Mrs Millar's class

A teacher to remember

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Mrs Millar entered my life in 1986. I was a skinny 12 year old with a face full of freckles. She was my Year 8 teacher. It wasn’t my favourite year of school. I faced hormonal surges, erupting pimples, squabbles with friends, and the impending doom of college. Yet Mrs Millar made my school days bearable. She easily takes the cake for favourite teacher. She made such an impression on me, that I wanted to become a teacher just like her.

Mrs Millar's class

So what was it that Mrs Millar did almost 30 years ago to make her a teacher to remember? And do her attributes still have a place in classrooms today?

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He whetū mārama i te mata o te whenua!

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A shining star on Earth!

Dawson TamateaHe aha rā tēnei hanga?
E puta nei te taniwhā kokoti ora i tōna rua
E kume nei i te tangata, e kati nei i te hā, e huti nei i te aho ki te ao tūroa, e kai wawe nei i te tangata e!
He aha tāna e mahue nei?
He ohorere, he rangirua, he taumaha kei taku ngākau e!
He hae kino, he ngau kino, he kai kino e kawa nei ki te waha!
Ko te kawa nā Hine-nui-te-pō, nā Māui Pōtiki e,
Hikohiko te uira, papā te whaititiri, he kanapu ki te rangi, ko koe rā tēnei kua riro e…!

He kupu iti ēnei i pupū ake i roto i te whatu manawa i te rironga wawe o tētahi … arā, ko Dawson Tamatea.

E kīia ana, ko Hongongoi te wā o te mātao, o te tahutahu ahi kia rongo te tangata i te mahana! Heoi, i te 20 o Hongongoi ko te anu mātao tērā i pā ki tēnei tangata. Ko ia tēnā i kume i te mano tangata ki runga o Te Kupenga o te Mātauranga hei takotoranga whakamutunga mōna. Ko te whare tēnā i poipoi, i ako, nāna tonu i tautoko ki te hanga i ngā tau kia puta ia hei kaiako, hei kaihāpai, kaiārahi, hei kaituitui i te tangata i ngā tini kaupapa o te hapori o Te Papaioea.  Ka noho ko ia hei tahutahu i te tini mahara, i te tini kōrero kei te ngākau o tēnā o tēnā i tae ā-tinana atu, i hono ā-ipurangi atu ki te tuku i ngā kupu poroporoākī ki a ia!!  Nā reira e te rangatira, moe mai rā koe i te kōpū o Papatūānuku, takahia atu rā te ara whānui ki a Hine-nui-te-pō, whakangaro atu rā!! Rārangi maunga tū tonu, rārangi tangata ngaro noa!!

whareAs I contemplate a suitable and relevant topic for discussion, I am drawn to the passing of a very good friend, who was a well loved and respected figure within the Manawatū community, Dawson Tamatea. At the young age of 55, in the wee hours of Monday morning, 20th of July 2015, he was taken suddenly from his beautiful wife and three lovely tamariki. His passing reverberated across the nation, with multitudes ascending on Te Kupenga o Te Mātauranga Marae to pay their respects, to celebrate a life well lived, and to give Dawson one hell of a send off!

His passing was so surreal and tumultuous for my whānau and me that, three months later, having also lost three grand uncles, my thoughts turn towards Dawson. Dawson, incidentally, was a previous pouako of mine, a job that gave him much joy and pride, and ensured a career that spanned 30 years. He was a special person with talents galore. Although Dawson was an amazing teacher, when he spoke, I often felt he was possibly working in the wrong profession. His ability to entertain and manage a crowd was world class. My heart breaks again at the thought that his infectious smile and great sense of humour will no longer grace this world. These feelings of sorrow vibrated through me in my final speech at Dawson’s poroporoaki, a tribute of words that bubbled and emerged from within, stirring my emotions, and guiding me to deliver a very emotional and uplifting farewell speech. Yet, his influence continues to surround me, especially as I ponder the attributes, skills, and values necessary to be a quality and effective facilitator at CORE-Education, I think of the influence we are expected to have on our kura. We are developing skills, growing understanding, and engaging staff across Aotearoa with the intention to lift the achievement levels of our tamariki. Dawson absolutely lifted the achievement levels of our tamariki, I and many other Māori are an example of his contribution.

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John Cage’s 10 rules for students and teachers

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johncage10rules
Some inspiring thoughts: Composer, music theorist, writer, teacher, and artist John Cage's "Rules" (Source)*

* UPDATE: While these Rules have often been attributed to John Cage (who valued them highly), it is now recognised that the author is Sis Corita Kent. Thanks for  those who tweeted this correction.

If you find this version difficult to read, we've transcribed the essence of it here:

10 rules for students and teachers
by Sis Corita Kent
Rule 1: Find a place you trust, and then, try trusting it for a while
Rule 2: (General Duties as a Student)
Pull everything out of your teacher.
Pull everything out of your fellow students.
Rule 3: (General Duties as a Teacher)
Pull everything out of your students.
Rule 4:  Consider everything an experiment.
Rule 5: Be Self-Disciplined. This means finding someone wise or smart and choosing to follow them. To be disciplined is to follow in a good way. To be self-disciplined is to follow in a better way.
Rule 6:  Follow the leader. Nothing is a mistake. There is no win and no fail. There is only make.
Rule 7: The only rule is work. If you work it will lead to something. It is the people who do all the work all the time who eventually catch onto things. You can fool the fans—but not the players.
Rule 8:  Do not try to create and analyze at the same time. They are different processes.
Rule 9: Be happy whenever you can manage it. Enjoy yourself. It is lighter than you think.
Rule 10:  We are breaking all the rules, even our own rules and how do we do that? By leaving plenty of room for “x” qualities.

Helpful Hints:

Always Be Around.
Come or go to everything.
Always go to classes.
Read everything you can get your hands on.
Look at movies carefully and often.
SAVE EVERYTHING. It may come in handy later.

How do your 'rules' help children to grow their key competencies?

Share your comments below.

 

 

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Digital learning inquiry students’ video submission

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Check out the above video submission for the Inquiry into 21st century learning environments and digital literacy by the pupils of Tawa Intermediate in Wellington, New Zealand.

It was initiated by their teacher, Stephanie Thompson, who wrote the We Are Learning To: Make a difference blog post detailing further background to the process and intent.

Wonderful to note is the top comment on their blog post from Nikki Kaye, the Chair of Education and Science Select Committee, who is behind the public consultation.

What do you think of allowing students responses to these public consultations? Do we do enough to encourage / foster them? Drop us your thoughts in the comments below.

 

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Professor Guy Claxton EDTalk | Can schools prepare you for anything?

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New from the EDtalks crew …

Professor Guy Claxton is well known for encouraging teachers to think about building their students’ learning power, and now asks the provocative question, “Can schools prepare you for anything?” Professor Claxton spoke at the 2012 Graham Nuthall Annual Lecture in Christchurch where he explored this question in full. Traditional education aims to raise standards by any means, but we are coming to see that preparing young people for tests, and preparing them for life, are different goals. How do we deepen learning so that it systematically builds the learning dispositions that the next generation will need? As work on Key Competencies and 21st century skills evolves it is becoming clearer just what it takes to raise standards in a way that helps kids be ready for anything.

After the lecture CORE Education’s Keryn Davis had the chance to ask Guy about the key messages he had for teachers wanting to deepen learning and build learning dispositions.

You can find out more about Professor Claxton’s work at:

Visit EDtalks to find more inspiring talks like this one

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