Day 30 - Fearless Educators

I've always thought of myself as a fearless educator, pushing the limits and doing something different with my class, as I'm not afraid to get it wrong and say I'm sorry.  I love the feeling you get when you push it that little bit further, the excitement in the class when they are doing something different.

Reflecting upon this, it has always been within the limits of the school.  So, to answer the final 30 Day Reflective Blogging Challenge topic - what would you do as an educator if you weren't afraid?

*Skype experts across the world
*Tweet more often
*Share with the world the amazing things we do
*Present at a conference
*Ask why more often

Imagine what the world would be like if we were all fearless educators!

Day 29 - Change is the only Constant

I've always thought of myself as someone who doesn't like to sit still, when it comes to teaching and learning.  There is always something more I can do, another way I could deliver it, or something new to try.  When I get my teeth into something I like to keep pushing and challenging myself and the students.  I am very lucky that I have great people around me who continue to help me and my "crazy ideas!"

Reflecting upon my career and the changes that I have made so far, it is amazing how far I've come.  I trained at Otago University, a part of the last of the class before they merged with the teachers college.  My passion for teaching and learning began there.

Since getting my job in the Hawkes Bay, my approach to teaching has changed as I have developed my professional knowledge and experience.

What I value as an educator:

*relationships

*respect

*learner responsibility

*the learner at the heart of it

*procedures

*high expectations

These values stay the same but the approach to it changes each year.  When reflecting upon how I have changed over the years, the procedures and expectations have become more specific, how I build relationships with the students and their whanau have changed from phone calls twice a year to weekly emails, developed the use and understanding of respect and relationships have also changed, and the list goes on.

I have always believed that it all starts with the learner, I suppose that's why personalising learning fits me well.  Personalising learning is a journey I have been on for a wee while now and has changed over the years, moving from full personalising learning to only aspects of it.  I am pleased to be changing again to move again to full personalising learning and have addressed the issues in which we faced a few years ago.

Change is always going to happen if we want it to or not.  As mentioned in other posts, education is rapidly evolving and there is a need for us to slow down and decide what is best for our learners.  I may not like to sit still for too long however, that does not stop me from making that decision of what is best for our learners.  

Change is good, if it is for the good of our learners.

Day 25 - Collaboration

Collaboration is a challenging skill for some students and adults to develop no matter what the activity.  It is a necessary skill to have for life and is something we need to nurture in our classes.

My ideal collaboration between students would be where they would develop the following skills:

*communication - with each other and about their learning

*team work - equity of work

*problem solving

*learn with each other and from each other

*time management

*active participation

The teachers role will then be a facilator and encourager.  There is learning. In all things collaborative, if the group gets to the end or not everyone learns something about themselves and each other.

Day 28 - Driving the Curriculum

Technology is developing quickly and we're now only limited to our own imaginations!  It is an amazing tool that can open the world up to learners beyond the classroom.  We are also very lucky to have a curriculum that is open for us as educators to create programmes that is exciting for our learners.

The question is asked does the curriculum drive technology or technology drive the curriculum?  Technology is a tool to further enhance the learning we do in the classroom.

Day 27 - Work Home Balance

As we head into a world where we are all accessible 24-7 we need to be more and more aware of how much we are available to others.  We need to set the limits or others will.  As educators our job is never done.  There is always books to mark, feedback to give, professional development to be done, resources to organise, meetings to attend, extra curricular activities to go to, and the lis goes on.  We are humans too who have families, interests or hobbies, and need "me" time as well.

Reflecting upon how much time I spend working is always beyond the limits of me being present at school between the hours of 7.45am till 5pm.  I remember when I first started teaching my tutor teacher said to me to never go in during the weekends only if you absolutely have to - it took me two years to learn that lesson! It took even longer to get the balance right.

Now I spend 3/4 of the time of my weekends with my family, if it is really busy at school then I will get up earlier to get work done so I can be present for my family.  School holidays I spend at least 1 week with my family and the other for me time and work.

If I am to give anyone some advice for getting the work and life balance, with or without children:

- give your self set times for when you are done and stick to it

- use your time before and after school wisely

- sort out morning and afternoon routines, write up your board, print/photocopy, gather resources

- prioritise your work, what is the most pressing?

