Intervention insights...

Sooooo,

Let me give you an insight to what my intervention is.

Because my CoL is around the transition of Y8 to Y9 - I decided to create a target group in both Year 8 and Year 9. I thought 6 students would be ideal because it's not too big or too small. Fortunately with Tamaki College being our local High School and I know some of the teachers there, I contacted Ms Amber George, Ms Dorothy Apelu, Mr Mansell and Mr Albert Stevenson for some help.

Eventually, I was able to form my target groups and from Term 2 of this year, I have met with my group 3x. Another bonus is, my Y9 target group are my ex-students from last year. 

The plan is to meet with them 3x this term and 3x next term. For my sessions this term and term 4, they will be working with my 6 Year 8 students, in the role of a mentor. 

For their first session, it will be a 'get to know you' session and for the remaining 5 sessions - they will be working on some 'Critical Thinking' tasks. These will include Reebus Puzzles, Riddles, Brainteasers, Debate Provocations etc

Last year we had the WayFYnders mentor group from Tamaki College come and work with some of our Y8 students. We found it very effective. The students who were selected as mentees were students who had attendance, self-esteem and motivation issues. After a term of mentoring, our Principal checked the attendance rate of the learners and we saw some really positive changes. This was the inspiration for my intervention this year.

I am hoping that through this mentoring programme between Y9 and Y8 students, the anxiety and stress for the Y8 learners transitioning into High School will be less tense and less pressure for the learners.