Reflections from 9RTd

Today we discussed the purpose of reflection- review, thinking back on our year. We came up with some focussing questions on the board to think about our year.

I'm so proud of the students in 9RTd and the great strides that they have taken in their reading and writing.

Ite, Cheyaane, Henry, Tupou, Faaaoane, Jennyfer, Wakatere, Lose at the Manaiakalani film festival!

"Throughout this long challenging year in english I have learnt many things, such as how to write and includes metaphors and similes in writing, and how to annotate poems and even various texts. I learnt these basic learning skills by paying attention when ever the teacher spoke. To help me with my learning I read chapter books from time to time. Listening to the teacher helped me understand and gain basic knowledge. From time to time I learn’t at home and in B9, this learning area helped me to think and learn challenging and basic information. My strengths in English is reading and the area in need for more improvement is writing. Various skills I need to work on range from writing and reading and also listening. Things I need to improve on next year is to stay more focused and pay more attention to the teacher."

-Edward Baah

"What have I learned this year? I’ve learned a lot of things this year like one of them is learning new words.

What can I do better? What I can do better is to stop talking to friends during class and learning time and to also listen to the teacher more.

How did I learn? I learnt in so much different ways one of them are reading books which can help me learn new words and to also help give me ideas on how to write a poem or any type of writing.

Did I change? I think that I changed in so much ways like I have came to school more than I used to and also going around and asking people for help instead of sitting there and doing nothing until the bell rang."

-Wakatere Cecil

"From the start of this year 2015, English was a subject that was difficult. I’ve learnt many things such as poems, grammar, punctuation and many more. Learning these basic skills was not as easy but I eventually learnt these things and in which I endeavour to use in my everyday life. To do better next year, I will focus more, pay more attention, read oftenly and to become more involved in learning areas. I learnt in English by completing all tasks given and trying my best to my full potential. My strengths in English are learning and having an extensive vocabulary and having a very positive attitude towards my learning. Learning doesn't only take place at school meaning I can learn at home, in public and anywhere possible by reading or listening to things taking place around me."

-Dion Tuitukau

more reflections to come...

Dion Tuitukau's speech

What do we live for, if it's not to make life less difficult for each other? A quote from Mark Twain reads "Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see" Science tells us that kindness directly influences your propensity for happiness. But kindness does more than that; it not only improves your health but increases your longevity, it’s a proven biological fact. It's easy to forget that sometimes people look at us and actually listen to what we say which can either make them feel really good or really bad.

What's in it for us? People reciprocate the favour of being kind or they will simply be altruistic. The very process of saying kind words can be short to say, but these words have echoes that never end. Great sacrifices and choices is what life is partly made of where little smiles, kindness secure comfort for people all around you. Three things in human life are important; the first is to be kind, the second is to be kind and the third is to be kind as said by Mother Teresa.

Sometimes in life we are so eager to talk, that we often forget to ask ourselves; who will benefit from I'm going to say, will someone be hurt.Asking  yourselves these questions may save others pain through needlessly hurtful words. A story of Kindness I found on the Internet reads

Successful people take control of their words, rather than letting their words control them. We are more conscious of our thoughts and words and the power we unleash when show kindness to others as human beings.

More importantly, your words can make a positive difference on the people you interact with every day. Before you speak ask yourself: Is what I am about to say going to uplift the hearer? Will it inspire, motivate, and create forward for them? Just remember kindness is the three important things in human life.

Jennyfer Fa'amita's speech

Kindness or not:

I am not gonna start my speech of with a I wonder or a question because I think that my question maybe quite obvious but if you want me to say it I will, What will the world be like if we’re all kind to each other? when I think about this question, I think it’s not possible because we weren’t all born to be perfect we were all born to be different, but being kind is not something you are born with, it is something that grows in you, I mean every single one of us in this room shows kindness but in our own unique way.

How do you show kindness? I show kindness by saying hi, but smiling is something I don’t like to do, but I know that Henry he is that type of person that likes to smile maybe that’s how he show’s his act of kindness, Cheyanne show’s kindness by not making others feel otl (only the lonely) she may not see it but her friends can realise her act of kindness, Wakatere is a person who is always mean to others but when you really get to know him actually does care believe it or not but it’s true, kindness is expressed differently it shows your originality, the kind of person you want to be and the kind of person you are.

