Welcome to 2022

 Dear Readers,

2022 is here and bringing us a new experience again.  This year's blog posts will be featured on both my Blogger platform and my EduBlogs platform in order for me to experience both platforms and compare them.

It's also bringing me some duality in my work too.  In 2022 I am contracting my work to the Manaiakalani Education Team, Auckland, rather than my work for Connext Trust here in Tairāwhiti, Gisborne.  This work will be a mixture of DFI coaching and support for the West Coast cluster in the South Island of New Zealand.  Both of these roles will bring some new opportunities to continue to build my coaching capability and I'm incredibly excited about them both.

Below are some images that show some of the locations I join our learning from.  The top image is from my parents farm, where I was lucky enough to grow up, and where my husband and I returned to in order to raise our children.  The other two images are our home in Gisborne city and the farm my husband works on sometimes.  How fortunate am I, to be able to join our Digital Fluency intensives from anywhere due to connectivity!?

Where are you joining us from? I'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

I look forward to exploring all things Manaiakalani and Google with you!

Have a wonderful day and please feel free to leave me a comment.  I'd love to hear from you soon.

Happy Term 1, 2022.

Google Certified Coach Programme

 Kia ora koutou,

I'm really excited about the PLD opportunity that the Google Certified Coach Programme offers.  In the past I have completed Google Certified Educator Level One, Google Certified Educator Level 2 and Google Certified Innovator.  While some may say I've definitely drunk the Google Kool-Aid, as my role as a facilitator involves supporting teachers to use free tools to enable visibility, empowerment, connectedness and ubiquitous.  Google just does this so well.

Google Sites enable learning to be housed in one place, to be visible and rewindable and that learners can connect to their learning from anywhere, at any time and for any pace.

Google Docs and Google Slides enable our learners to be involved in trackable learning, visible in real time, able to be commented on by the teacher and peers and enables peer collaboration and interaction which all enhances learning.

Along with this, there are some incredible extensions that work really well with Chrome and the Google tools, with Screencastify and Mote being some of my very favourites. These provide an incredible opportunity for all learners to be 

As my role as a facilitator involves coaching a number of teachers I continue to look for opportunities to upskill in this area.  Last year, for personal interest, I undertook a Life Coaching Diploma with the New Zealand Institute of Business Studies, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  This was applicable to the work I do coaching teachers as well as with my wellness side business.  At the end of the year, I was excited to see Google offering a new certification relevant to coaching.  From past experience, I know that Google offer incredibly well structured professional learning and exceptional teaching tools, so I know that the Google team will have put together something quite special for us to engage in.

Teacher Inquiry is an aspect of professional accountability that is present in most schools, but my experience as a teacher was that this inquiry, expected of all teachers, is often rather haphazard, with many teachers requiring scaffolding to completed their inquiry to the depth that it is of use in terms of facilitating professional change.... and all too often no structure or support exist.  I'm really looking forward to seeing how the Google Certified Coach learning can enhance my effectiveness as a coach and mentor in my facilitation role.  

The Challenge Based Coaching model that is used, is found below.

An optional add-on to the course is a Book study using a book called Courageous Edventures by Jenny Magiera. I've seen Jenny supporting with other Google learning in the past, so I am enjoying the opportunity to explore her work a little deeper as well.  Although I love my digital learning, a book always really helps me to immerse myself in the learning. I'm enjoying it immensely already and thanks to an online ebook it wasn't as expensive as educational resource books often are.

The last thing I'd like to share from the beginning of this journey, is how much I smiled reading the word 'meaningful' in the Google Certified Coach curriculum.  They're talking about supporting teachers to implement the use of technology in the classroom in meaningful ways!  I can't emphasise enough how important it is that technology not be used just for technology's sake, but actually in meaningful ways in the classroom.  A device, like anything else, can be a powerful tool to enhance learning.... or a powerful distraction.  Using technology to enable learners to be placed on babysitting platforms that remove the integral role of the teacher from the learning progression and support their learners receive, is a terrible move... but one that has occurred many times as schools attempt to provide opportunities for digital learning.

