Changes To My Practice

Reflecting On My Journey

It is hard to believe the Mind Lab journey is coming to an end. I remember when we first started and how long those Tuesday nights were! Being in the classroom all day and then another four hours of Mind Lab was sometimes hard going. A big thanks to our tutor Anna, who must have despaired at times (by 7pm we had pretty much lost it). Her enthusiasm and gentle coaxing was much appreciated.

So would I do it again, knowing what I know now... most definitely! I am grateful for the opportunity to improve my practice and to have met some wonderful teachers who have shared the journey along with their experience. I have enjoyed the collaboration and looking at the world from other  perspectives.

The leadership component gave me the chance to look at myself and identify areas for improving my leadership. I am more mindful of what I do and why I do it. There are some amazing leaders in education that we have been introduced to such as Tony Wagner and Ken Robinson.

I have learned about digital technologies, which I didn't know were out there and I'm using programmes that are new to me. I now have the theory to back up my practice and I have a structure for reflecting on my practice using "The Experiential Learning Cycle" (K. F. Osterman, , &  R. B.Kottkamp, 1993). In the past I reacted to a problem by trying to solve it before fully understanding what was actually happening.

Practising Teacher Criteria 5: Show leadership that contributes to effective teaching and learning.

At the beginning of the year I was awarded a unit to work with a small team to introduce Innovative Learning Environments to the staff and develop a way forward. I found the leadership part of the course extremely helpful. Just identifying my own style was an eye opener (transformational/servant) and I feel far more confident when working with the staff. I like the idea of sometimes being the follower and am happy to let others take over. I think it is really important to take into account each individuals background and to give support and encouragement where needed. 

I have one early adopter in my syndicate who is enthusiastic about some of the changes I have implemented in my classroom and she is always keen to follow. The really cool thing is, now she is coming up with innovations that I can also use. My hope for the future is to share what I have learned with my peers and help them as much as possible until they too feel confident. I believe using digital technologies and obtaining 21 Century skills is essential for our children's future. 

Practising Teacher Criteria 7: Promote a collaborative, inclusive and supportive learning environment.

Ask my students what collaboration means and every single one of them will tell you. Of course not all of them have mastered it, but some have and many know what they need to do to make it happen. One of the first things I added to my practice was to have students working on a project in small groups. Each student was responsible for completing a part of the whole. Using Google Docs in a more meaningful way has enhanced our collaborative skills.

Flipping the classroom is another strategy I have used to prepare students for up coming topics. Not all students complete the exercises I add to Google Classrooms but those that do love having some control. I have used EDpuzzle to introduce topics and have shared videos around mathematics and literacy that they can tap into at any time to help them. 

I look forward to continuing my journey and putting more of my new learning into practice.

References:

Osterman, K. F., & Kottkamp, R. B. (1993). Reflective practice for educators. Newbury Park: Corwin Press.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

What is interdisciplinary collaboration?

According to Andrews (1990), interdisciplinary collaboration refers to different professionals, who possess unique knowledge, skills, perspectives and personal attributes coming together to solve problems.

My current and potential interdisciplinary connections

As a primary teacher I collaborate with my colleagues on a regular basis, but because we come from the same profession, we have similar knowledge, skills and perspectives. When it came to identifying the professionals I connect with, I had to think deeply about all of the amazing people with different knowledge, skill sets and perspectives. It is this interdisciplinary collaboration, according to Dr Deana McDonagh, that leads to innovation. Having people come together from different backgrounds and disciplines with a variety of knowledge, skills and attitudes is what makes interdisciplinary collaboration such a powerful tool.

Potential Interdisciplinary Connection

An area of my practice that would be improved through collaborating with one of my identified interdisciplinary connections would be science. Using The Sir Callaghan Science Academy for my unit on bugs paves the way for me to connect with a range of teachers, both primary and secondary, as well as science experts. These people are passionate about science and the website contains a wealth of resources. One of the challenges with this would be the ability to maintain regular communication. Although, it would be easy enough to get in contact with a mentor, I'm not sure how quickly they will reply. Another possibility is to ask on Teachers Facebook for ideas and resources, as there is always someone ready to help.

