The Bay of Islands

Hi, all!

This post is dedicated to our travel expedition to the Bay of Islands. This weekend can only be described in one word: epic! We packed in so many amazing experiences and encountered some thrilling surprises along the way.

We embarked on Friday afternoon right from school. Yara and I met our other student teacher friends, Brianna and Eric, at Half Moon Bay to take the ferry into Auckland City. We  even had a blast on the ferry! Once in Auckland City we hopped on a bus for a 4-hour ride northward to the Bay of Islands.

Yara, Eric, and Brianna on the ferry! This was the first time we all hung out. At the time this picture was taken I don't think we could have anticipated just how many laughs we would have together. :)

On the ferry with Rangitoto (volcanic island) in the background!

We arrived at our hostel in Paihia around 9 pm. It was located on a row of streets with other hostels and motels. The street was relatively quiet....except for our hostel! There was a restaurant/bar that drew quite the crowd and it was booming when we pulled up. We all exchanged skeptical glances as it was our first time staying in a hostel. It was definitely an experience! We met some characters including our quirky roommate, Cynthia, who was stuck with all of us. However, we wound up having a lot of fun and it was definitely cost effective. 

That night we also received a shocking surprise and one of the highlights of the weekend: Yara's husband, Mazen, showed up all the way from Bethesda, MD to surprise her for Valentine's Day! As he located us, Yara was absolutely floored and kept repeating, "Am I dreaming?"! It was probably the most romantic gesture I have ever seen and Mazen was a great addition to the group, fitting right in with the rest of us! Plus, everyone who worked in the hostel loved us for the rest of the weekend because they thought the story was so sweet since Mazen contacted them beforehand. Brownie points!

The next morning we woke up bright and early to catch a dolphin cruise. It was a lovely way to spend the morning with gorgeous views of the Bay of Islands! We made a stop-off at a nice, little island to relax. We also paused on the water to view the "Hole in the Rock," a famous landmark where Maori canoes were believed to have passed through. Plus, we spotted a ton of dolphins on the cruise and at one point were standing at the tip of the boat as they swam in front of us!

Breathtaking cruise views!

The Hole in the Rock!

Yara and Eric on the island stop-over. 

Cruising with dolphins!

My dolphin video!

The cruise ended at Russell, a quaint town directly across the water from Paihia, where we were staying. Russell was the first permanent European settlement and sea port in NZ. The town had many historical homes and museums. We enjoyed walking around and grabbing a tasty lunch. We then discovered Long Beach, or what we have deemed "the best beach ever." It was a far cry from Long Beach Island in NJ where I spent my summers growing up (although I do love LBI in its own way!). NZ Long Beach had smooth sand, clear and warm water, and there were beautiful sights of other islands and mountains in the background. We spent the rest of the afternoon swimming and relaxing on the beach with drinks and snacks. And luckily this time I had appropriate sun lotion!

The dock at Russell.

Russell's beach and boardwalk with shops and restaurants behind.

Spending an amazing afternoon at the best beach ever!

Every view was spectacular. We had to force ourselves to finally leave!

The next day we decided to take advantage of Mazen's rental car and we drove a few hours to the northernmost point of NZ, Cape Reigna! It is very sacred ground in Maori culture and it felt very serene. It was also had spectacular views and it was neat to see where the Tasman Sea and Pacific Ocean met!

 Views from Cape Reigna!

 We hiked a very scenic route along Cape Reigna.

 Our views!

The meeting point of the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean! You can spot where the currents clash (the white waves in the water).

 The Cape Reigna lighthouse!

 The northernmost tip of NZ!!

A neat sign showing where we were in relation to other major cities around the world.

