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.

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.