title: Engaging primary students in learning about New Zealand birds: A socially relevant context

authors: Chen, Junjun

subjects: Biology

abstract: This article reports on a classroom study of a unit on New Zealand birds that focused on adaptation and conservation in a Year 7 class. The unit used a 'context as social circumstances' model. The researchers observed the nine lessons and interviewed students, the classroom teacher, and three other teachers who had taught the same unit. The students completed a pre-test and a post-test for the unit. Findings indicate that the students enjoyed and were interested in the unit, and had learnt more than usual. The students investigated predators using the tracking tunnel in their school gully and, of their own volition, in their home gardens. Some students pursued this interest into the wider community after the completion of the unit. The 'context as social circumstances' unit teachers helped students see the relevance of learning science for their lives, personally and socially, which opens up the possibility of action outside the classroom. The role of context, content and activity selection in the design of a unit that has social relevance is discussed

text: Engaging primary students in learning about New Zealand birds: A socially relevant context This article reports on a classroom study of a unit on New Zealand birds that focused on adaptation and conservation in a Year 7 class. The unit used a 'context as social circumstances' model. The researchers observed the nine lessons and interviewed students, the classroom teacher, and three other teachers who had taught the same unit. The students completed a pre-test and a post-test for the unit. Findings indicate that the students enjoyed and were interested in the unit, and had learnt more than usual. The students investigated predators using the tracking tunnel in their school gully and, of their own volition, in their home gardens. Some students pursued this interest into the wider community after the completion of the unit. The 'context as social circumstances' unit teachers helped students see the relevance of learning science for their lives, personally and socially, which opens up the possibility of action outside the classroom. The role of context, content and activity selection in the design of a unit that has social relevance is discussed

year: 2013

title: Parent mental health and associations with mind-mindedness across two  infant interactions: free play and a teaching task

authors: Sparrow, Kerry

subjects: Parental mental health

abstract: Mind-mindedness (MM) is the tendency of a parent to recognise and treat their child as having a mind of their own. The current study aimed to examine associations of parent mental health and wellbeing symptoms with parental MM across two infant interactions: a free play and a teaching task. Sixty-two parent-infant dyads from New Zealand and Australia participated in the interactions, which were recorded and then coded for positive and negatively valenced appropriate and non-attuned MM. In addition, parents also completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), the Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004) and the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ; Luyten, Mayes, Sadler, Fonagy, Nicholls, Crowley & Slade, 2009) via an online survey. 
The results showed that the proportion of appropriate positive MM comments differed across the tasks. Parents spoke more overall during free play but made more appropriate positive and negative comments in the teaching task.  Greater parental stress and anxiety symptoms were associated with more appropriate negative mind-minded comments, with different patterns seen across the two tasks. In free play, stress was associated with appropriate negative MM; whereas in the teaching task, greater parent stress and anxiety were associated with more appropriate negative MM and fewer non-attuned MM comments. Appropriate and non-attuned MM comments were positively correlated with parental pre-mentalising. Increased parental difficulties with emotional regulation were linked to an increase in appropriate negative and also non-attuned MM comments. Stress explained 11.7% of the variance in appropriate negative MM comments in free play, and anxiety explained 12.1% of the variance in appropriate negative MM during the teaching task. Stress and PRFQ pre-mentalising together explained 23.2% of the variance in non-attuned MM comments in the teaching task 
The current findings have implications for understanding how parental wellbeing is associated with differences in MM and extend existing research from free play contexts to the parent-infant teaching context. Understanding differences in MM as a function of parent mental health is important in targeting future MM interventions to support high-risk parents. This research was conducted over the COVID period with varying impacts. In particular, DERS and DASS scores were higher than other research conducted prior to COVID, so caution is required when considering the generalisability of the results. However, this may reflect the ‘new normal’ for a significant portion of time as COVID impact has been reported to be significant and ongoing.

text: Parent mental health and associations with mind-mindedness across two  infant interactions: free play and a teaching task Mind-mindedness (MM) is the tendency of a parent to recognise and treat their child as having a mind of their own. The current study aimed to examine associations of parent mental health and wellbeing symptoms with parental MM across two infant interactions: a free play and a teaching task. Sixty-two parent-infant dyads from New Zealand and Australia participated in the interactions, which were recorded and then coded for positive and negatively valenced appropriate and non-attuned MM. In addition, parents also completed the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1995), the Difficulties with Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS; Gratz & Roemer, 2004) and the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ; Luyten, Mayes, Sadler, Fonagy, Nicholls, Crowley & Slade, 2009) via an online survey. 
The results showed that the proportion of appropriate positive MM comments differed across the tasks. Parents spoke more overall during free play but made more appropriate positive and negative comments in the teaching task.  Greater parental stress and anxiety symptoms were associated with more appropriate negative mind-minded comments, with different patterns seen across the two tasks. In free play, stress was associated with appropriate negative MM; whereas in the teaching task, greater parent stress and anxiety were associated with more appropriate negative MM and fewer non-attuned MM comments. Appropriate and non-attuned MM comments were positively correlated with parental pre-mentalising. Increased parental difficulties with emotional regulation were linked to an increase in appropriate negative and also non-attuned MM comments. Stress explained 11.7% of the variance in appropriate negative MM comments in free play, and anxiety explained 12.1% of the variance in appropriate negative MM during the teaching task. Stress and PRFQ pre-mentalising together explained 23.2% of the variance in non-attuned MM comments in the teaching task 
The current findings have implications for understanding how parental wellbeing is associated with differences in MM and extend existing research from free play contexts to the parent-infant teaching context. Understanding differences in MM as a function of parent mental health is important in targeting future MM interventions to support high-risk parents. This research was conducted over the COVID period with varying impacts. In particular, DERS and DASS scores were higher than other research conducted prior to COVID, so caution is required when considering the generalisability of the results. However, this may reflect the ‘new normal’ for a significant portion of time as COVID impact has been reported to be significant and ongoing.