- be forward thinking, know what is coming up so you are prepared

- tomorrow is another day, the work can wait!

We are only human and we all need time to unplug and just be.

Day 26 - Go To

Every teacher has their own places to go when they inspiration, help, or clarification.  My top 2 sites I use to help me are:

* BBC Bitesize sites - these are great for anything English or Maths, the games and activities are a fun way to learn

*Pinterest - who doesn't use it!  All things teaching, one way to find other teacher bloggers and great ideas.

There is other places that I go to when I need help, ideas, or clarification: the teachers I work with, visit their classrooms, speak to the teacher aides, there is a wealth of information all around us, we just need to look a little closer to home.

D24 - Educational Trends

Educational trends or initiatives come and go all the time.  As educators we like to keep up these as we all know education is forever changing.

Today's post from the 30 Day Reflective Blogging Challenge is what educational trends captures your attention and why?  I know for me it is anything where I can teach more meaningful for the students such as the work from Jeff Anderson or personalising learning with a strong link to LwDT.

However, I think the bigger question isn't about what educational trends that capture you, is how much of it do you get to try out and use authentically to make it your own before moving onto another trend?

For me and my experiences I have seen a lot of trends come and go quickly through our school.  For the trends that have stuck with me, has been the PLP (personal learning plan) which the children have all their individual targets to work on and how Jeff Anderson delivers his lessons with a strong reading/writing link.

It is up to the schools to take a good look at these trends, see how it fits them, and give their staff enough time to experiement, get it wrong, play around further, discuss it, make it their own, keep the parts that fits, then move onto the next.  The saying that springs to mind is: quality not quantity!

 

Day 23 - Community Involvement

As a school we always have someone coming or going through the school whether it is to support the Environmental Group, talk to a syndicate, view the school, or support learners in their classes.  

Reflecting upon how I meaningfully have the community involved I instantly thought about social action. As an teacher I haven't had much success with social action.  We've always thrown the idea out there and got the children working away at it but they loose steam as they are waiting on a response from someone or it didn't quite workout the way they wanted.  This is all a part of the learning process with social action however can feel like a waste.  Again throwing caution to the wind, social action is on the cards again for next term!

So what do I define as meaningful involvement?
This can come in multiple forms:

• Sending an email to gain knowledge/information from an expert
• Visiting a site to learn more about what they do and/or help out for the day
• Experts coming to visit us
• Children getting involved in worth causes like the SPCA cupcake day 

And the list goes on.  I believe community involved is a vital part of learning.  A lot of children want to change the world, for our social action this year we are looking what we can do either at a class/syndicate, school, or community level. The children are looking to change the mindset of it's not just about fundraising it is about doing more.

A bit more information about our Social Action for Term 4

As next term our overarching theme is "Let's get Accelerated" instead of doing careers, like we normally do, we thought it meant using their learning targets to do more, push more.  So to motivate the children we watched a TED talk:

Stephen Ritz: A teacher growing green in the South Bronx

Session 2:
From there we got the children to complete a Bronfenbrenner style diagram with them at the heart of it.  Each level being: me - class - syndicate - school - community.  They were to list the things that concern them.

Session 3:

The next session we got them to get their diagram out again and have a think about what learning they were going to get out of it and tentatively choose a topic.

Session 4:

We emphasised the choosing of a good group that these were groups of 3.  They then chose a topic that they would like to do and start to map out the following:

• Timeline - what were they going to do when (8 week window)
• Holding time - what are they going to do while they are waiting for responses etc.
• Targets - what targets were they going to achieve?
• Learning - what learning are they going to go from this?
• Workshops - what workshops would they like the teachers to run

We are looking towards this week getting the children to cement what they did in session 4 so we can match them to one of the teachers in the house to be their mentor and who they work with for this project.

Day 22 - My PLN

When joining the 30 Day Reflective Blogging Challenge I didn't think that my PLN was that big at all as I didn't think I had much of an online presence.  Upon reflection it doesn't necessarily mean online.

My PLN is filled with teachers, parents/whanau, students, administration staff, teacher aides, RTLBs, and university lecturers.  It spans from here in the Hawkes Bay to down to Otago - all before I started making connections online, which now spans multiple countries around the world.