After a peaceful walk around Cape Reigna, we decided to be daring and go sand boarding at the Giant Te Paki sand dunes. Boogie boarding down sand...sounds like fun, right? Well I was not expecting the dunes to be quite so large and steep! After bombarding the surfer dude manning the station with a ton of questions, watching the others go down smoothly several times, and freaking out with Yara, I finally pushed myself to slide down the dune. All went well until I got nervous and put one foot into the sand. This was a huge mistake as it caused me to spin out of control, flip over, and disappear into a dramatic cloud into the dune! When I finally reappeared every inch of me was covered in sand; I was literally blowing sand out of my nose. Only me! While everyone at the bottom was laughing uncontrollably, poor Yara was still at the top watching my accident in horror. She luckily still managed to go down, but went at a snail's pace. 

 Look at how steep those dunes are! Walking up them was no picnic either. 

I felt like I was in the middle of a dessert!

When I started spinning out of control! (Photo credit: Brianna)

My mysterious disappearance into a sand dune! Or "Sand Monster!" (Photo credit: Brianna)

As we left the sand dune area we encountered another surprise, and one that we had all been waiting for since arriving to NZ: a herd of sheep! They were all over the place and blocked the road in front of us completely. Unfortunately, I was not quick enough to get a good shot to portray the magnitude of the sheep, but I did get a video as they dispersed to make way for us (I felt the need to tell them that they had "good manners" for doing this...always in teacher mode!).

Sheep video!

Afterwards we decided to end our adventurous streak with a visit to Ninety Mile Beach on the western coast of the North Island! What is neat about this beach, apart from its length, is that you can drive your car right up onto the sand. Mazen took full advantage of this and we had lots of fun; it was thrilling to be right against the water in a car as the sun was setting!

 The car right up to the water; it was like a commercial!

Yara posing in front of the car!

I hope that everyone back in the U.S. is excellent and managing to stay warm! Sending you all sunshine through my computer screen!

Lots of Love,

Katie

Fun Fact: In Maori culture, Cape Reigna is believed to be the place where the spirits of the deceased leave NZ and begin their final journey to their homeland of Hawaiki. I have to admit, it did feel a bit eerie up there! 

Modern Learning Environment

Hello everyone,

I can't believe that I am already at the beginning of my fourth week at school! It simultaneously feels as though it is flying by and as if I have known these students for quite some time. It is going to be so hard to leave them in less than 4 weeks!

While the first two weeks I spent mostly observing, building relationships with students, and providing roaming help, last week I officially began teaching lessons. I started by delivering a lesson on how to ask "higher order thinking questions" while researching. This type of thinking is important as the students work on independent research projects during our weekly "Genius Hour." Over the course of the term students have the freedom to research and present on any topic of interest. We have been encouraging them to go beyond what they already know and think deeply about their subjects.

A guide for higher order thinking questions (red and blue boxes are the highest!). 

I also lead one guided lesson reading per day. During guided reading I work with one group of about 7 students (they are grouped according to their reading level). We read parts of an appropriately leveled text together and I teach them reading strategies such as recognizing features of a non-fiction text, creating a story map, and identifying cause and effect. While I am working with the group the other students choose a task from the "Independent Task Board" for reading. Most students are able to self-manage fairly well since the teacher spent a great deal of time in the first 2 weeks of school making sure that they understood their options and how to self-manage. However, I will still occasionally be interrupted during group work to answer a question or to remind the other students to keep the noise level low and to make sure they are staying focused.

Group work is very common in NZ with the theory that it creates a more individualized learning experience. This is central to our maths teaching which is structured in a modern learning environment (MLE). Our class combines with two other classes (year 6, a year older than us) to form a whanau (Maori for family). The students from all 3 classes (about 80 students) are placed in groups based on a maths assessment from the first week of school. Each group has about 6-10 students with similar needs and strengths. Teachers run 2 workshops a day based on the group's needs, so 6 groups are being seen per day. While students are not in a workshop they are working on follow-up activities from previous workshops or choosing a task from the independent task board. With this set-up students are very aware of their strengths and what they need to work on, they are having those needs met in workshops, and they are learning to be independent learners. I have been working with two groups and I like instructing in this manner. My main challenge has been getting use to the lesson format as it is only a 20-30 minute session and is very different to how we do things in the U.S. in terms of planning. 