year: 2023

title: !!!FR33D0M 0FF SP33CH!!!

authors: Smith, Hugh Lyal

subjects: Poetry

abstract: My title is “FR33D0M 0FF SP33CH”, a play on the saying “freedom of speech”. I write with the intent of voicing tough subjects that others haven’t or don’t, and often exposing things that I wouldn’t tell or share personally. “FR33D0M 0FF SP33CH” consists of 37 poems, 2 hooks and a chorus in this complete album. My earliest piece can date back to 2020 with the latest pieces being written in 2021. They express different visions of day-to-day life through points of view and alternating voices and perspectives. The topics range from anything like seeing a face in the smudge on a wall, to things like love, street styles and why I can’t sleep at night. They are to be read left to right, top to bottom -- but feel free to read them as you see fit, because it’s art after all and what you see is what you see. Those labelled “Mirrored” have been turned upside down to allow reading from either end and show the extent of form and variety my pieces can take. Some things may be explicit or hard to read, but I assure you that they are just certain views from different angles that I believe need to be shared. There is a strong political/cultural component to my mahi, a tough vocal attack on elements of society I believe are flawed and unjust, and an exposure of the addictions and abuses that colonial history and racial inequality lead to – but there’s also an intense celebration of the power of the Māori voice that remains, its beat and pride and resilience and ancestry, joined by a rich musical joy in the songs of the street I grew up in, their rhythms and rap, energy and power. It has taken me a long time to reach this level of writing in terms of technique, rhythm and content. I want the reader to see things through my shades and feel what it feels like to be me with an understanding of why I am and where I come from. To understand that, No, I don’t know everything, and I don’t expect anyone else to. But, Yes, this is what I saw, felt and how I interpreted it. So there it is and this is me, the bro Hugh. A lit ūrikā descendant of Ngāti Kuri, Ngāti Rēhia, Te Rārawa, Te Aupōuri and Ngāpuhi. Bred in the streets I-roam and made home. A dreamer of the future. Last but not least, your son, your brother, your bro and he who wrote the killer book that you are about to read. Churrr!!!

text: !!!FR33D0M 0FF SP33CH!!! My title is “FR33D0M 0FF SP33CH”, a play on the saying “freedom of speech”. I write with the intent of voicing tough subjects that others haven’t or don’t, and often exposing things that I wouldn’t tell or share personally. “FR33D0M 0FF SP33CH” consists of 37 poems, 2 hooks and a chorus in this complete album. My earliest piece can date back to 2020 with the latest pieces being written in 2021. They express different visions of day-to-day life through points of view and alternating voices and perspectives. The topics range from anything like seeing a face in the smudge on a wall, to things like love, street styles and why I can’t sleep at night. They are to be read left to right, top to bottom -- but feel free to read them as you see fit, because it’s art after all and what you see is what you see. Those labelled “Mirrored” have been turned upside down to allow reading from either end and show the extent of form and variety my pieces can take. Some things may be explicit or hard to read, but I assure you that they are just certain views from different angles that I believe need to be shared. There is a strong political/cultural component to my mahi, a tough vocal attack on elements of society I believe are flawed and unjust, and an exposure of the addictions and abuses that colonial history and racial inequality lead to – but there’s also an intense celebration of the power of the Māori voice that remains, its beat and pride and resilience and ancestry, joined by a rich musical joy in the songs of the street I grew up in, their rhythms and rap, energy and power. It has taken me a long time to reach this level of writing in terms of technique, rhythm and content. I want the reader to see things through my shades and feel what it feels like to be me with an understanding of why I am and where I come from. To understand that, No, I don’t know everything, and I don’t expect anyone else to. But, Yes, this is what I saw, felt and how I interpreted it. So there it is and this is me, the bro Hugh. A lit ūrikā descendant of Ngāti Kuri, Ngāti Rēhia, Te Rārawa, Te Aupōuri and Ngāpuhi. Bred in the streets I-roam and made home. A dreamer of the future. Last but not least, your son, your brother, your bro and he who wrote the killer book that you are about to read. Churrr!!!

year: 2021