Welcome to our April Newsletter Designed for Home Educators and Teachers

For all those who are facinated with the everchanging and shifting energies of our planet presently, I hope that this solar eclipse brought with it some expansive and insightful epiphanes.If nothing else, this is a chance to hook our learners into some project based learning that could spark imaginations and excite curiosity.

When we take the time to observe with childlike innocence, we never run out of creative ideas for facilitating learning.

This month we have some ideas around doing an intergrated learning experience about solar eclipses, we look at neurolanguage and how it pertains to teaching and learning, and an article about the relevance of maths by the wonderful Charlotte Wilkinson. We also introduce the Neuroheart Education Foundation: a foundation dedicated to supporting educators to create brain-heart coherence in their learners, consequently shifting unwanted behaviours, improving engagement and developing whole human beings.

In a concerted effort to develop our website and ensure that it is a useful tool for accessing life-long learning, we are running a limited offer that you can’t go wrong with: a one-off payment of NZ$99 for a lifetime, no-frills membership to our directory and resources pages to all educators and providers. Even if you only ever got one client from this platform, it would pay for it. Please support this initiative and help make a difference.

Here’s to creating what we want and flowing with tides of change that are surging through.

Always in love and learning

Warm regards,

Best wishes

Calli

Integrated Research and Learning Experience: Exploring Solar Eclipses

Objective: To understand the phenomenon of solar eclipses, their scientific basis, cultural significance, and practical implications through a multifaceted learning experience.

1. Understanding Solar Eclipses:

• Why Does an Eclipse Happen: Explore the celestial mechanics behind solar eclipses, including the alignment of the Earth, Moon, and Sun. Investigate the types of solar eclipses (total, partial, annular) and their occurrences.

• Impact on Earth's Magnetic Field: Investigate the effects of solar eclipses on Earth's magnetic field. Learn about the interactions between solar radiation, Earth's atmosphere, and the magnetosphere.

• Geographical Visibility: Research why only specific regions can witness a solar eclipse during each event. Explore concepts like the Moon's orbit, Earth's rotation, and the path of totality.

2. Cultural and Folklore Exploration:

• Folklore Around Eclipses: Delve into various cultural beliefs and superstitions surrounding solar eclipses. Examine myths, legends, and folktales from different civilizations throughout history.

• Ancient Traditions and Stories: Explore ancient civilizations' interpretations of solar eclipses, such as the Mayans, Egyptians, and Greeks. Analyze their rituals, ceremonies, and myths related to solar phenomena.

• Meaning of Eclipses: Discuss the symbolic significance of solar eclipses in different cultures. Reflect on the spiritual, religious, and philosophical interpretations of eclipses.

3. Practical Experiments and Activities:

• Magnetism Experiment: Conduct experiments to understand the principles of magnetism. Create homemade compasses using magnets and observe their behavior in relation to Earth's magnetic field.

• Technology Projects: Engage in hands-on activities to explore technology related to solar eclipses. Build pinhole projectors, solar eclipse viewers, or DIY solar filters for safe observation.

• Solar Safety: Learn about the importance of eye protection during solar events. Experiment with different materials to create solar viewing glasses and test their effectiveness.

4. Importance of the Sun:

• Solar Energy: Explore the significance of the Sun as a source of energy for life on Earth. Discuss solar power, solar panels, and renewable energy technologies.

• Life Cycle of Stars: Investigate the life cycle of stars, including the Sun. Learn about nuclear fusion, stellar evolution, and the Sun's role in the universe.

• Environmental Impact: Discuss the implications of solar activity on Earth's climate, weather patterns, and space weather. Explore phenomena like solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and their potential effects on Earth.

Integration and Assessment:

• Interdisciplinary Connections: Integrate concepts from science, history, geography, culture, and technology throughout the experience.

• Hands-on Projects: Encourage students to apply their knowledge through creative projects, presentations, and experiments.

• Assessment: Evaluate student understanding through quizzes, presentations, research papers, and reflective journals.

By combining scientific inquiry, cultural exploration, practical experimentation, and interdisciplinary learning, this integrated learning experience provides a comprehensive understanding of solar eclipses while fostering critical thinking skills and appreciation for the natural world.

Unlocking the Power of Neurolanguage: Revolutionizing Teaching and Learning

In the realm of education, there exists an ever-evolving understanding of how the brain processes language and acquires new skills. One such emerging field that has captured the attention of educators and researchers alike is neurolanguage. This interdisciplinary approach combines insights from neuroscience, linguistics, and education to illuminate the intricate mechanisms underlying language learning and teaching.

