Day 21 of #100DaysOfPractice
Struggling with a sore throat today. Rongo app asking me to repeat words that it can’t hear properly. Difficult to work on clear delivery under the circumstances! Hopefully it will clear up soon and I’ll be back in action. A good phrase list for birders today 🦆
Day 22 of #100DaysOfPractice
Kapa Haka day today - I was very quiet but it still counts, right?! It was actually great to be drowned out by the tamariki 😊
Here’s a video of one of our regular pieces:
Enjoy!
https://youtu.be/399cwyiGAsY
WAIATA Ā-RIKA: Te taukaea aroha

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Day 23 of #100DaysOfPractice
I got a real kick out of planning some language inclusion into my upcoming presentation. I’m upskilling my colleagues on enriched science teaching, and have rather gracefully included some language learning as part of it. I am looking forward to presenting this and getting everyone involved 😎 Kia kaha te reo Māori!
Day 24 of #100DaysOfPractice
Practising my best fluent storytelling voice! ☺️
Day 25 of #100DaysOfPractice
I read the other story about Kea and Kiwi from this journal but have decided to share The Miracle Goose with you all - it’s a version of the goose with the golden eggs story. I just like the picture of the goose 🪿
Day 26 of #100DaysOfPractice
Practice on Rongo app today. One of these phrases was difficult for me - you know the app has given up on correcting you when it moves to the next one with no comment (usually there’s a little ‘tino pai’ to let you know how fabulous you are). Im not telling which one! Hopefully I won’t need those words in that particular order any time soon 😅
Day 27 of #100DaysOfPractice
Coffee at the favourite spot today! Favourite because of where it is and the wonderful people who own it - but also because they promote ordering your coffee in both te reo Māori and NZSL. Just perfect for me to practice, and for my BFF who signs!
This is something the cafe do year round but they also have coffee discounts to encourage use during each language week. Ka rawe! 🤩
Day 28 of #100DaysOfPractice
Part one of an adorable short story today. As I’m reading aloud I’m concentrating on clear pronunciation and fluent phrasing. I’ve also realised there is always a sentence or two that I like the sound of. I find myself using these in other contexts, just for fun, including when I’m talking to my dog 😄
Day 29 of #100DaysOfPractice
In which we find out more about the predicament of our Nanenane who was swept out to sea. Look at those giant seahorses! Stay tuned for tomorrow’s exciting conclusion 😄
Day 30 of #100DaysOfPractice
The heart-warming conclusion to our nanny goat adventure - whales helping out other creatures in trouble… Seems legit 🐋 🐐
Day 31 of #100DaysOfPractice
Getting reading for Mahuru Măori and the 50th Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori! Here’s a link for getting resources from Te Taura Whiri I te reo Māori: https://www.reomaori.co.nz/give_te_reo_a_go_beginner_resources
Day 32 of #100DaysOfPractice
Lots of language and cultural immersion today - I am so lucky to be a part of such a supportive and passionate network!
Today we were exploring Te Kuru wetlands (wow!) with the stormwater team. Absolutely brilliant day with wonderful people. Here are some outstanding resources from WaterNZ to get the conversation flowing (pun!)
“He puna wai, he puna kai, he puna reo, he puna ora, ita-a-ita”
https://www.waternz.org.nz/rauemi
Day 33 of #100DaysOfPractice
A mixed bag of phrases on Rongo app today - it is still picking up on my shortened syllables but my journal story reading is paying off!
I can hear myself putting on ‘newsreader-voice’ to get the pronunciation spot on. This is incredibly helpful in the long term, after it becomes automatic of course.
Day 34 of #100DaysOfPractice
Today’s journal story was challenging! Not because of the words or their pronunciation, but because this story, written for 8-10 year olds, is about nixtamalization, a traditional way of preparing corn by steeping it with ashes! Absolutely fascinating, but it definitely had me questioning my interpretation to begin with 🌽
Day 35 of #100DaysOfPractice
This morning we had a great presentation from Jay - a founder of E Tū Tāngata and all round wonderful person. A great message. Here’s the theme song:
https://youtu.be/7yoKTI2Q8D0
E Tū Tāngata - Stand Together | Winner of APRA NZ Best Children's Song 2022