Interdisciplinary Curriculum

Although we integrate our units, subjects often stand alone and the integration doesn't give each discipline equal credence or look in-depth at an issue to give children a world view. I understand the need for younger children to acquire certain skills and strategies to read, to communicate through the written word and to have a basic understanding in mathematics, so perhaps allowing set times to concentrate on subjects is necessary, especially when students are young. In Heidi Hayes Jacobs book, Interdisciplinary Curriculum (2004), it states "...students cannot fully benefit from interdisciplinary studies until they acquire a solid grounding in the various disciplines that interdisciplinarity attempts to bridge" (Jacobs and Borland 1986).

I would like to try an interdisciplinary curriculum approach when planning my "Bugs" unit. After watching "The Ross Spiral Curriculum" video I am inspired to try something different. I love the idea of 'creating a generation who can heal the planet' and to make learning real. With my colleagues, The Sir Callaghan Science Academy, Teachers Facebook and a parent who is a biologist, we could come up with a unit that would involve looking at bugs from a range of perspectives, bringing in a global view. But because this unit will be interdisciplinary, there is a need for a range of perspectives (not just from a scientific stance), we may look at societies attitude towards bugs (unwanted bugs), or we may look at habitats and mans role in the destruction of these. Mathematics will definitely come into the unit in the form of measurement or statistics (the decline of native species). Perhaps even health could be entwined with looking at the nutritional value of eating bugs.

"If you always do what you have always done you will always get what you have always got."

I would like to see all of my students deeply engaged in their learning and I will endeavor to equipped them with 21 Century skills in order for them to become the innovators of the future.

References:

Berg-Weger, M., &. Schneider, F. D. (1998). Interdisciplinary collaboration in social work education. Journal of Social Work Education, 34, 97-107.

Jacobs, H. H. (2004). Interdisciplinary curriculum: Design and implementation. Moorabbin, Vic: Hawker Brownlow Education.

Social Media use in Teaching

Social Media Use In My Teaching

At our school the children receive a Google account when they start. Every class is expected to have students using Blogger in order to share their learning journey with family/whanau and friends and as Kath Cassidy (2013) noted in her video, the children of today have grown up with digital technology so it is normal for them to be using it. 

I have my children post their writing such as poems, descriptions, photos of their work/art, audio files and videos on their blogs. They are also free to add areas of interest too, such as information and photos of  topics they are passionate about. Some of my boys love motor-cross and have photos of motorbikes with a few sentences.

It is a great tool for encouraging boys in particular to write. When these boys are free to choose what they write, they are more inclined to do so and when they can add images as well then that just makes it more engaging! I wonder too if just seeing their thoughts in print is a motivation as it is neat and easy to read, which in some cases isn't at all like their handwriting.

Students are also keen to write when they know it is published to the web and they have an audience. But here lies one of the problems. When I look at my students blogs I notice there are very few comments, which means family/whanau and friends aren't reading these or are rarely reading them. 

In order to solve this problem I may need to run a session with parents on using their Google accounts and their blogs. This will hopefully encourage them to help their children and to make comments on their posts. 

Another problem, with children accessing their blogs at anytime and anywhere, is the lack of quality control (Melhuish, K, 2013). Finding the time to check each students blog can be very time consuming. I have spent a lot of time ensuring they understand the importance of keeping safe on the internet but probably not enough around ensuring their work is of a reasonable standard. I am aware too, that the mistakes they do make give an accurate picture of where they are along their learning journey and that as they mature and become more proficient the reader will see progress.

As for using Twitter, I have to admit that I haven't even thought about using it with my children. I feel a bit anxious about using it, as I worry about the fact they are only year 3/4 and the privacy issue bothers me. After watching Kath Cassidy's video though, I am thinking it may be a fantastic tool for connecting my students with other students around the world and having a class account would solve the privacy issues as I will be the one responsible. 