Our teachers are out greatest asset!  They are the ones who know their students; their needs, their challenges and their interests.  If we remove the key role of of the teacher in creating responsive learning pathways for students, nothing we offer them will be adequate, let alone accelerative.  

I'm excited to see Google thinking carefully about some elements that our programme really value and dedicate time to as well.  Here's hoping that this learning can be as fruitful as it looks!

In some discussions with some of my teachers this term, there is definitely a continual desire amongst our local teachers to work toward their goals for their learners.  What a wonderful opportunity for us all.

Moving On

 It's hard to believe how much time has passed and how much the world has changed since my last post.  In 2020, we took learning online, big time!

The COVID19 pandemic has changed education like never before.  In some ways, it has been a catalyst for change, a catalyst that was sorely needed in education in order to bring it into the 21st century.  We could not and should not still be learning like this:

Image attribution:

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:StateLibQld_1_100348.jpg

Yet the acceleration into more contemporary modes of learning, in an online space, was also fraught with challenges.  Educators everywhere, unprepared for the shift and anxious in this new, open way of teaching and attempting to manage their families during lockdowns at the same time as adapting quickly to vastly different ways of teaching were vulnerable to products and platforms everywhere, peddling their wares.

Coming together in an online workshop forum, our local team offered a simplified approach to educators wanting to have support.  Google Meet and Google Sites, with limited links, to support learners in their changing education.

Learners everywhere were unprepared also.  Many had no internet or devices at home.  Those that did, were not necessarily prepared for the task of managing their time and online distractions in order to really fly in their learning. Some learners fared far better than they did usually in the classroom.  Some just disappeared.  Some learned from horse floats atop our remote hills.  Some with 'Nanny' (Kiwi for 'Nana or Gran or Grandma) sitting next to them, checking that they were focused, elbowing them when they weren't  and learning alongside their mokopuna (NZ Māori for grandchild).  The whole thing was a giant experiment for many.

Learners who had been part of schools that were already undertaking the use of Google Sites for learning found the transition easier, yet still many struggled with the lack of resources or the lack of preparedness to undertake online learning solo, without their teacher alongside them.

Here, in July 2021, many things in New Zealand have returned to normal.  Our trans tasman bubble between NZ and Australia has opened, and closed... and opened again.  Vaccinations are slow to get to NZ... unsurprising when hundreds are dying in other countries daily.  Many here are still wary of a vaccine developed under accelerated timeframes due to the dire need for them.  

What will stick?

Will the lessons we learned during the lockdowns in NZ continue to be acknowledged, explored and applied in preparedness for future such challenges?  Or will we head back to our classrooms hoping never to have to undertake a Google Meet again?

What can we do differently?  What will we?

DFI Day 1: Term 3 2020

The value of having a wonderful team was emphasised for me today.  We had 60 teachers and 10 facilitators online and the atmosphere was just wonderful.  Manaiakalani continues to be a vehicle and a movement inspiring me.  From more than five years ago when I was first introduced by an excited colleague to the Manaiakalani modes of operating, through my time as a classroom teacher receiving in-class facilitation, to my work as an in-class support Manaiakalani Facilitator, I have felt the magic in many occasions.  Being part of this wonderful team throughout my time with Manaiakalani has been so rewarding and my own learning has grown exponentially with such strengths around me.

Participating in the online DFI has allowed me to continue to deepen my understanding of my role as a facilitator as well as my knowledge of tools, especially with the online component necessitating me recalling how to do things without necessarily being able to physically sit next to the teachers I'm working with.  With Google Docs, adding annotated footnotes and matching heading styles was a great reminder that what I don't use often, I forget about!  I will be using these tools more in the future to ensure this is less likely to occur.

Revisiting the Eyes on Text task was also a wonderful reminder that we have a number of great tools to use with learners that are engaging and motivating that are also very simple and don't require teachers to do huge hours of preparation.  Our learners should always be working harder than our teachers.  Sadly, this is often not the case.  I can see that often this means our learners feel they are able to abdicate responsibility for their learning to their teachers, even in situations that could empower them.  The more of these types of learning opportunities we can add to classroom programmes, the higher the likelihood is that they will again regain a sense of agency in their learning.