Maths independent task board (sorry it came out a bit blurry!). The gray boxes are done first.

I had my first teaching observation last week and was pleased to get positive feedback (phew!). I was not as nervous as I expected to be since I just focused on the students. What makes me feel even more confident and happy is that I've had multiple students tell me they think that I'm a good teacher and that they want me to stay the whole year...a tempting thought! :)

Lots of Love,

Katie

Fun Fact: In New Zealand there are no teachers for "specials" (art, P.E., music, etc.); classroom teachers do it all! This has been interesting for me as I am neither an artist or an athlete. Luckily, I don't think the kids have noticed my deficiencies, even as I teach them touch rugby! 

A Weekend in Whangamata

Hi, all!

As explained in my previous "fun fact," last weekend was a 3-day weekend. Yara (my fellow MU grad friend) and I made the most of the extra day by traveling to the beautiful beach of Whangamata on the Coromandel Coast. Yara's host mother, Trish, was gracious enough to host us at her beach house, or "bach" for the weekend. Trish picked us up directly from school on Thursday to drive to the beach. The ride was very scenic and we made several stops so that we could take pictures!

Our scenic, albeit very windy, drive!

We were very excited to spot our first NZ sheep! Trish was laughing at us.

Lovely mountains (and Yara taking pictures!). 

Once we arrived at the bach we had a great time with Trish's two daughters and grandchildren who were already there. The kids, ages 4 and 2, were adorable and we had fun playing with them over the weekend! Since it was super windy and a little rainy on Friday we had fun walking around the cute town and going to the boat club for dinner.

Spectacular view of Whangamata from a high point of the land.

We ordered iced mochas expecting flimsy plastic cups with ice and coffee. Instead we got this...yum!

Saturday was much better weather and we spent most of the day lounging on the beach! It was super relaxing and we had a breathtaking view of the water and mountains. I also enjoyed splashing in the water which was clear and calm. My only fatal flaw was thinking that my SPF 30 banana boat sun lotion from the U.S. would be acceptable...not! New Zealand sun is in a league of it's own. The burn time is 10 minutes and I was lying in the sun with insufficient lotion for about 4 hours....Let's just say I was in a lot of pain the next day and am still a little sore in some areas and majorly peeling as I write this 5 days later. Lesson learned and SPF 50 NZ brand sun lotion purchased and hat fashioned!

Our magnificent view!

Another angle with hills in the background.

After our daytime beach-bumming we did not let our sunburns slow us down and we had a great time that afternoon and night! First off, I jumped off a wharf that I saw when we drove in and was determined to do. I was nervous but it was such a thrill and the water was warm once I landed. Plus, I got some pointers from a group of kids who encouraged me :). 

My wharf jump!! Luckily nothing was broken and no bathing suit top lost. 

Later that night we also had a blast when we joined Trish and her friends for a celebration of their "Naughty Girls Fishing Competition" that they took part in during the day. Over 600 women participated in the competition (men were not allowed)! That night they had a tent celebration with prizes, drinks, and a live band. We had SO much fun with the ladies who declared themselves "cool Nanas" (all had grandchildren which shocked us with how young they seemed). We danced, laughed, and got pizza at 1 am! Then the next morning we all managed to get up in time to meet for a coffee by the beach.

Nothing like being by the beach first thing in the morning!

We spent our final day hiking to Wentworth Falls. The views were gorgeous and we enjoyed putting our feet in the river and resting on the rocks! Plus, it felt good to be active after the previous day of napping on the beach and eating pizza at crazy hours. 

The waterfall!

 On a bridge with my explorer hat aka sun shield!

The hiking path.

We hiked right alongside the river and spent some time relaxing there and skipping rocks.

Found shady spot out of necessity! 

The water was cool and soothing on my sunburnt toes!

