This term our class is learning about, and learning to develop our mental toughness.
We believe that if we can understand this and ourselves better, we will be better able to face difficult challenges in our lives. This could be in our personal lives, our sporting lives, or even our working lives.

People we believe demonstrate mental toughness include:

Tiger Woods
Sarah Hirini
Reuben Wiki
Portia Woodman
Christiano Ronaldo
Mike Tyson

I love this quote.
To me it sums up the idea of creativity to solve a real life problem.

Before globalisation (before technology allowed us to move things all around the world) we would have to solve the problems we faced, with what we had around us. In New Zealand this was referred to the “Number 8 wire” mentality. It came from those living rurally, isolated solving their problems with what they had lying around.

I hope to bring this back a bit for the Trades Academy students hence why on Friday last week we spent time trying to solve how we could move our large heavy picnic tables easily.

Today our class looked into this idea of “taking responsibility for ourselves”.

We did this because we know that this is an area that if done well, can have a very positive effect on on our lives as learners and as workers.

We asked ourselves what does this look like?
What does it sound like?

We came up with our own reflections.

After this we looked at our own work flows this year (units of learning we will need to complete as part of our BCATs or BCITO mahi). We started formulating a plan so we can complete our work by the end of Term 3.

Yesterday the CTA students were tasked with cutting various lengths off 500mm diameter posts, ranging from 150mm to 208mm. Nothing too out of the ordinary in this, except for the fact that they had to use handsaws.
It was fairly hard going due to the diameter of the posts and some of the saws continuously jamming in the wood, making it difficult to cut through the posts . To make it worse the posts were fairly short and difficult to keep still and steady.
The students came up with various strategies on how to steady the posts and used chisels and wedges to keep the cut wide. This helped a bit but it was still a labourious and somewhat frustrating task.
To the students’ credit they didn’t give up and persevered to get the job done. I was very impressed with their efforts , well done boys! You more than lived up to our Kowhai House motto, Mahia te mahi! (Get the work done)
Paul Cochrane

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass,
it’s about learning to dance in the rain.

For me this quote is all about YOUR ATTITUDE.
Sometimes life is tough, it can feel like you are in a storm.

It’s not about doing NOTHING and waiting for the storm to pass,
life is about working out what is in your control and working on that.