At its core, neurolanguage acknowledges that the brain is fundamentally wired for language acquisition. Through the lens of neuroscience, educators gain valuable insights into how learners perceive, process, and retain language. By understanding the neural underpinnings of learning, instructors can tailor their teaching methods to align with the brain's natural tendencies, thereby optimizing the learning experience for their students.

One of the key principles of neurolanguage is the concept of neuroplasticity, which refers to the brain's remarkable ability to reorganize and adapt in response to experiences. This means that with the right strategies and stimuli, learners can effectively rewire their brains to acquire new languages or enhance their proficiency in existing ones. By incorporating activities that engage multiple neural pathways, such as interactive discussions, multimedia presentations, and real-life simulations, educators can create enriching learning environments that facilitate neural connections and promote language acquisition.

Furthermore, neurolanguage emphasizes the importance of meaningful engagement and emotional resonance in the learning process. Research has shown that emotions play a significant role in memory formation and information retention. Therefore, educators must foster a positive and supportive atmosphere that encourages learners to connect emotionally with the language they are studying. By incorporating storytelling, role-playing, and other immersive experiences, instructors can evoke emotional responses that strengthen neural connections and deepen learning.

Additionally, neurolanguage advocates for a learner-centered approach that acknowledges the diverse needs and preferences of individual students. By recognizing that each learner possesses a unique neurocognitive profile, educators can tailor their instructional strategies to accommodate different learning styles, preferences, and abilities. This personalized approach not only enhances motivation and engagement but also maximizes the effectiveness of the learning experience.

As we continue to unravel the mysteries of the brain, the field of neurolanguage holds immense promise for revolutionizing teaching and learning. By leveraging insights from neuroscience, educators can unlock the full potential of their students and empower them to become proficient and confident language users.

For those interested in delving deeper into the fascinating world of neurolanguage, we recommend exploring the works of leading researchers such as:

1. Dr. Judy Willis - A neurologist turned educator, Dr. Willis explores the intersection of neuroscience and education, with a focus on practical strategies for optimizing learning.

2. Dr. Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa - An expert in educational neuroscience, Dr. Tokuhama-Espinosa examines how insights from brain research can inform teaching practices and enhance learning outcomes.

3. Dr. Sarah Mercer - With a background in psychology and language teaching, Dr. Mercer investigates the role of affective factors in language learning and the implications for classroom instruction.

By integrating insights from these scholars and others alike, educators can harness the power of neurolanguage to create transformative learning experiences that inspire and empower learners to reach their full potential.

Here's to unlocking the boundless potential of the brain and revolutionizing the way we teach and learn languages.

DIRECTORY HIGHLIGHT

This month I am including an article from The Wilkie Way’s September 2023 newsletter. The revelance of maths is all too often questioned. In this article, Charlotte weave’s her web of maths, connecting it to all aspects of life.

You can subscribe to their newsletter from the website as well as purchase a range of math resources. You are able to purchase a recorded webinar about “Using Problem Solving to Think Mathematically” here.

Ano me he whare pungawerewere.

Behold, it is like the web of a spider.

While much of the content of a maths curriculum is hierarchical with key knowledge building on to more foundational key knowledge we must not loose sight of the fact many of the key concepts are interconnected and related in many ways. The more you know the more complex thinking you are able to do and solving problems in multiple ways becomes much easier.

However the spiders web does not only involve the content (know) of the curriculum. We also need to consider why we learn mathematics and statistics. Success in mathematics and statistics enables students to appreciate and draw on the power of abstraction and symbolic representation to investigate, interpret, and explain patterns and relationships in quantity, space, time, data and uncertainty. Successful students discover inherent personal enjoyment and satisfaction in persistence, solving problems, identifying patterns, and seeing the beauty in mathematics and statistics. They come to appreciate the everyday use of mathematical and statistical tools in, for example, personal finance, music and dance, estimation and measurement. They recognise how their culture is included and valued in the learning area.

Learning in mathematics and statistics builds both literacy and numeracy. It contributes to student literacy by developing their skills in oral and written communication, meaning making (comprehension) and the use of specific vocabulary and symbols. Statistics and probability, in particular, support the understanding of tables, graphs and diagrams (visual language) as well as critical thinking about the quality of data and the stories told about it.

