Gymnastics

I have passed the gymnastics unit by being assessed and successfully completing three apparatus, these were; Trampoline - Merit, Parallel Bars - Achieved and Beam - Achieved.
I enjoyed the gymnastics unit as in P.E pick up the activities very quickly and can do them at a high standard but with gymnastics I actually need to push myself and work hard because I find it a challenge.

The English Language Article

On The Surface

1. Commerce, Trade, Education, Science, International Relations ad Tourism are areas where English is used for communication.
2. It is a major part of global economy.
3. Papua New Guinea, Brazil and Australia are trying to preserve their language.

Discovering Techniques

1. The definition of “lingua franca” is “A language that is adopted as a common language between speakers whose native language is different”.
2. English is described as an “open source” because it can be adapted and modified depending on what way the language is being used.
3. The headline of the article alludes to the TV programme “Life As We Know It”

Search & Think

1. Religious Dialects, National Standards with Conventions, Slang, Pronunciation, Mobile Phones, Texting and Emailing.
2. The writer is worried about the English rise as it has a major impact on the countries that don’t speak English, it is putting languages at risk of distinction.

Hidden Depths

1. The indigenous language in New Zealand is Maori, Maori is being preserved in my opinion it is sometimes being preserved to extreme lengths.
2. I do not think we use New Zealand English, I think we use the English that the U.K uses. In schools we are always being told wrong when we use American spellings and are corrected to U.K English.
3. The use of computers has affected my spelling. When I make an error on a computer it is underlined in red, within two clicks it is corrected to the right spelling, this does not teach me anything as I don’t take notice of the right spelling. When I need to research something I just type up the answer and it comes up or instead of doing something practical I will just play on my phone, instead of this I could be reading which helps with spelling and extending vocabulary.

Crossing Nile

Have you ever dreaded something so much, you’ve considered to do anything to get out of it? I have. It was a crispy cold day where the clouds were covered in silver pillows casting a storm of despair on my being. We made our way down a chocolate slip n slide, laughing and tumbling as we went. As we reached the root we cast our eyes upon a sky blue river. Our experienced leader explained the task that lay in our future. We were to be a circus act and tightrope across a river, then turn into a zipling arborist coming back to our starting point. My mouth turned into a donut, who did she think I was, Bear Grylls, I thought not.

I plonked myself onto a rock by the river away from the pack. I figured if she didn’t see me I wouldn’t do it. One by one clowns did their circus tricks. I observed the show in a bubble of boredom from my riverfront seat, solo, until a ginger baboon accompanied me. He was then followed by his brunette baboon friend. The pair made me smile and laugh, we skimmed stones across the lake, or at least tried to. The activity was nearing the end of the people, I still did not want to be a funambulist and I learnt that my brunette friend Harry, didn’t either. The only two left to do it were Harry and I. We were thrown our harnesses and helped each other into them, we made sure we had double security. Our leader then shot a curious look to us, “Which one of you is going first?”, we looked at each other and being a good friend Harry offered to go first. He clambered to the top of the staircase and clipped on, away he went, zooming down the wire like a rollercoaster he soon reached the finish, the leader then looked at me, and I knew I had no way out of this. Those steps looked like big gaping holes to hell, I just did not want to do this. My hands were shaking, my knees were trembling and my heart was playing on a pogo stick. I staggered up the steps and clipped on, I triple checked everything to make sure I was not going to fall to my death (a major over exaggeration but this was how anxious I was). I took to the shiny plaited grey wire. I was unable to find balance and realised I wasn’t going to, so I decided to ride the wire like a teeter-totter. Keeping my arms close to my pounding chest I soon learnt that this was causing an unneeded added struggle. My ginger companion started to scream at me, instructing me on how to have my arms, I tried to push them out but that was worse and they came straight back in like a yo-yo. The tabby still found the need to scream at me, I couldn’t deal with it and unleashed my fury and frustration on him like a dog barking at a cat.

Baby steps seemed to be the way and before I knew it I wasn’t above the bank but above the river. I kept going and step by step I inched my way across the wire. It wasn’t going exactly smoothly but it was tolerable until I found myself in the middle of a tornado and that’s when trouble started to stir. I was being blown about like I was pegged on a washing line. I persevered and soon enough made it to the end. I was so proud of myself and felt like I accomplished a lot, then I turned around to see I crossed a skinny little puddle, that's it, that’s all I crossed, it felt like I had crossed the Nile not a piddly stream. I was then reminded I still had to go back, but at least I just had to sit there while being pulled across. Harry plodded his way to the edge where he awaited his circus challenge. Up he went and like me he immediately started complaining, he did well and made his way through tornado valley, but then “Whoosh”, Harry falls off the wire and dangles like an ornament on a christmas tree. He made his way back on and crossed the finish line. Right now it's time for me to join my pack on the other side. I clip on and “Zwoosh Zwoosh Zwoosh”, I am pulled back to safety. I hop down the stairs and rejoin my two pals.

