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!