Having used the same Voice Typing feature that is used within Eyes on Text in some of my facilitation sessions, along with the Word Count feature, I have seen firsthand the power of a little self-competition.  An activity that I often find challenging in terms of motivating students, was super engaging when they had a timer running and regular checkins to see how many words they were up to for their profile designs.  One young man who usually spends a lot of time distracting others actually voice typed 750 words for his profile introduction!  Highly engaging.

I thought a lot about our new MAPIC acronym which I'm working on developing an in-depth understanding about.  This was recently introduced to us by Naomi Rosedale from Woolf Fisher Research Centre and there is so much scope for amazing pedagogical development within it once I can understand it a bit better.  Many of the lessons I run with learners now are assessment tools for me, to see how well we are employing each of the different elements in order to create engaging and purposeful learning for our tamariki.  What a fortunate position we are in with Naomi Rosedale and Woolf Fisher Research Centre to be able to have access to the wonderful research that has been undertaken that we can employ to inform our practice - both as facilitators, and also in helping our teachers to strive to do the same in the lessons they are creating for their learners.

Blogger Inquiry: Episode #1

As a team, Manaiakalani have advocated for the use of Blogger in the classroom.  It's not the sexiest platform and it certainly has room for growth.  It's often frustrating to see the enhancements made to a number of other incredible Google Suite tools, with Blogger just getting left behind.  

Here in NZ, we have more than 22,000 learners involved in programmes where blogging is an integral part of the share component of what we do.  As an avid blogger myself, I understand the potential benefits even beyond our classrooms and am passionate about helping teachers to see the power in it.  But I am also a realist.  I have been a classroom teacher, inundated and overwhelmed by the complexities of the needs of busy classes of 30 children, wifi that won't cooperate, devices that are not charged, assessments that require completion and the competing demands of other curriculum areas that appear to not 'fit' within the scope of blogging.  So this series will attempt to explore not just the why and the how of blogging, but also to answer some of the challenging questions we must explore in order to help blogging gain the kind of traction it requires to be able to take on a life of its own.

In this first post, I will explore why we blog, what the power of it is and showcase some of the many blogs I'm enjoying around our country at the moment, both educators and students.  I am conscious that 'done' is better than perfect and absent, which is often what my blog posts are when I strive for perfection. Please know that this is an inquiry - a place to explore the many facets of my topic, before endeavouring to get my research to the point that it is actually of use in its implementation in our classrooms.

Wins from the week

If you'd told me a few years ago that in 2020 I'd be working from home due to a global pandemic, supporting teachers in becoming proficient in designing engaging, visible, empowering, ubiquitous, connected learning for their kids... I would have laughed you off the face of this earth!  Yet here we are.







In my work as a Manaiakalani outreach facilitator and education programme leader, we usually spend most of our time supporting teachers in learning about learning that is visible and rewindable in the context of their classroom, amplifying their great practice and implementation of their wonderful, creative local curriculums and designing Cybersmart lessons to teach in the classes we support in.  

But not right now!

We are in a privileged position, being able to witness the development of some exponential learning all and I find myself feeling very grateful, very often. We received some wonderful feedback on the Top Tips site - I'm pleased it was helpful. We were certainly grateful to be able to support so many people at such a challenging and uncertain time. I definitely think that clear and concise is the way to go. I love that the tools we chose were also the very same tools that allowed teachers to do what they do best: teach! Not load learners and whānau up with apps and passwords that 'teach them'. Our teachers have wonderful knowledge of their tamariki and rich local curriculums to engage their kids through; it would have been such a shame for that to be abdicated to a platform. 

Today, having been part of a Tairāwhiti Slam session where some teachers shared with us what has been working well for them, I was rewarded again, watching many of our teachers share and show leadership by amplifying their practice, sharing with others.  What a great waka we're on when we all paddle together.  





I just know that together next week, heading into level 2, that our nation will continue to do great things by our tamariki, and now that we have begun to address some of the inequities that occur in our communities, we will be better able to be of benefit to more learners, heading forward.

Accelerated learning - for our teachers!

April 2020 has been a month like no other in New Zealand.

The commencement of Level 4 lockdown from March 26th changed the way we exist and by necessity, changed the way we look at learning.

