No more DFI!

Fridays have been wonderful days for the past 9 weeks.  I've had the wonderful opportunity to attend our very first Digital Fluency Intensive here in Tairāwhiti with a group of our local teachers and Manaiakalani and Connext Trust members. I've had the opportunity to learn and grow my digital skills and collaborate with some truly amazing Gisborne educators and I've had a number of opportunities opened up to me through the DFI including Google Certified Educator Level 2, Google Certified Innovator and some Apple Teacher badges.

I'm so grateful that they were given the support and encouragement to attend our Digital Fluency Intensives, to grow their skills and to develop further their understanding of the Manaiakalani kaupapa.  They are all incredible classroom teachers and seeing their expertise and discernment in the realm of education come to a place where they had time and support to further develop was so rewarding.

Many of them spoke of their concern around their lack of skills when they began the programme and their growth over this time was exponential.  They had the opportunity to explore many different tools, from YouTube to Google Docs, to Google Sites and Blogger, as well as delving deep into the history of the inception of Manaiakalani in New Zealand and its values and aims.

They left their nine weeks upskilled, enlightened and most importantly, connected.  When the DFI was finishing, they requested their Google Group remain open, so that they may continue to have the opportunity to connect with one another.  This in itself, was truly heartwarming.

For myself, reflecting on the DFI left me with some mixed feelings.  As a facilitator, it is lovely to be able to rejoin my national team's Friday meetings and catch up on some of the work I've had to do out of work hours due to the commitment of being at DFI.  But I too, have relished the opportunity to revisit and refine some of my skills in the digital tools world and connect with teachers.  As a facilitator, it was also vital for me to gain awareness about what the Digital Fluency Intensive offered teachers, as well as to learn about the way it is run, for future times when I may be the Digital Fluency Intensive facilitator myself.  Also, despite my role with Manaiakalani, the Deep Dives into Manaiakalani kaupapa further reinforced my understanding of our wonderful organisation and developed my knowledge further as well.




My wondering, as we head forward... is how as local facilitators we can continue to support and grow these wonderful teachers who have committed so much of their time to attend the DFI.  Having been a classroom teacher for 13 years, I am acutely aware of just how lonely a place the classroom can be when you're not only trying to implement a new skill for yourself but teach learners how to use it as well.... especially in today's time-poor school week.  I'm really interested in how we could meet this need.  What are your thoughts?  How could we best continue to support these wonderful, dedicated educators?