareness Week: Lockdown diary (September 27 - October 1)

September 27 2021: 2:37pm - The last week of Term 3! I always anticipate the last week of the term. I get excited knowing that the term is coming to an end and a 2 week holiday awaits. The opportunity to have a break and 'switch off' is a luxury and one that I am very much looking forward to. As the week begins, Mental Health Awareness Week is the focus for our school. 'Ma te korero, ka ora' (take time to korero) is the theme for this year's MHAW. Talking whether it is a long conversation or a chat, can help and can go a long way. Checking in with people, reconnecting with people and talking about whatever it is that is on your mind can be really helpful. During my Year 9 google class meet today one of the parents came on and we ended up talking about the lockdown and checking in on each other. Totally unrelated to my lesson and totally organic, this type of korero was beautiful as it was driven by making time to talk to people and to see how they are doing. These type of conversations are so important yet in a world that is measured by timeframes, deadlines, routines, expectations - having the space to chat and to check in can get lost in the chaos of everything else. I appreciate the theme for MHAW and what it stands for. I met with some of my Year 12 students and asked them to present at our whanau assembly this Friday, focusing on MHAW. There are five sub-themes that will be covered over the next five days and I have decided to use these themes as talking points for our whanau assembly. The themes are: 

• Reconnect with someone you care about (He hononga tangata, he hononga aroha)
• Get outside in nature with someone (E puta ki te taiao)
• Have a kōrero about Te Whare Tapa Whā (Tōku Whare Tapa Whā)
• Connect through kindness (Takohatia ki tētahi)

The students discussed which topic that they wanted to speak on and then I shared some guiding questions/points for them to use when preparing their presentation. 

1. What does this mean to you?
2. Give an example of how you have done this this week. How did it impact your own mental well-being?
3. Why is this important?
4. What do you encourage Totara House to do with this?

I look forward to hearing the student's interpretation of this and how they present this. I am also looking forward to Friday! Day 1 of MHAW encourages us to reconnect with some you care about (He hononga tangata, he hononga tangata). "Having a kōrero with others nurtures our relationships and helps us to feel happy, connected and secure." (MHAW website) Today I have reconnect with my Year 12 students, a year group who I was the dean for since Year 9 (2018). There is a connection that I have with them that I appreciate and value and it is always good to reconnect with them. 

Mental Health Awareness Week 2021

September 28 2021: 4:28pm - Minecraft was released in 2007 and has quickly become a worldwide phenomenon. Microsoft purchased Minecraft and create two versions of it. Minecraft Education is now a online classroom tool that you can use with your students. One of our Department members, Mrs Williams, has started to trial Minecraft with her Year 9 and Year 10 students during the lockdown and we have decided to learn more about it. It looks like it both a collaborative tool between educator and learner but moreso a tool that the students can connect with more. We are always trying to find ways to engage with our learners so this seems like a logical step in the right direction considering many of our students are really interested in gaming. I do not have any experience with Minecraft but I am willing to learn as I want to do try different and engaging things to get the students on board with learning English literature. I am looking forward to the PLD session coming up (hopefully in the school holidays!) 

Vivian Chandra talking about Minecraft Education with the English Department

Day 2 of Mental Health Awareness Week encourages us to get outside in nature with someone (E puta ki te taiao). For almost a month I have spent the morning walking with my wife. It is a great time for us to check in with each other and talk. It is also a good way to start the day mentally and physically. I am not a morning person and I am definitely not into exercising but I have found this daily ritual to be beneficial for my mental well-being. I feel good about 'getting physical' and I know that it is good for me. "It’s often the little things that bring us joy. The singing birds, the grass beneath our feet, the wind on our faces." (MHAW website) 

September 29 2021: 12:05pm - Day 3 of Mental Health Awareness Week calls us to have a korero about Te Whare Tapa Wha (Toku Whare Tapa Wha). "Reflect on which areas you feel are going well for you right now." (MHAW website) Today at my whanau mentorship meeting I asked the team two questions (questions that were driven by gratitude) which were 

1. What is something that you grateful for this term?
2. what are you looking forward to in the holidays?

So often we can get caught up in the areas that are not working, the disappointment and the negative. It is human nature for all of us to focus on the 'gaps' that we tend to overlook the blessings that we do have. I enjoyed this korero with the team as it helped to shift our mindset and our meeting overall. Reflecting on the areas that we feel are going well for us is not about deflecting or ignoring the reality that we face, but it is about shifting the focus to looking beyond our situation and seeing the beauty in what we have been blessed with. This type of mindset can help us navigate ourselves through uncertainty and stress. 

September 30 2021: 4:45pm -  Day 4 of Mental Health Awareness Week encourages us to connect through kindness (takohaitia ki tetahi). "When we do something nice for someone else, be it a friend, colleague or stranger, not only does it make them feel good, it gives our wellbeing a boost in return." (MHAW website) I can be unnecessarily anti-social or tough crowd. Not because I am anxious around people but because I at most, I cannot be bothered engaging. This week the PE Department have set out different tasks for staff and students to do in relation to the daily themes for MHAW. Today I shared a collage that represented what Te Whare Tapa Wha looks like for me. This is my example of connecting through kindness. Not the best example but I felt that this way of extending kindness, getting involved and sharing. 

Te Whare Tapa Wha

October 1 2021: Day 5 of Mental Health Awareness Week encourages us to come together and reflect (Noho tahi, korero tahi). "Come together with others at school, work or home, or find a moment on your own to reflect on the week just gone. Be present and take time to kōrero about the things you’ve learnt, and the wellbeing tools you’re going to continue with." (MHAW website) Totara House spent today exploring the themes for Mental Health Awareness Week - what it means to us and how we can apply it to ourselves. The main theme we spoke about was based on today's theme for MHAW (Noho tahi, korero tahi - come together and reflect). To kick off Mr Booker shared his pepeha (thank you sir!) then our students shared the following points. Check out some of the highlights from the student's presentation.

