On Friday 23rd September, our GROW 18 programme, ‘Growing Pasifika languages in diverse Pasifika school and community populations’ had a full day face-to-face workshop in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.The aim of the workshop was to focus on the teaching and learning of a Pasifika language or languages at one level or multi-level and /or multilingual school teaching and learning environments. The programme has brought together Pasifika and non-Pasifika educators to work towards growing Pasifika languages in their schools. On the 25th October, participants were then able to use a Teacher Release Day (TRD) to further their Pasifika language school goals. Across schools the TRD was used to engage with Pasifika community members, visit other secondary schools, create plans and proposals, enhance existing programmes, as well as exploring other opportunities outside the languages teaching and learning classroom which have potential for further growth of Pasifika languages in their school.
A strength of the programme is the diversity of the participants themselves. They bring together new and experienced educators, but they are all united in their advocacy and passion for Pasifika languages in their respective schools. The roles of participants in this group are a bilingual teacher aide, Pasifika deans, mainstream teachers as well as senior and middle leaders. Of significance, is the range of schools across the motu. They are from Te Oha-a-Maru, Ōtautahi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Taitoko, Heretaunga, Kirikiriroa, Ahuriri, and Tāmaki-makau-rau. They all form part of a significant group ofabout 140 secondary schools who have approximately between 5-10 Pasifika learners or between 30-70 Pasifika learners in their total school population.This GROW programme aims to address the inequities of supporting and growing Pasifika languages in New Zealand. As a Facilitator, I am exceptionally proud of the work of the participants in this programme and the respective journey these participants are navigating in their schools.
This photo was taken at the end of the workshop on the 23rd September. Absent from the photo are three participants, one of whom had to leave immediately after the workshop and two of whom had obligations in their school for that day and could not attend.
Article by Tui Tuia | Learning Circle Facilitator Dr Angela Bland
Photo: Participants of GROW 18 with (second row, second from right, seated behind man in white sweatshirt) Tui Tuia | Learning Circle Facilitator Dr Angela Bland
On Friday 23rd September, our GROW 18 programme, ‘Growing Pasifika languages in diverse Pasifika school and community populations’ had a full day face-to-face workshop in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.The aim of the workshop was to focus on the teaching and learning of a Pasifika language or languages at one level or multi-level and /or multilingual school teaching and learning environments. The programme has brought together Pasifika and non-Pasifika educators to work towards growing Pasifika languages in their schools. On the 25th October, participants were then able to use a Teacher Release Day (TRD) to further their Pasifika language school goals. Across schools the TRD was used to engage with Pasifika community members, visit other secondary schools, create plans and proposals, enhance existing programmes, as well as exploring other opportunities outside the languages teaching and learning classroom which have potential for further growth of Pasifika languages in their school.
A strength of the programme is the diversity of the participants themselves. They bring together new and experienced educators, but they are all united in their advocacy and passion for Pasifika languages in their respective schools. The roles of participants in this group are a bilingual teacher aide, Pasifika deans, mainstream teachers as well as senior and middle leaders. Of significance, is the range of schools across the motu. They are from Te Oha-a-Maru, Ōtautahi, Te Whanganui-a-Tara, Taitoko, Heretaunga, Kirikiriroa, Ahuriri, and Tāmaki-makau-rau. They all form part of a significant group ofabout 140 secondary schools who have approximately between 5-10 Pasifika learners or between 30-70 Pasifika learners in their total school population.This GROW programme aims to address the inequities of supporting and growing Pasifika languages in New Zealand. As a Facilitator, I am exceptionally proud of the work of the participants in this programme and the respective journey these participants are navigating in their schools.
This photo was taken at the end of the workshop on the 23rd September. Absent from the photo are three participants, one of whom had to leave immediately after the workshop and two of whom had obligations in their school for that day and could not attend.
Article by Tui Tuia | Learning Circle Facilitator Dr Angela Bland
Photo: Participants of GROW 18 with (second row, second from right, seated behind man in white sweatshirt) Tui Tuia | Learning Circle Facilitator Dr Angela Bland