Tania's Professional Learning Blog

Here is the link to the Google Form I created for my parents:  Parent Survey Editable Form The questionnaire aimed to gather information about a child's transition to primary school. Respondents provided insights into their child's preferences, concerns, expectations, and the support they plan to provide.  Here are the key findings: Activities at home: The children enjoy a range of activities such as playing games, helping out, writing, drawing, exploring outside, arts and crafts, playing with siblings, imaginative role play games, puzzles, and reading. Upsetting factors: The children may be upset by not getting their way, conflicts with other children, feeling put down, not being listened to or understood, someone ruining their work, and not keeping promises. Response to transitioning: Most of the children responded positively, being excited and looking forward to starting school. One child engaged in role-playing school scenarios at home to prepare for the transition. Desire...

Inverclyde Educational Psychology Services, Greenock, United Kingdom  https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.499917/full This study focuses on preschool to primary school transitions and aims to explore the elements necessary to support these transitions and foster a nurturing environment for children. The research takes a flexible qualitative approach, promoting collaborative activities to create shared meaning. Participants, including early years' staff, primary teachers, parents, and pupils, were recruited from a Scottish local authority to engage in qualitative and quantitative activities. Through a Person Centered Planning (PCP) approach and four identified qualitative activities, a transition timeline was co-constructed. This timeline outlines essential preparatory activities for all pupils, including those with additional support needs (ASNs), and highlights examples of excellence in practice. The intention is to promote consistency of practice across servic...

A warming and inviting way to bring family and friends together to celebrate this very special date. For generations, the Māori have relied on Matariki to plan their harvests. During this season, a cherished tradition is to come together and enjoy lovingly prepared kai (food) with our whānau (family), friends, and community. Hua Whenua, also known as Friendship Soup, is a fantastic choice because everyone pitches in with ingredients from their pantry, fridge, or vegetable garden to create a large pot of hot, nourishing soup. Children can join in by helping gather and prepare the ingredients, which offers many opportunities to learn about Māori culture and taking care of Papatūānuku (the Earth mother). In our version of Hua Whenua we went to our school garden to see what was ready to harvest: we found celery, kumura and some fresh herbs. We also invited everyone to bring a vegetable from home. While making the soup, we made sure to save all our vegetable peelings to feed them to our wor...

Introduction Matariki, the Māori New Year, is a significant cultural celebration in New Zealand. It is a time to reflect, celebrate, and learn about the stars, nature, and Māori traditions. Incorporating Matariki into the curriculum for young learners, specifically Year 0-2 students, can be an enriching experience. In this blog post, we will explore how Matariki learning slides can be used to engaging "Learn, Create, Share" activities. Why Matariki for Year 0-2 Students? Matariki offers a unique opportunity to connect children with the natural world and Māori culture. Year 0-2 students are at a crucial developmental stage where they are curious, receptive to new concepts, and eager to engage in hands-on learning experiences. By integrating Matariki into their curriculum, we can foster a love for learning, build cultural understanding, and develop essential skills. Matariki Learning Slides Matariki learning slides are digital or printable resources that can be tailored to the ...