I also watched a Ted Talk by William Ward, "Incorporating Social Media in the classroom", in which he makes some really interesting points such as when students are in a classroom without social media, one person speaks at a time (the speaker may not be interesting or engaging). But if they are using social media they can all add to the conversation, which improves engagement. Another point he made was the fact that on social media a whole range of people can join the conversation, allowing students to learn from experts from all around the world. I think I need to explore this option more and perhaps change my mindset!

References: 

Melhuish, K.(2013). Online social networking and its impact on New Zealand educators’ professional learning. Master Thesis. The University of Waikato. Retrieved on 05 May, 2015 from http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/han... 

Tvoparents. (2013, May 21). Using Social Media in the Classroom.[video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riZStaz8Rno

Legal and Ethical Contexts in my Digital Practice

 Pono:

Showing integrity by acting in ways that are fair, honest, ethical and just.

- Education Council 2017


As teachers we have an important role to play in the lives of our students, whanau, colleagues and our schools. Our actions can keep these communities safe or put them at risk. We have an obligation to act, where necessary, to protect not only our students but our fellow teachers and ourselves.


Digital technologies have made the world a very small place and social media has given us the opportunity to connect with each other anytime, anywhere. However, as with every innovation it comes with benefits and dilemmas.




The Dilemma

Two young first year teachers both employed for the first time at the same school. Both were very technology savvy and on social media. They became friends with parents via Facebook and eventually the two teachers became romantically involved. This relationship then played out on Facebook. The dilemma is that they were not "maintaining a professional distance" (Connecticut's Teacher Education and mentoring Program, 2012) from parents and then students, as they too became aware of the relationship.




The Main Stakeholders

In this case the main stakeholders would be the two teachers themselves as their actions could jeopardize their employment. The other stakeholders are their colleagues and the school. According to The Code of Professional Responsibility (2017) "...teachers are expected to demonstrate a high standard of professional behaviour and integrity" (pg 10). Their actions reflected upon all staff members and it is important for all to maintain a degree of professionalism. But as there was no damage done, the stakeholders that should have taken priority are the beginning teachers because they were young, naive and just needed some guidance. It would have been a shame to lose such enthusiastic teachers.




Course of Action

There were several courses of action available:
Say nothing and see how it plays out
Speak to the principal and let him deal with it
Have a word to the teachers and suggest unfriending the parents
Have a word to the teachers and suggest they keep a low profile on Facebook or at least be selective about what is posted


I think in this case the last option would have benefited everyone. The teachers had obviously forged friendships with parents and that could be a good thing as long as the posts don't become too personal. Unfriending parents may cause more problems. Going to the principal would only bring his attention to the situation and this may not bode well for future employment. I wouldn't want to be responsible for the consequence of going down this road and the risk to their careers (Hall, 2001).




Reflection

In this case, I think preventing this from happening in the first place would have been better than responding to it (Ministry of Education. 2015). It is time our school looked at the issue of social media and came to a collective agreement as to what is acceptable practice around staff use. It is a difficult one as teachers do need to be allowed the same opportunities that social media promotes but there also needs to be balanced due to the huge amount of trust families, whanau and the community put in us. If teachers cannot conduct themselves in a professional manner are parents going to want us guiding their children's learning? So, with the joy of teaching comes the responsibility of professional conduct.







We have come a long way!





