A motivating Saturday PD with James Nottingham on Challenging Learning. I really like the idea of having 'preview' for children prior to learning and will share the learning pit with the class and attempt to keep learning interesting and challenging. Also will definitely be praising the action and process rather than the person. Need to also look at progress verses achievement, might be a high achiever but not progressing.
Staff meeting today was led by NpEW on reflective questioning and peer coaching
Wrote down strengths and weaknesses then fed back to partner- neutral
Looked at levels of questioning and wrote a series of questions based on them.
Asked partner the questions.
Discussed challenges of questioning. We looked at and developed and questioned the use of the following.
Found it tricky to not want to show agreement or disagreement or to add own thoughts or interrupt when listening and difficult when not given any acknowledgement when talking. Something I need to learn. Will also try and use these reflective questions with the class, may help in my inquiry this year on self-directed learning.
An interesting day looking at the our mission and vision statement and what we see as our vision moving forward. Having read the book The Leader in Me and listened to the talk from Western Heights Primary I really like the 7 Habits and their initiatives especially as it fosters an inside out approach, starting with teachers and that it is not a curriculum, it is integrated throughout the school and community. I will try and introduce this into my practice and life this year. A summary of the day can be viewed here
The above site was used to reflect on applied practice for the last 16 weeks of the Mind lab course on applied practice in context and also includes a reflection of the course.
Had a great evening presenting 2 workshops at this event organised by the Waiariki literacy association. It was an honor to be asked and great to meet and share with other teachers.
week 2 looking at 21st century skills. What skills do our students need in this time of change?
Reflected individually through a Google form on our thoughts then all of the Rotorua group had their responses recorded in a word cloud.
My thoughts
Collaboration
Reciprocal learning
Problem solving and problem creating
Creativity
Innovation
Self-regulation
Communication
Our next task was to look at Gert Biesta’s domains of purpose
We were asked to discuss in groups
Are schools balanced across the three domains?
Skills in a time of hyperchange?
How does the ‘Knowledge as a noun’ idea sit here?
There were some interesting discussion around socialisation and whether we change in different places, situations and who we are with. Are qualifications always needed? I feel that knowledge as a noun sits in this area and that that knowledge as a verb sits in subjectification. Many innovative people don't necessary have formal qualifications and I believe our existing ways of being can change especially in the global world we find ourselves in and the many interactions we have from it.
We looked at the document 21st century learning design and compared their defined skills needed for 21st century learning with the key competencies.
21st century skills
Key Competencies
Collaboration
Knowledge Construction
Self Regulation
Real World Problems/Innovations
ICT for learning
Skilled Communication
Thinking
Relating to others
Understanding language, symbols and texts
Managing Self
Participating and Contributing
Our group (Kath, Kersty and I) were given one of the ITL research 21st century skills and an activity rubric to create a video. We were given Collaboration and the following rubric.
We looked at the steps needed to create a good movie.
Watch the three little pigs move through the rubric of collaboration, where they have shared responsibility to make substantive decisions.
In our other paper on leadership in digital and collaborative learning we were asked to
reflect: How might teachers’ strengths in developing capabilities in thinking, using language, symbols and texts, managing self, relating to others, and participating and contributing, be recognised and celebrated?How might students’ capabilities in thinking, using language, symbols, and texts, managing self, relating to others, and participating and contributing, be recognised and celebrated?
I believe the key competencies all weave together and are not separate.
Teachers-when working collaboratively: planning, teacher inquiry, moderation, PLD, class blogs, working with other teachers or schools, learning conversations, working with the community, Asking questions,reading current literature, reflecting on practice, identifying own goals, RTC blog, balanced time on work and away from work, professional networks, Students-working in groups, inquiry learning, reflecting, setting and assessing against goals, planning for their learning, critical thinking and problem solving and setting, challenging assumptions, curiosity, interpret information,provide information and communicate with others, student blogs, knowing when to lead and when to follow,positive interaction with others-within the school and the community and with other school students when at activities or events. Certificates indicating when key competencies are been displayed. Setting class Dojo behaviour awards to the key competencies. Constantly referring to them and questioning what they look like in action. Identifying them through units of work or inquiries.
Started on a new journey with Mindlab and looking forward to learning so much.
First week and we were asked to describe what knowledge is. Worked with a great group of people in developing our concepts about it. first on paper and then challenged to create a video in 30 minutes.
We were also asked; reflect on how your understanding of the purpose of education is visible in your classroom. First I thought about how learning is displayed in the classroom.
Learning and ways to help learn are displayed all around
Class and individual blogs share learning to a wider audience
SOLO and other thinking and questioning and assessment is displayed, together with questions about why and how we are learning.
