Teaching in a Maori Immersion Classroom

I have been in the classroom now a total of seven days and have really enjoyed the experience so far. I am with Rebecca Parsons in a year seven and eight mixed classroom in the Maori Immersion syndicate at Whakatane Intermediate. Immersion is a little bit misleading. The purpose of the syndicate, which is unique in the school, is to promote Maori culture and language for its students. Most of the students are of Maori heritage but there are white students and other races as well.

I have  been teaching them some basic spanish and they love it. I only spend about 20 minutes to half an hour in the afternoon but they soak it right up. I have picked up a few phrases in Te Reo Maori but nothing to write about...yet.

Got to watch my first All Blacks rugby game, or test as they call it, against the Wallabies, the Australian team. It was fairly sloppy rugby but a close game that the All Blacks managed to come out on top of by one point. That was saturday night. Sunday morning I woke up and listened, online, to 3/4 of a game of great Bobcat Football, followed by the fourth quarter of some hope and then the old familiar sinking feeling in the gut associated with being a die hard Bobcats fan. There is the consolation however, that the Griz lost. I was also pleased to find out that they do air Sunday and Monday night football down here, except that is is on monday and tuesday afternoon so I have to record it. I don't mind though because then I can fast forward through all of the commercial breaks. I watched a 1 1/2 hour version, including time to eat dinner at half time, of the 3 1/2 hour Redskins beatdown of the cowboys.

Kristen; I keep forgetting to take pictures of Emma and Hunter on the trampoline but will put them up as soon as I do. It won't be till next week thought because they are at their mum's this week.

In conclusion:

The best part about New Zealand so far: The people. Almost everyone I have met is extremely friendly. They have all kinds of questions and are always offering tea, food, or lollies.  (candy)

The worst part about New Zealand so far: The only coffee is instant coffee or esspresso . It is a weird adjustment the only time I would drink the instant stuff back home was while camping. I am trying to aquire a taste for it but am still not terribly fond, and there is no way I am paying for esspresso every day. I hope I can find some regular beans soon, and some way to brew them.