MIT - Workshops in the Cook Islands

We were to offer workshops that were unrelated to our presentations as a thank you to the staff of the school hosting us.  I planned and took with me 3 Spheros (robotic balls) and two i-pads, so the teachers could work with the Spheros. I thought it was a great idea, even if the internet didn't work as they worked with a Bluetooth connection.

Welcome

Our day started beautifully with a traditional welcome and dancing. The students performed wonderfully, the drummers an intricate part.

Workshops

When we landed we found out they had organised for us to do workshops with them. So we made a sarong or as they called a 'pareu'. We printed the sarong using fabric paint, a roller and a large white piece of material laid over the board. The plywood was layered with patterns that could be printed. 

The next workshop was coconut husking and peeling to get the coconut and juice out for dinner. Demonstrated to us by a group of boys who were patient and encouraging.

The third workshop was weaving. 

This one I was really interested in as I enjoy weaving with flax, this time I learnt to weave with the leaf of a coconut tree. First, we were encouraged to weave our plate for tomorrows umu. There were students weaving the base and top for the umu basket, bowls and baskets for the food to be put in to cook. After completing my plate I have to try weaving a bowl, it was great fun.

It was then back to the resort for a cool swim, relaxing in the air conditioning or a mocktail poolside before a quick practise for the main event. The presentations.

PB4L - Matrix

The School has a detailed Positive Behaviour Matrix for the whole school with headings on how to respect yourself, others and the environment. There is a range of contexts or scenarios that help to break down this matrix. 

We discussed how in class we all have rules and how we have acted them out to help students to understand expectations. Have we considered creating a matrix with the students in our class to help break the rules further so they know what it looks like, or is there a reminder of what it should look like?

We looked at a few samples from other places and with a range of focuses.

First thing back in after the holiday that was where I started new term fresh start, especially having just taken over a class mid-way through a term. Now was a good time to re-establish expectations and rules that all could aspire to, even in the Robotics Room.

MIT - Preparing to Share in the Cook Islands

In a few weeks, I am heading to Rarotonga to share my presentation and learning from 2020. Having recently changed school I feel like I am drowning, but I want to do this I love what I created with my learning site and what to share with the world.

   

Of course, there were some criteria that need to be fulfilled. 

1. Working in a Manaiakalani Outreach School

2. Keeping my site and posts up to date

3. Permission from the Principal and School (In the case of in-school PD, ours was the first week of the holidays.)

4. Can't forget a current passport

5. Update presentation

Tick, will be a tick soon, Tick, Tick and that should be easy.

I just forgot about how much time a new class takes and missed a couple of emails. So I updated the site with Similes and Storyboards, which I had been working on to help students create more ideas and keep them in order. The blog posts with examples of storyboards and a post about the new features on the site.  Tick!

Just to organise my presentation. Then pack a bag, what do I take?

Looking through my presentation there were only a few changes I needed to make, as the results were still relevant, the purpose and reasoning behind my idea were still solid. Updating what I still hoped to achieve with the site and altering some of the features that were no longer available such as google expeditions is now google cardboard. And of course, organising my google cardboard to take with me to show the teachers. Now to find time to practise my speech for the presentation. And learn some local phrases.

Using Storyboards with Room 9 at WI

 Changing schools is a big enough challenge especially trying to slip into teaching their already planned inquiries. However, with the study of war, it opened right up to using storyboards. 

Students were asked to write about the day in the life of a soldier. They had watched many clips from youtube about a range of sides from WW1. Here are some of the storyboards they came up with and part of their stories.

Storyboard 1 - The Soldier Sleep in the damp, wet environment, with bombs raining along the borders of foreign lands. The flock of men, scared to death as explosions run at them. The crisp cold morning air fogging the view of our enemies. The filthy trench boards creaking foot by foot. Mud smothering each man in a thick brown coat of dirt. Rats make their home in your ditch, feasting on your fellow buddies. Soldiers on the bare minimum of sleep.

Puff, your Captain prepares to announce the time to charge. He presents his supposed final speech as returning is unlikely. "Men of Britain may the best of luck be brought upon us soldiers."

The whistle blows, MEN SCRAMBLE OVER THE TRENCH & SHOW NO MERCY!

Storyboard 2 -  The soldiers awoke at 6:30 am being grateful that they were still alive. They gathered all their gear and left for their areas. Pushing past each other, shoving and having a joke trying to get their minds of where they were for a moment, boots soaking wet and uniforms covered in mud. 

Waiting in silence for a gunshot. Looking left and right, waiting for the orders to 'fire'. Silence in the air for 2 hours, when finally the order came. "Fire!" the Commander shouted across the trenches.

Heavy thumps hitting the ground, bullets flying through the air, body parts splitting the trench walls. The soldiers were once again at war. Smoke in the air and bullets on the ground. 

 

Storyboard 3 - Soldiers wake up for their four-hour uncomfortable sleep ready for war with their rifles in their hands. They start marching scanning the area looking for enemies. As they march you hear rats scuttling around in the muddy steep trenches.

Carefully looking through periscopes to find troops marching straight for them, so they opened fired, killing many of the opposition. But when they put their heads up to aim, they got shot in the head, with their last words nothing but screams. All their minds thinking today would be their last day living in this world.  

I was blown away by the detail and feeling their stories started to provoke.