References:


Connecticut’s Teacher Education and Mentoring Program.(2012) Ethical and Professional
Dilemmas for Educator: Facilitator’s Guide. Retrieved from http://www.ctteam.org/df/resources/Module5_Manual.pdf

Education Council. (2017). The Education Council Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers.
Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/file/Our%20Code%20Our%20Standards%20web%20booklet%20FINAL.pdf



Hall, A. (2001) What ought I to do, all things considered? An approach to the exploration of ethical problems by teachers. Paper presented at the IIPE Conference, Brisbane. Retrieved from http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Developing-leaders/What-Ought-I-to-Do-All-Things-Considered-An-Approach-to-the-Exploration-of-Ethical-Problems-by-Teachers



Ministry of Education. (2015). Digital technology: Safe and responsible use in schools.
Retrieved from http://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/School/Managingand-
supporting-students/DigitalTechnologySafeAndResponsibleUseInSchs.pdf

Indigenous Knowledge & Cultural Responsiveness

Indigenous Knowledge & Cultural Responsiveness

We all bring our own culture to the classroom. My students bring their cultures and I bring mine. Sometimes we are unaware of the affect they may have.

Culture can be defined as visible and invisible, with invisible culture being values, beliefs, opinions, perspectives etc. Visible culture is made up of the tangible elements such as music, language, art etc. Our Maori students bring all of these cultural experiences with them to our classrooms and they form part of who they are as an  individual. 

Being culturally responsive, as Russell Bishop puts it, is to acknowledge that students bring their own experiences and cultural knowledge to the classroom and that agentic teachers are the key to making a difference in the achievement of our indigenous students. One of the most powerful ways to improve student achievement is through positive, nurturing relationships (Savage,C, Hindleb, R., Meyerc,L., Hyndsa,A., Penetitob, W. & Sleeterd, C, 2011). It is difficult to teach any student if you haven't formed a trusting relationship, which is based on mutual respect. Agentic teachers care for Maori as Maori and have high expectations, which I think is so important for all students. It is also important to identify students' strengths and utilise them. I like giving students the opportunity to teach others who are younger or less skilled and this is a great way to acknowledge  and value Maori students' experiences and expertise.

When I look at the ETP (effective teacher profile) I think I am doing well with most of the six criteria listed. Manaakitanga (caring for students as culturally located individuals) is an area for me to be more mindful of as I am not sure that I gave enough credence to this area. I think I am respectful and caring of all my students but perhaps I need to celebrate the different cultures in my room, especially Maori who have been so poorly treated and let down by mainstream education (or whitestream education).

 

School Wide Activities

Our school wide activities, which have improved relationships with students, whanau and the community, consist of a variety of in school initiatives. 

• We have had several hangi to celebrate Matariki. We have relied on local Maori families to prepare the hangi and share their knowledge. Everyone comes together, which is a fantastic way to build ties and relationships. 

• Whanau attend assemblies on Fridays, especially when their tamariki/mokopuna are involved in running it, is another way of involving whanau in the students education.

• At the end of the year we put on a show for whanau/families, which usually consists of our kapa haka club or general classrooms presenting waiata and haka, thus valuing an important aspect of Maori culture.

• Our annual gala is a time when the whole school community comes together for the betterment of the school to raise funds.

• Parent interviews take place, where students are encouraged to participate.  These are based around reports but are informal chats. Most families attend these which is a great way to work together to celebrate and/or plan ways forward.

I think this is a good start in developing relationships with whanau and valuing Maori students but there is always more we can do.  

Learning Activities 

I think our learning activities, within the curriculum, is an area for our school to work on. Some teachers display a culturally responsive pedagogy in their learning activities but it is not across the school. As seen in "Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Assessment in Primary Science Classrooms" (Cowie, B., Otrel-Cass, K., Glynn, T., & Kara, H., et al. 2011),  the findings indicated the teacher must support diverse ways for students to develop, express and share cumulative understanding. Teachers must become learners, learning from more knowledgeable students and incorporate student and community funds of knowledge into the curriculum. However in our school this is more the picture:

• Student agency/choice in some classes but not all.

• The use of digital technologies to allow for more diverse ways of developing and sharing their understanding needs to be a more unified approach school wide.

•  Blended learning, which allows whanau to participate more in their children's education is not happening across the school.

•  Collaborative learning is takes place in some classrooms only.

• There is little student input into the curriculum and it is not always reflecting our biculturalism. 

• Little opportunity for across class mentoring and isn't focused on Maori students. 

