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!