May Sinafea

May Sinafea spoke on reconnecting with someone your care about (he hononga tangata, he hononga aroha) - "Checking up on someone else is really important. An example of how I have done this this week is that I caught up with a cousin (who lives in Australia) who I haven't spoken to in a while. I believe this is important because we need to continue checking up on each other, connect with one another. It is a hard time for all of us. But if we have each other it helps"

Miracle Heta

Miracle Heta spoke on getting outside in nature with someone (e puta ki te taiao) - "This week I have gone for a walk every day with someone from my bubble. I did some tai chi which is cool. Mentally it made me feel free and helped me, making me want to do more. Taha tihana - the physical aspect - as long as you look after yourself physically the right way, you can look after yourself spiritually"

Lisia Pauu 

Lisia Pauu spoke on te whare tapa wha (toku whare tapa wha) - "The too dimensions that I have experienced is focusing on family/social and emotional/mental well-being. I have done a lot of reading and listening to a lot of music, it helps to keep me focused. I have also get to spend lockdown with my family and a lot of first cousins as we live in the same house. It is helpful to be with family for my well-being"

Seini Misa

Seini Misa spoke on connect through kindness (takohatia ki tetahi) - "This means to do something nice for someone whether it is through a big gesture or just a smile. Putting a smile on someone else's face just for the pure reason that everyone deserves to be happy. I helped to make dinner with my Dad this week, this enhanced my well-being as it helped me think about the positive action I did to help my Dad."

We have enjoyed our Whanau time this term especially during lockdown. We are grateful for how we have come together during the lockdown and even more so, we are super thankful that it is done!

Week 10 Term 3 - New texts alert (September 27 - October 1)

Cancel culture has become a fixture in the social media world. Anyone (and I mean anyone) who has tweeted anything that is remotely homophobic, racist, sexist or anti establishment will be punished and 'dragged' by everyone online. Retweets of previous posts have become a tool, a weapon, in which people on Twitter can use as ammunition. Cancel culture ultimately is about holding people to account for anything wrong that they have said or done. Public shaming and humiliation come to mind when I think of cancel culture. Reviewer John Racheal describes it as "similar to genocide, it is cultural cleansing, a systematic destruction of what its proponents singularly deem uncomfortable, unsavory, perhaps threatening to them and their adherents". I believe that my students understand this concept and probably have participated or even been the subject of some type of 'cancelling' online. As an avid 'tweeter' I understand the nature of this new dynamic and how it has imposed itself as a new social norm when people are out of line. Which is why I was excited when I came across this text. 

Cancel This Book by Dan Kovalik depicts the nature of cancel culture in social media and in popular culture. I am going to source this book as I really want to use it as a text for my Level 2 and Level 3 students. It could be used for their connections report or simply as a text enjoy and read. 

Finding texts that are relevant for my students, predominantly Maori and Pasefika, can be quite a task. I have read a few excerpts of the following texts and know that I need to get my hand on them. It is a bit of slim picking when it comes to finding relevant texts that are also appropriate to the NCEA English curriculum, however I do know that this is not the reason why I should not include the texts that I have found so far. The texts that I can come across are written by Maori and Pasefika for Maori and Pasefika and that is fundamental in engaging my Maori and Pasefika learners. Like me, I know that they want to read stories that they can see themselves, their families and their community in. Texts that are reflective of their identity and the times in which they, we, live in. 

Mophead by Dr Selina Tusitala Marsh is a text that has received praise from critics. "Selina takes us through special moments in her extraordinary life. She becomes one of the first Pasifika women to hold a PhD. She reads for the Queen of England and Samoan royalty. She meets Barack Obama. And then she is named the New Zealand Poet Laureate. She picks up her special tokotoko, and notices something. It has wild hair coming out the end. It looks like a mop. A kid on the Waiheke ferry teases her about it." (Christchurch City Council Library) In an age where one's difference can be ridiculed and tortured online, Mophead encourages the reader to embrace their 'differences' as it conveys how 'difference' can actually make a difference. I came across this teacher guide which is a great resource, one that I will look at before and after the reading of the text. 

Mophead Teacher Guide: Click on the image to access the teacher guide. 

Dawn Raid by Pauline Vaeluaga Smith chronicles the story of a young girl, Sofia, who experiences the infamous and highly criticized dawnraids that occured in Auckland during the late 1970s. Against a backdrop of political upheaval, a deteroriating society and racial discrimination, Smith takes the reader through the harsh reality of life for Polynesians in New Zealand in the late 1970s through the lens of a young Pasefika girl. "Told through Sofia’s diary entries, with illustrations throughout, Dawn Raid is the story of one ordinary girl living in extraordinary times, learning how to stand up and fight." (Mat Hunkin) The dawn raids is a relevant topic and conversation for our young people right now with the most recent dawnraid apology from the New Zealand government and the racial injustice coming to light in America, this is a text that the young people can definitely relate to. 

Pauline Vaeluaga Smith's Dawn Raid

I found a great discussion guide that you can use with your students during the reading of the text. Some great pointers to use and something that I believe will engage our students with the reading. 

Dawn Raid Discussion Guide: Click on the image to access the guide. 

There is an abundance of short texts by Maori and Pasefika writers. I have known of this text since I was at university. Another gem from Dr Selina Tusitala Marsha, Fast Talking PI, from the short collection of the same name released in 2010, is a punchy poem written in the style of rap and spoken word. I am going to use this as a short text for my Year 12 students for 2.9 (Reading Responses). 

Click on the image to access the poem - Fast Talking PI

I am excited by these texts. I would like to build a library of texts that is both reflective of my students but also texts that are challenging, though provoking and meaningful for their learning. 

Week 9 Term 3 - Level 3 here we come: Lockdown diary (September 20 - 24)

September 20 2021: 2:46pm - Online learning has it's pros and cons. Personally I enjoy the idea of working at your own pace and in your space. However I do miss the interaction with the students and being immersed in school life. One of the pros with online learning is that there is time and space to look beyond the classroom for inspiration. Like all of our colleagues and departments who have shared, we too are experiencing low attendance to our Google meets and the engagement overall from our students has not been great. It is easy to take this personally because we are all passionate about what we do and we want to give and be the best for our students. However low engagement and attendance during a lockdown is something that we cannot control the way we like. So we have turned our energy and focus into making sure that our online learning programs are flexible, relevant and engaging. The students who do manage to connect with us online, that is a win for us and we are focused on making sure that whatever we are doing is easily accessible and user friendly so that they can connect. This week I have asked the Department to share the teaching and learning strategies that have worked for them during the lockdown. The response has been positive and I have seen first hand the variety of texts and online tools that the Department have integrated into their online learning program. From using apps such as Padlet, Jamboard, Quizlet to learning about Minecraft to finding cool, local and relevant online texts to engage with our students - this lockdown has been an opportunity for the Department to use online learning not just as tool but create a space and platform to connect our students to English literature. 