Within a week, many of our teachers were becoming far more competent at delivering learning online.  Something that had been long considered either impossible or unnecessary was suddenly the only option. Teachers' and Principals' inboxes were being inundated relentlessly with new shiny platforms and tools that were purported to be the saving grace of a teacher struggling to find their way into remote learning for their tamariki.

Here locally, 14 of our local schools are involved in The Manaiakalani Programme Outreach (T.M.P.O) and have been since the beginning of 2018.  Two of these schools had joined at the beginning of 2019 and so understandably, were not quite as experienced as the others, but during the transition to online or remote learning in April, were equally as committed to the necessary growth.

It became apparent very quickly that the schools that were already having support found the whole process much less of a journey and as facilitators it was so rewarding working alongside all of our incredible local educators as they geared up for this process.
As a team, we wanted to support as many teachers and schools as possible, so with the support Manaiakalani and our local Connext Trust, we set up a Top Tips page on our local Tairāwhiti Cluster site dedicated to remote learning.  Online workshop sessions were run from here using Google Meet and across the week we explored the use of highly effective tools such as Google Sites, Google Meet and the Screencastify extension app.

Click here for our Top Tips page: (scroll towards the bottom for recordings and original workshops)

One of the most exciting aspects of being able to support a number of schools was to know that we were helping our local tamariki to be able to continue their learning and in particular, the connection with their teacher and peers, which globally, we were hearing was the most valued aspect during this time of physical distancing.  

The growth in the digital fluency of our local educators from Manaiakalani schools has exploded! Exponential acceleration is the only way I can explain it.  I consider myself in an incredibly privileged position in that I am privy to the exceptional commitment to growth in our educators.  Our local tamariki are blessed to have both teachers and Principals who are dedicated to doing the very best by their education at a time when the world has literally changed as we know it.  It is an incredibly uncertain and challenging time for our teachers who are often learning to work from home, supporting their own children or spouses in their 'learning from home' (even if this is just timetabling support and sharing space and wifi!) as well as parenting and running households under lockdown.  While support in the form of hard packs for schools and educational tv etc for learners has been provided by the New Zealand government, which is outstanding, I personally feel that not as much acknowledgement has been given to our wonderful teachers who have really been 'thrown in the dee; end' and have had to simply 'get on with it'.  Although this is reflective of the kiwi can-do attitude, I feel we certainly do need to commend our teachers on their resilience and resourcefulness throughout this time. They really are amazing!

This morning, I was lucky enough to join a local school Google Meet for a staff briefing and PLD session.  I was lucky enough to be able to share some ideas for teachers around recording the Google Meets they are doing with their learners so that they can be displayed on their classroom Google Sites where they can be rewindable.  This means learners can view learning over and over again and help them to consolidate learning.

But what really stood out for me was the digital capacity that's growing within their school.  One of their younger teachers demonstrated today how she's using Screencastify in her lessons to provide visual instructions for her learners AND to provide feedback to her learners and additional support.  She also shared that the feedback from her learners is that they have really valued receiving instructions and feedback in this video format - that it has been powerful and a wonderful support mechanism for the kids at the moment.  As a teacher, she also shared how providing feedback to learners in this way was much more time-efficient than sending a number of emails back and forth.  I mentioned to her how useful some of these screencasts would be housed in an FAQ folder on her class site, as likely other learners may have similar problems.  

Helping our teachers manage their time at the moment is vital as online meetings are incredibly taxing of energy levels and the additional support learners often need in order to learn how to function in this way means that teachers are often spending a massive number of hours a day on emails and phone calls as well as their scheduled online meetings.  Another reason why we need to be celebrating our great teachers as they model exponential learning at this time.  I for one, take my hat off to them.  

Connecting with Learners using Screencastify

During our time of working from home, it can be more important than ever to support our learners with instructions for their learning, connecting with them to their teachers and classrooms and provide targeted support and feedback on the tasks they are undertaking.

One tool I've found to be invaluable over the past year is Screencastify.  Screencastify allows you to record video just of yourself, video of your screen and now also to create audio files which can be added to your Google Slides to support instructions and feedback. With Screencastify, learning is visible, rewindable and personalised.

