A nice seat in the sun

I love the view from Eglinton Road down over the harbour. It always looks different. Especially lovely on a sunny day.

Nice day for work

Luckily it is a beautiful day in Dunedin for these two guys as they carry out aerial acrobatics chopping down tree branches. Looked like a fun job as I went for a walk to get away from being cooped up in the house with my computer.

Gunslinger

Well I think I can officially say, I haven't nailed this 365 day challenge thing. But I am trying to post photos when I get the chance. Today's photo is of three of the members of Gunslinger. Two of them being my talented sons. Gunslinger won the OBHS Battle of the Bands and this is a photo of them playing a gig at the Dunedin Muso's Club.

Te Kura o Makarika

Now how is this for a view from your classroom window! I met the most marvellous principal today, Beris Brew at Te Kura o Makarika. She told us fascinating tales of struggling to get her school fixed and teaching classes in an abandoned woolshed. We met some amazing students who are spending a day a week learning in the local marae researching their whakapapa, connections to the area, and issues of conservation. We had to drive over two hours from Gisborne to this tiny school in the back of beyond, and when we got there we were told a story of a school working with the new curriculum to create a local curriculum to serve the needs of the community and put students at the heart of the matter. Wow.

Abandoned

Tokomaru Bay is just beautiful and untouched. There are lovely old buildings in various states of disrepair that add to the sense of isolation. There is also a sense that the land is reclaiming its place as these old building give way.

Another beautiful day in Tokomaru Bay

We are up on the East Coast again today, visiting with a cluster of teachers and principals from Māori Medium schools who are working with both the New Zealand Curriculum and Te Marautanga o Aotearoa. Their story is inspiring. Most of these teachers are not native speakers of te reo and therefore are learning the language as they work with the kids. So not only are they teaching difficult concepts to the children, but they are also helping the children to understand the language then the concepts. It was great to see how excited they are by the new marau and its possibilities. This is the best part of my job! The photo above is the beach at Tokomaru Bay, about an hour north from Gisborne where we stayed for the night.

Cat in a box

As I was walking home this morning from Derek Wenmoth's Ten Trends presentation in Dunedin, I spotted this cat in his letterbox. The cat just sat and stared at me as I took photo after photo, giving me the evil eye and not even moving a tail.

Duck pond

A nice spot to sit when the sun is shining. A chair by the pond at the Dunedin Botanical Gardens.

Texture

I loved the texture on this unusual tree trunk and thought it was accentuated by the fern in the background.

Portland Hotel, Wellington

Our 'home away from home' in Wellington is the Portland Kingsgate Hotel. The back room has often served as the unofficial CORE office, which is handy for when the day finishes and it is time for night time refreshments.

Rose garden

This chair is placed in the middle of the rose garden in the Dunedin Botanical Gardens. The chair is empty, as are the plants, all waiting for the cold to end and spring to come.

Birthday

I had another birthday. These flowers were a nice surprise.

Friends

I spotted these three and was reminded that not only 'birds of a feather' flock together. Diversity is to be celebrated. Now there's my deep thought for the week...