Some of the online teaching and learning strategies that the English Department are using during the lockdown. (Click on the image to access the presentation)

In over 5 weeks the Department have found ways to connect with the students online in a way that is both engaging and meaningful. As English teachers we want our students to engage with a text, unpack a text, understand the text, craft a text, appreciate other texts - we are all about the texts. I appreciate the local texts that we have used over the last 5 weeks - we are constantly on the search for new texts (ideally local texts that the students can relate to or connect with). As we head into the final leg of Term 3, I think one of the best teaching and learning strategies we have experienced during the lockdown is the teamwork. We have learnt that staying connected, checking in with each other, expressing how exhausted we are and celebrating the positives - all of these things are super important to build morale but to also give a perspective in what can be a lonely and at times depressing period in lockdown. Hopefully we can continue to work like this as team and to find and utilize online learning in a powerful way. 

The English Department 2021

September 21 2021: 3:00pm - "Dreams is when it is in your head, it is an actual vision is when you write it down. Most people are living their life in a dream land instead of an actual vision. Most people think vision and sight are the same things. But sight is what you see with your eyes open. Vision is what you see with your eyes closed." (Pastor Mike Todd). 

The last couple of weeks have been full on for my Whanau group, Totara House. We have been busy online participating in both Tongan and Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori Language Week celebrations. It has been a busy time but also a time for us to come together and work as a team. I am very grateful for the team from our mentorship team to the student body (he tangata, he tangata, he tangata) and in particular the student leadership team. As come to the last weeks of Term 3 I wanted to meet with my student leadership team and reflect with them. Discussing their learning and what do they want to achieve with their journey through NCEA Level 3. To discussing our Whanau group and what do they want to do in Term 4 and what legacy do they want to leave behind when they finish? I posed 5 questions to them and we had a good, robust discussion where they shared their thoughts and ideas. 

Are you where you want to be credit wise?

• May - Yeah but not really. I want more credits. I am waiting for my marks for History.
• Magnolia - Not really. I think I can do better with completing my assessments
• Toni - For me, I should've had more by now. Just need to complete my assessments
• Soana - I have quite a lot of work to finish.
• Sam - Finishing PE, History + Physics

What do you need to do over the next two weeks?

• May - prioritize + continue to join classes.
• Soana - get back on a healthy schedule
• Magnolia - join my classes and use my time wisely
• Toni - Stay motivated and not get distracted
• Sam - Waking up early, attend classes

What do you want for Totara House in Term 4?

• Soana - Maybe we should’ve been closer by now. More activities with each other, the students.
• Dodge ball
• Sam - try and get more of the seniors involved, participate in the house stuff - games, assemblies
• Toni - Socialize more, more group activities (get to know them better)
• May - team building
• Magnolia - finish off on a good note. Everyone know each other better and no act like strangers when it comes to assembly.

What can we do better?

• Toni - We could try and get the students out of their comfort zone. Talk to the students
• Soana - Communication is key - with everyone

What legacy as a leadership team do you want to leave for Totara House?

• Soana - staying humble
• May - motivating the younger generation, they can be leaders one day
• Toni - leave a legacy of Totara House being welcoming and a happy house, open to everyone, everyone is included
• Sam - giving off that humble vibe
• Magnolia - making sure they remember Unity, Teamwork and Confidence

I wanted the students to reflect on this as a team and to really think about their leadership. I wanted them think about what impact and influence they want to have on our Whanau group when they finish their term. As Pastor Mike Todd explained, I want them to envision, talk and write down how they see themselves as leaders and their intentions for Totara House. This, I believe, helps to give guidance and direction for how they will lead and operate as a team. I am hoping to collate the feedback and present it to the leadership team at the beginning of Term 4 and use this as a guide or directive for them as the enter the final stage of their leadership for Totara House. 

Totara House Student Leadership Team 2021

September 22 2021: 11:59am - I love Wednesdays. It is the day where I do not have any classes, just one Google meet with my mentors in the morning. I use Wednesdays to catch up on any marking, communications with my students, checking in with my House leaders and getting prepared for our online house assembly. Today is particularly monumental for Auckland city as we are going into Alert Level 3. So it is much Alert Level 4 but takeaways, cafes, restaurants and businesses are open. There is a sense of comfort in knowing that there some type of normalcy coming back. I went to get a hot chocolate, bought some bakery food for breakfast (after my walk of course :D) and for the first time in a while, I feel a little more settled and grounded in the lockdown. I shared this at my mentorship meeting this morning. We all shared what we had for breakfast and caught up on how we are all doing. There were quite few matters to discuss pertaining to our House and I wanted to make sure that I thanked the mentorship team for their support and involvement with the House activities that we have during the lockdown. It really is a team effort. 

Totara House Mentorship Team 2021

September 23 2021: 12:36pm - Today has been a good day. I have had two Google meets and was able to connect with a few of my senior students. They are working on their assessments and have a target to get them done by mid next week (the last week of Term 3). Online learning can be a lonely road and it is always affirming when you are able to connect with your students online. I have spent time emailing individual students and prioritizing the learning outcome with them. One of my Year 12 students messaged and said that he has been unable to attend online learning as he had to work during the lockdown and has only reconnected his internet connection this week. This is the reality for a lot of my students. Working during the lockdown (because they have to), it is a fine line that I have to be aware everyday. I cannot take my student's absence personally and I have to do what I can to ensure that the learning is open, available and accessible to the students. I have to have an open mind and understand that the learning may not be a priority for my students because of circumstances that they have to face in their own family. This is out of my control. What I can control is own my sanity and making sure that I have a learning program that is flexible for my students. 

September 24 2021: Talanoa is an integral and sacred part of the social fabric of most Pacific cultures and traditions. “Talanoa is a generic term referring to a conversation, chat, sharing of ideas and talking with someone. It is a term that is shared by Tongans, Samoans, and Fijians. Talanoa can be formal, as between chiefs and his or her people, and it can be informal, as between friends in a kava circle. Talanoa is also used for different purposes; to teach a skill, to share ideas, to preach, to resolve problems, to build and maintain relationships, and to gather information” (Seu'ula Johansson Fua). I have spoken about this at my Whanau assembly throughout the year and introduced the Talanoa series in Term 2, where students from our whanau have the opportunity to share their journey with the house. It has been a beautiful part of our whanau time and the students are used to it. It is a time where the students can talk about their learning journey, challenges that they have faced, how they overcame it and sharing any encouragement to the house. The Talanoa is meant to be an opportunity where they students can build a connection with each other and ultimately build confidence in themselves. Today we heard from some of one of Year 13 mentor teachers, Mr Milford, who shared his pepeha and some of our Year 10 students who shared their some words of encouragement with us. Here are some of the highlights that they shared. 

