Date of Birth: 11th January 1994
Age: 21 years
Health: Excellent
Drivers Licence: Full Licence
Address: 26 A Devon Street
Gore, Southland
New Zealand 9772
Telephone: 02102833343
Email: maxai0925@gmail.com
As an educator I understand the influences that the community has both on the school and the surrounding environment as well. It is through this that we as teachers can teach ours learners to value and appreciate the environment around us, as it becomes a central part of not only the Westburn community but a global community as well. As teachers it is critical that we provide the learners with the steps needed to climb the bridge to success, as they work towards being able to achieve their full potential. By putting a number of experiences and learning opportunities in front of the learners and supporting them through the challenges and giving them the ability to take charge of their own learning, they are able to have pride in themselves as well as their achievements. It is important that as an effective teacher we need to respect and listen to our learners, allow our learners to have a voice and encourage reflective and creative thought. It is vital to develop positive relationships with students, their caregivers/ whānau and staff because it strengthens the concept of whanaungatanga. By valuing what each child brings to the classroom; this includes their culture, identity, backgrounds and experiences, this enables cultural awareness and diversity. I think it is important to create an inclusive environment where children are not afraid to take risks with their learning. All children can succeed and it is important that teachers have high but realistic expectations of their students.
"Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro, nōna te ngahere.
Ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nōna te ao.
The bird that partakes of the miro berry reigns in the forest.
The bird that partakes of the power of knowledge has access to the world"
Overall I feel extremely comfortable teaching all curriculum areas. With a very democratic view on teaching I push towards allowing the learners to take ownership of their learning. By integrating ICT into my lessons and taking into consideration the different learning styles I work towards promoting very interactive lessons that engage the children in the learning. I like to include anecdotal learning and ensure all children feel safe to share ideas and that it's ok to be wrong.
Numeracy:
Numeracy is one of my strongest curriculum areas to teach. I am passionate and knowledgeable about teaching all areas and love to provide challenging and engaging tasks for all of my learners. I celebrate the idea that there is more than one way to work out an equation and it is through this positive attitude that I support my learners to take risks and to share their ideas. When creating a numeracy programme it is important to take into consideration that some children may have anxiety around this curriculum area. This is why I believe that you need to make it relevant for the children so that they can make mathematical connections to the world around them.
Literacy:
Literacy has always been a passion of mine especially when it comes to writing and oral language. Allowing the children the opportunity to express themselves through words is something that I believe is important for a 21st century learner. As a teacher I strive towards challenging and catering for all learners, as we as a community work towards giving each child the opportunity to achieve success. This is most witnessed in a reading programme. This is because by providing students with a number of opportunities to read and to take part in reading both at home and at school, it helps to develop their understanding of a number of different strategies as well as builds up their confidence to be able to take risks.
Te Reo Māori:
Throughout my teaching practice I have learnt a lot about Te Reo Māori and Tikanga and the strong links that it has to the New Zealand Curriculum. With the Treaty of Waitangi promoting three key principals partnership, protection, participation we as educators need to provide opportunities in our classroom programmes where these aspects incorporate a Te Ao Māori world view. By doing this our learners have the opportunity to hear and use Te Reo Māori as well as develop an understanding around Tikanga Māori and how it is valued and promoted within the school and the wider school whānau.
Drama:
Drama plays a big role in my life. Being able to go in role and use your imagination is critical in helping to develop confidence and creativity. As a beginning teacher I see the importance of integrating drama into my literacy programme. This is because it gives the students the opportunity to write in role, where they express how the character is really feeling. By being able to act their ideas out and developing a role on the wall for their character it allows them to become a lot more critical and expressive based around their reading and writing.