English

English Department 2021

We began our year in chaos with the long-awaited refurbishment of the B Block - the buildings were enclosed in scaffolding and shrink wrap, while our classrooms were stripped and depleted of furniture apart from the basics. Decades of resources were biffed temporarily into the corridor while we summed up the collective courage to chuck them in the skip. Despite the digital age, nostalgia and a bit of “You never know, that might come in handy” kept getting in the way! We weren’t complaining though - the dusky pink colour scheme hadn’t been updated since the early 1990s, and scars of wear and tear were clear to see. And we needed a good clear out. By Term 3 our classrooms were unrecognizable with new carpets and curtains, freshly painted skirting and doors, and an updated fresh modern colour scheme. Just what we needed to create a 21st century learning environment! In terms of staffing, Ms McLean returned to the role as HOD after a year of study leave, and we welcomed Rhiannon Swift and Fay Hawea to the department. Sadly for us, Ms Swift was snapped up by Mount Maunganui Intermediate in Term Three to do her dream job of teaching dance. Fortunately for us help was not far away as we were joined by the incredibly capable Sheree Tuhoro, and Whakatāne High School legend and matriarch, Gail Zonneveld, who had retired at the end of last year. (Although Mrs Zonneveld says she was merely helping us out, we think she secretly was missing us!) Although it may not have been obvious to our students, 2021 was a HUGE year for the English Department in terms of the curriculum and the new NCEA standards, which are now due to be rolled out in 2024 (They were initially expected to come into practice in 2023, but you guessed it... Covid!). At the end of 2020 we found out we had been selected alongside five other schools to be a part of the NCEA Level 1English Mini Pilot. This meant that we were able to trial the new standards set to be introduced nationwide. Being part of this pilot has been challenging, yet rewarding. It has been a huge disrupter to our everyday teaching practice. Although the resources developed by the Ministry of Education have been invaluable, the way we teach and deliver the new standards has been something we have had to navigate ourselves. This meant we had to really go back to the core of what we do; teaching and learning - rather than teaching to the assessment. Therefore, the new standards have enabled us as teachers to be guided by the curriculum, in particular the learning strands around making and creating meaning. Although not having access to moderated exemplars posed some issues, it did promote creativity and interpretation. Students completed some amazing work and thrived not being constricted by what the assessment needed to look like. November saw the first digital external exam to be completed by an entire school cohort. We held our collective breaths as students arrived for their exams, opened their chromebooks and logged into the NZQA website. After a few teething issues and delays, most students were off and away - quietly typing their responses to both studied and unfamiliar texts. NCEA has not been working for all our students. We need to make it more equitable. And being part of the trial process is a huge step in making that happen. Therefore all our hard mahi will be of benefit to students at both a local and national level for years to come. As a department we feel proud of ourselves, and our students for what we have collectively achieved. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Cherise Stone, Tom Mahon, Joss Matthews, Danelle Napier, Shannon Crook, Fay Hawea and Gail Zonneveld for all their hard work, dedication and perseverance with this initiative. You guys rock! Next year, Covid willing, we are hoping to get back to our regular routine of debating, writing competitions and guest speakers. Watch this space! Lastly, I’d like to leave you with a quote from arguably New Zealand’s most successful author, Katherine Mansfield, and inspiration for the end of year Level 3 ‘Garden Party’.

There is no feeling to be compared with the feeling of having written and finished a story.

Hei konā mai

Ms McLean The Town That Doesn’t Exist If you wait long enough, you might just be lucky enough to witness it. Deep inside the forest, at midnight every night, the Town of Nothing appears. If you blink, you’ll miss it. The scene fades from nothing to what you see before you. One moment, the forest is still, and the next, there’s fairy lights and boardwalks across the pond. Flowers as tall as the clouds and deer as small as cats. The trees turn into houses, with tiny yet tall wooden doors and clouded glass windows. The mushrooms grow to the height of a tall child and the shadow creatures mingle about. The silent, fading black and transparent shadows the shape of someone hiding under a bedsheet. They float silently, not paying attention to a single thing going on around them. They aren’t scary at all, just slightly off. As if something is wrong but you just can’t put your finger on it. They move past each other as if no one is even there. It’s as quiet as a library. Not a single thing utters a sound. Some shadow creatures float through the doors that never open, others across the boardwalk that stops half way through the pond. A single, giant frog lives in the pond. He likes to rest beneath the surface.

A blue butterfly the size of your head sits delicately on the top of a mushroom house. The shadow creatures pay no mind. Technically, none of this exists. Not really, it’s all in your head, isn’t it? It’s something your mind made up to cope. No one else sees what you see. They don’t have special eyes like you do. But you should focus on what’s really in front of you. You better escape. The hospital guards are getting closer…. Talia Barnett

There Once Was A Little Lad... There once was a little lad who liked berries and cream He’d munch it all up until his bowl was clean He would lick his spoon, he wouldn’t leave a smear Some would say, “He licked it crystal clear.” But amazingly that was the only thing he ate He made sure to pile up his plate Spoon full after spoon full he’d shovel it down It was enough of a show to make him look like a clown But soon enough his act came to a stop The spoon fell out of his hand into the bowl with a ‘plop’ Clutching his neck and gasping for air Letting out noises similar to a bear His eyes roll back and tears start flowing He was sweating so hard he looked like he was glowing Everyone watched but nobody helped Maybe because they liked hearing the greedy lad yelp Maybe if the little lad was gone there would be less trouble, Less trouble caused by the fat boy who ate double. By Amo Pryor