Daliz Betham (10TTt): "My 'why' is better or good future for myself and my family. I have goals that I want to achieve because I know that I cannot rely on my family forever. I have goals to reach and achieve, I aiming for a good future that will support my family here in New Zealand and back in the islands. My favorite verse is from the book of Proverbs 3: 5-6 'Trust in the Lord with all your heart  and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight.' What the means for me is to acknowledge God in everything that I do and he will keep me on the right track."

Stephney Fifita (10TKh): "My 'why' is my family. My family encourages me and motivates me to do good. This is what drives me to do my best at the fullest potential. My quote/memory verse which is one of my favorites is Joshua 1:9 which reads 'Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go' This quote is uplifting because it tells me that I can be strong and courageous because GOD is on my side. My encouragement to Totara during lockdown is to be strong and lean in on GOD, he is always with you."

Anaysha Puaga (10TKh): "My parents are my 'why'. I am an only child and they support me 100% and I want to do well for them. A bit of encouragement from me for Totara is from James 1:2-3 'Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.'  I understand at times that we can feel pressured and challenged. But this verse always reminds me to stay positive, keep a good mindset, when any challenges come your way see it as an opportunity to get back." 

Week 9 is done! 

Week 9 Term 3 - New text review: Black Milk (September 20 - 24)

Finding a text that is appropriate, suitable, relevant and something that will connect with students is always a task. I say task because a task is defined as a 'piece of work to be done' and it definitely feels like when you are on the search for that 'piece of work'. I have written reflections on finding the right text and as an English literature teacher, it is part of the package in that we are always on the look out for just good texts. I have come across a text titled Black Milk written by Tina Makereti. Tina Makereti's Black Milk was awarded with the Pacific Regional Winner at the 2016 Commonwealth Short Story Prize. "Chair of the judging panel, South African novelist and playwright Gillian Slovo, commented: 'Tina Makereti's "Black Milk"...impressed with a lyricism that takes the reader into another world while keeping us always on earth..." It was the winning entry from the Pacific. I have had to read through this story more than once and every time I have read it, I see it and understand it in a different light. 

Tina Makereti's Black Milk. Click on the image to access the text. 

The story is centered around the protagonist, Birdwoman. The first part of the text details the movement of the Birdwoman and her coming into a new community. The reasons and specifics of why she has moved are beautifully crafted in way that is not telling but gives the reader the space to come to their own conclusions. 

"It was her old people who sent her, the ones who hadn’t chosen to make the transition, who stayed in their feathered forms, beaks sharp enough to make any girl do what her elders told her" (Tina Makereti)

How she felt and her experiences on being a part (or disconnected) from this new community is expressed throughout the first part of the short text. She does not feel settled, she feels that the people and in particular the women are judging her, this makes her feel uncomfortable. She chooses to get involved in the community. Even then, she is starting to see that there is reason why she was chosen to leave her home and to transition into this new world. I get the sense that her home and where she was brought up, born into, is quite primitive and she has come into a westernized community. The community at first are not welcoming at all, Birdwoman feels as though she is being scrutinized and judged for where she is from and how she looks. 

"They saw and took note in silence, sometimes lifted their chins in acknowledgement." (Black Milk; Tina Makereti)  

Makereti paints a vivid picture of the Birdwoman's movements and describes her in way that makes her to be somewhat of a native creature trying to make it's way through a foreign space. 

"So she came into the world when no one was watching, only just grown enough to be a birdwoman rather than a birdgirl. Then she moved through the forest to where the people lived." (Black Milk; Tina Makereti)  

As she settles into her new home, her new life, she discovers that there is a difference between her home town and the new community that she is in. Makereti delicately shines a light on the differences and it is telling for the reader in that we get an understanding on the nature of the new community and how they see (or in this case interact) with Birdwoman's community. 

"The people called their greetings and gave their thanks, but they hunted. It was an old deal made right at the beginning: her line would be sacrificed to theirs." (Black Milk; Tina Makereti)  

The second part of the text sheds light on how Birdwoman has assimilated into her new life and we are introduced to her husband and learn of the children they share. This section of the text reveals the trauma that Birdwoman faced in leaving her home and living in a community that was not only unwelcoming but also mistreated her home community. I understand her as a woman who did what she had to do and in turn lost herself. It is through her children, her youngest child specifically, that she starts to regain her sense of identity as a woman and not just as a wife or mother. She shielded her children from the truth of her own up-bringing as she believed that they would not understand. Her youngest child challenged and questioned her about her home and her people. She felt that she could not express the fact that she missed her home because she did not want to impose this on her husband or children. Even her husband felt a distance from her and wanted to know if she was alright. 

"They worked hard together to grow the children. It was easier for her to forget the guilt-ache and shame of where she had come from, how she had let it get so bad, how she didn’t help her people. Better to let her children grow up in her husband’s world, without the burden of her knowledge. She settled on this as the right path, though her husband would sometimes look sidelong at her, as if considering some puzzle he couldn’t figure." (Black Milk; Tina Makereti)  

There are so many layers, characters, imagery, community dynamics, contrast between the native and western worlds, contrast between the human and native life to explore. It is a brilliant read and one that I am going to recommend to the English Department to read, share and use (if they want) as a text to share with their students. I would personally use this as a Level 2 text. 

Week 8 Term 3 - How long will this go on for? Lockdown Diary (September 13 - 17)

 September 13 2021: 2:59pm - "How long will this go on for?" This is a question that is probably at the forefront of everyone's mind in Auckland. I know that this is not going to go on forever, but it sure does feel like it. We are entering our 4th week of lockdown with cases slowly rising again after the declining number of cases that we experienced early last week. I am not going to dedicate this post to talking about numbers and data for COVID but I am going to explore the fatigue that many of us are experiencing right now. The nature of lockdown means to literally lock yourself at home, all contact with family, friends, church, work - is now online and there is to be no socializing with our circles. It is a strictly confined lifestyle where home, the supermarket and (if you are inclined) exercise, is the space that we are to co-exist in. Going into the 4th week of lockdown, the novelty has worn off, the days have all melted into each other, the routine and dynamic of our working lifestyle has become part of our home life. Fatigue. Not fatigue from working, being with family or at home binge watching every season of Modern Family (yes I love this show) but the fatigue from living a life that has been minimized by a virus is mentally exhausting. I miss the freedom of pre lockdown. Having the choice to be at home or not, the choice to see family or (in some cases) avoid them. But to have this choice chained until everything is in the clear, is draining. 

