2014 Update

This year I have been seconded by the Manaiakalani Trust to be a Facilitator to the Ako Hiko cluster in Mt Roskill Auckland. I will also be working as a facilitator for the Manaiakalani Cluster. I have not resigned from my current job nor school. I will be facilitating at Panmure Bridge School twice a week. So the Joy has not left the building. I look forward to inspiring teachers and students with my knowledge, skills and love for digital teaching and learning. This blog has been running for five years and it has achieved what it has envisaged to do which is: celebrating students learning, capturing the moment whether it is an argument on Should we wear a school uniform? visiting the Auckland Museum, photographing our artwork, sharing our Maths thinking and reflecting on our production item. We have shared the learning with you. At the beginning of 2009 Creative Voice was born. It focused on learning at year 2 level and celebrated the lives of six and seven year olds. As I was new to junior school teaching I wanted to prove that junior level students can be part of the digital learning process and that they are just as good at it as senior level students. I wanted to put student voice out there. I did this by recording students reading out their writing. The recordings were made into podcasts. We had a lot of fun during those two years in the junior school. A highlight was having our chocolate brown labrador dog Toddy visit us and watching him grow over time. Lots of writing and conversations evolved from this.

 In 2011, I decided to move up to the senior level which was teaching Years 5 & 6 students. At this level, the students published their learning onto their own individual blogs. Most Sunday mornings over three years I would publish ten blog posts a week from the student blogs. There was a smorgasbord of learning which made it hard choosing at times, but I did my best to ensure everyones learning was up on the class blog throughout the year.

This blog has gone full circle, as a lot of the students whom I taught as Year 2's in 2009, were taught by me as Years 5 & 6 students in 2012 & 2013. We've grown together and have been on one amazing learning journey.

I would like to thank you our loyal audience for viewing this blog and for making comments to the students. Your comments brighten up their day and it sure motivates them to put the extra effort into their work. I would also like to thank my colleagues for visiting this blog and for using it to get ideas to assist them with their practise. We can all learn from each other and this blog has celebrates this.

This year I will be on a whole new learning journey and it will be shared with you. Come and follow me on my exciting journey as a facilitator for the Ako Hiko cluster. Click on the blog link below:

http://joypelearning.blogspot.co.nz/

My Speech: Should animals be used in the circus? By Fine

My speech on: Should animals be kept in the circus? By Fine

Circuses with animal acts might seem perfect and jubilant, but if you looked beneath their bright lights and happy music, torture and death is the only thing found. Almost everyday animals are being put into cages and abused just to learn the ways ofa stunt. Why should they be kept away from their homes, lives and families. Why do people hunt down animals just to put them into their entertainment?

Even during shows, bullhooks can be found hidden beneath jewels and cloth. They disguise these weapons so that they may use them during shows, but hide them, so the public won't have a clue. Trainers use whips, tight collars, muzzles, electric prods, bullhooks and much more. Did you know that some animals have ropes tied around their necks, so if they disobey their trainers, they will be choked. Trainers also burn bears paws and break their noses forcing the bears to stand on their hind legs. Trainers also beat up monkeys and chimpanzees while they scream.

As a result of not having a lot of money, circus operations will frequently not give their animals enough water, food,  clean their cages properly or give them medical care when needed. Animals die just because of this.

According to the Animal Welfare Act, 96 percent of a circus animal’s life is spent in chains or cages. 66 per cent of tigers and lions were starved to death. Between 1994 - 2005, 31 elephants died premature deaths. 33 per cent of wildcats such as tigers and lions did not have access to the outside world and did not have a natural habitat. All wild animals are very frightened of seeing cages and chains. Animals spend about 11 months travelling, during travelling, animals are caged and chained for long distances and hours through extreme temperatures.

 This is the life behind the magic. Believe it or not,but animal cruelty doesn't just happen in circuses. If you love animals, you should take a visit to the zoo, where they are taken care of and have a proper habitat.You could also visit circuses without animal acts like Cirque Du Soleil. If everyone stopped abusing animals then life would be much easier. So stop!!

