Not a lot of this but lots & lots of that...

I haven't posted on this blog for a while, well, pretty much, none last term - oh goodness, what have I been up to??  I started with a hiss, bang and a roar in Term 1, because I wanted to prove and share with the entire universe, about how sport makes a difference to our students in all aspects of their life...

...IT STILL DOES...heaappps...

...but lots of sport has been going on in Term 2 - it was a busy term of winter sport - coordinating volunteers and students who were practising and playing football, netball, rugby, rippa rugby, league, basketball and ki-o-rahi - a lot of learning and fun going on.

But not a lot has been happening with my 'A' team - the intermediate literacy group I intended to work with, on a weekly basis or the other focus groups I wanted to develop as well.  It basically came down to the four letter word of t.i.m.e and I wasn't able to work with them c.o.n.s.i.s.t.e.n.t.l.y.  Then I found that the less time I had for them, the more awful and guilty I felt.  It had to be a clever juggling act.  The organisation, communication, coaching and managing people received a lot of my attention.

A flower I made using harakeke (flax) at the PENZ
Maori Games workshop in Hamilton

It was until recently, I attended the annual national PENZ (Physical Education NZ) conference a few weeks ago in Hamilton that it inspired me again.  It was my first conference where educators ran workshops on physical education, health and education outdoors.  It inspired me to pick up the baton and try again.  To find the essence of how sport in our school setting can enhance their learning outcomes.

I particularly was encouraged by the work of high schools who use sport as the context of curriculum learning and showed positive, dramatic results.

So what does that mean for me and where I'm at now? Start again.  Plan again.  Seek help - find someone to put a literacy plan together.  Visit the 2 Auckland high schools who have a 'Sport in Education' programme.  Plan again.  Then make t.i.m.e for the 'A' team even if it's not on the same day or time each week, but they are the highest p.r.i.o.r.i.t.y group to focus on.