   

   

 

References:

Cowie, B., Otrel-Cass, K., Glynn, T., & Kara, H., et al.(2011).Culturally responsive pedagogy and assessment in primary science classrooms: Whakamana tamariki. Wellington: Teaching Learning Research Initiative. Retrieved from http://www.tlri.org.nz/sites/default/files/projects/9268_cowie-summaryreport.pdf

Dunn, Michael. Defining indigenous knowledge (26th September 2014). theoryofknowledge.net. http://www.theoryofknowledge.net/areas-of-knowledge/indigenous-knowledge-systems/defining-indigenous-knowledge/ Last accessed: 3rd October 2017

Milne, B. A. (2013). Colouring in the White Spaces: Reclaiming Cultural Identity in Whitestream Schools (Thesis, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)). University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10289/7868



Savage,C, Hindleb, R., Meyerc,L., Hyndsa,A., Penetitob, W. & Sleeterd, C.(2011) Culturally responsive pedagogies in the classroom: indigenous student experiences across the curriculum .Asia-Pacific Journal of Teacher Education, 39(3), 183–198  

Contempory Trends

What is a trend?

Definition of trend

1.

a :a prevailing tendency or inclination 

b :a general movement 

c :a current style or preference 

d :a line of development  

2 :the general movement over time of a statistically detectable change; also :a statistical curve reflecting such a change 

 

3 :a line of general direction or movement 

There are many definitions for the  word "trend". Then there are the "megatrends" which are patterns in social, economic and environmental patterns that will change how we live. 

After reading "The Paradox of Progress" (The National Intelligence Council, 2017), I was feeling more than a little depressed. The future is looking a little dire to say the least. Then I thought about our role as teachers in this fast paced changing world. 

Trend - Global Connectivity 

Technology will connect people like never before (The National Intelligence Council, 2017), which means we have an obligation to prepare our students for this trend. With greater global connectivity comes competition for for jobs and with one million young people from India joining the workforce every month for the next 20 years, our students will need to be competitive. Location is becoming irrelevant when it comes to applying for positions. Our children are also the hope of the future and there are many obstacles facing our planet.

The Pros of Global Connectivity

• Coming from such a small country won't be a problem as we can promote ourselves or businesses worldwide. 
• More up to date information from all over the world will be available.
• It will be harder for crimes against humanity to go unnoticed.
• Education is available to students who, for a variety of reasons, can't or prefer not to, attend an educational institution.
• Jobs in IT will rise.
• You can work from home. 
• Parents and children can be in contact at any time.
• Easier to stay connected with loved ones who live in other countries. 
• People from all parts of the world can work together to come up with solutions for problems 

 

The Cons of Global Connectivity

• Cyber crime will become more of a threat to countries. 
• Online bullying is already a problem. Will it escalate?  
• Terrorists  can infiltrate all areas of society anonymously.
• Health affects of looking at a screen for hours at a time.
• Are we disconnecting socially?

These are just some of the pro's and con's that come to mind. So where do we, as teachers, come into this?

We need future generations to undo the damage done to the world. Therefore we need creative, critical thinkers who have a social and moral conscience. We need our students to have respect and compassion for all races and religions and most importantly we need these new generations to connect with like minded people all over the world, as the trends that are coming are going to need global solutions. Coordination and cooperation (Trends Shaping Education 2016) is going to be essential in solving the worlds problems of climate change, food shortages, pollution and population growth and global connectivity will play a huge role in creating the conditions for this to happen.

With greater global connectivity comes a responsibility to use it for the betterment of the world. Therefore we must educate our children from a young age about the power connectivity has and the dangers.  Using digital devices to work collaboratively and build positive relationships throughout the globe may just be our saving grace.