While I've used Screencastify for a number of years now, undertaking the Screencastify Certified Genius study uncovered for me a whole range of ways to maximise this tool, which I've not been making the most of!  

I've been using Screencastify for recording welcome videos and instructional videos for learners for a long time and more recently, I've really seen the power of these embedded in a Google Site, next to the students' learning tasks.  I've also added them as a link to my teaching tracking sheets, to support learners with a variety of tasks they must complete.  I've also used them to send video to teachers to support them in their learning as we explore more about how to use technology purposefully in effective Learn, Create, Share pedagogy in our local classrooms.   However, there are many more ways I could be utilising this great tool.

Two goals I have for using Screencastify in the future is embedding it in Google Forms that lead learners through their learning journeys.

As a bit of fun, Screencastify also award a badge that can be uploaded to share with others how much I love Screencastify.

Here's mine:

To earn yours, head to this link today.

COVID-19 Reflections from Day 2 in Lockdown as Manaiakalani Programme Outreach Facilitator

Covid-19 is bringing the country to a completely different level of normal. Level 4 has seen many aspects of life grind to a halt, but learning... we are just getting started.

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.

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.

Badges

Online learning abounds.  What a luxury it is to be working in a role that encourages...  nay, requires, further learning.  These are just some of the areas I've been upskilling in, in 2019.  Bring on the rest!


 

Engagement in Learning

What is it about engagement that makes it challenging to see value in within the realm of education.

This reading on Game-Based Education from NZCER.

Is it that engagement is so hard to measure?
Is it that engagement is hard to attend to or cater for within classrooms?

Could we use Game-Based learning in classrooms to engage learning?
There are a number of different platforms that can engage learners.

One aspect our local whanau keep reiterating as of importance to them is to retain the art of storytelling in the education of their tamariki.  In my research into Game Based Education I also came across this initiative making waves.... Story Hui 

Things to muse over.

Reading and Writing versus Literacy

This first year for me as a Manaiakalani Facilitator has been one of great opportunity and great learning.  With just 7 weeks before school in New Zealand will be finishing for the year, I'm taking the opportunity to reflect on what an amazing year it has been.

From data to blogging, from Cybersmart to Online Toolkits, it has been a year of developing a greater in-depth understanding of all the multitude of facets that make up the Manaiakalani Programme Outreach.

One of the key learnings that I have explored this year has been the excitement around acceleration in writing through blogging.  Blogging has been a passion of mine for a number of years now and I enjoy both the challenge and the reward of putting pen to paper and engaging with a wider audience.  As an individual, I knew how much growth came from exploring an idea, crafting the content around it and deciding if my thinking was at a point that I was willing to share it with the world.  I'm sure there will always be posts that we look back on and realise we could have done better or ideas that we put out there that then change or develop into something new.  Indeed, that is an exciting part of the process.

This year, we have explored the incredible results that blogging three times a week or more can achieve in accelerating learner's achievement in writing.  So much reflection, unpacking of learning and then growth can come from articulating your learning journey online and having others provide feedback on it.  Our next question was; can we do the same for reading?

Some may argue that if we are integrating blogging well into our classroom programmes, that there should be an acceleration occurring in reading as well.  Reading a blog with the intention of commenting on it requires students to read for meaning, to play the role of assessor or editor along the way and then to formulate a comment that demonstrates we have read that blog post carefully enough to notice what it contains, what has been done well and what could be improved.  However, I guess the simple fact is that many blog posts (at least at junior level) simply don't contain the sheer volume of text, complexity or perhaps variation in text type, to be solely capable of accelerated achievement in reading.

So what next?

Our data suggest that we need to look at strategies to support learners in reading as well.  That if we can create such an incredible shift in writing, that collectively, our efforts could then create something quite special to aid the teaching of reading in our schools too.

In discussion at our annual Wananga in Tāmaki Makaurau this past week, it became clear to many of us that while reading seems to be a simple task, that designing a complete reading programme is in fact, a complex task, requiring attention to a number of factors.  The WOOLF Fisher Research Team, tasked by us to delve into the wealth of data our schools provide, as well as to provide feedback on the classroom observations they undertake on our behalf shared their findings and provocations with us and asked us to explore them further.

