Blog Archives

The Lords Prayer – Tonga

The Lords Prayer in Tongan

The Lords prayer in Tongan

The importance of passing on simple cultural phrases, prayers and songs can have a positive and meaningful impact on the child’s sense of belonging and identity.

As a continuation of out Culture & Identity theme, Mele’s mother is teaching her the Lords Prayer in Tongan, in the hopes that Mele can memorize it just like her mother did, when she was young.

At Pacific Learners, we are passionate about producing and promoting Pacific cultural content, so we have introduced Resource Pages that focus on each of our Pacific cultures. The Resource Pages contain images and videos that cover songs, prayers, language and cultural topics.

If you are interested in viewing more Tongan content, visit our Tongan Language Resource Page.

May 16, 2021

I am Tongan

Tongan culture plays an important part in a child’s identity and development, it also gives a child a sense of belonging. As parents, caregivers, family and the wider community, it is important we pass down cultural traditions, stories and customs from one generation to another. In this video, Tevita gets to present a country that he loves, Tonga.

Pacific Learners is passionate about providing Pacific based content that aims to address the social, cultural, wellbeing and educational needs our young Pacific Children.

For more Tongan content, you can visit our Tongan Language Resource page.

April 29, 2021

Helping our children cope with Stress and Anxiety Part Three

Helping our children cope with Stress and Anxiety (Part 3)

Helping our children cope with stress and anxiety

In our first two video’s, we touched on the impact stress and anxiety has on our children, and the signs we need to look out for. Our children are resilient however dealing with stress over time has a negative impact on our children’s learning, confidence and self-worth. Our community is made up of family, friends, church members and leaders, and it is our responsibility is to ensure our children reach their full potential, and live lives of meaning who contribute to society.

At Pacific Learners, we believe a happy home environment is often reflected in a child’s personality and confidence. In this video, Talia shows off her talent by singing Le aute which is followed by a round of applause from her class.

By spending time with children, listening to their concerns and putting there needs over our own, we begin to understand what the issues are, then work with them to overcome their stress and anxiety.

5 ways to help your children cope with stress and anxiety

Take the time to listen to your children, reassure them and tell them they are loved and supported
Help them take a break, take the time to play, draw or go for an outing. Make sure they have fun and a positive experience.
Teach them coping skills like controlling their breathing, label the feeling, reading and positive self talk
Provide routines, like going to bed at the same time, having a family dinner at the same time. Routine can calm a child’s anxiety.
Reach out for support and use services that are available such as a school councilor or family doctor.

So you haven’t seen our first 2 videos on Stress and Anxiety ? you can see them here:

Helping children cope with stress and anxiety part 1 – Identifying the symptoms of stress and anxiety
Helping children cope with stress and anxiety part 2 – Communication is key

April 29, 2021

Helping our children cope with Stress and Anxiety Part Two

Helping our children cope with Stress and Anxiety (Part 2)

Communication is key to helping our children cope with stress and anxiety

As parents and caregivers, we are often busy and stressed ourselves, so we miss the signs off stress and anxiety that our children could be going through.

When our children are quiet or withdrawn, we conclude they could be tired, or their busy with home work or they need a rest. Although we could appreciate the peace and quiet, there could be underlying issues that we are unaware of.

In part one of the ‘Helping our children cope with Stress and Anxiety‘ video series, we learn that Talia’s teacher has noticed that Talia is not herself, so she calls a meeting with Talia’s father. By talking about Talia’s behavour, both Talia’s teacher and Talia’s father begin to piece together what could be causing the out of character behavour.

This Pacific Learners video highlights the importance of communication. By understanding the triggers of why our children are stressed and worried, we can then begin to provide support and see our children flourish.

5 effective ways of communicating with your child

Give your child your full attention, turn off your phone and make sure there are no interruptions. You child is your priority
Encourage your children to talk about how they feel and what they are thinking. Ask open ended questions
Do not judge your child or say things like ‘this is what you need to do!’ This is a time for sharing feelings and building trust
Be aware of your body language and tone. Try not to cross your arms or raise your voice, this will result in your child withdrawing
Build on what your child is saying, say things like ‘tell me more’ or ‘that must have been difficult’. Try not butt in when your child is talking

In Part one of ‘Helping our children cope with Stress and Anxiety‘ we uncover the signs of why Talia is feeling anxious and stressed.

April 26, 2021

Pacific Learners – About Us

Pacific Learners, about us

In this video, Talia talks about ‘Pacific Learners’ and the idea behind the animated videos. COVID-19 has impacted our Pacific Families; our aim is to address the social, cultural, health and wellbeing issues facing our Pacific Families and Young Pacific learners.

View the about us page to learn more

April 19, 2021

Helping our children cope with Stress and Anxiety Part One

Helping our children cope with Stress and Anxiety (Part 1)

Improving our children’s wellbeing is a community effort

The saying ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ is from an African proverb, that means an entire community must play their part in providing a safe, healthy, encouraging and supportive environment for our children to thrive and succeed.

This Pacific Learners video is the first in a three part series that addresses the mental health and wellbeing of our children.

At a time where COVID-19 has significantly impacted our Pacific Communities, we cant forget to focus on the most vulnerable, our elderly and our children.

This video follows little Talia as she tries to cope with the stress and anxiety that is caused by family issues, in particular her father who has lost his job through COVID-19. Although Talia is displaying signs of stress and anxiety, it is her teacher that takes action and addresses the issue with her father.

5 warning signs that our children are under stress

Becoming quiet and withdrawing from family and friends, especially in social settings.
Overreacting to small and minor problems. This is also tied into seeing increased aggression
Trouble concentrating. Completing homework could be a challenge for children with stress and anxiety
Nightmares or bedwetting could be a sign that your child is dealing with stress and anxiety
Eating or Sleeping problems. With stress and anxiety, a child could stay awake worrying and have trouble falling asleep.

If you found this video useful, dont forget to watch Part 2 and 3 of our ‘Coping with Stress and Anxiety’ series

Coping with Stress and Anxiety Part 2 – Importance of communication
Coping with Stress and Anxiety Part 3 – Importance of identity and culture

January 5, 2016

Preparing your child for Primary School

Preparing your child for Primary School can be a stressful time for our young Pacific Learners and their families. It is important that we start the transition process early, and that our children can start to think and prepare for the journey ahead.

In this video, the pre-school teacher has 2 children that will be turning 5 soon, so she makes an appointment with the local Primary school so the children can meet the teacher, some of the children and become familiar with the school environment.

At Pacific Learners, we have a passion to see our young Pacific children get a great start to their schooling.

Below, we have listed 5 things a parent can do to prepare their child for Primary School, as a Pacific parent, it is important that you allow your child to continue to express themselves in their Pacific culture. They will make friends from all cultures, so encourage them to continue speaking their Pacific Langauge.

5 things parents can do to prepare your Preschool children for Primary School

Identify the Primary School your child will be going to, then start to talk to your child about the school and the fun things they will be doing there.
Talk to the preschool and ask to see the transition plan, the preschool will have a plan that will enable a smooth transition.
In the weekend, or after preschool, take your child to the school, let them look around and play on the equipment. The child will become familiar with the environment and be more comfortable when they start.
Don’t be too caught up in the child’s literacy and numeracy levels, for now it is about getting them settled into the new environment and exploring and making new friends.
If English is a second language, don’t be worried. Let your child speak their Pacific language at home, this is important for their sense of belonging and cultural identity

« First ‹ Prev 7 8 910

The Lords Prayer – Tonga

The Lords Prayer in Tongan