Winiata’s Blog

Do people ever pay attention to the reality shows on TV about real life tragedies?  Does the message in the gruesome advertisements about the dangers of car crashes ever really get through? So why do people still drink and drive, and make so many stupid mistakes behind the wheel?

I aim to improve in tech arts (music, art, food, sewing, wood work and especially science).

This I have completed by attending tech arts as often as possible. I’ve also been better at science by becoming a science monitor and completing my science fair project and becoming a finalist.

I aim to be a good role model as a House captain.

I’ve done this by attending singing assemblies often, and trying to make a good impression when I’m up on the stage. I’ve also tried my best in inter house sports.

I aim to improve on my instrument (tenor saxophone) by doing practice 4 x a week.

I have definitely become better at playing my saxophone, but I didn’t quite get to practising 4 times a week.

I aim to try my best in sports. Also, I want to be better in Cross Country by getting fit.

I think I have tried my best in sports by getting involved in more sports and practising them. I have seen an improvement in my cross-country running because I’m getting furtherer ahead of most people when we run.

I aim to extend on my kapahaka experience by attending every Noho (live in) and joining in every event and competition they attend.

This year I have learnt many more songs, and I’ve attended as many meetings as possible.

I aim to work well with others (Term 1 work group) and by myself.

I have been a bit better when working with groups, but I still need to work on this.

I aim to get my work finished early so I won’t have to worry about anything for the rest of the week.

I have completed this aim with some of my work, but I have had times where my work was handed in late.

I aim to improve in my ICT skills (multi-media experience, typing, and computers) by practising at home on my computer.

Typing on the computer has become easier for me now because I have done it more times, and I am becoming faster. I am also more confident on the computer, especially on the internet and my blog.

I aim to write an interesting post on my blog every week and write a constructive comment on someone’s blog.

I have tried to do this, but lately I have been too busy to write a blog post and post a comment.

I aim to improve with my reading, which means going to the town library every fortnight and reading a book each week.

I think I have become better at reading, but I haven’t been going to the town library every week.

On Monday May 12^th, I packed my bags and headed out my front door, on the way to school for our 2008 Totora Springs camp. Most of the students in the symphonic band and choir were attending this camp which was held at Totora Springs.  After I arrived at school, I watched as everyone else filed into the ALC. Quickly, I put down my bags and followed. We settled down on the floor and waited for instructions. Once our music teacher had finished speaking, we grabbed our bags and boarded the bus. The trip there was noisy and loud because lots of people were singing in the back of the bus. I spent much of the travelling time texting my friends.  When we arrived, we unloaded our bags and prepared our cabins by unpacking and laying out sleeping bags, etc.  Then we had our first practise. We set out all the chairs and got out our instruments. We stocked our folders with the music we needed for the camp. The tunes we were given were really great, and I had fun as we learnt how to play them all.  As the day went on, we practised for many hours, and before I realised it, the day was all over. After dinner I lay down and thought of what a fun day I had had, and I couldn’t wait until tomorrow.  The next morning, after breakfast, we commenced our practising. That day we practised for about 6 hours, and at the end I was really tired. But the time had come for the big concert, for which we had prepared many hours. We were going to have an evening show with an audience of hundreds.  We lined up in another room, and tuned our instruments ready for the night. I was starting to get a little nervous. The teacher told us to head for the big room where we were going to perform. But on the way there, the fire alarm went off. Everyone had to evacuate the building, which made a lot of visitors angry. Once the alarm had been switched off, the word was given to go back inside. We sat down quietly in our seats and waited for everyone else to settle down. The teacher lifted her arm. It was time for us to play. I lifted my instrument slowly, and as I did, the beat was given, and we played. I looked at the music as I played my Tenor Saxophone. I watched closely as the audience stared back at us. We played about five songs before the bracket was finally finished. I rested my saxophone on my lap with relief, and watched all the others perform.  The concert carried on for about 1 hour. By the end I was tired and wanted to get out. At the very end, we all stood up and took a bow. We all filed out of the big room with happiness and relief that it was all over. All that practising had certainly paid off. I am proud and happy that I performed that night at Totara Springs camp, and I look forward to the next time I’ll be able to play in the T.A. Intermediate senior band.