As we looked into the different facets the observation team had focused on, it became clearer and clearer to me just how complex the task of facilitating a well-rounded reading programme is.

They had looked into the importance of learners having many quality opportunities to:

• Read authentic texts
• Learn about reading
• Learn through reading
• Talk and think about what they read

One thing I found of interest, was that the team found a number of occasions where teachers had taken an original (authentic) text and had modified it to make it more accessible for their leaners.  They suggested that this perhaps gave students the impression that there was a right idea that the teacher was hoping to lead them towards.... and therefore, a correct answer the teacher was hoping to elicit from them.  I wonder why this has become a common practice? Is it because these texts aren't being utilised for 'shared reading' anymore?  That perhaps some teachers are seeing the change in classroom tools (with the move towards the implementation of our New Zealand Digital Curriculum in 2020) incorrectly as a move away from those traditional (tried and true) practices of shared and guided reading, reading to, reading with and reading about.  

Within The Manaiakalani Programme, there is an absolute emphasis on Recognising Effective Practice.  It is vital that we preserve the deliberate acts of teaching and incredible wealth of techniques used in our classrooms over many years.  That the integration of digital technology to provide affordances for learning and to turbocharge learning, creating and sharing within the life learning and classrooms of our tamariki work to complement and enhance effective pedagogy.  

When we explore Effective Literacy Practice by Lois Thompson, or Reading Comprehension Strategies by Sheena Cameron, two texts that have been well-utilised by NZ teachers, it becomes clear that there are many different things to consider when designing your literacy programme.

Earlier this year, Rebecca Jesson from The University of Auckland's WOOLF Fisher Research Centre shared a presentation with us about reading wide and deep through the use of a T-Shaped Literacy Model.  There were a wealth of things to consider in here too.  The more I think about this, the more I'm challenged by the idea that there are many teachers out there that are trying lots of great things in their reading programme, but many more who are either just doing what they have always done, without consideration of whether or not this is best for their learners, or struggle with what effective practice in facilitating reading with their learners should actually look like.  The more I explore the research and findings presented to us, the more I feel that we could do more to support.

I'm excited about where this could head.  What happens in your classroom?  

Do learners read School Journals? How about novels?  

How do you encourage your most reluctant readers?

Is critical literacy used?  Do your learners have a choice about what they read?

Do they have agency in their reading goals and how they track towards these?

Are they reading authentic texts?  Are they getting taught reading strategies in purposeful and engaging ways?  Do they have time with you, the teacher?  Do they have time reading alone?  How do you keep them accountable during this time?

Who works the hardest in your classroom?  You? Or your learners?

So many questions to cover.  So many possibilities.

How could it get any better than this?

There's definitely room.

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.

The Lightbulb Moment (and Google Certified Innovator!)

Many people mistakenly assume that all teachers become educators because they love children.  
I love children.  My own.  
But in fact, the reason I fell into teaching was that I love learning.  I live for the moment when the 'lightbulb' goes on and learners can see what they're really capable of.

What I hadn't anticipated in this process was that part of the reason I enjoyed being part of learning spaces so much, is because of my own learning.

I came into teaching at the ripe old age of 25.  Not very old, many would argue, but still a few years older than many of my fellow teachers began, and also as a young mum, who had finished having her children by the time she entered the classroom.

These two factors put me in an entirely different headspace to where many young female teachers would be.  Firstly, I saw education through the eyes of a parent right from the beginning of my career.
Secondly, I would not be taking maternity leave at some point, which is often a time of reassessment and reprioritization.  Due to this, I was also motivated to seek a larger degree of fulfilment within my career and a pathway that would allow me to feel I would be continually accomplishing new things, both things to offer my learners - and also for myself.

Part of the reason I sought additional opportunities within my career was that despite the fact that each year brought new children with new strengths and challenges,  I also saw an education system that I believed was NOT going to meet the needs of our children in their futures.  We could not continue to educate our children in the same way that they had been in the days when they were being prepared for an industrialized workforce.  Their reality was changing and our classrooms were evidence that we did NOT acknowledge that change.  In fact, it appeared as though we had our blinders on.

