Korowai

Today I co-facilitated a staff meeting around our ability to cope with implementation dips when coping with change in our education environment. We had prepared well for this and were really looking forward to this as at start of term activity.
Our Principal started with a quick chat and drawing of the implementation dip then we had a look at 5 whakatauki.
We talked about our well being when coping with change and life as a teacher. One way of doing this is weaving a protective cloth to protect us and help us through the tough times. We can look at how we can support each other and be aware of individual needs.
The cloak has four panels – the 4 elements of Hauora in the Health Curriculum
Hauora is a Māori philosophy of health unique to New Zealand. It comprises taha tinana, taha hinengaro, taha whanau, and taha wairua.
Taha tinana - Physical well-being
the physical body, its growth, development, and ability to move, and ways of caring for it
Taha hinengaro - Mental and emotional well-being
coherent thinking processes, acknowledging and expressing thoughts and feelings and responding constructively
Taha whanau - Social well-being
family relationships, friendships, and other interpersonal relationships; feelings of belonging, compassion, and caring; and social support
Taha wairua - Spiritual well-being
the values and beliefs that determine the way people live, the search for meaning and purpose in life, and personal identity and self-awareness (For some individuals and communities, spiritual well- being is linked to a particular religion; for others, it is not.)
Each of these four dimensions of hauora influences and supports the others.
Our discussion around our needs as teachers, as a staff was amazing. It rapidly became evident that we have similar concerns and needs with regard to work/live balance and we discussed what our basic needs are to face the future and cope with challenge and change. We each wrote our concepts 3-6ish on a band of fabric to weave into the korowai. The time of individual sharing and reflection was very powerful.
The next phase was adding the decoration to the cloak in the form of feathers. For this each of us thought of a time when we’ve been at our best supporting someone else. What did you do? After sharing this story with a partner we chose two words each to identify our strengths. Having written these on the feathers we added them to the cloak.
At a later date we will revisit the Korowai reflecting on our beliefs, principles, Key Competencies and indicators.
This was an incredibly inclusive, supportive experience to be a part of. The Korowai is hanging on the staffroom wall as a work in progress. It is a cloth to support us, protect and nurture us as we face change together throughout the year.

(An example of how to use this Korowai experience with a class can be found in Everybody Belongs - The Curriculum in Action.)




We reflected on the four the cloak we wanted to make and our needs - wahl -
the discussion was amazing.... it went from strength to strength as we all
realised we have the same concerns and needs etc.
I am attaching photos of our work in progress.
It was AMaZING - everyone really got involved and seemed to really enjoy
the journey.
The cloak is now up on the staffroom wall with plenty of space for more to
add their strip as lots were away today.
Thanks Again
Anne K