Anne Sinclair

Term 1 of year 2, completed for our hard working MDTA teachers, who have contributed their talents and skills to provide rich learning experiences for their learners.  It is great to see the way they have become part of the Manaiakalani staff in their schools and participated wholeheartedly in the life of their schools.  They have had their challenges and ups and downs but they have kept the 'main thing the main thing' - the learning of their children. Congratulations team another term completed - mostly unscathed. Look forward to more wonderful teaching next term. Enjoy a break and chipping away at your Dissertation. Nga mihi nui.

     Looking at a different method for extending and expanding discussion, using the Paideia  approach Working with a Group of Point England Yr 5 & 6 enthusiastic learners and their teacher, has been a privilege and an insight into how we can encourage wide and deep learning through a different genre. The Paideia approach follows the Manaiakalani principles of Learn (Knowledge acquisition) Create (Coached projects) and Share (Seminar).  The Coached project (Create) is about designing multi textual and multi modal Digital objects and how these can inform the evidence needed to be able to share your Seminar to the 'forum' or the world. The ideas of Socrates is at the base of this approach and encourages people to come into the 'Forum' to argue, challenge, dispute, debate, look at multiple perspectives and discuss problems affecting the population (community). The theme for this term of  Kaitiakitanga i nga wa katoa’ - caring for our environment, prov...

                                       What is Paideia?  The philosophy of  Paideia  is that because life is interconnected and interdependent, education must be integrated and interdisciplinary.   It is an  integrative  educational model that supports students as they explore the complexity of real life problems – integrating multiple viewpoints and perspectives from engaging in rich, varied experiences.   Paideia  is not simply understanding based on “the sum of parts,” rather it encourages students and faculty to explore beyond disciplinary boundaries toward new, unique  interdisciplinary  understandings of complex issues. Interdisciplinary teaching and learning offers a way to understand disciplines better: to see their assumptions, to critique their histories and investments, and identify points of connection. Paideia  is...