 “Ready to climb?” I said nervously. My bee layer simply replied “Climb away”. These words rushed through my head as the long pole swayed in the wind. One by one, I climbed each rung. As I reached the top I hesitantly put my shaking leg onto the first platform. I asked the bee layer what to do next. She told me that the best way to get across to the next platform was to jump, but I wasn’t so sure. Slowly and carefully, I lifted my leg and leapt forward onto the next platform. I had taken my first leap, but was it enough? The next was easier than the one before. I was starting to get the hang of it, but then I saw there was a big problem. The last gap was really big, and worse still, it was going up hill. Suddenly, the rope that seemed to keep me safe from possible danger, got tighter. I was yanked backwards, which kept me from my goal. As I searched around for support, I happened to look down. What a big mistake that was. Seeing all those concerned faces looking anxiously back at me. My legs were now wobbling like mad. Then something made me look across. I watched all the other people struggling to meet their challenges. Then I thought to myself, ‘If they can do it, why can’t I?’ I moved back a couple of steps, took a big breath, and sprang out. I felt a firm surface beneath my foot. YES! I had finally made it. I reached my arm out to tag the pole. Success sure felt good. An excited feeling charged through me. It was done! I made my way back to the middle platform, jumping for joy as I went. I felt relieved as I flapped my arms like a bird on the way down. Boy that day was cool. The experience was fantastic and I hope I’ll be able to repeat this again one day soon. 

On the 8th of April, rooms 3 & 7 arrived at school with all their bags packed and ready to depart. We were going to Ohope for this year’s camp. Ohope is a nice little town right next to the beach. Once the bell rang to start school, we all assembled outside the classroom, but we had to wait for another hour because one of the drivers had not yet arrived. Just before we left, the teacher put us into the groups that we were travelling in. I had the best car because our driver gave us chocolate bars to eat. 

On our way to Ohope we took a detour and stopped at Lake Okataina, and boy was it windy! We went onto the lakeshore and immediately noticed two waka that were beached, half on the shore and half in the water. We played touch on the sand and I got hurt. I was running fast and I fell forward and grazed my knee badly. 

After eating lunch we took a walk along a track into the bush. I was misbehaving and tossing sticks onto the track. Eventually the track led to an even windier clearing by the lake. The force of the wind was so strong that when I tossed a stick straight up into the air it landed 5 metres behind me. After a while we returned back to where the cars were parked. 

On the way back we drove through some very winding roads, and our car came very close to scraping against the steep cliffs on the left hand side. After that, the rest of the trip was ordinary, until we arrived in Whakatane and got lost for a while.

When we finally arrived at Ohope we discovered we were the first car to get there. We couldn’t unpack because the cabins were still locked so we played cricket while we waited for everyone else to get there. My friend accidentally hit the ball across the road and we weren’t allowed to cross over to get it so that ball was history until later on in the day when we recovered it from a bush. Once the others got there, we all grabbed our bags and put everything in the cabins. 

Later that afternoon we went to the beach to play a game of touch. My knee was still hurting and I tripped over again and got sand in it so that didn’t help. So I abandoned the touch game and decided that throwing handfuls of wet sand at the girls would be more entertaining. That night we had meatballs and spaghetti for dinner. I stuffed myself full.  Then I went to bed and slept like a log. That’s the first day done.  

Last Friday there was a championship swimming event at our school. Only the confident swimmers attended. We did loads of different heats. I swam the easy ones first - 25m freestyle, 25m backstroke, and 25m breaststroke. Then came the harder ones – 25m butterfly, 50m freestyle, 50m backstroke, 50m breaststroke and the big one, 100m freestyle. I did the best in freestyle where I either got 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd.It was a good day and I felt good that I did it.

I aim to improve in tech arts (music, art, food, sewing, wood work and especially science). I aim to be a good role model as a House captain.  Also, I want toI aim to improve on my instrument ( tenor saxophone) by doing practice 4 x a week. I aim to try my best in sports. Also, I want to be better in Cross Country by getting fit.I aim to extend on my kapahaka experience by attending every Noho (live in) and joining in every event and competition they attend. I aim to work well with others (Term 1 work group) and by myself. I aim to get my work finished early so I won’t have to worry about anything for the rest of the week. I aim to improve in my ICT skills (multi-media experience, typing, and computers) by practising at home on my computer. I aim to write a interesting post on my blog every week and write a constructive comment on someone’s blog.I aim to improve with my reading, which means going to the town library every fortnight and reading a book each week. 

This is a Island-Talk comparison of school life in Australia and New Zealand.

I aim to improve in my ICT skills (multi media experience, typing, and computers) by practising at home on my computer.I aim to work well with others (term 4 work group) and by myself.I aim to stop day dreaming and to get on with my work.I aim to improve on my instrument (keyboard) by doing piano practice 4 x a week.I aim to improve in tech arts (music, art, food, sewing, wood work and science).I aim to try my best in athletics, especially high jump. I also aim to do my best in the talent quest (lip sync).I aim to go to Rarotonga in June 2008 with the TAI kapahaka roopu.I aim to extend on my kapahaka experience by attending every Noho (live in) and joining in every event and competition they attend.I aim to get my work finished early so I won’t have to worry about anything for the rest of the week.I aim to finish my book before the end of the year, so I can start another book.