The Taranaki team joined twice this year for our Keep in Touch (KIT) Days. Our tamariki and whānau enjoyed meeting, reconnecting, spending time together, sharing experiences, and learning more about NZSL and our region’s history.

Fanny Bertha Good exhibition

Fanny Bertha Good (1860-1950) began painting at 17 after losing her hearing. She found painting peaceful and immersed herself in the silent forest. We looked at Fanny’s botanical artworks of Taranaki’s flora and fauna and the historical effects of deforestation. We shared kai, played games led by our ākonga and created a mandala using natural materials.

NZSL Focused KIT Day

Our NZSL focused KIT Day was a wonderful, collaborative, interactive day filled with games, activities, stories, and waiata. The tamariki enjoyed learning and practising their NZSL skills. We saw their confidence flourish as they communicated, searched for new signs and shared their new language skills. Many conversations followed this KIT Day about how much the ākonga and their whānau enjoyed learning more about NZSL.