These people, this network, makes me a better teacher.  They challenge me to do more and be more.  They help me when I'm unsure or direct me in the right direction.

It always starts small but builds over time.  I never knew how big my PLN until now.

Day 21 - My Hobbies and Interests into the Classroom

Whales, UK

One of the first things we are taught when learning to be a teacher is knowing your students is the most important tool you can have.  Know them as a person and as a learner, use their interests to hook them into their learning.

I have had an interest in photography since I started university - never been any good at it but do get a few gems from time to time.

The other interest that I have is baking and cake decorating.  Something that started when I was younger, standing on a chair watching my mum bake cakes and cookies for school lunches.  It wasn't until last year that I was able to bring those actual skills into the classroom through an options class to this year doing Sugar Figures.

Reflecting upon the skills needed to bake and decorate cakes reflects much of the learning process:

• Topic/Plan - what do I want to achieve?  How do I want it to look?  What do I want to be able to do?
• Skills/Questioning - what do I already have/know?  What skills do I need to have?
• Source - find resources and information to help learn the new skills
• Practice - refine my skills and go back and modify my plan if need be
• Present - put together my final product
• Reflect - what worked?  What didn't?

I had been able to use these skills all along, the context maybe different but the skills are still the same.

7 layer rainbow cake

I am very lucky to have a sugar figures and photography options group this term as well as step into the soft materials teacher's shoes when she was away for the contributing school visits - this was a lot of fun!

No matter what interests or hobbies you have, you can always bring them these into the classroom whether it is through a different context or as it is itself.  If you're interested and motivated this is always a great thing for your class and always has a positive effect.  It also allows the children to learn more about you which is always a good thing!

Day 20 - Curation of Work

Sharing and celebrating the learning of your class is an important aspect of learning however sometimes never gets any further than the walls of your classroom.

Technology has been one way to curate students work and as it becomes more and more accessible the limits is becoming boundless.  Over the years I have experimented with Wiki's, e-portfolios, and last year with a class Weebly.  To be honest, a person who isn't ICT challenged, I found it like putting another subject into my classroom that I didn't have time for.

This year, with the new found motivation through my lovely LwDT teachers Leigh and Barb, I have started up a class blog through Blogger, as we are on the Google platform, to each child having their own blog.  The children are starting to want to blog things about their learning.  

Now the next step is how to build our audience!

Day 19 - The Power of Reflection

Reflection is a powerful tools we use as teachers to ensure we are doing the best job we can.  Teaching kids to reflect and see the value behind it at times can be very hard, especially when they have either done it before but ineffectively or haven't experienced it at all.

Some of the tools I use for reflection in my class is:

• Checklists and TimelineWhen undertaking a longer unit of work such as an inquiry topic, I like to use checklists paired with a timeline.  This helps teach the children to:
  - make sure they've fulfilled all the criteria
  - map out a long term project, meeting milestones
  
  I always begin with very structured to model to the children how to do this then as the year goes on they take more and more responsibility for their own checklists and timelines.
  
  At each milestone, we discuss what they should have achieved and where they should be now - usually this is just small reflection by looking at their checklist and timeline, marking off where they are.
  
• Mid and End of Term ReflectionsThis is common practice in our school.  Some teachers do it weekly where others do it at the mid and end of the term.  I prefer to do mid and end, this is in the form of questions which stay the same throughout the year for them to reflect upon their learning as a whole.  I encourage the children to re-read their last reflection to see if they achieved what they set out to or what they need to continue to work on.
  
• It feels like Punishment!  I feel Successful!Some of the children "coast" through the term, where others put their heads down and work hard.  I work with a level where they are about to be much more responsible for their learning so giving them the tools is necessary. 
  
  I believe a part of that is feeling the "punishment" or disappointment of not doing as well as they could have and the kids who did not "coast" their success is in their work - this is where I feel you get the most powerful reflection and motivation for the next.

As an educator I want the children I work with to think critically about what they're doing, why they're doing it, and how they can do more.

Day 18 - Metaphors f Teaching

I often struggle to think of metaphors, most probably why this post is so late, when teaching or thinking about them.  After a hunt around I came across the following quote from Socrates.  

