Using more te reo in my practice

I was inspired by another teacher consciously  thinking about how much Maaori she was using in the classroom, I am making an effort to change my practice for the better and using more te reo in my practice.

I use te reo on the white board for the schedule. When I explain about the day to the children, I use te reo to describe as well as the English and NZSL.

I am also making conscious efforts to speak more te reo in my class. Today, when I said "Haere mai ki te whaariki." Another child followed and called out. It was pronounced so beautifully. It actually made me quite surprised but at the same time, it made me think how much children are listening and taking notice of what is happening around them. 

When I talked about 'paanui ngaa pukapuka', one of the children knew it was about reading. so As I describe everyday, children are developing their knowledge of te reo and understanding what some of the words mean. 

I am going to keep using more te reo in my practice. This can also mean singing waiata, playing word games in Maaori, and using it in the instructional time.