Innovator Update: Getting the Message out

How exciting to make some progress on my Google Innovator project. Earlier this week, we met for our very first Gizzy Bytes, a social event designed to bring all our teachers who have had or are having facilitation over the 2019-2019 years to come together and connect. These incredible educators are the ones right at the grassroots level, building their knowledge of the Manaiakalani Learn, Create, Share model and their understanding of best practice use of technology in the classroom.

 There is a big difference between being a 'digital' classroom that plonks learners on Chromebooks in front of online platforms for the day and allows the computer to do the teaching and one that selects purposeful use of learning, personalised for each learner, continuing with small group teaching and tried and true effective methods of teaching practice which have been used and refined for decades. The work we do is so important, particularly for our priority learners, which was where the foundations of the Manaiakalani Education Trust first began.

We are so grateful to all our teachers having facilitation, for their interest in growing their practice and their continued dedication.  There was something quite special with having them all come together and witnessing their enthusiasm and the connection that occurred between schools.  The Waikanae Surf Club was a wonderful venue and we were so lucky to have Gisborne Boys' High School in to support with catering.  It was a really delicious spread we put on for our wonderful teachers. 

GBHS Catering

Facilitated teachers connecting

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to present my pitch for my Google Innovator project again.  It's an unusual feeling being front and centre, presenting an idea that I'm so passionate about and hoping for support from already very busy and overloaded teachers.  I'm confident though that we have so many dedicated educators locally who have such an incredibly diverse range of skills, that at least a few of them might find time to come forward to collaborate on this.

 Facilitating in six schools around our district puts me in contact with a huge number of incredible educators as well as allows me to see so many wonderful learning opportunities brought into schools by our passionate local educators. They all work so hard to encourage real-life, engaging learning to be happening in all of their schools and it is my hope that what we create can be there to support them all. If we even put one resource in each classroom every year, we will be helping to reduce teacher workload and support the integration of technology in the classroom.

It was particularly special to see my article shared onto Matawai School's Facebook page as my work as a teacher began at Matawai and it was the wonderful support and encouragement I received by the wonderful teachers and early Principals during my time there that encouraged me to be continually striving for the very best for our learners.  My work in Environmental Education there, partnering with Enviroschools was integral to my continued focus on real-life learning and the power it has to engage our learners.  With technology making learning visible, accessible and rewindable, I know that the connection and empowerment that comes with this turbocharges their learning and often leads to their involvement in community initiatives and career work.  You never know whether a day outside of the classroom might encourage a learner to dream a little bigger and grow their community in innovative ways.


 

If you're interested in collaborating, please follow this link to register your interest.

Google Innovator

Well, it's officially a month since I've returned from the Google Certified Innovator Academy in Sydney.  A whole month since I was wrapped in the warm hug of Google and had the absolute and complete luxury of lavishing three days of complete attention on my project.


As an educator, I looked at the Google Innovator opportunity for a number of years, but really felt it was above me; that I wasn't advanced or professional enough or enough of a leader (hello Imposter Syndrome) to qualify for such an incredible opportunity.

What I didn't give myself enough credit for though, was that I have a passion for an aspect of learning in our community and that actually this is licence enough to embark on the amazing journey that is 'Google Innovator'.

My learning did not end upon my return.  Rather, it's opened me so much further to the possibility of more learning.  I've stopped worrying about whether or not something is a good or worthy idea (just because it's mine), and am instead looking at how to begin something and leave the concern for actually looking at the feedback later and how to better tailor the experience.

Some of the learning from this is around the content we were exposed to during Google Innovator and some of it is learning I've undertaken since I've been back.  The texts we came home with were wonderful.  I've been particularly enjoying Mark Wagner's book, "More Now" and "Switch: How to change things when change is hard" by Chip Heath and Dan Heath.  Both raise several wonderful points around education and in particular, change.  I'm thoroughly enjoying learning more about the ideas presented by both and the learning this has engendered in me.