My own three children were incredibly different - one a musician, songwriter and wordsmith, one a mathematician and computer scientist, and the third, an excellent communicator with wonderful social skills and incredible sporting ability.  Three children from the same parents, raised in the same country farming community and yet all so different from each other and none of them were really catered for within the current education system, particularly at the secondary level, when engagement really seemed to matter.

While I was not going to be able to reform, nay, create a new education system I the few years my children were at school I did spend a large amount of time trying to add in what I thought was important in the classrooms I worked in (some of these included my children amongst the learners as well).  That at least is possible within our NZ curriculum constraints.  Environmental education, languages and the use of technology became aspects of our classrooms and I dedicated a large amount of my time and energy to upskilling myself where necessary, in an attempt to meet these needs.  What needs to be made plain is that the 'movers and shakers' like myself are often only celebrated and supported when we conform to the current mould.

That means that yes you can teach differently, but only if you're still doing all the same stuff.  It's like being asked to rebuild the classroom structure, without moving a single wall or letting a draught in.  Like making soup from scratch with all the ingredients in the pot at the same time.

With every year, the effort I put into study and new learning felt wasted and I became increasingly frustrated at my determination to do better by our kids and their future and being continually held accountable for keeping the system the same.

Did the kids enjoy the language classes, environmental learning, the digital tools incorporated into their learning time?  They sure did.
Did it motivate them and prepare them for a global future where we'll need to connect, collaborate and problem-solve to meet the needs of our failing planet and changing career spaces? Absolutely.  So as long as my areas of passion were igniting enthusiasm in my learners, I kept including it.  So, when the lightbulb kept going off for me... it often brightened the experience my learners had in our classrooms too.

It was with a heavy heart that I left the classroom in search of an alternative that I felt would provide me with the vehicle and support to educate in a way that was in keeping with my own values.  In many ways, I felt I had failed by simply giving up.   (Did you know that many teachers need to find a counsellor who is willing to give them permission to leave the profession before they feel they can actually make that choice?)

Working for an independent, privately funded organization that puts me in a role where I support teachers and learners to use digital technology in ways that are authentic, purposeful and prepare all concerned for the classrooms of tomorrow has been a breath of fresh air.  Like a new lightbulb, one could say.

I finally feel I am able to contribute in an authentic way that is true to who I am, valued and at the end of the day leaves me with still enough emotional capacity and physical energy to advocate for my areas of interest and passion.  It finally feels like I've found something worth jumping up and down about.  Not only that, but this current organisation works hard to meet the needs of our most socially disadvantaged learners and still encourages me to grow in ways that I'm passionate about.

Recently, with the encouragement of my organization and my local Trust, who fund my role within the organization, I was lucky enough to attend the Google Certified Innovator event in Sydney.

More on that next time....

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?

DFI Day 9: Revision

Today, while the other participants are undertaking the work they're doing on their Google Certified Educator Level One I'm busy working my way through some Apple Teacher badges and working on my Google Certified Trainer.  I figured that because this is the last part of the Google badges that I haven't completed, that I should have a go.  What's exciting, is that I'm finding some really helpful reflective thinking is occurring through this process.

My first part of the training focused on these ideas:

What leadership qualities should trainers embody when working with educators?
Stellar communication skills, resilience and the ability to have courageous conversations.  A can-do attitude and encouragement that learners can do it, rather than doing it for them.  Empowerment is key.
What leadership qualities do you personally resonate with?
Honesty and trust, professionalism and high relational skills.  People who are willing to get to know me
How do these qualities fit into your personal definition of leadership?
I look at a leader as someone who develops the best in me by listening and coaching me so that I can feel empowered to be the best I can be, making small changes, which compound over time.
How might you exhibit these qualities in your school environment?
Working with educators, I feel it's important to listen to understand.  So I need to be asking lots and lots of questions to be able to get to the bottom of what the challenges are and how best to help that person.

I'm sure I'll want to refine this a lot too, but it's great to start being more cognizant of my own leadership and coaching within this process.  In the past, I've done some work with Cognition Education and leadership, as well as with Joan Dalton, and found both incredibly useful.  I think it's time I started unpacking these concepts further and looking at the work that I can do on myself to further this.

