Changes In My Practice

Reflective practice is very powerful as Osterman and Kottkamp (1993) mention. “Reflective practice is a professional development process that we believe is highly effective in achieving behavioral change.”

MindLab November 2015, has been an incredible journey! I decided to change schools, in mid December (largely due to MindLab.) The learning has been massive from teaching new entrants and special needs children, school professional development, to leading a team, being part of the management team and literacy responsibilities. I had to factor in moving house… and my supportive family.

For these reasons I’m grateful for MindLab. I have loved the learning and being with like minded souls. I have felt like a ‘juggler’ as priorities had to be made. As a teacher, time is our enemy. I would love to revisit the topics we have covered in the 32 weeks at leisure, as honestly some of it seems like a blur.

However … the highlights for me have been reflecting on my practice, leadership, collaboration with colleagues - particularly my study buddies, the tools and apps we experimented with, Growth Mindset and the importance and relevance of all the 21st century learning skills. Pretty much the lot really!! Assignment time was challenging, however it was rewarding to finally submit.  

“Change is a process begun not by learning a new idea from an expert but by recognition that something is not exactly “right” in one’s own professional practice.” (Osterman & Kottkamp, 1993)

These are the two key changes in my own research informed practice in relation to the

Practising Teacher Criteria (PTC) in e-learning.

Criteria 7:

http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/Practising-Teacher-Criteria-and-e-learning/Criteria-7

How do I promote a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive learning environment that embraces e-learning and engages learners?

Collaboration has been the stand out issue for me during this course. From the title of this paper - it had me thinking - Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Practice (Digital and Collaborative Learning). Working with others - either as leaders, teachers, or students is vital.  As a classroom teacher I am starting to put my learners onto a collaborative path of learning. I am preparing them with digital citizenship and endeavouring to get them to start working together (as much as you can with five year olds!). Some groupings have changed to include mixed abilities with more co-operative activities. These are small steps towards collaboration. I am less vigilant about working in ‘certain spaces’, and give them more flexibility when it comes to decision making. There are those that need plenty of scaffolding who have just started school, however I am mindful of those who have maturity and a developed skill set. I will continue to use some new applications that are suitable to a larger set of young learners, that just don’t rely on ‘games’ or more traditional literacies. These are proving to be motivating and children have experienced success that they can instantly see and hear.

Criteria 4:

http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/Practising-Teacher-Criteria-and-e-learning/Criteria-4

How do I/can I utilise e-learning to further my professional learning and development?

I’ve had a kickstart to reignite my e-learning journey through the MindLab course. I needed a pedagogical challenge for my own professional development. I have shared some of the readings and findings with colleagues, however I need to do more of this to bring them inline with current practice and thinking around e-topics.  I am eager to support colleagues more in my team, and model/show them different ways of teaching and engaging their learners. I want to keep pace with professional practice and developments both locally, nationally and globally. In our cohort there were some experienced practitioners who I want to visit and learn from. Previously I have attended an Educamp, a U-Learn Conference and taken part in Ed Chats via Twitter. These are all areas I need to get back to so I can further develop my skill set and keep learning.

For now I need to back the truck up and consolidate and implement some more of my learning. Going forward I would like to do some more research around Growth Mindset, which I am starting to teach my class about. I found this to be incredibly valuable during our study. I want to visit practitioners who have a good handle on e-learning who successfully work in Innovative Learning Environments with younger junior students. This will enable me to focus on the next steps in my practice. The jury is out on further study ...

It has been a challenging journey, and one that won't be forgotten easily!

References:

Osterman, K. & Kottkamp, R.(1993). Reflective Practice for Educators.California. Cornwin Press, Inc. Retrieved on 7th May, 2015 from http://www.itslifejimbutnotasweknowit.org.uk/files/RefPract/Osterman_Kottkamp_extract.pdf

Social Media

Professional Online Social Networks

Social networks are becoming an accepted part of society, and teaching and learning is no different. 

What are some key features of social media that are beneficial for teaching and learning? Why?

Social media can be beneficial for lots of reasons. This course has shown me how valuable it can be - particularly with collaboration and communication. I find it more useful for professional development related to teaching. It is easy to connect with others instantly both nationally and globally. I am now teaching in a smaller rural school, so my immediate daily networks are smaller. This video has some good points about the valuable role of this media in educators lives. I particularly like these quotes "surround yourself with like minded educators, and be  "lifelong learners - education doesn't stop when you get your teachers license" and "the tools for education today lie in technology ". (Office of Ed Tech, 2013) I like the visual nature of of social media and how succinct and to the point it can be. I have found some interesting and relevant articles and readings around topical themes, and issues I am interested in. I use it for researching, gathering ideas, resources, sharing opinions, answering questions, clarifying issues, or giving and receiving feedback. At previous schools I regularly blogged my classes learning. It was a good way to showcase the children’s learning journey and share it with an audience. Some families had relatives living overseas and they could see regularly what our learning looked like. It was another way to utilise all the images we capture - and are unable to print out. Some people commented on posts, however it was always surprising how few interactions there were considering the effort that was put into creating blog posts. 

