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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....