So to avoid from ranting on and on about my distaste for lockdown right now I am going to explore on what I have done (today) to shift my focus. I have had to do this as there is nothing I can do to change any of this. I have emailed a select group of students about their assessments and I have asked them work on certain parts - almost like a daily challenge to complete different tasks on a particular assessment. This is good for the students, they are able to work on a task basis ticking off all the boxes in a day rather than having the weighted expectation of churning out work as if they were in class. I understand that the work rate at home is totally different to when we are on site, so I am wanting to re-shift the focus on doing the best you can whilst being at home. The expectation that teachers with students during lockdown can, at times, be unrealistic. We assume that because the students are working from home, that they have the luxury, time and space to really focus and get assessments done. But for many students, for many of my students, this is not the reality. Home is not necessarily the 'sanctuary' that we assume it to be, as some of my students have the responsibility of taking care of siblings, grandparents, parents while they are home. Some have to work as essential workers and cannot commit to online learning. Some do not have the space to commit to online learning as they have to share space with the rest of their families. They cannot 'leave a comment' or turn their camera because they with everyone else. So think shifting the focus from what I expect of them to giving them a variety of tasks to do and leaving window open in terms of the deadline. This will help both - myself and my students - mentally get through another week of lockdown. 

September 14 2021: 4:48pm - "Mā te ako ka marama, Mā te marama ka mātou, Mā te matau ka ora" (Through learning comes understanding, Through understanding comes knowledge and wisdom, Through knowledge and wisdom comes life and well-being). Ms George shared this proverb at our online staff meeting on Monday September 13, a beautiful proverb indeed. I have taken some time today (in amongst all the Google meets) to reflect on what this means to me. This proverb highlights the importance of learning - of being a learner, in any context - whether you are in the classroom learning at school, training to upskill one's technique for sport, rehearsing and learning content for a stage show - in any context the importance that learning has in our lives is huge. The more we are eager and hungry to learn and to be a life-long learner, this will have a positive influence in our well-being which will then impact how we live. The older I have become, the more I want to learn - to re-learn and re-gain the aganu'u Samoa, to learn the language and customs of my culture, to learn how to be a better husband, son, brother, uncle, cousin and friend. To learn how to be a better teacher and leader at work. I want to learn to improve and to be the best version of myself for myself. This is a proverb has resonated well with me and I hope to use this with my students. I think about how the students have engaged with the language weeks over the last two weeks (Tongan + Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori Language Week) and how there has been so much connecting and learning in the process. Unfortunately this does align with our curriculum, in way that will take our learners to the level of education and employment that they (we) desire. However I can see that there is a depth of matauranga that is rich in culture, language and identity. Even if you are not Tongan or Maori (I am speaking for myself) learning about other cultures has only made me want to learning and understand (Mā te ako ka marama) more about my own heritage, my own whakapapa. I hope to use this proverb, this gem, as a way to connect with my students online (all 5 of them) to uplift them and to hopefully draw them in with online learning. 

September 15 2021: 4:16pm - Today was a relatively quiet day. I had no online classes today, I just had meetings with my House mentors and student leadership team. I have spent most of the day getting the media content ready for our House for the Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori Language House competitions. I have taken it upon myself to create the media content, an area that I have absolutely no experience in but one that I am enjoying and learning a lot along the way. I am currently putting together a video montage of my House saying our school pepeha. I have been collecting everyone's videos and then I will edit those then collate them into a montage. Working with the students and teachers over the last two weeks with the Language week competitions have been fun, it has been a nice distraction from the quietness of online learning. Mā te ako ka marama (through learning comes understanding) - I have learnt a lot through this process of editing, compiling and producing a media. I have learnt that if I put my mind to something and I am patient with the process, whatever it may be, it will work out. I understand that my role as a House Dean does not necessarily mean I have to do and be in the front all of the time, I can still lead and have an impact whilst pushing others to the front and helping them grow and perform to their best. I quite enjoy this part! 

September 16 2021: 12:31pm - A whakatauki is a proverb or saying, that encourages whoever that is receiving it to think beyond their own understanding. "He aha te mea nui o tatou? He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata" this whakatauki poses a question "What is the most important thing in world?" "It is the people, it is the people, it is the people." Over the last few days I have worked with my mentors and students through different tasks for Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori. I have seen that having great ideas, motivation and ambition is an important of any organization. I understand and believe that those ideas, the vision and the execution is not possible without the people. I truly appreciate the people that I am blessed to work with - the mentorship team, the student leadership team - the hands and feet of my whanau group. I have spent this week learning the reo, creating our own pepeha, learning our school pepeha, learning karakia, learning Maori rhymes and understanding a culture that like my own, is deeply rooted in it's tikanga, aganu'u, traditions and values. It has been a privilege to delve into a language and learning that origin of language and more importantly how to pronounce the reo. This all ties into identity and we are all, in our way, on a identity journey. We are constantly trying to figure out who we are, what we want, what we do not want, what we desire, what will help us, what we need, who we need, where are we from - all of this and more, is a part of the journey to our own 'becoming'. 

September 17 2021: 1:48pm - Kia Kaha Te Reo Maori (Let's make the Maori language strong). This is theme for Te Wiki o Te Reo Maori Language Week 2021. As a Samoan, I totally understand the importance and see the importance in the preservation and nurturing of language. Te Reo Maori is one of the official languages of Aotearoa, it is taonga for our country and one (I believe) that needs to be respected and valued by all who live in Aotearoa. I have learnt that Kia Kaha Te Reo Maori is not just about Maori but it is about everyone - we are all encouraged to keep the reo strong - it does not matter how much or little we know, we keep saying it and practicing it. In doing this, it helps to strengthen the reo. Today at our House assembly we heard from some of our Maori students in Totara about their take on the theme and what it means to them. This was supported through a closing word from Co-HOD English, HOD Te Reo Maori, Executive Dean and member of SLT - Ms Amber George - who spoke life to our students and in particular the Maori students in Totara, about the strength in knowing and valuing who they are as Maori. Here are some highlights from what was shared for our House reflection. 

• Nyree Edwards (11TFn): 

"Kia Kaha Te Reo Maori to me means expressing the language in ways you feel comfortable with and keeping the language strong for the future generations. I think it is important that young people appreciate and respect their culture and their languages because culture plays a big role in many young people's lives and because its our identity, who we are, who we represent and the things and people we carry with us."

• Miracle Heta (12TDs): 

"It hurts to know that I let people's opinions override me for doing the things that I love, like Te Reo Maori and Kapa Haka. It annoys me that I feel like I suffocated my culture to fit in and to be more acceptable to please others. I found this whakatauki and it has encouraged me - Kaua he whakamā ki te korerō Māori, Ahakoa he iti, he tāonga. Don’t be shy to speak Māori, No matter how little, Treasure it."

