Rāmere, te 16 o Whiringa-ā-nuku , 2020
Welcome back to the final term for 2020. While we may reflect that 2020 has been an unprecedented year, one of our strengths has been the whanaungatanga, our sense of connection between our kura over the year. Our continued aim for our Orewa Kāhui update is to assist our teachers with up to date resources, links, professional readings, challenge our thinking and support our teachers with the tools to turn their passion of teaching into impact.
Tuhituhi – writing links
Have a look at this fantastic website for developing young writers to take their writing to the next level. Here you will find instructional videos/ tutorials that focus on ways to improve writing and best ways to reach your audience. Follow the link here to view the full website.
Follow the link here to an example on how to engage reluctant writers to write a 5 paragraph sports story, step by step. 
Earlier this year we posted an article on using drawing to assist with the writing process in the classroom. Follow this link to a Youtube video here with simple suggestions to use in your classroom.
Teachers’ Lounge is a space for you to find NZ curriculum aligned resources, and to share teaching resources with your fellow teachers either for free, or paid. Follow the link here.
Maths news and PD opportunities
One of the benefits to online teaching and learning has been the abundance of free PD opportunities. For example:
Maths Online Discussion Forums for Years 0-8 via zoom (Free)
Join Marie online and connect with other Y0-8 maths teachers and leaders across NZ. During these one hour sessions we shall discuss a hot topic as well as include a ‘spotlight’ section for anyone to share useful resources, information or success stories to build our collective maths expertise. If you have something you would like to share (for 5 or 15 minutes) during this spotlight section, please get in touch, if doesn’t have to be related to the topic.
Date: Wednesday 4th November 3.45 – 4.45
Topic What might a maths year overview look like?
In addition, here is a quick update from the AMA Maths Networks of Expertise: Link here.
Learner Support – Dyslexia Focus
Learning Matters has a website dedicated to supporting Teachers and Parents. Their slogan is Because Learning Differences Exist. Their support focuses on Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and language or maths based learning differences. They also offer resources, courses and ideas. Their belief is that “all dyslexic children in New Zealand have the right and benefit from evidence-based literacy education.” Their practices are founded on and align with the Orton Gillingham approach.
Link to Learning Matters Website
The website’s blog offers a range of user friendly, relevant articles which help teachers and parents to clarify, inspire, direct, challenge and reflect.
This is what the letters of our alphabet probably look like for children with Dyslexia.
Can you imagine what a paragraph would look like? Can you imagine the amount of energy it would take to decipher each letter to learn how they can then be formed in words, sentences and paragraphs?
Kupu o te Wiki videos – Funny videos that introduce a new kupu each week.
On Youtube, there is a series of hilarious videos by NZ Post that introduce a new kupu/word for viewers to learn that are perfect for normalising te reo in our kura.
The videos are worth checking out and could easily be included into your weekly program. One teacher we spoke to watched the videos on Mondays and then challenged themselves and their class to use the word throughout the week. This was highly effective.
Here is the first video of the series:
Kāhui Ako Meeting Dates for term 4
22 October: Meeting at Orewa College all ISLs
5 November: Meeting at Orewa College all ISLs
19 November: Meeting at Orewa College all ISLs
26 November: Final
Kāhui Ako ki Orewa 
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