In our own classroom, everybody is constantly mocking each other, shouting and screaming but when it does get rough they start to get physical, everybody thinks it’s a bad thing but I say let them fight but not get physical I know this sounds weird but when they fight they always seem to laugh and smile in the end, yeah they ain't showing kindness but it shows that they care, it shows that bonds are not only made by being kind but bonds can get stronger if you do it your way, kindness is something that we don’t show often in this class, especially in this class but we seem to get along, kind or not but as as we are all smiling that is what matters the most.long

To finish of my speech I would just like to say try to be kind to one another if you want to live longer in life.

Wakatere Cecil's speech

World Peace?

I wonder what it would be like if we had world peace? Well if the world was ever at world peace it will be so much different to what it is now as we all know that I think that everyone should not just show kindness but to also do and be kind towards other people so that way one day the world just might have world peace. Just imagine the world full of       kindness,peace,war free,happiness and full of huge smiles don’t you think that it would be so much wonderful that way? Do you think that the world would ever have peace? We also need world peace because of the trouble that has happened in France and i’m sure you’ve heard about that?,and those in France that has died during the attack their families must be swimming in a pool full of there tears for there love ones.

Any ways I think that world peace is really important to everyone if you want to live in a caring and loving world if not then something must be wrong with you.There are kids all over the world being bullied,picked on and even getting beaten up for nothing!!! we need to stop hating and start to appreciate people for who they really are. Everyone has picked on someone before including myself? and don’t say you haven’t bullied someone before because there is someone that you know you have bullied and also hated on. You might of bullied your siblings if you're an only child you would of came to school thinking that you can pick on the smallest person in your class or one that is the darkest or maybe that one person that everyone hates in the classroom. I really want the world to be a happy place and also to be safe wherever you go.World peace would just be wonder full for everybody don’t you think?

World peace is not the only thing we need in this world we also need the life of freedom.Freedom is what every single one of us in this whole entire world needs. Just thinking that if we all had freedom we could do whatever we wanted well not whatever we wanted but like most of the things that we never could do before. Like having to be 15 or 16 to get a license or also because we ain’t got know choice when the teacher says we have to do this but you don’t wanna do that but then they say you have to because it's the work I gave you now do it.

By the way have you ever wonded what it would be like if there was no such thing as bullying or moking? I’ve always wonded what it would be like mocking free know one calling each other names and also know more people judging other people basted on there sexualty or how they act. If there was ever know such thing as bullying and mocking we would be so much better everyone loving and caring for others that they don’t even know I would love to live in a world just like that. And here is a quote by the one and only (Tupac Shakur) “Before we find world peace we gotta find peace in the war on the streets”

Gustavo's comic

Khylie's comic

Silas Makea's Comic

Full comic here

Lonise's comic

Gabe's comic

View the full comic here

Podcasts take 4

Misimoa's review is below...




Sione Havea's review...

Mary's comic- new girl bad boy

Phoenix's comic- Handball

Salome's Sonnet 18

Misimoa's comic

Simaima's comic

 

Lisiate's comic

Link to the full comic

Jesiah and Tyrone's comic book.

Click here to see the whole comic

Classroom library stocktake

I'm that teacher who gives out books all the time. Any book is a good book if students are reading. To that end I have a fairly extensive collection of books in my class, free to a good home. Often they come back, sometimes they don't. This is ok, as they are books for the people.

I try to have a mix of "highbrow" and "lowbrow",  literature and general and genre fiction. These books are mostly sourced from the local op shops with occasional donations from staff and family.

10RLe were unable to visit the library today due to a Level 2 English prep class. I decided to 'explode' the book shelf into the classroom to showcase what was available...

Non-fiction selection

Found Poetry 9RTd

This week we made some 'found poetry'- this is where you create your own poem out of existing text.

Notes that we made on the board

We used pages from the script of the film we are studying- Pay It Forward. Check out what we made!