  "While some doubted that connecting the world was actually important, we were building. While others doubted that this would be sustainable, you were forming lasting connections. We just cared more about connecting the world than anyone else. And we still do today. "
- Mark Zuckerberg





References:

Trends Shaping Education 2016. (2016). Trends Shaping Education. doi:10.1787/trends_edu-2016-en 

National Intelligence Council. (2017). Global trends: The Paradox of Progress. National Intelligence Council: US. Retrieved from https://www.dni.gov/files/images/globalTrends/documents/GT-Main-Report.pdf 

While some doubted that connecting the world was actually important, we were building. While others doubted that this would be sustainable, you were forming lasting connections. We just cared more about connecting the world than anyone else. And we still do today. Mark Zuckerberg
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/markzucker739593.html?src=t_connecting

While some doubted that connecting the world was actually important, we were building. While others doubted that this would be sustainable, you were forming lasting connections. We just cared more about connecting the world than anyone else. And we still do today. Mark Zuckerberg
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/markzucker739593.html?src=t_connecting

While some doubted that connecting the world was actually important, we were building. While others doubted that this would be sustainable, you were forming lasting connections. We just cared more about connecting the world than anyone else. And we still do today. Mark Zuckerberg
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/markzucker739593.html?src=t_connecting

Professional Context

Professional Context

Professional context includes the socioeconomic status of the community, school culture and professional environments, which includes structures. All of these different aspects of a school must be taken into consideration when implementing change, which leads to improvement. My school is at the beginning of the journey towards Innovative learning Environments.

Socioeconomic Status of the Community

Our school rating is decile 8. This is probably quite high due to the many vineyards, orchards and farms in the area and does not necessarily reflect the families of the children at our school. The families  within the local community come from varied backgrounds, including  farmers, blue collar workers and professionals.

Parents are very supportive of the school and it is the hub of the community. The community is a close knit one and the majority of parents attend parent interviews, which indicates the importance they place on their children's education. 

Even though there is a relatively large difference in some families financial situations, this does not appear to cause issues within the school and children are generous and respectful towards each other. 

The educational attainment of our students is high with 85% of students achieving at or above the National Standard in writing and 90% at or above in reading (Curriculum Report, 2016).

This level of attainment can be attributed to the families and the experience and quality of the teachers. The American Psychological Association states on their website, that school conditions contribute more  to differences in learning rates than family characteristics do.

I think we are fortunate at our school to have such a supportive community, which has produced respectful children who are keen to learn.

School Culture

I really like this quote from Mark Wilson (2013), "A school's culture is the beliefs and priorities that drive the thoughts and actions of the people at the school." He also talks about the need to have purpose and autonomy in order to work towards mastery. I think this is a little simplistic when you take into consideration the different elements involved in a school's culture. The culture of a school is influenced by history, context and the people in it (L, Stoll 1998). 

The culture of our school could be described as a mix of three teaching Cultures, Contrived Collegiality, Collaboration and Bulkanisation. (Hargreaves 1994). 

Contrived Collegiality

Some teachers are co-teaching in open plan classrooms, which is quite a new thing for our school and when I talk to them about it they are very positive about the experience. This collaboration, although compulsory, seems to be working well. A certain amount of whole school planning also takes place.

Collaboration/Balkanisation

Some teachers even though they are not in connecting rooms or open plan classrooms are choosing to share ideas and ways of teaching. Some are making plans to observe each other but as yet it hasn't happened. I do wonder if this is because we have been insulated/isolated for so long that it is difficult to make the first move and perhaps we feel like we are imposing or it may be the lack of time.  These smaller groups, which are not part of the whole, you could point to Balkanism. 

Professional Environment

The professional environment includes structures, time and space. Some of the classrooms at my school have sliding doors between them, which allows for greater collaboration between teachers, but most of them are single celled classrooms. For me though, it is more about what is happening in the classroom that is the important thing and the underlying culture of the school. You can spend as much money you like on the environment but if the culture is not one of collaboration, mutual respect and a shared vision then moving forward can be difficult, if not impossible.  

I am looking forward to a more "future focused approach" but I do know it won't be an easy transition. As with anything, where  people are involved, there are multiple considerations.