At times in a child’s schooling they will not make the progress that we all want to see. Sometimes this can merely be a time of consolidation or incubation, where minimal increases will be seen in achievement then all of a sudden another penny will drop and the child will move forward in leaps and […]
Someone asked me recently what my favourite age to teach is. My experiences of teaching different age groups have been in quite different contexts, but my favourite teaching years were while I was teaching Year 3 and 4s. My main reason for enjoying this was the development that occurs at that age in children’s ability to think […]
I went to a course early last term and a phrase was said that continues to stick in my mind – “Don’t get furious, get curious”. I have been in two further workshops with the same presenter and she often refers to this phrase. The reason the phrase sits so strongly in my mind is […]
As a young teacher I taught Year 7 students at a large intermediate in Auckland. The majority of our students were well below the expected level of achievement for their age, particularly in reading. I recall asking one parent “Do you read to your son?” and I don’t think I will ever forget her response; […]
When I was in my mid 20s I spent a couple of years doing relief teaching in London. I spent a few months doing day-to-day relieving and then spent the rest of the time in a position doing the release time for teachers – half a day a week in 10 classes. Something I found really […]
‘Homework’ is always a fascinating point of debate in primary schools. The way the New Zealand system is set up relies on quality learning happening both at school and at home. The types of learning that occur in these places need to be different but complimentary, making the most of the unique contexts and the specialised […]
I was speaking to friend recently that mentioned how working with kids is such an important role, because we have the opportunity to teach children what it means to value manaakitanga (extending love) in a world that desperately needs more love. It really got me thinking about the role love has to play in a […]
One of my favourite things about my friends having babies and small children is watching, in amazement, as they grow and develop at a rapid pace. The changes that take place in these small children, and in such a short space of time, really blows me away. If I see a friend from a different […]
Dennis Marshall and I went to a two day seminar last week run by the Canterbury Primary Principals Association. We were able to visit a couple of other schools, where we were challenged and inspired by some of the fantastic things that are happening in schools around Christchurch. The second day of the seminar was […]
A few years ago I really felt that God gave me a revelation about the verse “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” At the time, I was feeling that a work colleague of mine was ‘being mean to me’, and I was both not enjoying this and also not hopeful for […]