Manaiakalani Teacher Professional Development Day

On the last day of term 1, the Manaiakalani cluster held their Ko te Kāhui Ako o Manaiakalani - Teacher Only Day. 

We had an appetizing smorgasbord of amazing workshops and pedagogies for us to choose from.  Our main speaker Dr Rae Si'ilata shared about Translanguaging and Literacies with our emerging bilingual learners.

She shared her experiences as a learner and a professional with challenges and ideas of how we can better engage our learners.  Using the Va'atele Model will guide us on how to better connect and have our learners succeed.

A couple of things struck a chord with me:

1. Finding more texts as windows than mirrors. 

2. Getting the 'talk' going in reading.  (Wonderful workshop from Robyn & Chantel Panmure Bridge School) .  

3.  The value of sharing our own stories, languages, and experiences that connect with the story or content in the book.

4.   Provide students with the opportunity to create using new media - collaborate, making choices in learning, creating and sharing.

Principles to keep in mind when planning:

* Prior knowledge plays an important role

* Comprehension depends on metacognition

* Reading and writing are integrally related

* Learning increases when students collaborate

It's helping me chip at my MIT challenge which is 'Supporting a high group of our Year 5 emerging bilingual students who are reading 2+ years below their reading age'.

By using Robyn Shearer's framework in developing more talk within the classroom.  For learners to work collaboratively together to create more 'mirror' texts that are 'authentic text.  Still thinking through my process .. lol!