Cheyanne's poem

Cheyanne's process

CHANGE THE WORLD <3
Something is going to happen
The world is shit
It's like all against me
You're grading me for my effort
But you should really look at the result
What is it worth
It too complicated for me now
I already blew out my candles
For everyone to pay it forward
It's like your big chance to fix something that ain't yours
All I wanted was to see if we could really change the world
THE END 

Waka's poem

I want us to get along
Do you want money for the bus
You can't have a friend like that
Let a homeless man into my house
He's my friend
He's very exigent which I like
I have know idea
Bull shit
I've been waiting all day for you
You think you can do whatever you want just because your face is messed up

Dion's Poem

Dion's process- he chose randomn lines to reorder

We're going to kill you
Pay it forward!
I paid it forward
Your the greatest
You don't respect
Its just taking forever
Right on time
You ever gotten to know somebody
Who are you?
I started swinging one by one
I RESPECT
YOU

Jennyfer's poem

Speak Up....

I had a chance to talk,
because we're going to love words,
One day you'll be free,
Look around you,
The world is,
Just a big disappointment,
Unless you take the things you don't like about the world,
flip them upside down right,
And you can start today,
It's possible,
Each of you can do it,
Surprise us.

Henry's poem

Some people are used to things the way they are even if they're bad.
I guess they kinda give up and when they do, everybody loses.
Relax.
Be yourself.
Be proud of yourself.
The worlds not exactly..... shit.
These moments stay trapped in forever.

Edward's poem

Sorry
thanks
no, I didn't mean you
oh god, that's horrible
get out of here
what happened to your face
well it was a slip up
i'm sorry
what's the matter
just a tummy ache
then why did you come
i'm used to this
sorry.

Attribution to come (not sure who this belonged too!)

Malulu's poem

Trevor a boy whos nice
Why cant all boys be like that
Naughty Rude and disrespectful
Most of them fat like you
Pay it forward
i already did
You need to pay it now
or else they will kill
Make sure you pay
help others in need
make them happy
and take them to the cafe.

Pay It Forward character maps

The fine 9RTd are looking at how the characters relate to each other in the film Pay It Forward. Check out our character maps!

Dion

Cheyanne

Henry

Langa

Malulu

Podcast reviews take 4

Malia's review


Lonise's review


Gustavo's review

Podcasts take 3

Jesiah's review

Silas Makea's review

Khylie's review

Podcasts take 2

Mary's review

Further writing on racism

More writing from the mighty RTd


Racism is when different stereotypes are used to discriminate against other races. We see it in different countries when people, disrespect cultures.

What is racism?

Race plays a major role in the racism world, many people are judgemental towards whites, blacks and polynesians. Disliking one another describes someone who’s racist. We see this when cultures are ignorant against cultures and religions.

Disrespecting or unliking dissimilar cultures is chauvinist. Contradicting or differentiating countries defines the word racism. For instance the South African president split whites from darks, under apartheid rights and movements of the majority black inhabitants were curtailed.

Being hypercritical regarding similar races is selfish. Ignorant self-centred people use racism as a weapon to put people down to hurt feelings.

In conclusion I think that racism is disrespecting, discriminating against different race, being judgemental to one another to me explains the large racist topic.
Quote.

‘’Racism is an ism to which everyone in the world today is exposed; for or against, we must take sides. And the history of the future will differ according to the decision which we make.’’

Ruth Benedict

This quote to me means everyone in the world today is exposed to racism. The history and future will or will not change according to the basic decisions we make against differentiate cultures.

- Edward Baah



Racism can be a hole lot of things one of them are mocking cultures,colour of the skin and even the way people act what there voice sounds like or even what they look like.

Racism is a bad thing most people say racist things just to be cool around people and there is racism in every one. Racism should not be allowed because can lead to suicide and it can hurt people's feelings. Everyone has something in them that they want to say to other people but they just don’t want to offend that person.

Back in the 1700s dark people were meant for slavery as we all knew that.

Back in 1962 there was the movie named Hairspray. In the movie Hairspray when they were all getting ready for the last year dance dark people where on one side and light people on the other. Dark people weren’t allowed to be together with the light skin people but they were allowed to be in the same room together.

-Waka Cecil

Last lot of kindness writing...

Dion Tuitakau

Kindness the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. One time I showed kindness was when I gave a homeless man some money who was sitting outside a store asking many people for some loose change. Many people ignored this person but I gave this person money because he looked as if he had an empty stomach for a few hours or so. By giving him the loose change I had, it put a smile on his face which showed he was thankful and happy even though it wasn't a lot of money but he still was grateful. In the future this means that whenever you receive things that cost quite a lot of money and have loose change that you know you won't necessarily need, generously give it to someone who is in need for it showing that you are kind and caring.