Reading on, the information provided online after I'd done my thinking really resonated with me.  These concepts really affirm for me that I'm in the right place as they are all things I value and think are vitally important - and am passionate about providing for our educators as well.

This site is really user-friendly - as are all of Google's training sites.  I've found them invaluable in the past.

Google Trainer Site

I also completed my Apple Creativity with Mac and Productivity with Mac badges which were quite fun as well.  There is quite a range of badges to undertake with Apple, and most only have five questions needing to be answered before you are awarded the badge, which makes it quite fun and definitely motivating.

After this, I also completed my Creativity with iPad badge.  It feels great to get 2.  There are many more still to come, so I'll be busy for quite a while I think.

• What did I learn that increased my understanding of Manaiakalani kaupapa and pedagogy?

Today I reflected on what an incredible opportunity DFI is for our local educators. The time investment they've put in is really to be celebrated, and it's so wonderful seeing how far they have come and how much they've grown in their learning. I'm so excited for them all and also for their schools and learners.

• What did I learn that could improve my confidence, capability or workflow as a professional?

Continually moving forward in my own digital learning is exciting. I'm definitely someone who needs to be always learning and growing and I think learning is my superpower. I often feel a bit bored if I haven't got the next new something exciting happening. That might be as diverse as learning how to run a marathon or how to facilitate collaboration between our teachers and community resource educators, such as that of my Innovator project, or even how to create and grow a Forest Garden (Koanga Gardens concept). There's always something new to learn and Google, Apple and Manaiakalani definitely encourage me to do so. Blogging helps me to be reflective in my process and to engage in one of my favourite activities - writing. I'm passionate about writing often and when I'm writing for an authentic audience, I often enjoy it more. I do struggle with ensuring my writing sounds the way I want it to though, as I often feel it flows better on paper, rather than on screen. Perhaps I should draft these posts the way I do with my personal blogs and start with paper; it would be interesting to see if it changes the content much.

• What did I learn that could be used with my learners?  

I am always learning more than can be used with my learners. The CS Unplugged work on Apple looks interesting. I struggle with the idea of having to learn it through an Apple Book first, but I guess this is another way they can be drawing users to their iBooks (renamed Books now) tool. I already use it extensively, but really find Google's online learning platform much more interactive and useful for learning new tools.

Everything new I learn about Manaiakalani pedagogy and kaupapa reaffirms that I'm in the right place. I love my new role and working with both learners and teachers is really empowering. When I think about what a difference we could make across our region for our learners and our educators, I celebrate even more. Tairāwhiti is an incredible place and having passionate people helping to add value to the region is wonderful.

I'm looking at ways I can encourage more STEM or STEAM education in our schools and build up coding knowledge of our young people, especially our young women. I'd love to run a coding club that encouraged them to participate in tech spaces more so this may be where I head next. I wonder how many teachers would be interested in using a STEM site with their learners in class and piloting this for me too. Weekly tasks etc would be a wonderful way to get tools out into our local schools and make them accessible for more learners.

• What did I learn that could improve my confidence, capability or workflow in my personal life?

All the work I've done with Manaiakalani, our local Connext Trust and Google has all improved my confidence so much. I'm really enjoying the way I am developing new skills and stretching my resilience and assertiveness muscles. One of the things I value the most is the constant encouragement to grow. Not pressure. Not overwhelm. Just encouragement that growth is exciting and fun and necessary. I love it.

The DFI has been a wonderful way to see Manaiakalani, Google, Teachers, the Connext Trust and pedagogy all come together. Nine weeks has been a wonderful length of time to see change and growth and I'm so grateful to have been here to witness it all. As a facilitator who hopes to run the DFI myself one day, it was so valuable to be here as a participant and to see how it all works. The benefits are huge and I do so hope our local Principals will hear of the value and commit to sending more of our wonderful local teachers as well. At the moment, a new DFI won't be starting until Term 3. I hope it's jam-packed with educators and Principals committed to making a difference in their schools, for their tamariki and ultimately, for our whole Tairāwhiti region.