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Day 36 of #100DaysOfPractice
I have a soft spot for any native bird story that begins, “I ngā wā ō mua” which I always think of as ‘in the times before’ 🦅 these birds definitely have enduring personality traits 😄
Day 37 of #100DaysOfPractice
Kiwi just can’t understand why Kea won’t eat the delicious food being offered… Kiwi thinks they are being a great host… 🦅
Oh no my post from yesterday isn’t here?!😟
Day 38 (take 2) of #100DaysOfPractice
Apologies if it now appears twice?!
Children's stories cover almost all the major sentence structures and give a broad range of vocabulary. And the art is also lovely. 🦅
Day 39 of #100DaysOfPractice
I haven’t read this particular version of this story before. Kupe is pretty well known around these parts though 😉
Day 40 of #100DaysOfPractice
Having te reo Māori in school books is very topical this week. Here’s one with more than six words. If you know, you know 😉
Day 41 of #100DaysOfPractice
Te Wiki O Te Reo Māori social media on fire 🔥
My Star Wars-loving colleague and I were in fits today using these in the classroom 😄
Day 42 of #100DaysOfPractice
Really thought I was smashing this today, but some sloppy pronunciation still got me!
For those people that can hear the difference between there, their and they’re; or bare, bear and beer; or even hare, here and hair… it really is at that level nuance. Fine tuning vowels.
Day 43 of #100DaysOfPractice
Social media treasures! Look.How.Good! 🔥
Day 44 of #100DaysOfPractice
All this focusing on the minutiae of enunciation and now I can actually feel the tiny movements of my face as I am correcting myself to clearer and more well-formed vowels! Like a workout but in miniature. 💪🏼 More obvious in common words that I had become lazy with over time.
Day 45 of #100DaysOfPractice
I had a lovely comment from some colleagues last week about my reo - how lovely it sounded - feeling good about that and it does add a bit of confidence to speak more readily next time. Setting up for a strong week ahead:
Day 47 of #100DaysOfPractice
More sweet resources from the Te Wiki o te reo Māori team! Always good to pronounce place names correctly 😊 Have a go at home!
Day 48 of #100DaysOfPractice
You know I love my Rongo app practice. Feeling the brain cells rubbing together with these phrases today. Remembering to keep it clear and calm, not rushing through it. I made my colleagues practice yesterday too at staff meeting - they were thrilled to have a go 😎
Day 49 of #100DaysOfPractice
All this daily language practice has improved my singing voice immensely! Noticeable uptick in volume and clarity. I am shooketh!
Day 50 of #100DaysOfPractice
A special celebration for making it halfway - here’s a love song 🎶 Aroha Mai by Rei
#JukeboxFridayNight
#lovesongs
https://youtu.be/x1c2BJoxVDw
Rei - Aroha Mai (Official Music Video)

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Day 51 of #100DaysOfPractice
The countdown to Te Wiki O te Reo Māori is on and pulling out all stops. Quality content! 🔥
Day 52 of #100DaysOfPractice
I think that if I get the intonation just right, these won’t need any explaining… let’s find out when I try them on my unsuspecting colleagues tomorrow! 😆
Day 53 of #100DaysOfPractice
Monday is kapa haka day - this is one of our current numbers. Absolutely glorious!
https://youtu.be/1b42DapzSWY
He kākano Ahau

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Day 54 of #100DaysOfPractice
We’re heading to our local marae for a field trip tomorrow, so I am practicing my mihimihi, a short speech to introduce myself. 😊 Here’s a template if you’d like to try your own!
Day 55 of #100DaysOfPractice
A wonderful day at our local marae on Wednesday - lots of singing, speaking and sharing history of the local area. Always one of the best days to be a school teacher!
Art work by the magnificent Cath Brown.
Day 56 of #100DaysOfPractice
Playing catch up here as I missed sharing some days! I have discovered how to improve my pronunciation in a single step. You’ll never guess so I’ll tell you the secret to having excellent te reo Māori… smiling 😃 wheo kē!
No joke whānau - te reo Māori sounds better when you smile, it brings the light musical quality and joy to your vowels - try it!
Day 57 of #100DaysOfPractice
A funny little story that I had to read twice because I was getting confused. Of course the explanation comes in on the last line… and any story about a dog is a good story 🐾
Day 58 of #100DaysOfPractice
Look who it is! 👀
@akoaroha where are you watching this??? I missed it on TVNZ+ at Matariki!!
@Phil_Tanner
Unfortunately I’m not 🙁 I’ve got my fingers crossed for a timely re-release so I can watch it too - the te wiki o te reo Māori team seem to be teasing something - more info tomorrow!
(I think it is available on ETV . nz but I can’t log in to find out if that is true!)
@akoaroha please please please let me know if you find it?