A little bit about Jane
Ngā mihi maroke koutou (he said to be as dry as you like!)
He uri au nō Ngāti Porou me Kōtarani - plus some Irish, British and the usual 1% Viking!
Tēnā koutou katoa!
I have been many things including a long-term student, an actor, mother of three now grown up kids and a teacher. The latter role I have mostly carried out at Wellington High School since 2004 in the English Dept but lately, I have enjoyed a segue to teaching te reo Māori with our year 9's - as well as project based English for a small group of seniors - this year a mixed class at Level 2 and 3. I am a big fan of changing our antiquated, highly biased system so that it works for Māori and Pasifika students at least as well as it has historically for those of us who have been the often unwitting beneficiaries of Pākehā dominance. I am also evolving my understanding of and ability to cater adequately for all the diversities in our student populations - diverse genders, abilities, experiences, vulnerabilities and sensitivities.
I guess my so-called beliefs boil down to the idea that participating in education should add to our self worth rather than denigrating it, helping us to see clearly, and as soon as possible, what we were always meant to be doing, exploring all avenues along the way and learning from everyone we come in contact with.
Quickfire
I’d rather develop: Knowledge / Dispositions
Students learn best when: They do stuff / Relationships are strong
The best food for building a class culture is: Chocolate / Popcorn / Home made cake and biscuits
Assessment should: Be mana enhancing / Show kids where they need to get better
The most powerful presence in the room should be: What needs to be learned / The student's dreams
Student imagination: Upends my best plans / Makes learning exciting
My #1, never-fails strategy is: Chatting with students / Smiling
The best phrase to start the school year is: I'm so pleased to see you all! / This class is about learning, not assessment
Completed thoughts
School is like a park bench, it's ... often has a place in the sun but inevitably you need to deal with a bit of bird poop.
When I was getting started in education, I wish ... I had come across the idea of students having agency rather than feeling as though I was entering a borstal.
I sleep well at night when ... I feel I have really heard from my students, allowing them to be real and express who they are. It also helps if I haven't been marking online for hours!
To make learning an empowering experience, teachers should ... find out who is in front of you and what it is that they really want to learn.
What sticks out for Jane is
The students and teaching experiences that most stand out for me in recent years have been the ones when I was able to form a connection with a Maōri or Pacifika student and encourage them to explore texts, ideas and issues that align with their world-view. One of these students (who is now a teacher aide at our school and is aiming to study at Waikato for her teaching degree) was a stroppy kid and often hōhā with me and the Pākehā system in general. Yet she gained top marks for her critical text about a topical YouTube hit and I think this was a turning point for her. At other times, I haven't made a huge difference to some of these kids' academic outcomes but I like to think that they have gained a bit in the confidence or motivation to try harder and to ask for the help they need.
If you want to connect with Jane, you can do so via
My email is jane.poata@whs.school.nz and I am on Facebook as Jane Poata. I don't post much but like to use FB messenger for groups etc.