What's really interesting, is that the impact on my personality and confidence through the experience of Google Innovator.  This is not just the result of the days at the academy, but the networking; meeting so many wonderful new contacts, and also the process of returning from the academy and continuing the learning and the journey.  The experience is diverse and comprehensive in terms of my own growth.

So what next?

Well, my project centres around encouraging effective collaboration between enthusiastic educators and our local community educators. 



I'm passionate about our incredible place in the world here in Tairāwhiti.  I know so many children here who think that there's no opportunity here.  That there's nothing to do and nowhere to go as children.  That there's nothing of value to learn here and nothing to celebrate.

I beg to differ.  We have so many passionate people here, who due to geographical isolation have been determined to ensure that this not be a factor that means our kids miss out.  They have brought the opportunities here, because of a burning desire to ensure our kids have the very best.  As a result, we have some really authentic local models of learning here that are powerful, real-life examples of learning in action, for our kids to really immerse themselves in.

Teachers are highly aware of these incredible opportunities and work hard to make the most of these opportunities.  However, time and the lack of a genuine reason to come together in effective ways means that there is a divide between what is on offer and what teachers can make the most of.  That's where my project comes in.  I'm excited about providing opportunities for our great local education providers such as Waka Hourua, Turanga Heritage Trails, Tōnui Collab and Te Tapuwae o Rongokako to come together for Innovation days with some of our passionate local educators to combine their knowledge and expertise to create digital and rewindable learning resources that are accessible to all our local educators - and therefore children.

My first opportunity to connect with educators on this will be at our Gizzy Bytes event to be held at the Waikanae Surf Club next week.  This social networking event is an opportunity to get our local teachers having Manaiakalani Facilitation throughout either 2018 or 2019, to get together and begin the process of getting to know each other.  We're excited about the collaboration that this could bring, across our whole region.  And I'm excited too... knowing that some of these great educators; the ones who are already the pioneers in a new model of PLD in our local place, can do to positively impact the lives of our local learners even further.  I really hope they are interested in the partnership I'd like to present.  I'm excited for our future.

If you're a Tairāwhiti Educator or local Community Education Provider, I'd love to hear from you.  Please follow the link here to a Google Form to record your details.  I'm excited to make contact with you soon.

TED Masterclass Opportunity

One thing I love about this magnificent universe is that the more you ask for opportunities to just appear in your life, the more they do.

When I was a new teacher.... one of the goals I had, was to be one day coaching and mentoring incredible teachers; being of the calibre of those incredible teachers who were mentoring me.  And amazingly, later in my career, the opportunity came up to be a coach and mentor.  Talk about excitement!

As I left a role in the classroom, where I'd done everything from teaching Japanese and Environmental education to coaching squash, being a union representative, taking children to the mountain on a week-long ski camp and being an associate teacher and Within School CoL teacher... I vocalised how interested I was in pursuing the art of public speaking, in my new role.  I knew that I'd have the opportunity to speak more regularly at staff meetings and school gatherings, but I didn't realise what actually lay in store for me.

During our time at the Google Certified Innovator Academy in Sydney 2019, we were offered a world-first: TED Talks (the incredible world-renowned library of incredible talks given by a multitude of experts all around the world)  was offering Google Innovators the opportunity to be one of the first cohorts to use their TED Talks Masterclass App and later, the opportunity to submit our own talks to be chosen for the TED library.  I could not believe my luck!

Fast forward to this morning, and we had the opportunity to connect with our first cohort of people and hear suggestions from Grace Ahren, from TED on how best to undertake the Masterclass.  This video covers a lot of information about the Masterclass process itself and truly gets me excited about this additional opportunity that has been afforded us.

(Unfortunately, I can't share it with you, so you'll have to join up yourself to find out about all the fun!)

How great is it, that joining the Google Innovator community has led me to also be part of the continued communication through the Google Hangout national Innovator chat, the SYD19 Innovator chat and the NZ Innovators chat.... as well as joining a group of educators ready to take on their next challenge of submitting a talk about what they are most passionate about?  My mind is seriously blown.  Thanks, Google.  And thank you TED.