What social media platform do you feel best supports engagement with your professional development? Why?

My platforms include the MindLab Google+ Community, Blogger  the NZ Teachers Facebook page, and Twitter.  I have yet to fully engage with the VLN or dip into The Pond. I have used Twitter- and am continually hearing why it is relevant for teachers. I intend to get back to it when time allows! The ones I use most often presently are Blogger - right here,  the Google+ community and the NZ Teachers Facebook page. I am not a person to put everything ‘out there,’ so I am usually conservative with my interactions,  as not to cause too many ripples. Recently I needed some feedback on how other schools were handling an issue - so I asked a question  and received some responses from educators who happily shared.

Generally I have had positive experiences however I do exercise caution in relation to cyber safety and the validity of some information. Often it can be opinion based and not substantiated by current research or specific data. Further reading can be required. Teachers are generally a collaborative bunch and it is encouraging to see on different forums the willingness to connect and take part in discussions related to our profession. As I teach five year old children it is not a tool that they use or are able to fully engage with for learning. However this is on my list - to investigate an easily navigated platform they are able to independently publish to. From comments and conversations I hear from my students their parents and families engage with social networks regularly.


References:
Office of Ed Tech. (2013, Sep 18). Connected Educators. [video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=216&v=K4Vd4JP_DB8

Crossing Boundaries

Professional Context - Crossing Boundaries

The New Zealand Curriculum (MOE, 2007) supports the notion of all students receiving  “a broad education that makes links within and across learning areas, provides for coherent transitions, and opens up pathways to further learning.” This document also goes onto say “all learning should make use of the natural connections that exist between learning areas and that link learning areas to the values and key competencies.” (MOE, 2007) This I believe gives a certain amount of license as to how we approach teaching and learning.

My map shows different areas of an interdisciplinary approach.The two areas from my map that are my near future goals will be to use a problem solving approach more widely, and developing student agency with my learners. Both of these goals will lead me towards the steps required to have a functioning  innovative learning environment.

My Interdisciplinary Connection Map

The benefits and challenges of working in a more interdisciplinary environment

Interdisciplinary learning (curriculum integration) involves making connections across learning areas. It supports the idea that students are actively participating in their learning and make some of the decisions. They have buy in and some ownership. There is also an element of negotiation. It recognises prior knowledge and learning, and this becomes a place to start. The teacher is also involved and ensures the environment is rewarding and challenging. However this model of learning is not ‘thematic’. There is often confusion between the two. (Fraser, Aitken & Whyte, 2013) Interdisciplinary models seek to imitate the real world while providing students with the opportunity to problem solve and make decisions. (Mathison & Freeman,1997).

Benefits

The benefits of this model are many and varied in a classroom. In my situation the students are just starting their learning journey (new entrants and year one). I cannot assume they have had limited experiences. I want them to connect with what they know and be able to use this as a foundation to build on learning across the various disciplines. For them to be able to negotiate some of their learning needs based on what they know would be powerful. Understanding and being able to verbalise next step learning would be empowering. We have used a problem solving approach in maths with success and this could be used more widely. It develops an authentic context and ‘real life’ situations which children put themselves into and this helps understanding. Having this learner engagement and buy in would develop agency and ownership. Having multiple areas to discuss similar issues can only be beneficial in the long term for children to question and understand a concept.

Challenges

The issue of content planning and time is always present with teachers. How much is required especially when I’m endeavouring to develop student agency? My pedagogy has to change with the idea of becoming more collaborative and becoming a facilitator to these young learners. I need to ’let go’ and not keep rescuing, and ‘have a little faith’ in their effort and abilities. My knowledge of curriculum integration needs to be developed and understood, through more reading and professional discussions. At five years of age are they ready, - socially, emotionally and developmentally for this shift from more traditional teaching and learning models?

“The interdisciplinary approach provides many benefits that develop into much needed lifelong learning skills that are essential to a student’s future learning”. (Jones C., 2009)

References:

Fraser, D., Aitken, V., & Whyte, B. (2013). Connecting Curriculum, Linking Learning. New Zealand: NZCER Press.