• Ms George

"By embracing other people's cultures, not mocking them and putting them down, you are giving yourself more meaning to your own. To our te iwi Maori don't be shy of being who you are. You were not born and put into this world to be average. You were born to stand out and behind comes all of your Tupuna who went before you. You are never alone, behind you is your Tupuna who guide you." 

My takeaway from this week is this whakatauki. This whakatauki resonates with me, I believe that it is the people who are at the heart of the matter on when it comes to education. Without the people, we cannot pass on knowledge or learn from others. He aha te mea nui o tatou? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. (What is the most important thing in this world? The people, the people, the people).

Whakatauki

Week 8 Term 3 - Beyond the text (Junior English - Extended Text Study)

 As teacher, when I venture beyond a text it can mean and look like a variety of things. It is a discussion about the major characters in the text, who are they and what influence do they have over our experience of the story? Or what are the important themes that engrained in the story, what was the author trying to teach the reader? Or it can symbolize the end of the reading of the text. The 'beyond the text' venture that I am talking about the ending of the actual reading, novel study and figuring out what our next step. My students in 9KLe are currently reading Gary Paulsen's Hatched. I want to do something creative and fun whilst working from home. Originally we were going to do a creative writing activity where they would have to write an alternative ending for the story, like the choose your adventure PD that I went to in term (see the link to the awesome PD here - Choose your own adventure PD ). However I want to be able to go through this with the students in person and because this is not going to happen anytime soon, I have decided for a different creative route. But I will get into that soon. Here is what 'beyond the text' looks like for me with 9KLe and their novel study during online learning. 

THE TEXT

Click on the image to access the novel

The novel follows Brian Robeson, who finds himself in an extraordinary circumstance in that he was involved in a plane crash and he is left to survive in a remote island. Key word - survive. The read is relatively reader-friendly and the students have enjoyed reading through this. We started out reading through this text as a class but with the lockdown interrupting everything in Week 4, the students have spent the last 3 weeks reading through the novel on their own. 

BEYOND THE TEXT

I have broken the post reading novel study into 5 parts. Each section of part of a scaffolding structure I like to use when studying an extended text. Ultimately each part will help the students write a reading log about the text and more importantly give them an in depth insight of the text. I am going to go through each part here. 

Click on the image to access the Hatched chapter questions

In this section, after the students have read through each chapter, they then have to answer the chapter questions. The questions have been framed in a way that the students will have to remember the main part of each chapter. They are not too long and too complicated. It is a good way for the students to revisit the chapter and recount the most important or significant events in the chapters. 

Click on the image to access the Major Character Study

In this section the students will focus solely on the major characters. I have narrowed it down to 4 major characters - I have already decided which characters I want the students to focus on are. The students are asked give a description for each characters, explain significant moments in the text for each character and collect memorable quotes from or about the characters. 

Click on the image to access the Themes study

In this section the students will write look at significant themes from the texts. I have already given the themes and the students have to describe what the theme means in their own words and find memorable quotes that link to the theme. This is helpful especially when they get into the final part where they have to write about the main message in the text. This will help narrow their study of themes down and they are able to specifically find detailed evidence from the text that links to the main themes. 

Click on the image to access the Important Quotes study

Using evidence from in the text when you are crafting a text is important in English literature study. It highlights that one is able to dissect specific parts of a text and explain what it is, how it links to the author's purpose or theme and the overall affect it has. This part enables students to do that, by going through the text again and finding important quotes - they have to justify why this quote is important. 

Click on the image to access the Reading Log

This part is where the students combine the 4 areas they have worked on and compile it into a report (reading log) on the text.  

WHERE TO FROM HERE?

I have decided to take a break from the text and to do some a little creative and fun this week. Poetry is always a fun way to get students engaged in literature and writing. This week, I have posed a Poetry Lockdown Challenge to 9KLe. The students have one to write ANY type about ANYTHING. Why did I decide to do this and not continue with the novel study, in particular the creative writing where the students were to create an alternative ending. I have seen how the students have engaged - well ironically disengaged with online learning. The ones who have engaged have done well so far and I wanted to take a break from our extended text study and do something that is different. I am hoping that the students engage with this task. I think if anything, I am trying to find ways to engage with the students. Let's see how this one goes. 

Poetry Lockdown Challenge for 9KLe week 8

 

Week 7 Term 3 - Lockdown Diary (September 6 - 10)

September 6 2021: 11:24am - Tongan Language Week 2021 has started! The theme for this year's celebration is "Fakakoloa 'o Aotearoa 'aki 'a e Ako Lelei" which translates into "Enriching Aotearoa with holistic education." This year's theme highlights the importance of holistic education, an education where the teaching and learning is open and diverse. The theme acts as a conversation starter for all that education does not necessarily have to be confined to the classroom or to the traditional Western style of learning. Holistic education is about stretching the learning and making your space (as a teacher) a space where young people feel comfortable and valued, it is about having conversations and making connections on a relational level. Mrs Suipi-Latu presented this morning at our online staff meeting and she spoke about her journey growing up in Tonga and what holistic education means to her. She shared the meaning of the word 'ako' which is a general term for any type of learning from school, education, study, training and practice. 

• Ako (School)
• Ako (Education)
• Ako Lea Faka-Palangi (Learn English)
• Ako Hiva (singing practice)
• Ako Faiva (Dance practice)
• Ako Lotu (Prayer Practice)
• Ako ‘akapulu (rugby training)
• Ako Tohitapu (Bible Study)
• Ako Lalanga (Learning to weave)
• Ako Lolotonga (current students)
• Ako Tutuku (Ex-students)
• Poako (Study after school)
• Akosope (Learn by imitation)
• Ta’eako (No formal education)

Suipi-Latu shared a reference which states “Although holistic education has taken various forms throughout history, one overarching theme is that it is focused on the whole child – body, mind and spirit – and their relationships with others and the world around them.” (J. P. Miller, 2007) The concept of relationships and prioritizing the nurturing of this at the heart of holistic education, is not a new concept but when reminded, it really does bring home the reason why I am teaching. It is about people, we are in the business of people and to keep that at the center of what I do is important. This was a great start to the day. It helped me focus on what I need to focus on this week, not worrying about data or who is not attending my online classes. It is about making the people I am working for, working with - are good and that they feel supported and valued. I had one class today, 9KLe, with 4 students in attendance. I spent the rest of the day meeting with my House to get things sorted for the TLW House competitions. It will be interesting to see how it pans out this week. 

