We are learning to:

• Create blogposts on Edublogs to reflect on our professional practice;
• Use the Edublogs commenting features to give feedback to colleagues.

I am reflecting on the introductory module to my semester 2 course, Te Taiao.

1. How well did the learners meet the intended learning outcomes for curriculum and for deep learning?

Both Matua Kere and I have a 9HUMtt course in different lines. We have deliberately set up the course so that it covers aspects not only of the English and Social Sciences curriculum, but, also Te Reo Māori and Science learning areas. I have a large class, with 27 students of mixed ability. For the first introductory module, we have been looking at the concept of Kaitiakitanga; who the Kaitiaki? Why is it important to have Kaitiaki? What does this mean in terms of Te Taiao? I cannot yet make comment on progress against curriculum levels as we are only 4 weeks into the course.

2. How well did the learning design meet the intended learning outcomes?

I have worked to ensure that the Manaiakalani pedagogical approach is embedded in what we do in the classroom. It does help that I have a student teacher working with this class at the moment. At the start of the year, and as a way of introduction, stude nts had to complete THIS beginning of the year journal activity, as well as a blog post introducing themselves to myself. Being a Humanities course, literacy skills are built into our programme, e.g., personal reading and a reading log, using writers tool box (daily challenge or learning journey). Wew have recently started reading Bary Crump’s Wild Pork and Watercress, which inspired Taika Waititi’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople. My student teacher and I have found that breaking each chapter down, and completing a read aloud, has worked a treat, with brief activities to build on their literacy skills, namely reading comprehension. We have also started making use of visiting the maara, so that students can see how they can put the concept of Kaitiakitanga into practice. 

3. What parts of the learning design worked well, what can be improved?

Having a viariety of activities for students to complete rather than mundane “busy” tasks. Activities are varied and allow students to work both in smaller groups and cooperative learning group opportunities. Also having a designated writing book (1B8) for students to compelte their mahi in – not assuming that they will always be able to use their devices to complete their mahi has worked well. What it does highlight for me is the assumed knowledge that students work best on devices. In fact, my student teacher and I have quickly discovered that requiring students to write down their answers in their 1B8 workbooks has worked much better than getting students to necessarily write responses electroncially.