July 2023

Kia ora everyone,

Wow, here we are in Term Three!

I hope you have all had a fabulous holiday break, whether it be away on a holiday or just taking time to reset and reconnect at home.

I’m a little late with this month's newsletter as I have been focussed on the launch of the Learning to Flourish online course. I am really happy with how the course has turned out and so far am getting some good feedback, which has been really fabulous.

If you’re interested in taking a look at what the course entails head to the Being Education website to check it out.

I think the month also snuck by on me as we had such a fantastic holiday and I actually found myself completely turning off from work for a week. My two boys and I headed away to my home town, Otematata, my place of turangawaewae. This is something that always helps me to reset and remember who I am. I actually find I even begin to crave time at home if I am away for too long.

This sparked me to begin to think about just how important our whakapapa and turangawaewae are. 

I think our link to those that have come before us, becomes increasingly more important as we get older and perhaps also, as we have our own children. The sense of identity and belonging we gain from feeling part of a group empowers us to move forward independently. Neither of my parents are alive anymore, but I must admit I still feel their support in everything I do. I know that I am incredibly lucky in this sense. When I head to Otematata and spend time in our family home, surrounded by the pictures, scenery and memories that have helped to make me who I am, I undoubtedly feel that sense of belonging. I especially love sharing this with my own children in the hope that they too will feel the connection and love that I have always felt there.

I know that this is not the case for everyone and that family support is not something we all have the luxury of. I would like to think that no matter what, everyone has someone that can give them this feeling of security, whether it is someone related by blood or not. I guess this is something I really enjoy about being a teacher, and perhaps in part, is why I embarked on this career. The opportunity to be there for all of the tamariki in my class and to help them feel that they are part of a whanau that cares for them.

I would just like to say a huge thank you to you for being that person for the children in your life.

It truly makes a huge difference for them to know that they have a caring, supportive adult they can count on in life. 

In closing, call me an optimist but I’m also starting to get the sense of slightly longer days. Perhaps this is a little bit of wishful thinking, but I am definitely starting to feel a little bit of excitement as we move towards spring and the warmer weather this will bring.