My reflection on Room 5's production item By Angel

My reflection on our production item

What is the story line of your production item?

The first scene focuses on Rangi (Halaiano), Papa (Lavinia), Aoraki and his three brothers. Rangi decided to send his four sons to look at the new earth. The four brother sailed day and night in the canoe. The brothers saw no land. The skies turned grey and rain started to fall. Aoraki was flung onto one of the rocks. The canoe did not sink. The brothers scrambled on top of the canoe. The canoe turned into a long piece of land. The second scene focuses on the brothers growing old. The brothers grew old. Their hair turned from black to white and their bodies turned into great stone mountains. Aoraki was the highest mountains and his brother were smaller mountains. The third scene focuses on Aoraki’s friends being worried. When Aoraki did not return home his friends got worried. Tuterakiwhano (Patrick) had an idea. His friends sailed and sailed to look for Aoraki. The friends saw the broken canoe and the land. Aoraki is a Maori myth and legend.

Who are the actors and characters?

Aoraki -  (Latham), Rakiroa (Creedence), Rakirua (Cyprus), Rokiroa (Thomas), Rangi (Halaiano), Papa (Lavinia), Tuterakiwhano (Patrick), Hine Nui i te po (Fine), Mokopuna (Caitlin, Samantha, Oh S’mar and Jasmine), Mountains (Reon, Lani and Lorenzo), Trees (Harry & Jessie), Fish (Tim, San Tat, Jane and Jacob), Ducks (Raymond & Jason), Flowers (Zeba, June, Jharda’e, Linda and Ducati), Eel (John) and Narrator (Angel).

What role is Room 5 in the school production?

Room 5 is taking the role of Aoraki (The Southern Alps) Mountains.

What props need to be made/completed?

All the props are completed exept for Tu’s waka (which needs to be put together) Hine Nui i te po’s cape (which needs to dry) and Te Namu’s wing (which needs to dry).

How are you making the costumes and other props?

First Miss Paton draw an animal or prop onto a big piece of cardboard, then we paint the drawing and then cut it out.

How many tens By Oh S'mar

This is my work on how many tens are there in 2 digit numbers. I had 9 tens and 9 ones my number was 99. So I did 9 times 10 and it equals 90 and I needed 9 one dollar coins, to make $99.

Lavinia's Special Effect Picture

This is me at a watefall I found an easy way to remove image background here is the website http://clippingmagic.com/. Also I used pixlr and here is the website http://pixlr.com/editor/

My connections to the Tamaki River By Patrick

This is my popplet on my Tamaki River Connection I hope you enjoy:)

Should we mufti clothes at PBS By San Tat

Should we wear mufti clothes at PBS?

If you play rugby and you not got your rugby shorts then  you can wear your mufti clothes. I think we should wear mufti clothes because if you play sports then it is ok for your clothes to get dirty. If you wore your school uniform when you are playing rugby

it could fall apart and get very dirty. You may not have enough dry school clothes if your uniform is in the wash. Wearing mufti clothes is the best option.

If you are painting your artwork you can wear your mufti clothes. If you wear your school uniform and paint goes on your uniform it is very hard to get it off. If you wore your mufti clothes and did painting it wouldn’t be a problem as you have plenty of mufti clothes at home.

In winter time I find my school uniform doesn’t keep me warm. You get cold feet and hands. When  you  wear your mufti clothes it makes you warm. If you cook / bake food you can wear your mufti clothes. If you cook in your school uniform it may get all dirty. Wearing mufti clothes allows you to make a mess without worrying about them.

I like wearing my mufti clothes because it make me feel warm. If you wear you mufti clothes and it make you look better with your mufti clothes.

I think you people like wearing mufti clothes.

In this argument I have only told you  a few reasons why we should wear mufti clothes. Such as it keeps you warm when you paint, you don’t get you’re uniform dirty and you can play sports.