This morning we attended a professional development session for student teachers from the University of Waikato Tauranga campus at Tahatai Coast School. We were warmly greeted with Roger and Hammerstein's version of "Oklahoma." Imagine our surprise! As future administrators, we learned about New Zealand school structures and what potential teachers here face when applying for positions. The session wrapped with a Q & A between the administrators and the teacher candidates. The Oklahoma group toured the school before lunch and we finished out our day at Tahatai with a round table discussion with Principal Griggs and Deputy Principal Bell.
We then decided to take advantage of what we thought was a break in the rainy weather. Several of us decided to climb to the summit of Mount Maunganui (Mauao). Despite a monsoon-type rain, we were treated to spectacular views of the coastline from the summit. After the return trip down the mountain, a few of us ventured down to the beach where we dipped our toes in the Pacific Ocean. In the words of George Costanza, "the sea was angry that day, my friend." This was due in large part to an intense weather system in this part of the world.
Tomorrow, the group will divide up with three of us returning to Tahatai Coast School, three will head to Welcome Bay School, and four are reporting to Otumoetai Intermediate School where we will spend two days in the classrooms.
George Costanza was a "wise" man with all of his "sayings".
ReplyDeleteI'm excited to hear about your experiences in the classrooms. Do you get to teach a lesson or two?
I got to work with a small group of math students today in an all digitial classroom. I was so very impressed with the students' thinking. They shared their strategies for addition and subtraction. There was no focus on algorithms which was refreshing because students were truly able to explain their strategies quite clearly. Definitely want to incorporate the techniques in my own classroom.
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