The power of online learning is not to be underestimated. Over the past year, my online learning has seen me complete learning in everything from Hapara Champion Educator and Google Certified Educator Level 2, to Indian head massage and Yoga Nidra.
My favourite aspect of life is learning new things. I have always been curious. I am always learning. At the moment that's ramping up, rather than slowing down.
It’s seeing me learn how to care for my family, while still working full-time and teaching our wonderful responsive teachers how to still connect with their kids during an immensely challenging and uncertain time. One of our own kids is immunocompromised with both glandular fever and bad asthma even with a normal cold. He is more fearful than I know he is letting on.
His sister and father have both returned from hugely-overcrowded spaces out in the public, filled with huge numbers of tourists flouting the rules pre-level 4. I'm having to keep them all separate from each other. It's a challenging time. I'm lucky that my work is keeping me so busy and bringing so many beautiful moments into my day.
Seeing a 2019 teacher I worked with, sharing a welcome video for her kids on her site. This will benefit all of her learners, including one visually-impaired young man. What a beautiful, reassuring thing it was for me to see her face. I can only imagine how lovely it will be for her learners to hear her voice during this time.
Seeing teachers I worked at the coalface with before this role embrace Google Meet, connecting face to face with their kids and hanging up inspired and planning the next meeting.
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| A great example of a Junior teacher from our Manaiakalani clusters. (Click to check it out) |
Watching the sharing of incredible resources and ideas by our amazing Manaiakalani teachers all around the country has been the most heartening. Through the Learn, Create, Share pedagogy they have been immersed in over the past 2 years, they have seen learning that is visible, empowering, ubiquitous and connected. They have seen amplified practice - teachers openly sharing gems through Class on Air and Manaiakalani Innovative Teachers.
And now, at this time they are amplifying their own practice and sharing widely, too. Watching learning come together in this way is mind-boggling and fills my heart with gratitude for the power of digital affordances that bring us together in times of isolation... in more ways than one.