We should always show kindness because it can make a small difference in someone's life which will make you a better person and someone who is generous and considerate. Kindness is impossible unless it's done.

Langa Ravarua

One time I showed kindness was in the holidays when I had to take care of my little brother because he had a broken ankle. We had no crutches so then my dad told me to be his stand. I also got paid for being his stand.  I had to walk beside him wherever he went. Even when he went to the toilet, I had to wait outside for him to finish. Doing this wasted a lot of my time, but it was worth it because he is my brother. When a whole week passed, my parents went out and bought some crutches and took my brother to the starship so he could get a cast on his leg.  

Podcast reviews take 1

Last term 10RLe made podcasts about their personally seleted novels for the term. Here are three from Phoenix, Simaima and Salome.

Here's Simaima's on youtube

More kindness recounts

Here are some additional pieces of writing from the fabulous and thoughtful 9RTd about times when they were, saw or were on the reciving end of a kind action...

Mihi Abraham

I only show kindness is when someone show kindness to me or when they use there manners on me.

One time that I show kindness is when me and my sister were at home alone and we got hungry and I had money on me so I went to the shops but before I went to the shops I  went to go ask my sister if she wanted something from the shops so I brought her something to eat for me and her.

I saw kindness when I saw my brother asking the teachers at Tamaki college for help and I also see kindness when my brother gets home from school he go to my mum and ask my mum if she need help so he helps her.

We should always show kindness to everyone because if you don’t show kindness people will never show kindness to you and you will regret not use ur kindness to everyone.

Cornelius Tione

Someone was kind to when iIhelped them up when they were bullied and put down. I helped him by telling him to own up and be a man, because if he doesn’t he will be bullied for the rest of his life. In the future people should stop bullying because people might think they are worth anything in life. bullying can lead to bad things. We all need to stop bullying for many good reasons bullying can lead to bad things that you wouldn't want to happen to you or your friends also family members they could take their life away just to stop bullying.  

Someone showed me kindness when I was down. She would always ask me about what was going on. Then she would talk me out of it and help me forget about it and move on. She did nearly everything for me.

In the future this means I will show kindness to other people. Help people when they are down. Also talk to them about it and help them forget about it and move on in life.

Going forward I will like to learn more about kindness. Also show kindness to each other mostly the adults.

If kindness wasn’t around I’m sure no one would get along. This world would be full disrespectful people as well. Which will make everyone fight and all kinds of things.

Waka Cecil

Someone was kind to me when I went shopping at Pak’n’Save and as I was about to leave an old lady gave me her lollipop and a bar of her chocolate  I said thank you and I left. One time that I showed kindness was when I listed for the very first time to my older brother,he told me to get his phone on the table and I did. I showed kindness to him but he didn’t show kindness back he just told me to get out of his face. Once I saw kindness when my mum gave her smoke to a lady because she asked my mum for one. When my mum gave her smoke to the lady the lady was so happy she gave my mum a huge hug and said thank you and my mum said you’re welcome. I showed kindness when I gave my friends some lunch when they asked me for some. I gave them some of my lunch because they said they had nothing to eat and they were hungry so I gave them some of my musclebar. Everyone should so kindness because showing kindness to others that way people may show kindness back to you.

Teariki Mata

Someone was kind to me when I helped them up when they were bullied and put down, I helped him up and told him to be strong because the bullies are idiots for bullying people. they shouldn’t be bullying people because bullying is not good, it can lead to worse things like suicide, self harm, and intentional emotions. People need to stop bullying and start sharing the love and kindness.  Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.

Kindness recounts

The delightful RTd are focussing on the theme of kindness this term. In preparation for this we had a discussion around what kindess looks like.

Here are some of their pieces of writing about a time they were/ saw/ recieved kindness.

Latisha Puti

I saw kindness displayed when I was walking to my godfather’s house.This person helped this old lady walk across the road safely. She was having difficulties carrying her bags across the road .

Also it was interesting seeing someone help out someone other than themself. I haven't seen that much compassion in a very long time. People have been focussed on themself, knowing people need help right in front of there eyes.

People should show kindness or act kindly more often, ever me, so people see it. Then people might just carry that kindness on. Like that saying what goes around comes around. So if you do good things , most probable good things will comes back to you.

For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.

