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--- awhi_world [2008-12-18 20:05] – 118.93.164.11
+++ awhi_world [2008-12-18 20:38] – 118.93.164.11
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 **Background:**
 East Papakura is a economically deprived area populated by indigenous maori, pacific island, and migrant groups. It has recently warranted special focus by police and civic authorities due to high rates of criminal activity (drug houses and labs, gang violence, truancy, tagging, theft etc). Initial entry into the area came via the local community constable who needed some community development consultation and expertise. He and his colleagues had initiated the Awhiwraparound Project, an experimental initiative where 11 streets in a square block are given a dedicated police presence and community centre. (Awhi means embrace in Maori)
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 [For reasons of confidentiality some information needs to stay offline and be provided as appendices to final research report.]
- June/July 2008
+** June/July 2008**
-  * Meeting with [ ]Primary School teachers to meta-plan Awhiworld uncovery project.
-  * Alternative Education Students from CEAT Ltd put together music visual exploration of Smiths Avenue Netball Courts.  Material is shown at a Matariki (Maori New Year)event (27 June 2008) attended by Mayor of Papakura. M/V asks for physical reactivation of Smiths Avenue space. [[http://un-fiction.blogspot.com/2008/06/matariki-mirror-building.html]]
+ Meeting with [ ]Primary School teachers to meta-plan Awhiworld uncovery project.
-August 2008
-  * Teachers create systematic and detailed lesson plans based around AwhiWorld concept (to be added). Plans for unveiling of world begin in earnest. Expected launch date 25 August 08.[[http://un-fiction.blogspot.com/2008/06/welcome-to-awhiworld.html]]
+ Alternative Education Students from CEAT Ltd put together music visual exploration of Smiths Avenue Netball Courts. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hN3F65vssec]]
+ Material is shown at a Matariki (Maori New Year)event (27 June 2008) attended by Mayor of Papakura. M/V asks for physical reactivation of Smiths Avenue space. [[http://un-fiction.blogspot.com/2008/06/matariki-mirror-building.html]]
 August 2008
-  * 25 August 2008 Awhiworld uncovered. 8.55am Patuapairehe intercept police communication network to send a message.  This message is recorded on CD by police person who runs it sirens blazing to school.9.00am school children gather in assembly for Monday morning karakia (prayers)and songs to start their week. 9.05 am police car enters school grounds, policeman in full riot ensemble enters hall to present message to teachers.
+Teachers create systematic and detailed lesson plans based around AwhiWorld concept. Plans for unveiling of world begin in earnest. Expected launch date 25 August 08.[[http://un-fiction.blogspot.com/2008/06/welcome-to-awhiworld.html]]
+**August 08**
+August 2008:
+.55am  - Awhiworld uncovered. Patuapairehe intercept police communication network to send a message.  This message is recorded on CD by police person who runs it sirens blazing to school.9.00am school children gather in assembly for Monday morning karakia (prayers)and songs to start their week.
+.05 am  - police car enters school grounds, policeman in full riot ensemble enters hall to present message to teachers.
 //"I am from the Patupaiarehe iwi of Pukekiwiriki.  I have limited time to send you this message and have used the police communication network to make sure you receive it and that you know that it is IMPORTANT.
@@ Line 56: / Line 62: @@
 .15 am teachers rush students to classrooms where messages have been hidden in special boxes somewhere in the classroom.  Once found the messages have detailed instructions from the Patupairehe..thus the uncovery of Awhiworld has begun. [[http://un-fiction.blogspot.com/2008/08/breaking-news.html]]
-  * 28/8 Review meeting Teachers update as to activities thus far.  Several have introduced a special powerpoint story made up for this programme and based on an old Maori myth of the area. [insert powerpoint]. All teachers are asking students to write or draw about a future earth that is now not able to support life due to current activities. Notes and feedback available in detailed form offline.
+Review meeting Teachers update as to activities thus far.  Several have introduced a special powerpoint story made up for this programme and based on an old Maori myth of the area. [insert powerpoint]. All teachers are asking students to write or draw about a future earth that is now not able to support life due to current activities. Notes and feedback available in detailed form offline.
 September 2008
-  * 8/9 Second review meeting - detailed notes to be provided offline. Generally teachers are doing a lot of visual work with the students. Reading particular books and introducing ideas of portals and gatekeepers.Comments are that it is hard to sometimes grasp the concepts but that once grasped the students get really into it..particularly the boys who are enjoying making connections between their on-line game environments and the material in the classroom. [[http://un-fiction.blogspot.com/2008/09/awhiworld-update.html]]
+**September 08**
- Meeting also includes an environmental/sustainability education expert who is supporting the teachers (and this project) in the backyard gardening community interface stage which will take place next term.
