Learning

Last Wednesday morning when I was teaching the Year 6s I shared with them the karakia I had started learning the night before. I stumbled through it and told them I needed to learn it to use on certain occasions and I would be 'tested' on it at my course next Tuesday. Well next Tuesday was yesterday, and today I was able to share with the Year 6s the pride I felt at being the only person on the course who was able to stand up and say their karakia without referring to the notes. I then talked about the importance of practice and the rewards that come with it.

This sort of modelling, with me as a learner, is very powerful for the children. It is important that they see adults as learners as much as possible. That they understand we don't know everything and we will make mistakes from time to time, but that's OK and that's how we learn.

Each week at my Maori course we have to repeat what we have learned and then say the new thing we have been working on. So next week I have to do a karakia and my mihi.  I'm still deciding whether to just go with the karakia I've already learnt or be an overachiever and learn a new one.