Day 7 Manaiakalani Digital Intensive Fluency Program

Getting tech savvy and how to use some of this in the classrooms.

I think, as I look at my own two children, kids these days are born being tech savvy from a very young age. They are extremely fortunate to grow up in this tech age. I am amazed at the diversity of programs available, some even free. How cool is that!! My kids just love to play on their tablets or they want to do educational games on mommy's macbook.

We have a wonderful opportunity to learn how to be better being with technology. I f we as teachers have the passion and the know how of tech, then imagine what can happen in a classroom with fresh minds who are tech savvy and have the tools ready at hand. Some of the things my students create scares me sometimes. The world is their oyster!! And they are certainly ready to grab it with both hands. thank you Manaiakalani for making this possible. These kids are so lucky.

Today, OMGTech spent the day with us. Inspired by so much that is available out there.
Firstly they shared this video with us. Get your tissues!!

Oh my goodness, this was an amazing video.

We played a couple of games just to get us going and thinking in the right direction. The first one was a bit on the dark side..... hehe.... was fun though!!
Why don't you try yourself? Here's the link: Moral Machine.

So what if I have the opportunity and the knowledge to lead my classroom to look like this. WOW! The possibilities are endless of how far these students might go!

Makerspace and another.............

We tried and succeeded. It was fun!! Beginning of programming.

CODING - my oldest son just loves this!

Comments

The Syntax Project - NZ version that aligns with our curriculum

I found this on Facebook this morning. I am so excited to share this amazing resource with teachers This was the message by Sarah Peck on the Primary teachers page: Kia ora koutou, not sure how many of you use the Syntax Project for a sentence-level writing resource but here is the scope and sequence with NZ Year level equivalents added. All of the slideshow resources that support the scope and sequence can be found at https://ochre.org.au/ac/the-grammar-project/. You will need to register for (free) access. The materials are designed for NZ Year 0 (NE) to Year 7, however I think if you have older struggling learners that still need sentence level writing teaching, learning, review and practice then you'd potentially still get a lot out of what's on offer. The Syntax Project work has been developed by Australian teachers, for teachers, and is underpinned by work from The Writing Revolution, and the Morphology Project references William Van Cleave's work. Here is the link: ...

Impressive Writing Growth with The Syntax Project

I’ve seen remarkable progress in my students’ writing skills since introducing The Syntax Project . This free, accessible platform, grounded in the concept of colourful semantics, has been a game-changer for our young learners. What is Colourful Semantics? Colourful semantics is a method that breaks sentences down into parts, each represented by a different colour. For instance, the "Who" (subject) could be one colour, while "What doing" (the verb) is another. This visual approach makes sentence building more straightforward and fun for children, helping them better understand sentence structure. It’s especially useful for younger students as they get to grips with the basics of grammar and sentence creation. My Approach to Using the Syntax Project I began using the Syntax Project by focusing on oral exercises. Students first talk through sentences, identifying key parts like who is doing what, and where it’s happening. This has laid a strong foundation for understa...

Helping Our Tamariki with b/d Confusion: Strategies That Work

As part of my ongoing teaching inquiry into how we support early literacy—especially for those tamariki who need a bit more time—I came across this really helpful article from All About Learning Press that offers clear, simple strategies to help children who confuse b and d. Let’s be honest—this is super common and very normal for our 5- and 6-year-olds. But for some, it sticks around longer and can start to impact confidence, writing fluency, and reading accuracy. What’s in the Article? The blog post outlines: Why letter reversals are a developmental stage, not a sign of dyslexia on their own. Fun, hands-on strategies to help children lock in correct b/d formation. Practical tools that both ECE and NE teachers can easily integrate into their day. One of my favourites from the list is the “bed” trick—using both hands to form the shape of a bed (with thumbs up) to remind kids that b comes before d. It's kinaesthetic, memorable, and easy to teach. Another great one is using visual m...

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