Next I thought more about what we had been doing around the concept of knowledge and feel that my purpose in education is to empower the students to be life long learners and prepare them for a future that is uncertain and that they need the skills to do this rather than just content and facts. So I thought again; how are the skills needed to be a successful learner visible in my classroom? Or how I would really like to have them visible in the classroom.
Teacher as facilitator more student centered
Collaborative working
reciprocal learning
problem solving and creating problems
sharing of ideas, thoughts
having a questioning attitude
inquiry learning
critical thinking
creativity
resilience, having a go and not frightened to make mistakes
developing own goals and self assessing
discovery and exploration
fun, positive, safe environment
learning space, environment which allows for choices of individual learning styles and how and where children learn
access to different technologies
Hopefully in mine and the students learning there is more focus on these skills, allowing for collaboration, creativity, understanding and awareness of others,effective communication and connected with the world.
Attended our school's Te Rangihakahaka wananga at Paratehoata-Te Kohea marae. Where we experienced the marae setting and deepened our knowledge of Ngati Whakaue identity, language and culture through various korero about whakapapa, tikanga and whenua. We also learnt about the setting and significance of Ohinemutu and various other places in and around Rotorua, including the stories around the street names in the CBD. From the wananga experience we reflected and considered what we had learnt and how we can use this new learning within the school community and classroom, and what support is needed.
Attended a two day course facilitated by Vikram Murthy on managing transitional change. This involved looking at different types of change and how organisations and individuals perceptive, react and respond to change. We questioned and self analysed our own organisations through many self tests and assessments and gave feedback and presentations of our findings/data. A force field analysis of the driving forces for change and the resisters for change was conducted for both the school and individuals. The effect of change on organisations and individuals was explored and the transitioning process identified. Changing output or skills or people didn't have as profound effect as changing a culture which needed complete change. One aspect that came from this was the need to have a vision that was actually attainable and measurable and the importance of all staff sharing, fostering and working towards the vision and believing in it and it's attainability.
Have been taking part in connected educator month and as part of this have been doing PD on-line and also attended the U-learn mobile day in the holidays, which i attended a workshop on Google apps for use on the Ipad and Torbay school presenting about BYOD. Still not sure about the ability and use of Google apps on the I pads, need to look at other way to collaborate, also need to look at task first rather than tool. As for BYOD not sure if we need to specify a device as this limits, however, would be good to have information for parents of what we are doing and what we may need and to offer some sort of package to lease or buy. As part of connected educator month students in my class have taken part in passing the blog, a blog which showcases Rotorua and is been commented on and accessed globally.
Was asked to help MC the book parade during book week. Liased with colleagues and delivered a fun event. Managed and guided children and questioned them about their costumes. Introduced and collaborated with the judges. Used humour and actions to enhance event.
Met with different iwi and hapu in Rotorua and discussed working together with schools to build relationships and engage further in raising Maori achievement in schools. Heard of initiatives that are currently taking place and the aspirations of Excel Rotorua and the different hapu. On return to school we questioned and discussed what we had learnt and what changes we could make. These were the thoughts of our team.
Middle School Team
Be more aware of your children's background - how are we going to use
that?
Link agencies to your child. Tap into resources- stories.
Pull all resources together? Without loss of identity.
Identify your students iwi!
Science camp! Joe Evans
Maps were good. We need to know them and where they are.
Engagement of families - ECE! See the values of education future
employment
Inclusion - partnership. How can the parents help us? How can we help
our parents?
Common Haka and waiata
Would love if people came in and spoke to our kids.
This year I have taken on the role of mentor for a second year provisionaly registered teacher. I attended a course at Glenholme school today which gave me the guidlines, expectations and roles of the mentor and the PRT. As part of the course we were required to share resources, knowledge, strategies and what we are currently doing. From this I questioned how I am supporting, mentoring and what the PRT is doing. At are next meeting I will question and reflect with the PRT what she feels my and her roles are and compare and contrast. This course also made me question what are the characteristics of a quality mentoring programme and am I supporting this way. Sharing with other mentors and PRT's highlighted the importance of being a mentor and the significant role I have in guiding the PRT towards full registration, it also allowed for me to see how different mentors and PRT's manage the I&M programme. We also all shared what evidence is needed for the 12 RTC and how it may look and different ways it may be gathered.
This year I have gone back to having a blog on blogger for my class, which like my class page last year has learning activities in various curriculum areas to help anytime anywhere and posts about our learning journey in room 22. It is also a communication tool to the community. Click the Image below to see the blog
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Wednesday 28/8/13 staff meeting/workshop re Tataiako with lara Hania. Questioned whether I am a culturally competent teacher and how I empower Maori learners. We unpacked the Tataiako document and what it means for us as teachers. Also questioned and discussed how the cultural competencies within Tataiako are linked to the registered teacher criteria. I set a goal at the work shop to get to know my students whanau more and to make contact with them at the start and introduce myself, and then maintain a positive relationship Manaakitanga.