I was very proud of myself for what I had accomplished. Even though it seemed like nothing to others, it was a lot for me. I learnt that things like that are just mind over matter, instead of looking at it as a piece of spaghetti waiting to snap, I should've just seen it for what it was. I used a lot of perseverance and resilience to get through the activity and it was worth it.

Gymnastics 18/09/17

Bar

I attempted to do a back hip circle but was unsuccessful

Parallel Bars

I successfully learnt and did a forward roll with the help of Mr. Grace


Next time the apparatuses I would like to practice are the beam and trampoline.

Gymnastics 15/09/17

Beam

I have managed to complete the achieved sequence. I attempted the merit sequence and could do it but not well.

Bar

I successfully completed the achieve sequence.

Parallel Bars

I managed to complete the achieved sequence, I was not very good at the dismount to start with but now have managed the skill. I tried the merit sequence and could do the sequence well. I tried the forward roll with a mat to start with and successfully did it. I then wanted to try without the mat. I did the forward roll but fell off the bars during the roll.

Floor

I assisted Crystal but did not participate as I was a bit sore from my fall.


For my assessment I have chosen to do:
Beam, Achieved Sequence
Bar, Achieved Sequence
Parallel Bars, Achieved Sequence

Gymnastics 11/09/17

Trampoline
I successfully did the achieved sequence.

Floor
I did my forward roll well. I then helped Maxzi learn the forward roll on the mat.

Beam
I tried the achieved sequence but could not complete it as I can not do a cat leap.

Bar
I helped Maxzi flip over the bar.

Next time I wish to practice the forward roll on the parallel bars without the mat. I would also like to learn how to do the back dismount.

Gymnastics 08/09/17

Beam

I learnt what a side dismount was. I attempted to do this, I was able to lift myself up and get one leg on the beam but was unable to get up without putting my knees on the beam. I successfully did dip walks, but I need to work on my cat leap, pivot turn and side dismount.

Bar

I found this apparatus difficult. I could hold myself in front support but could not do a back hip circle.

Parallel Bars

I was happy with what I achieved on the bars. I managed to walk myself into the middle and straddle successfully. I then went on to learn and do a forward roll using the mat thanks to Mrs Tafau. I was a little timid at first but then realised I trusted Mrs Tafau and Jess to hold support on the mat, I then did the roll and realised it wasn't hard.

The Loss Of My Life

Have you ever lost someone who you are extremely close to? I have, I’ve lost two incredible people in my life. I used to have the two greatest people with me until one day my world was flipped upside down. It was a breezy spring day and I was sitting outside reading a book my Grandma had given to me and “ring ring” the phone rang, I dashed inside and answered. There was an unknown voice on the other end, her voice was soft and calm but you could tell she was hiding something. She told me that she was sorry repeatedly, I became so bewildered, I requested her to tell me what she felt sorrow for. I dropped the phone, I abandoned the woman. This couldn’t be true, this could not be happening, my worst nightmare had become a reality. The woman was a nurse at Central Districts Hospital and she had told me the most drastically devastating news I had ever heard. Grandma and Grandpa were travelling home from their holiday batch in Kaikoura and that's when tragedy struck, they collided with another vehicle and both died at hospital.

My heart just got pulled out and turned into confetti. I was  falling down a tunnel of despair and didn’t know if I was ever going to come out the other end. I needed them, they were my everything, they were the thing that I pushed myself for, they were my rock. I just couldn’t see the Earth without them.

A week later I was still struggling to come to terms with the wicked turn of events. I decided to actually do something about it. My Grandparents used to take me to a lovely sunny place in Mangrove Forest, it was by a glistening lake and surrounded by flowers that were as white as snow. We would take a picnic and just spend amazing hours listening to stories till the sun departed. I went to the garage and grabbed the three chairs we once sat on at their humble abode. The chairs were made from a dusty coloured maple material, they were a picture of love, laughter and wisdom. I took the old souls and packed them into my turquoise ute. I blasted out my Grandpa’s CD and traveled to the beloved spot in Mangrove Forest. Rain clouds immediately formed in my eyes and started to pour. I collected the chairs from the back and scanned the area for somewhere to place the chairs. I glanced over to a cleared spot in front of the trees and beside the lake, it was perfect. I planted the chairs into the earth. I took a step back and admired the picture perfect scene. This was it, this was what I needed to come to terms with the loss of my Grandparents.

My Grandparents had a spectacular life, they left an incredible legacy and now i’ts up to me to carry on that legacy and make them proud.