Tamaki College Tongan Group 2021

September 7 2021: 4:08pm - I am a homebody. I love being at home. I love to be in my space, to unwind, relax and to detach myself from every responsibility that I have at work and at church. In some ways it is my own sanctuary. Living life in lockdown is an actual breeze for me, it is all about being at home and this is one thing that I love, being at home with my wife and family. Living life in lockdown also means that home is also a space for work. Over the last 2 weeks my home has turned into my classroom, I cannot disassociate myself from work when I am home because - well for the time being - I can't. I have found that over the last few days, I am wanting to go to work. I want to go to work 'to work' and leave it there. But I do understand that we are in this for the long run. Today overall has been good though. I had two online classes - 201ENG and 301ENGLit. There were a few students who came online which was good. I did have the chance to check in with the some of the senior students who have not been online and I asked them 'why have you not been coming to our online classes?' Some have been working, some have prioritized family and church over school while others have chosen to stay away as they do not feel motivated to do any work at home. All of this, I get. I get it. For my senior students I have to remind myself that this is their second year going through a lockdown. The novelty has worn off. The idea of having to motivate yourself from home, to expect that you will operate that same as if you were at school - but online - can be a put off for anyone. How I support the students through this is important. I have chosen not to suffocate them with deadlines but to give them the space and luxury to choose what they will work and when it will be completed by. I really do feel for the students at the moment. I have spent most of this day trying to organize my House team for Tongan Language Week and the House competitions that we have. I have learnt to delegate and collaborate a lot more during this lockdown. Working WITH the team is just as important as working FOR the team. So to use strengths that people have in my team and to give space to this has been a great takeaway for me over the last few weeks of lockdown. 

September 8 2021: 2:31pm - I attended my Uncle's funeral service online today. It was a different experience, mourning with the family without physically being with the family. I really appreciate how technology has the power to really connect everyone especially in a time like this. I spent today thinking about how I can honor my Uncle, the life that he lived and what he stood for. He was someone who went against the grain and definitely walked to the beat of his own drum. I think for me that the blessing from this loss, a sudden loss if anything, is that not take anyone for granted and to make sure that I live life unapologetic in who and what I stand for. Rest in love Uncle Tony Taulealeausumai. 

I did not have any classes today, I have scheduled for my check in class for tomorrow. I did meet with my mentor teachers and we had a good catch up. 

September 9 2021: 3:05pm - What can I do to help my students engage with online learning? A question that has been on my mind all morning. I went for a walk this morning and I did not take any notice of what was going on around, the nice (but cold weather) - all I could think about was how to engage my students with online learning. For junior students I want to focus on finishing the extended text study (by early next week) then move onto something creative and fun. What I have in mind is something like a fun poetry challenge (lockdown edition). I will give the students 1 week to submit ANY type of poem about ANYTHING. I will ask them to email and share their poems with me then I will get the department to judge who is the best and then award them with a voucher or something when we return to school. The more students who submit a poem, the more points they will get for their House. My senior students are a little different, the sole focus for them is working on completing internal assessments. For some of my senior students, they are able to do this in lockdown but for most of students this has become less of a priority for them. As mentioned in my earlier entry, I have some senior students who are working during the lockdown while I have others who have found it hard to do any work from home. The motivation to perform and do what you would normally do at school but now online from home is something that all of us, myself included, can find quite daunting and exhausting. The Tongan Language Week theme  "Fakakoloa 'o Aotearoa 'aki 'a e Ako Lelei" which translates into "Enriching Aotearoa with holistic education." has made me reflect and question the education - the online education - that I am offering my students at both senior and junior level. I want to provide an educational platform and space for students where they can grow into their critical thinking, where they can use the identity, strengths and skills into their learning as a pivotal tool to help them achieve. I have spent the last few days meeting, talking and working with some of the young people in my House in preparation for Tongan Language Week. Over the last 48 hours the students have worked on various things such as preparing reflection messages to share at our House assembly based on the theme for TLW, to writing a speech for the speech competition on how the theme applies to them and finally to submitting videos for our joint dance video for the dance competition. The engagement with this has been positive and the students seem to enjoy doing this. Maybe this is what  "Fakakoloa 'o Aotearoa 'aki 'a e Ako Lelei" is all about. Making the connection with the community, the culture and society and integrating this into the learning in a fun, respectful and meaningful way. 

Some of the Totara House students dancing up a storm! 

September 10 2021: 4:46pm - It is Friday! As I close out this week, I feel full. Full in knowing that my Uncle is at peace. Full in knowing that my students, despite their lack of motivation, they are safe at home. Full in knowing that I am good, my wife and family are good. Full in knowing that I have a good team of teachers and students that I get to work alongside. Full from the beautiful sharing from my senior students today at our House assembly. Here are some of the highlights from their sharing: Soana Telefoni: "Ambition helps drive someone into advancing and accomplishing their goals. We all need ambition to succeed because through this way, it will demonstrate how well-aimed and how important ones values are." Sam Liu: "My favorite quote to share with the Totara House students is 'Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it' - don't give up and keep going" Falakika Tuakivakatau: "Something that always helps me with my education is having a positive mentality that I can do it. Not because I'm smart or anything but believing that if I put my mind into it, I can achieve anything. To be honest for some of us students it's hard to have that mindset because we tend to compare ourselves to others." Full in knowing that GOD is with me in everything that I do. In the words of Kirk Franklin "I know that God is working so I smile". Here is Totara House and their dance video for Tongan Language Week 2021. Malo aupito! 

Week 6 Term 3 - Extended lockdown diary continues (August 30 - September 3)

 August 30 2021: 12:02pm - It is ironic that even though I am working from home, I still look forward to the weekend. The weekend went by really quickly and I am now finding myself sitting in front of my computer trying to figure out where did it all go? I tend to go through this most Mondays and I have spent most of this morning slowly getting back into the swing of things. I went for a walk. I cleaned up the house. I received my online shopping this morning (I have no idea where I am going to wear these clothes if we continue to stay in lockdown). I have done some marking which was good as I have received some work from a student who has not submitted anything this year. I had an online class with my Year 9 students which is always a good time, they are so eager and so keen to know what I want them to do. I think like the rest of Auckland, I am anticipating this afternoon's briefing to see how long we will be staying under Alert 4 lockdown - which based on the current case numbers, it looks like it will continue for another couple of weeks. I think overall I have a sense of what I want to achieve during the lockdown. I want to really find that good balance between home life and work life, I want to get active and make the most of the time I have now to get active (not that I am super active when I am at work). I want to be more present with my family. In the weekend we received news of the passing of my Uncle. He is my mother's eldest brother. He lives in Melbourne with his wife, their son and his wife and new-born son. It has been difficult to navigate through this as typically we would come together as a family, but with everything going on with COVID and lockdown, we are having to go through this together online. He was unwell for sometime but we did not understand how unwell he was. Going through a loss during a lockdown is challenging especially for myself and my family who would normally (in a 'normal' situation) would unite. But this 'new normal' limits everything. So the family zoom meetings and messenger threads are in full effect, I am grateful for technology though as it helps to really connect us. 