Image sourced from moco-choco

This links back to Paulo Freire's empty vessel idea.  This rings true with me as an educator I can only give a little spark it is up to the learner to continue to add the fuel to make it grow as big as they want it, then I can help them nurture it.  On the other side, it is also my responsibility to restart the flame for those who have gone out - some learners need more help than others.

Day 17 - Challenging issues in education today

Education is forever changing and since graduating in 2006 the following issues have always been the same for me.  My biggest issues in education today are:

• Paper work: many questions spring to mind...
  Who is this for?
  When am I supposed to have time for this?
  Why do we all have to have the same format?
  Can't I personalise this to suit me?
  Why does this feel like no one trusts me?
• Class size:  there is a lot going around about class size and I sit on the side that it does matter because of the following reasons:
  Getting more 1:1
  Making stronger connections with students
  Ability to personalise every student
  The time need for: paper work size, report writing, assessments, moderation, etc.
  
  I know that if you're a good teacher it doesn't matter what size class you have however it does beg the question of if you have 30+ students in your class how much authentic time do you spend with each of them over the period of a day, whether it is 1:1 or in small groups?  For me my answer would be not enough.
• Demand on teachers to do more and more is too much - something has to give.  As educators we are expected to not only do a great job at teaching students but we're also expected to be a coach, nurse, councilor, mentor, teacher of values and manners, keep up with the latest trends in education, and the list goes on. 
  
  My question is:  When is there time to do all this?
  
  We are all human, we too have a family of our own, and too want to have a balanced life where we can go and exercise, have hobbies, and so on.  So, when is enough, enough? 
  
  Don't get me wrong, we do love our jobs and going the extra mile for the right reasons is always necessary, my issue is balance for teachers are way out!  How can we get this balanced restored?

There is so much more that is out there that is working against us but I'm reminded of we can only do what we can do, but make sure what we do is the best that we can do.

Day 16 - Super Powers in the Classroom

My son is a huge Marvel and DC fan, along with many of the students in my class.  I had used this interest to do a Super Hero activity through Maths Shed where the children learnt about multiplying/dividing/rounding/subtracting decimals and mode/median/mean.

When I read this yesterday I started to think about the different super powers I'd like such as invisibility, super speed, etc.  I decided to have a real think about it and had a look around the internet where I came across this website - IGN's Top 100 Coolest Super Powers.  Going through the list to find a "cool" super power there were the usual ones you know of however there were other powers like self confidence, empathy - isn't it interesting that these are considered super powers.

Back to which one I would like and how it would help, it would have to be...

PHYSICAL DUPLICATION

It doesn't seem so exciting but being able to duplicate myself so that I can work with all the groups in my class.  The ability to personalise everything in the class would benefit all the learners as I would be able to workshop for them, give 1:1 help, the list of what I could do was would endless!  

It would be slightly scary for the children to have so many of me but I think they would get used to it!

Day 15 - Strengths as an Educator

Today's challenge is to name 5 strengths I have as an educator.  Not always the easiest subject but I will give it a go!

My 5 strengths as an educator:

• Relationships - building good relationships with students, whanau (family), and other teachers.
  It is so important me to me to know who the students are and their whanau.  As well as who the people I work with as people and professionals - this is why I believe I build strong teams.
• Organised - not only having an organised classroom where all resources are easily accessiable by all students, lessons, paper work, activities etc.
• Procedures and expectations - Paul, my second year mentor teacher, taught me: without procedures in place and high expectations no learning can happen.  This is something I take with me and how I set up my team/class each year, ensuring we're all on the same page.
• Open - I consider myself to be an open person to talk to whether it is a problem they are having or need advice, or to try new initiatives
• Questioning - this is a forever evolving skill, that everyone should work on, which I am yet to master.  However, I do believe I have gotten better at questioning the students to get more from them.
  I also apply these skills when unpacking things with the staff which I work with.

As teachers we all have to have multiple skills and abilities.  It is something that is always changing and it is part of why I love this job!

Day 14 - Feedback to Feedforward

Thinking back to teacher training we were taught the CRC method (comment recommend comment), encouraged to do a lot of written comments, and some verbal.

