Week 7 Term 4 - English Department: Mana Enhancing Writing (November 28 - December 2)

MANA ENHANCING: "Mana determines the right of a young person to have agency in their lives and the decisions that affect them. Enhancing the mana of young people means recognizing what is right with them, as well as the reality of their world. Young people are supported to have a voice, work to their strengths and step into leadership." (Arataiohi NZ - www.arataiohiorg.nz) 

As an English teacher, our job is to help our students draw and use their experiences when crafting their texts. A crafted text embodies all the key features such as ideas, structure, organization, spelling and punctuality. A well rounded crafted text must highlight these features but what can set it apart is the inclusion of the writer's own opinion, idea, perspective and experience. Making the connection between the idea in the text and the writer's perspective can help elevate the quality and the heart of the writing. 

As the term and year comes to a close, I have spent the last couple of weeks marking a whole heap of writing from Year 9, Year 12 (Level 2) and Year 13 (Level 3). My students have crafted some awesome texts and the ones that have stood out are the ones where the have used their voice, ideas and experiences in a way that is both meaningful to them as writers but also adds value to the text that they have crafted. Mana Enhancing Writing is what I see as an opportunity that students have taken in their writing, where they control and drive their own narrative. They feel comfortable and confident to express how they feel, show what they understand and write about it without any hesitation. I wanted to highlight some texts that my students have created and reflect on how I believe that this is Mana Enhancing Writing. 

Year 9 Writing Term 4

This student has crafted this text for his speech presentation. Their speech presentation is based on their korowai which they created online. The text is unequivocally their own, everything from the idea to the tone is based on their experience and identity. I believe that this is Mana Enhancing Writing because the student has used their identity as the driver in the how they have shaped the text. They have used what they see as their values and expressed what it means to them. This is the final task that I have given to my Year 9 students (speeches) and it has been a pleasure to see them write about what is important to them. I believe that the student felt comfortable in sharing their values in their text because it was modeled to them first. I reflected and wrote about my own korowai that I created and shared with my Year 9 students (see Alby's Blog Entry - 18/09/22). I believe that sharing my own experience and writing has helped give my Year 9 akonga the confidence to do the same. This was a Mana Enhancing experience for myself as a teacher. 

Year 12 (NCEA Level 2) Writing Term 3

This text is based on the NCEA Level 2 English internal assessment - 2.7: 91104: Significant Connections Across Texts. The premise of this assessment is that the student has to show significant connections across texts and explain what the connection. This student has chosen the theme of 'Hierarchy versus Authority' (a theme that we studied in class) and show how this theme is shown in four texts. For their fourth text - they wanted to talk about how the theme connects to their culture and their own family structure. I was all for this and encouraged them to explore this, as a text is anything that creates or holds meaning. I believe that this is an example of Mana Enhancing Writing because the student has taken the reality of their world and they have used it in a powerful and meaningful way in their writing. 

Year 13 (NCEA Level 3) Writing Term 4

This student has crafted a text based on a song that they have written and composed. The text is for their Writing Portfolio - where they have to craft two texts on any topic of their choice. Before the student crafted their text, they were stuck on what to do and write. I knew that they written and composed a song and thought that they could write about this. They were reluctant at first but I showed them an example of what I was asking them to do. I shared a reflection that I written on my blog about a song that I enjoy and have used as a text in class (see Alby's Blog Entry - 20/10/20) The student read it and understood what I wanted them to do. They used my blog as a guide and they crafted their text. I believe that this is a great example of Mana Enhancing writing because the student has used their reality, their identity and most importantly their strength - music, language and poetry - to craft a text that is meaningful and mana enhancing to them. We spend so much time unpacking texts written by others, trying to understand the author's purpose. It is beautiful and powerful to read a student unpack and explore their own words, their own narrative. 

Mana Enhancing Writing is something that I strive for, for my students. I believe that this has come about because I have had to share my own writing and experiences with my akonga. I believe that has become motivating for them as writers. It is a scary experience to share your writing with others, I have been reluctant in the past to share it. But I will continue to do this going forward as I believe that it is a good way to connect with my students.