Other random updates:

• My cooperating teacher and I have been planning this week for my gradual takeover! Next week I will take over all of the reading lessons.

• I am having an amazing experience with my host family! They are so kind and generous to me, making sure that I am comfortable and well fed (they are continuing to introduce me to lots of NZ sweets such as pineapple lumps, lamington bars, and hokey pokey ice cream!). I love playing with the kids; between bouncing on the trampoline, collecting animal cards, playing make believe (Hulk is the latest favorite), and conquering an "I Spy" book, we have fun!

• I finally got to meet my program coordinators, Mary and Judy, last Monday night! They took myself and the other student teachers out to dinner. We had many laughs, exchanged teaching ideas, and made travel plans with the other student teachers. Plus, the food was delicious!

                                      
               Scrumptious waffle dessert shared by all 3 female student teachers! My sweet tooth self was in heaven. 

Well, that's it for now, thanks for reading this long post! Tomorrow we are off to explore the Bay of Islands!

Lots of Love, 

Katie

Fun Facts:

New Zealand to U.S. Slang Translation 101:

Jandals = Flip-Flops

Boot (of car) = Trunk

Togs = Swimsuit

Bach = Beach House 

Candy Floss = Cotton Candy

Dairy = Corner Store

Fizzy Drink = Soda

Fringe = Bangs

Ice Block = Popsicle

Rubber = Eraser

School Beginnings!

Hi, everyone!

My first week of school at school was excellent and I am learning lots! I work at a nearby primary school that includes years 1-6. I am in a year 5 class (equivalent to 4th grade in the US). The class (and entire school) is extremely diverse. In my class alone there are many ethnicities represented including NZ Maori (the native population), NZ European, Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Samoan, and Korean. It is wonderful to learn about everyone's cultures and the students made very neat welcome signs for our room with greetings in different languages!

Fantastic multi-lingual welcome signs made by children in my class.

Aside from the diversity, there are many striking aspects of the school. First off, is the positive atmosphere. The campus is very open with a center outdoor area where all students mingle before school, during morning tea break at 11 am, and at lunchtime. Morning tea is a great mid-morning break for both students and teachers! The students spend a lot of time outdoors and even when they are not outside the windows and doors are open so that it is light and airy. I'm also getting used to the fact that many students walk around barefoot inside and outside (and some teachers!). Everyone is very comfortable and treats school as a second home. There are also central areas between 3 classrooms called "awhina spaces." Awhina is a Maori word that translates to support or help. There is no assigned seating and students have the option of sitting wherever they are most comfortable to work (at a table in the classroom, on the floor, or in the awhina space).

Central outdoor space (although it feels much different when students are bustling about).

Our classroom (again it usually feels different with students inside...and chairs--I took this after hours when our chairs were being used for parent night).

The school also does a fantastic job of building community. At the end of the first week there was a Powhiri, a Maori ceremony, to welcome new students and staff (they included us student teachers which was very thoughtful). Parents are also openly welcomed onto campus and you will see them in the center outdoor area dropping students off or picking them up. They will often pop in just to say a friendly hello to the teachers!

I love my class so far! I have never taught this age before (8 and 9-year-olds), so it is great experience. At this age the children are very sweet (they've made me cute drawings and sneak hugs), but are also getting into deeper content and literature which is interesting. My cooperating teacher is also fantastic and a great example for me. It has been really useful to see how she set the classroom rules, structure, and tone at the beginning of the year (the school year started on February 2nd, my first day!). The first week was spent doing activities with getting to know each other and getting back into the groove of school. She also modeled and explained different types of lessons and projects. There has also been a lot of assessing in order to place students into appropriate small groups for instruction (more information on this to come in a future post!). Students are encouraged to self-assess as well and reflect about their academic performances.