Cheyanne Eagle

How I met my best friend , I was being kind at the time , I saw this girl just sitting there all alone on the first day of school . I felt kind that day and walked up to her and ask if she was alright we started talking about random things .I ask her if she had anyone to hang with she said no. I said well you do now , we hung for the rest of the  day . The next  day we never talked she was sitting in class with Mele , The girls told Mele to come cause we knew her but we never knew Coopa , I finally got up and went to her cause she looked a bit sad . I was just being kind to her cause she had no one but her brother to hang with so I just hung with her all the time . I week past and I still was being nice cause we just hung with each other , I knew People but I chose to hang with her , We just started to always hang out and stuff . We got really close  and That's how I got my Bestfriend ………I think everyone should be kind because it will make the world a better place and everyone will get alone and be nice . THE END

What this image means to me is :That you don't have to be told or given something to be kind to other , Its all in the HEART   

BE KIND EVERYONE

Faaaoane Ulipa

One time that I showed is when a new student started our school. How I showed kind to her was talking nicely to her and doing the best I could while she was here at our school for the first time. I was kind like never before. She sat down next to me and my friends but nobody made her feel welcomed. So I walked to her and asked her what her name was and so on. We worked together for the rest of the day and helped each other with our tasks and make saw our work for the day was finished. My teachers thought that I worked better with her than I do with my friends because I actually get work done with her than my group of friends that put me off task. That was her first and last day at our school. I stopped being kind then. Her name was Queenie.

To me, being kind is talking nicely to each other and also sharing things.

Everyone should be kind to each other. Show respect and all so everyone can be safe at where they are.



Lose Manuha'apai

One time I showed kindness was when I let the teacher walk through the door because I wanted to put a smile on her face, it's also showing respect but at the same time it's showing kindness. In the future this means that I will show kindness towards other adults with them not expecting it,

This influenced me because not all students show kindness towards the adults and I'm trying to change that and be a different person.

We should all show kindness to others because you might not know if something would come your way, as in a good way. But I'm just saying that people should not expect or ask for kindness the should get it unexpectedly.

Going forward I will take what I have with me now and use it in the future or learn more about what kindness is and what it makes people become more of. If kindness wasn't around I think this world

would be full of disrespectful people.

Kindness can be a hard thing to do but, if you do show it I guaranty that you would be known as the person who shows kindness wherever you go or whatever you do. Showing kindness can lead you to a role where no one can get, like one of the prefects or even a head boy or girl.

Henry Neemia

One time I showed kindness was when I cleaned Faaao's bag last night. I thought that she should have a organized and clean start for school so she can have the right equipment and have a organised bag so she can do her work and she won’t need to worry about not having the right equipment because I checked her bag for it! Ain’t I a good brother?! I really enjoyed doing this for her and I would do it in a flash anytime, anyday if I am not eating;). Hopefully she will remember my kindness towards her so she can one day display kindness back to me. This means in the future I will show kindness not only to Faaao but to anyone else so I can receive kindness back.

This other time my friends and I were going to Mcdonald's for a feed and we decided to buy extra meals for some homeless people we saw around the street where we parked in the city. We saw a guy preferably around his 20’s on the right side so we gave one to him and there was this homeless artist on the other side, so we decided to give one to him but he said no because he already ate and he pointed out these other homeless guys which we gave it to them. I thought that was the kindest thing I have seen yet to offer your food to someone else who you don’t know even though you need it too.

Another time I saw kindness displayed was on Youtube. It was a social experiment to see what people would do if they saw a homeless man and what they would do if they saw a homeless kid. So there was this homeless man preferably in his 30’s who was begging people for money but they got mad and told him to find a job but when the kid came people starting offering lots of money and food to him but when they saw the man they just told him off. After a while one man got really angry and tipped food on him. He got up and with the money he got he bought a meal, he walked over to the kid and gave him the food. I think people should start being like this man. Although he wasn’t getting much he still offered the kid all he had. He inspired me and it hit me right in the heart. We all need to start showing kindness to one another so you can receive it back, inspire others to join and to make our old world a better, safer and cleaner environment for us to live in.

Here's are some quotes:

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle”

“Be the kind of person, you want to meet”

“Sometimes you gotta be kind to others, not because they’re kind, but because you are”

“Kindness is the language the deaf can hear and the blind can see”

“Kind words are short and easy to speak, but their echoes are endless”