Jones, C.(2009). Interdisciplinary approach - Advantages, Disadvantages, and the Future Benefits of Interdisciplinary Studies. ESSAI, 7(26), 76-81. Retrieved from http://dc.cod.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1121&context=essai

Mathison,S.. & Freeman, M.(1997). The logic of interdisciplinary studies. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, 1997. Retrieved from http://www.albany.edu/cela/reports/mathisonlogic12004.pdf:

Ministry of Education. (2007). The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington: Learning Media.

Influence of Law and Ethics on Professional Practice

 Legal and Ethical Contexts in my Digital Practice

“Teaching in schools has long been considered a moral activity (Wilson, 1967; Tom, 1984; Goodlad, Soder and Sirotnik, 1990) largely because it is recognized that how teachers fulfil their public duties influences the lives of vulnerable young people.” (as cited in Hall, 2001) Teachers are in a unique and privileged position. Everyday we get to work with young people and their families. The previous statement indicates teaching to be a moral activity, which I agree with. At times it feels like we are constantly being scrutinized because of the position we hold and the vocation we chose. To safeguard ourselves and those we are in contact with we are guided by the Code of Ethics for Certified Teachers. Teacher interactions are governed by the four principles of autonomy, justice, responsible care and truth. This document states how teachers will strive to uphold commitment to learners, families, society, and the profession. Education Council. (nd) As professionals in an ever changing society where technology is prevalent, it can present dilemmas. The use of media has recently become an issue, and it is an area that is ever evolving. The following quotation is interesting because it gives license for teachers to use their professional judgement, and not everything is compartmentalised. “The Code isn't a set of rules that must be followed. It is a set of principles that should be applied to situations, with careful reflection. Teachers should use the Code as a guide to help them make ethical decisions, recognising questions of ethics may not always have straightforward answers”. Education Council. (nd)

A Situation In My Practice I Have Knowledge of:

For this MindLab course and Applied Practice In Context paper the requirement  has been to blog online. The topics that have been set have indeed been topical. Each week I have had to think critically and look closely at my practice, and include my views in regard to the questions posed. Reflective online blogging is new to me. I have always reflected privately and only shared with immediate school leaders. This new forum has a much wider audience and at times it has felt as if I was baring my soul. To this end I have had to keep my posts honest and professional. It has taken a lot of energy and thought to convey these messages as our school is going through a period of change and re-adjustment. As mentioned before I am part of this era and at times it has been challenging. I write my posts and then go back later (usually after 24 hours) and re-visit them, trying to ensure they portray the situation and my thoughts. I have shared them privately with an experienced colleague and  peers to get their feedback to ascertain if my expressed views are appropriate, to share online. I am constantly thinking of those people in my CoP. Our school has a cyber agreement for students however there is not a policy for adults/staff using online media. This is something that needs to be addressed and followed up. I have spoken to other teachers and some schools now have specific policies in place. The document Digital Technology Safe and Responsible Use in Schools, (Ministry of Education, 2015)  could be a starting point as it provides advice and guidance for schools using digital technology.

References:

Education Council. (nd). Code of Ethics for Certificated Teachers. Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/content/code-of-ethics-certificated-teachers-0

Hall, A. (2001). What ought I to do, all things considered? An approach to the exploration of ethical problems by teachers. Paper presented at the IIPE Conference, Brisbane. Retrieved from http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Developing-leaders/What-Ought-I-to-Do-All-Things-Considered-An-Approach-to-the-Exploration-of-Ethical-Problems-by-Teachers

Ministry of Education. (2015). Digital technology- Safe and responsible use in school. Retrieved fromhttp://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/School/Managing-and-supporting-students/DigitalTechnologySafeAndResponsibleUseInSchs.pdf:

Indigenous Knowledge & Cultural Responsiveness

Share your own views on the indigenous knowledge and culturally responsive pedagogy.

I have always been interested in culture, both within and outside of New Zealand. Completing my teacher education in Rotorua heightened my awareness to the rich culture we have on our doorstep. Elements were woven through our course that emphasised the importance of The Treaty of Waitangi,  Māori tikanga and te reo. I have always been respectful of our New Zealand history and culture. From this point I was determined to challenge myself and make an effort for the learners that I taught. I endeavour to be inclusive by using correct pronunciation, teaching waiata, himene and karakia and the reverence and understanding behind them. It is our way of life in the area we live in - it’s what we know and do.

