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 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
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 😄
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 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 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 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 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 59 of #100DaysOfPractice Have I mentioned that the te wiki o te reo Māori social media team are absolutely on 💯 right now? Release Shrek from the vault, I say!
Day 62 of #100DaysOfPractice You know what time it is? Time to celebrate! It’s Te Wiki o te reo Māori 🥳 Singalong! Mahuru me kōrero Māori! Eee - I will need to find my t-shirt! https://youtu.be/YMLpru3Zvik
Day 64 of #100DaysOfPractice I bring to you another Bird Of The Year inspired story. Today we have the magnificent tieke. Read along - I hope I can do these all week!
Day 67 of #100DaysOfPractice Woo 🥳 more Bird Of The Year promotion with some wonderful art and poetry this time! Two of our avian all stars here - Kererū and Tui.
Day 68 of #100DaysOfLearning comes courtesy of the Whāia te Taniwha exhibition at Te Puna o Waiwhetū. Artistic excellence and, of course, a Bird Of The Year..!
Day 69 of #100DaysOfPractice and another Bird Of The Year inspired post. This is part one of a children’s story written (again) by the extraordinary Hirini Melbourne and beautifully illustrated by Nina Price. I can’t believe these treasures are just sitting in the Ministry archives - get in and enjoy them whānau!
Day 70 of #100DaysOfPractice The conclusion of this beautiful short story with a big message from Hirini Melbourne. Illustrated by the talented Nina Price. Probably my last Bird Of The Year toot - remember to vote for your favourite bird this season!
Day 71 of #100DaysOfPractice Rongo app practice today as well as multiple practices of my long form pepeha/mihimihi. Getting ready for starting my new job in two weeks and I have high expectations for myself!
Day 72 of #100DaysOfPractice A short but lovely poem about the four seasons - sorry Wellington but your special fifth season doesn’t get a mention… 😉 iykyk
Day 73 of #100DaysOfPractice I have improved so much over the last few months! I feel confident. I speak clearly. I can listen to others without feeling the *panic* of needing to reply. I had a 500 day streak back on the green bird app and never reached this level of confidence with my Japanese. Spoken word practice is the way to go!
Day 74 of #100DaysOfPractice Part one of a little story about bored children… seeing as we’re about to enter the second half of the term break here in Aotearoa NZ.
Day 75 of #100DaysOfPractice Part two of this lovely short story. Also some Rongo app and mihimihi/pepeha practice. I’ve also started adding some NZSL in there… not sure if I’ll be brave enough to follow through next week but as our story suggests, if at first you don’t succeed, try, and try again.
Day 76 of #100DaysOfPractice Found my lapel pin in store today! Lovely shop person asked if it was for me and I said it was so people will kōrero mai to help me practice. She gave me a very cheerful ‘kia pai tōu rā’ ☀️
Day 78 of #100DaysOfPractice A cute story about kids playing at preschool. In every story there is a sentence or two that I want to commit to memory for everyday use… in this one, I’m keeping "Tino ataahua rawa atu koe i tênei ata," and "Ko Batman ahau!" but with the proper voice, of course 😉
Day 79 of #100DaysOfPractice It’s Jukebox Friday Night here in Aotearoa Mastodon circles and everyone is sharing their favourites country numbers… however, I’ve been practising a song for Monday’s mihi whakatau | welcome for new staff members: https://youtu.be/ehZ_AlaGU6c
Day 81 of #100DaysOfPractice A little play! Written for children but perfect for language practice as there are phrases fit for everyday use. The three children thought someone had hidden ‘treasure’ in the well, alas, it was not gold but eels haha 😄 I also love the implication that Councilman Bright speaks English but has understood the other characters who are speaking te reo Māori!
Day 82 of #100DaysOfPractice Luckily, in the back of each He Kohikohinga journal there is a glossary. I needed it today to check the word ‘pouwīra’ (imagine me staring at the illustration with knitted brows trying to determine if that is a weevil or not). It does indeed mean boll weevil. Now you know 😊
Day 83 of #100DaysOfPractice Another wonderful day at our local marae today - I got to take my new work colleagues for a tour around the nearby wetlands and share some information. Just a short story because it’s been a full day and a busy week!
Day 84 of #100DaysOfPractice Another incredible day today! So many of my new colleagues have also been on language learning journeys - we have been comparing notes and gently supporting each other. I feel like the luckiest person in the world!