So far, I have been observing, working with small groups of students, and helping individual students who need extra assistance. I also led a small lesson on the U.S. (they expressed a lot of curiosity about the U.S. to me, so my teacher encouraged me to make a presentation). They were struck by many facts including the time difference, snow (most have never seen it before!), and landmarks (they had lots of questions about the Statue of Liberty). They also thought that the U.S. money I showed them looked sooo cool (I told them that I thought the same thing when I saw their currency...the grass is always greener!). They also loved seeing pictures of my family, friends, and my dog, Luna, who is now famous both in my class and with my homestay family.

I will slowly begin to plan and lead lessons over the next 2 weeks and then during weeks 4 and 5 I will be the full classroom teacher. I will report back with updates as my role increases!

Lots of Love,

Katie

Fun Fact: We had last Friday off of school to celebrate "Waitangi Day." This national holiday commemorates the 1840 signing of the Waitangi Treaty between the Maori natives and the British settlers. The treaty is considered NZ's founding document. We celebrated by having a fun weekend at the beach...more on that to come! :)

A Very Kiwi Welcome

Greetings from Auckland, NZ! 

Despite over 18 hours in the air, my flights were a breeze! The biggest setback was when my right ear popped during the descent of my first flight and I looked like a crazy person in the San Francisco airport, chomping loudly on gum and shaking my head around trying to solve the problem. Eventually I closed my mouth, pinched my nose, and blew which did the trick (FYI in case anyone is ever in a similar situation!). Once my ear was un-popped I settled into flight #2, watched the first LOTR movie, and woke up when we were almost to Auckland- awesome! 

My plane landed around 5:15 am on Saturday (NZ time) and then I went through a passport check, baggage claim, and security which took over an hour (although I encountered very cute security puppies being trained along the way!). Through the arrival gate I was met with the most lovely welcome from Erin (her and her husband, Scott, are hosting me) and their children, Paige (7) and Lachlan (4). They greeted me with wide smiles, despite the early hour, and a wonderful homemade welcome sign with NZ images!

The beautiful sign made by Paige and Lachlan! It includes pictures of a kiwi, a monarch butterfly, sheep, a hobbit hole, a pavlova, jandals (NZ word for flip flops), and Rangitoto (a volcanic island). 

I have been having a great time with my host family so far! They have made me feel extremely welcome and comfortable as I get used to my new surroundings. I have lots of fun playing with the children, sharing American games and songs with them while they teach me some of their own! And my host family is teaching me lots about New Zealand culture. On my first night we had a traditional kiwi barbecue with sausages and steak, NZ sauvignon blanc wine, and pavlova, a delicious dessert! Erin is a wonderful cook and I already plan to try out some of her recipes when I am back in the US!

Delicious pavlova made by Erin! It is meringue-based with cream and fruit on top. 

Today we did some sight-seeing around Auckland. First we went to the Auckland Museum which was huge and had some neat exhibits. I was excited to see some Maori history and architecture, local wildlife in the natural history section (including a kiwi!), and we participated in a volcano simulation. There was also a very cool exhibition called the "World of Wearable Art" which featured outrageous fashion pieces!

The Auckland Museum

World of Wearable Art exhibit

The highlight of the day for me was when we went to the top of Mount Eden which is one of the many volcanoes in the area! I was flipping out since it was my first time up a volcano, while it was a normal sight for my host family. There was a huge crater in the center with lots of volcanic ash and rock spread over the area. From the top there were great views of Auckland including the other volcanoes in the area.

Panoramic view of Mt. Eden (photo credit: Erin)

Zoomed out panoramic shot of the crater (photo credit: Erin)

Other nearby volcanoes and Auckland sights

My new buddies, Paige and Lachlan posing in front of Rangitoto and showing off volcanic rock. Everything is fun with them!

I cannot wait to explore more of this beautiful country. I am also very excited for my first day of student teaching tomorrow! I'll report back soon!

Lots of Love,

Katie

Fun Fact: The pavlova dessert is named after Russian dancer Anna Pavlova when she toured New Zealand and Australia in the 1920s. There is some debate over which country created the dessert, but research generally credits NZ. What is indisputable: it is delicious!