I have taught in schools in the area and they all have had varying ways of being culturally responsive.  I have had professional development where Ka Hikitia – Managing for Success 2008–2012, and Tātaiako (Ministry of Education, 2011) has been unpacked in the school setting. This developed my understanding of my responsibility and the cultural competencies of Ako, Wānanga, Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga and Tangata Whenuatanga. As Mike Hogan (Edtalks, 2012) mentions it can feel like tokenism, when there are only surface details being attended to and displayed. Thankfully most schools have moved on and are addressing the deeper meaning rather than just ‘ticking the boxes’ at being culturally responsive and adapting pedagogy. At a previous school we were proactive in engaging the Māori community in children’s learning and school life. A group of caregivers and Māori community leaders met regularly with school management to discuss the needs and issues surrounding the education of their tamariki. Communication and relationships were strengthened by this initiative. It was also giving an avenue for the Māori community and how best they could support their children. Success was celebrated and concerns aired. Ideas were voiced as to how to assist “Māori achieving educational success as Māori”.  (MOE, 2011) Classroom teachers were encouraged to incorporate aspects of student’s culture into their everyday classroom programs. An agreement was reached with a local marae and it is now a shared space where members of the school community feel welcome. There was protocol that had to be observed and undertaken to come to this arrangement. There was teaching and learning that came from this real life context for both the staff and students. There was student ownership and leadership. Those pupils who had knowledge and experience took the challenge and stepped up as role models to their peers. As Cowie, B., Otrel-Cass, K., Glynn, T., & Kara, H., et al. (2011) state “It is important for teachers to invite in, share and incorporate student funds of knowledge into the curriculum”.  All of this was a good fit to the school value of ‘Whanaungatanga’.

Communication

I am two terms into a different school this year. I am coming to grips with school life and my new position. In our school charter there is the following section. It sits below the vision, mission statement, and core values. We haven’t officially revisited the ‘Cultural Competencies’ this year. This is something I believe should happen as a poignant reminder for all students and staff - especially important when there has been a change in personnel. Presently we are actively delivering some of these

competencies however more communication and consultation with the Māori community  is required. Recently our new school Board of Trustees was elected. There is a large representation of Māori parents so I hope they can rally the community and get others more involved in school life, for the benefit of everyone. I believe this is one area we could make improvements in.

Resources

This year a teacher has been employed who speaks fluent Te Reo. Part of his role is to have teaching time in every room in our small school. It has been great to question him and seek guidance on  matters I am unsure of. Initially he has used waiata to help with the learning. The children have responded well, to his teaching style and delivery. Recently I have had a new entrant  start school who speaks fluent Māori and attended Kohanga Reo for his pre-school education. He is a wonderful help and has enjoyed being the ‘teacher’ not only for his classmates but also for me. I am determined to maintain some of his skills. As Professor Russell Bishop (2012) details it is imperative to have “caring and learning relationships” as discussed in this video. This student enjoys the empowerment of being ‘the expert’. At first he was reserved, however after a few weeks he beams when asked to demonstrate or explain. His favourite phrase is ‘we’ve got lots of mahi today’. Now everyone knows and understands this! This is an example of “teaching in a culturally responsive way which involves power sharing—tuakana teina in action”. (Cowie, B., Otrel-Cass, K., Glynn, T., & Kara, H., et al, 2011)

I have changed some of the classroom interactions and the way I give instructions to embrace the differences within my children. Learning styles are taken into account.  Cooperative group and peer learning are integrated into my program. (Gay, 2002) I am culturally aware and continue to work on relationships and my cultural responsiveness. As Bishop (2012) mentions relationships are paramount to educational performance.

References:

Cowie, B., Otrel-Cass, K., Glynn, T., & Kara, H., et al.(2011).Culturally responsive pedagogy and assessment in primary science classrooms: Whakamana tamariki. Wellington: Teaching Learning Research Initiative. Retrieved from http://www.tlri.org.nz/sites/default/files/projects/9268_cowie-summaryreport.pdf

Edtalks. (2012, May 30). Hogan, M.  Culturally responsive practice in a mainstream school. [video file].Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/43097812

Edtalks. (2012, September 23). Bishop, R.  A culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. [video file].Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/49992994

Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2),106-116.

Mamaku School Charter 2015-2017

Ministry of Education. (2011). ​ Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori Learners ‐ ​Tātaiako. Retrieved from http://temangoroa.tki.org.nz/Stories/Tataiako‐Cultural‐Competencies

Ministry of Education (2009)  Ka hikitia – Managing for Success: The Mäori Education Strategy 2008-2012 Retrieved from http://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Ministry/Strategies-and-policies/Ka-Hikitia/KaHikitia