Almost 8 years down the track, experimented with lots of different ways, and many PLD sessions later.  I have discovered a few things about feedback, it has to be:

• timely - given in the moment but also enough time for them to act on it
• focused - linked to what they're learning/doing to give it meaning, to push them to do more either to extend further or to rise to meet the expectation

I have spent much time sitting and writing comments in children's books for it to be not read or acted upon.  I have found the following strategies to work for me:

• verbal - having 1:1 conversation with the child, I can gain better understanding of what they are doing, if there are gaps or a need to push.  With that they also need time to be able to act upon it, usually they are back before I know it for further discussion.
  NOTE: to indicate that I have had a conversation with the child or sited their work, I sign and date it for a record for me and the child.  I either make anecdotal notes and/or remember what we talked about.  Usually sessions follow each other so this is not hard to do.
• Google Comments - when the children submit a piece to me I am able to highlight a section and leave a comment, they are able to reply to it and we can have an open dialogue about their learning



Comments section using Google

• question - when addressing the learning I ask them questions, getting them to think further about what they're doing or why they did what they did

 Feedback has to be meaningful, or I believe it's not worth giving it.

Day 13 - Top Tech Tools

I need to explain my approach with my class.  As we all do, we deal with a range of learners, not all tools will suit them or meet the need of how or what they want to do.  With this in mind I take the approach of they are to use the tools that fit what they want to do.  

This being my second year in a BYOD blended e-learning class the learners who I work with, a lot of them spent their first year in a BYOD class, bring their own wealth of apps and knowledge.  There are some in my class that are new to BYOD.  The learners share with each other different apps/tools to try and I also throw my ideas out there too.  Often as a class we review apps to reflect upon it's ability to meet our needs.

After much reflection upon the tools in which I use on a daily basis whether it is to help me teach or learners in my class, I came up with a rather small list:

• Evernote
  Me - record my RTCs, PLD, meeting, and class notes
  Learners - Maths notebook, Inquiry notes
• Camera (iPad, smart phone, digital camera)
  Me - capture moments that I want to record, PE, presentations
  Learners - tutorials, blogging, PE, speeches, recording learning
• Blogger
  Me - blogging whether it is for 30 Day challenge or the class blog
  Learners - achieved learning targets, "ah-ha" moments, reflections
• Google Drive
  Me - sharing files with learners, colleagues, giving feedback, workshop notes
  Learners - collaborative work, sharing files, handing in assignments/home learning
• YouTube
  Me/Learners - flipped lessons, inspiration/motivation for lessons

Unsure of the acronyms that I use, here they are:
RTCs - Registered Teacher Criteria
PLD - Professional Learning Development
BYOD - Bring You Own Device

Day 12 - Back to the Future

I like to plan for the future and look to what I want to do next.  As we all know education is forever changing, just like taking on a university paper this year was something that was planned to do but changed.

The question today is how you envision your teaching changing in 5 years?

• Children will be blogging their achievement/learning progress - or sometime similar to this
• Classes will have their own PLN to source experts to help them develop their projects
• Workshops would be something everyone does - children nominating workshops they need for their learning
• Children being actively involved in the decisions made for their learning and how they're going to learn it based on their needs and interests

A part of this question brings up thoughts of what would I have done, thinking about that, this is what I would like to have done 5 years in the future:

• Ra and I would have developed our version of personalising learning.  This is something I am passionate about and would like to see this well developed and in use.
• Presented this to a wider audience other than the staff
• I am unsure if I am meant for the classroom or management, I would love to have done some time in a curriculum role as a deputy principal to further develop staff professional learning
• Grown my PLN 
• Become a competent blogger to continue to share my love of teaching

We never can plan for what will happen and how things will change.  But for now, this is the plan, the hope.

Day 11 - Favouriate Part of the Day

I struggle to put my finger on my favouriate part of the day.  I suppose you can look at it being when:

• A child is jumping out of their seat to answer a question because they finally got it
• There is a great discussion happening amongst the kids whether it is directed by me or happening in a group
• A child who surprised me with what they produce
• Engaging in conversation about anything they wish
• Playing a game of cards or board game, laughing with them, enjoying their company
• Everything falls into place
• They experience success after much effort of trying

So looking at my favourite time of the day, is where the children have some sort of success, where learning is happening.