August 31 2021: 1:41pm - It has just dawned on me that this is the last day of August! August has definitely been a month of ups and downs. Most notably with the recent lockdown, as fast and full on as August started it also came to a halt. Mid August I have truly found the time to regroup and refocus on what my priorities are in life. I have learnt to let go of the things that I cannot control and to shift my focus on what I am blessed with, who I am becoming and what grounds me. Letting go and letting GOD is what has come to mind when I reflect on August. Sometimes I think that GOD gives us the opportunity to explore and to experience life, GOD gives an element of control in our lives but ultimately He is in control, He understands and knows where He wants us to be. So I am learning to really trust Him and His plan, I have always to know the beginning, middle and end when it comes to life. You could say that it is the teacher in me, the English literature teacher in me - always wanting to know the plot, the author's purpose and how it all concludes. Life is different, we do not have the luxury to know the trajectory of our story. We can do all we can to control the narrative and I believe that there is an element of authority that do we have to ensure that we get the best we can in life but ultimately what I have learnt this month is that this control does not necessarily transfer to every area of my life. I am going to embrace this going into the rest of the year and not let anything that has not worked out, define where I am at in life. I think if anything I am more determined to LIVE life and to trust GOD in everything that I hope for. 

September 1 2021: 2:45pm - First day of September, the first day of spring. I enter this month ready to experience life with more gratitude, excitement and hope. I have spent most of the day in meetings - meetings with my mentor and student leadership team for Totara House. I going to collaborate with staff and junior students for this week's assembly, I want to give my senior leaders a break this week from sharing and give the junior students a chance to share what they have been doing with their mentor teachers during mentoring sessions. Collaboration especially with assembly time is something that I am very new too. I am a control freak and I like to steer how my assembly goes. With online meets, especially with assemblies, I realize that it is important to share the space and to give the students something to enjoy and engage with. This is new for me but it is something that I want to try. My junior students are going to share a message on 'gratitude' - something that they have covered with their mentor teacher (Ms Paketama). Fun fact: I was Ms Paketama's tutor teacher from Year 10 to Year 13 (2009 - 2012). I am excited to collaborate with her and to see her take the space with her Year 9 students. They have been discussing the concept of 'practicing gratitude' and she shared some of the conversations that they have shared. I am encouraged and excited by this. Messaging is so important, especially during times like this. Everyone wants to know the truth but they also want to be and feel reassured. I use my assembly time to talk about what is going on but also look forward to what we can hope for. I like to highlight our successes and at the same time talk about what we can do better. I am hopeful that the first assembly for September will be one where the young people can share encouragement with each other. I started to do this in Term 2 and it has become a lovely part of our family time. 

Throwback: 11KSt (2010) with Ms Paketama

Throwback: 13KSt (2012) with Ms Paketama

September 2 2021: 2:17pm -  Fatigue. The idea of working online from home is tiring me today. The wait, the anticipation and the silence is all too consuming at the moment. I love being at home, being in my space. I am comfortable. But I am feeling the need to get back into the classroom and to talk to my students face to face. I think if anything I am missing the interaction with my students and colleagues in person, technology is a God-send and it has helped to keep all of us connected. Don't get me wrong, I am very grateful for this but I think at this moment I am a little over 'online' anything and would much rather switch off and talk to people face to face. This is probably part in parcel with fatigue during lockdown, it is tiring and draining having to have constant communication online whilst working from home - which ironically should be a place of comfort and rest - but with the lockdown it has to act as a place of operation and business. Something that I have enjoyed in this lockdown is online shopping. The excitement around receiving a package from the courier has a whole different meaning now that we are in lockdown. Today I received a package from SLT (a care package from SLT to all middle leaders) and joy I have just from the thought of the gift has taken the edge off my fatigue. I am looking forward to Friday!!!

Care package from SLT - thank you! 

September 3 2021: What does it mean to be thankful? Practicing gratitude was the message for our online assembly today. One of my mentors, Ms Paketama, shared a lesson that she went through with her mentor class (9TPt) during their online mentoring session. The lesson was all about practicing gratitude with the intention on helping the young people to take notice and appreciate what they are blessed with in life. But also to highlight that gratitude is a strategy that anyone can use that will enhance hauora (well-being). The lesson was guided by three focus point.

1) Think about a person you are grateful for. 

2) Why are you grateful for them?

3) What's one thing you can do to show appreciation?

The student feedback from this session was heart-warming and I was inspired by this. Ms Paketama and three of her students from her mentor class presented 'Practicing Gratitude' at our online assembly today. The students spoke confidently and shared who they are grateful for and why. Here are some of the highlights from their presentation. 

Mamarei Henry Ru:
"I’m grateful for my parents because they’ve always kept us focus. My parents would say “you need to prepare yourself for the future”. They’ve also been the people who supplied everything we needed, kept us strong on our feet, and made life fun. I show appreciation by spending time with my parents and always expressing how much I love them through a words and hugs"

Loseti Manisela:
"I’m grateful for my family because no matter what the situation is, they always take great care of me and my siblings. My dad is one of my most trusted barbers in the family and I’m grateful for him. Another person, I am grateful for is Miss George. Thank you Miss George for getting me a get well basket when I was injured from rugby. I showed my appreciation towards my family by giving them a shoulder to cry on in times of need, and always making teas and coffee for them."

Tupou Peaua: 

"The people that I’m grateful for are god and my grandma. I am very grateful for god because he is our creator and he is our heavenly father so without him we wouldn't be here today. I am also grateful for my grandma because she has always been there for me & taken care of me until I moved to NZ. Even though she lives in Tonga she is still my Number 1 supporter in everything I do. I showed my appreciation towards god by going to church and praying day and night. I show my appreciation to my grandma by working hard at school, playing hard in rugby, and telling her how much I love her everytime she calls."

I am grateful that this week has come to an end. I am grateful for my wife and my family. I am grateful for my colleagues. I am grateful for life.