+Second review meeting - detailed notes to be provided offline. Generally teachers are doing a lot of visual work with the students. Reading particular books and introducing ideas of portals and gatekeepers.Comments are that it is hard to sometimes grasp the concepts but that once grasped the students get really into it..particularly the boys who are enjoying making connections between their on-line game environments and the material in the classroom. [[http://un-fiction.blogspot.com/2008/09/awhiworld-update.html]]
-  * 9/9 Forensic examination of portals was undertaken with assistance by Raewyn Turner (prominent NZ mixed media artist). Presentation started the proceedings. Then students were encouraged to look at their surroundings and work in small groups to investigate anomalous phenomena. This material will then become the focus for story production and writing.  Students are undertaking mapping of the school grounds and surrounding community as part of their math curricula. They are also learning about the qualities and values inherent to gatekeepers of various kinds. Teachers are working with the children to identify gatekeepers in the local community (eg their Principal, the local police officer, the Kaumatua of the local Marae) [[http://un-fiction.blogspot.com/2008/09/forensic-investigations-of-awhiworld.html]]
+/9: Forensic examination of portals was undertaken with assistance by Raewyn Turner (prominent NZ mixed media artist). Presentation started the proceedings. Then students were encouraged to look at their surroundings and work in small groups to investigate anomalous phenomena. This material will then become the focus for story production and writing.  Students are undertaking mapping of the school grounds and surrounding community as part of their math curricula. They are also learning about the qualities and values inherent to gatekeepers of various kinds. Teachers are working with the children to identify gatekeepers in the local community (eg their Principal, the local police officer, the Kaumatua of the local Marae) [[http://un-fiction.blogspot.com/2008/09/forensic-investigations-of-awhiworld.html]]
+**November**
+Gatekeepers and guardians were introduced by Raewyn and Maggie. When asked what portals were the children said: "they take you back in time", "they take you to another dimension", "they take you into the future", "thats where the guardians come from", "they are doorways", "they are magical".  When asked about guardians they said: "they look after our school", "they look after the world", "we are guardians".  Children went back to classrooms to create sculptures in physical materials to be placed in portal in garden. Teachers were also taken to [[http://www.nextspace.co.nz]] to be trained in basic 3D storying work.  This will seed Awhiworld activities next year when digital infrastructure is in place in the school.[[http://un-fiction.blogspot.com/2008/11/awhiworld-update-and-3d-excursion.html]]
-  * November Gatekeepers and guardians were introduced by Raewyn and Maggie. When asked what portals were the children said: "they take you back in time", "they take you to another dimension", "they take you into the future", "thats where the guardians come from", "they are doorways", "they are magical".  When asked about guardians they said: "they look after our school", "they look after the world", "we are guardians".  Children went back to classrooms to create sculptures in physical materials to be placed in portal in garden. Teachers were also taken to [[www.nextspace.co.nz]] to be trained in basic 3D storying work.  This will seed Awhiworld activities next year when digital infrastructure is in place in the school.[[http://un-fiction.blogspot.com/2008/11/awhiworld-update-and-3d-excursion.html]]
-  * December Awhiworld rests quietly over the summer season while schools are out.  Two new guardians sit in the garden watching over the portals. Work is taking place in the school so that ICT infrastructure is up to date.
+**December**
+Awhiworld rests quietly over the summer season while schools are out.  Two new guardians sit in the garden watching over the portals. [[http://un-fiction.blogspot.com/2008/11/garden-guardians.html]]  Work is taking place in the school so that ICT infrastructure is up to date.
+**Overall Results**
+Teachers comments:
+"Great for boys to keep them engaged". "Excellent to stimulate their imaginations". "Much harder work than normal curriculum as you are working with their imaginations rather than hard data". "Fun to not give The Truth..but to play with this with the kids". "Needed a little more focused energy..too many other things going on in the school and couldnt do the concept justice".
+My comments:
+  * Digital component of Awhiworld was unable to be explored due to poor ICT capability but this will change next year.
+  * Constantly felt like I needed more time and that I needed to be in the school more to support..but noticed that I kept arriving at the school after an absence of a week or so and would see a tremendous amount of work done in a short space of time without any input whatsover.
+  * Concept of Gatekeepers/Guardians seemed embedded among the older children. Also the idea of portals. This will help with developments in curriculum next year.
+  * Too many ideas and not enough resources.  This school was a Decile 1 School which means it is in the poorest catchment area possible.  With more physical resources and time it would have been even more successful. But staffing and money were a major issue.
-Teachers report the following: Great for boys to keep them engaged. Excellent to stimulate their imaginations. Much harder work than normal curriculum as you are working with their imaginations rather than hard data. Fun to not give The Truth..but to play with this with the kids. Needed a little more focused energy..too many other things going on in the school and felt they didnt do the concept justice. Digital component of Awhiworld was unable to be explored due to poor ICT capability. Concept of Gatekeepers/Guardians seemed embedded, at least amoung the older children. Also the idea of portals. This will help with developments in curriculum next year.
+  * Give that was the case the project was a successful experiment in so far as it developed the teachers and pushed them to extend their learning and practice. It also introduced children to different ways of learning maths, science, social science and english making links between some of their leisure activities and learning.