It is a place which can bring frustration, annoyance, disappointment, sadness, and sometimes anger. The reward of getting through it is the satisfaction of gaining new knowledge or a new skill and knowing you did it!
For Tabitha, her journey through the learning pit was bumpy and twisty, and there were a few potholes. The relief of reaching the smooth black asphalt came with a clear, calm mind and a determined plan.
Tabitha’s learning journey started with her choosing her own goal; to sing and do the actions for Kua Tae Mai. While participating in Kapa Haka, Tabitha found this waiata overwhelming. Too many words! Too many actions! Her wide, frozen eyes, dropped jaw and limp arms showed she was deep in the learning pit. Tabitha understood this feeling and knew she had a choice, ignore it or face it. Tabitha chose to confront this challenge and ‘handle it’. She opened her hypothetical toolboxes and got to work.
Learning can be hard. I feel frustrated and sometimes jealous and angry.
Tabitha has two toolboxes which contain useful tools to help her get through the learning pit. The first toolbox is for feelings, the second for learning. A feelings toolbox can contain tangible objects such as a fidget toy, a koosh ball or fluffy soft toy. These sensory items help to calm anxieties. This toolbox can also contain mindful tasks to distract and focus thoughts including abstract tools like deep breathing and counting to ten. A learning toolbox can contain tools like a quiet place to work or a buddy to provide support when needed. A small blank piece of paper can be a useful tool. Covering excess text or information on a page so that just one question can be seen at a time. Eliminating the chaos of a busy page. ‘Chunk it’ is similar. It breaks the task into smaller manageable pieces. The focus is on achieving or completing one part at a time.
When learning is hard and there will be times when you just want to give up. Don’t! Just open your toolboxes and get to work.
Tabitha’s first action was to calm her feelings. Stroking her special crystal rock between her fingers, she felt the smoothness and warmth tingle through her fingers and up through her arms. She was ready to close her feelings toolbox and open her learning toolbox. Always knowing both were on hand at any time. From her learning toolbox she chose the ‘Cover’ and ‘Chunk it’ strategies. Covering the words on the song sheet to show just two lines instantly eased the turmoil. Now to chunk it by separating the actions and words. Tabitha focused on learning two lines of the waiata first and then the matching actions. The final step was to combine the two. Success! Chunk number one, done and ticked. Now for the next two lines and the actions.
Some days the words and actions came easily. Some days they didn’t. The learning pit sometimes seemed like a bucket of water full of holes. The choice: ignore it or face it.
It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression & knowledge. - Albert Einstein
‘Awakening student’s joy of creative expression and knowledge’, Albert understood the importance of every learner experiencing excitement and delight. Creating environments and situations in which students have opportunities to express themselves and to be heard.
With a focus on developing students’ love of learning, forming connections with my students within a vibrant and welcoming environment is at the heart of my teaching beliefs. Exciting learning experiences are explored through sight, sound and movement. Multisensory experiences provide learners with options to acquire knowledge and skills. Nurturing students’ individuality is valued and celebrated.
Out of the classroom during my personal time, my love of camping, fishing and exploring New Zealand’s natural surroundings provides me with the inspiration to bring curiosity into the classroom. Every experience, whether it is fishing on Snapper Rock at Waiinu Beach or blending sounds to read words in the classroom,is an opportunity to explore, discover and share.
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