(Read the full purpose statement for mathematics and statistics on page 3 of Mathematics and statistics in the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum May 2023)

The spiders web also includes the big ideas behind mathematics and statistics (Understand) When reading these “big ideas” teachers need to reflect on their own beliefs about mathematics and statistics. Some may find their beliefs challenged, I hope most will be enlightened and expand their beliefs around mathematics and statistics. The refreshed learning area identifies five big ideas:

1. The world is full of patterns and structures that we use mathematics and statistics to understand. They enables us to notice, explore, and describe similarities, regularities and irregularities, and trends in the natural, mathematical and technological and social worlds. They provide tools and ways of working that can reveal patterns and structures useful for decision making, understanding and predicting phenomena, and creating new insights.

2. The world is characterised by change and variation that we use mathematics and statistics to understand. The world embodies a multitude of temporary and permanent relationships in which change and variation occur. Some relationships are linear, others are exponential. Mathematics and statistics enable us to systematically describe and analyse different types of change and variation and to generate insights and make predictions about them. 2 ©Copyright N C Wilkinsons Ltd 2023 All rights reserved.

3. Mathematical and statistical logic and reasoning enable us to identify and explain relationships and to justify conclusions. Reasoning from observation (induction) and reasoning from theory (deduction) allow us to explore situations using mathematics and statistics. Mathematical and statisitical logic and reasoning differentiate what is probable from what is possible and allows us to draw reliable conclusions about what is reasonable or not.

4. The interface between matauranga Maori and matauranga mathematics and statistics offers opportunites for insights that uphold the integrity of each knowledge system. Matauranga Maori and mathematics and statistics are different systems for viewing, understanding and organising the world and for guiding how we operate within it. Matauranga Maori makes meaningful and distinctive contributions to mathematical inquiry and knowledge in Aotearoa New Zealand, just as mathematical and statistical insights contribute to matauranga Maori. When considering concepts, processes and artifacts from te ao Maori, we maintain their integrity by exploring the matauranga Maori associated with them before formulating mathematical and statistical hypotheses about them. (This is the big idea that being a non- maori I have the greatest challenge with as I do not currently have sufficient knowledge of the Matauranga Maori view of mathematics and statistics. I have had some wonderful philosophical discussions with a variety of Maori

(Including one I met while fishing the Tukituki) and we have always reached the conclusion our cultures have more in common than in difference.)

5. Mathematics and statistics have a continuous, evolving human history. Mathematics and statistics have been constructed over thousands of years across the globe as we have grappled with the notions of quantity, numerical representation, measurement, dimension and pattern. They continue to be constructed from ideas drawn from many cultures. In Aotearoa New Zealand, our location in Te Moana-nui-a kiwi, with its multiple cultures, artifacts, and knowledge - contributes to mathematics and statistics.

Did you know?

Two historical points in the world of mathematics that have had a significant impact on the mathematics taught in schools today are firstly the inclusion of zero as a number. (Just over 2000 years ago). The definition of a number requires it to represent something, so for zero to be a number it has to represent nothing of something and not just nothing. Without the number zero we do not have our base 10 place value system. The zero in the base 10 representations of numbers represents nothing of the value of the column. 304 zero = nothing of tens

Earlier this week I was working with a small group of year 4 students introducing them to using rounding and compensating but recording 3 digit additions in a standard vertical form as they could round but were having difficulty in recording the procedure to arrive at an answer.

345 rewritten as 344

199 + 200+

(They knew basic facts are repeated in each column)

They could see the answer would be 544 but had no idea that the ten and the ones columns represented 4 + 0. They explained you just bring down the 44. It did not occur to them that zero played any part.

0 is the additive identity - when you add it to a number it does not change the number.

The second historical point is the invention of decimal numbers. About 1500 years after the base 10 system was used to represent whole numbers, a system for representing fractions was invented. However the fractions had to be expressed in powers of 10 - this we call the decimal number system. It allows us to work with fractions obeying the same rules and procedures that work for whole numbers.

This lead to a measurement system based around powers of ten - French scientists of the late 18th century created the first practically implemented version of the metric system. In opposition to the traditional systems horribly inconsistent mix of different fractions, the metric system would use only decimal fractions and it would relate units at different scales by the use of decimal prefixes.

In 1875 the major world powers including the USA signed the Treaty of the Metre which gave the metric system its first official recognition as the international standard of measure. The creation of the International system of Units (SI units) in 1960 was intended to become the only system of measurement on earth – a logical mathematical language that all nations could share. The commonwealth began its transition towards the new measurement system in the 1960’s. Australia formally announced it had completely transitioned to the metric system in 1988.

But not all countries use the international system of units - USA - gallons, UK - miles and why do people still weigh fish and babies in pounds and ounces?

A good read: The Story of Mathematics by Ian Stewart (ISBN: 978-1-84724-017-0)

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In love and learning

Calli

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