Book Club.... here we go!

 As part of our leadership professional development we have started a Book Club. Not a Book Club like your usual book club, look at the cover and the back of the book, drink wine, nibble on snacks and gossip. No this one is where we actually discusses the book we are reading!

Like many schools around Aotearoa, we have an interesting mixture of behaviours sitting with our tamariki some chilled and placid, some lacking resilience some with loads of confidence some desperate to be leaders. We have followers and some seeking attention, we have those who love learning and enjoy being social and then a small bunch who are struggling to fit into any of these groups above. These are the tamariki that we say are 'out of control and often viewed as disrespectful'.  How do we work to help these tamariki slide into spaces where they are wanting to learn and have control over their responses and are self regulating? As kaiako, we need to relearn some of our strategies, reflect on how they are landing with these tricky tamariki, fill our kete up with these new ways of being and try to make school a positive experience for both our tricky tamariki, all the other tamariki at school and our kaiako.

The author of our first Book Club book , Ross W Greene, PH.D has also written a book titled 'The Explosive Child' which immediately got my attention. Further reading on the back of the book I noticed that he works with whānau, various detention units as well as schools.  This holistic approach to nurturing and guiding the development of our tamariki with strong support and aroha wrapped around them sits well with me and so with anticipation I started reading Chapter 1. The book was really easy to jump into as it described a scenario that often we see happening in our schools through a conversation and then a reflection. The kicker at the end of the chapter was what made me want to continue, "we're loosing a lot of kids and a lot of teachers because we view challenging kids the wrong way and handle them in ways that don't address their true difficulties. It's an exercise in frustration for everyone involved, and it's time to get off the running wheel."

DFI Day 8

Empowerment

Today was spent focussing on empowerment. Empowerment of the tamariki and empowerment of the teachers.

The DFI came about to empower teachers to be able to use the digital tools that we have to

teach effectively to accelerate learning and to give our tamariki rangatiratanga.

We need to empower our young people to be active participants in their own lives.

They need to be creative directors of their own lives and not passive consumers.

What we are teaching out tamariki will come and go but if we can equip them with the confidence to be life long learners we have done our job! Digitally fluent teachers will hopefully produce digitally fluent children.

Technology Curriculum

Unpacking a new curriculum document is always a bit tricky and having the time and guidance to really dig down and explore was great. Below is a simple visual which helped clarify it for me.

I got a chance to explore Raranga Matihiko and all the cool resources available there. 

But the most empowering part of the day for me was the chance to participate in a bubble and learn all about coding using Mihi Maker. Such a cool resource and I absolutely loved spending time creating my digital mihi. I didn't quite get it finished but I spent the evening completing it as I wanted to share it on my blog. I am desperate to show the tamariki how to do this as they will LOVE it. 

So did I feel empowered? Yes definitely and the feeling that I got from being able to accomplish something really cool, that I couldn't do before was a reminder of the daily challenge that we have as educators to uplift our tamariki, top up their kete and empower them to be creative directors of their own lives.

You need to use your arrows to move me through the game. Have a go!

DFI Day 7

A great start today with some Hapara Hints.

I have been using Hapara for a few years now, but only since the DFI have I really used the next layer of functions. This knowledge makes an already great tool amazing.

Hints for me... 

• Really important to not let the tamariki create their own folders as they are not visible on teacher dashboard. 
• Remember that you can sort tamariki within class folders. 
• There is a 15 min view so the tamariki's docs don't clutter your files.  
• Check anonymous comments to make sure they are appropriate. 
• If they don't have a gmail account they will come as anonymous. 
• Sharing is where you locate all the files that aren’t filed in the correct place a bit like tidying up the desk in the old days! 
• Class info change kids passwords if required. 
• Privacy around viewing tamariki activity out of school hours.

 Just because you can it doesn't mean you should……. you should have a conversation.

Guided browsing good if you want to lock tamariki onto an activity for a period of time. I really like how Dorothy suggested that we have a conversation with the tamariki and explain why and that it will come off once we have completed the activity. Activity viewer is great for checking in on collaboration and who is working where.

The 3 P's

The principles of the treaty were very much at the forefront when designing the Manaiakalani pedagogy, creating equity and being absolutely faithful with the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. 

 It is important that the words 'by in' are not used when getting whānau involved, our whānau are in partnership with us and it is important to understand that whānau are part of the decision making with everything including the Kawa of Care. When originally approached to contribute to the Kawa of Care the whānau actually strengthened and added vigour to the document. 

Teachers need to be mindful of removing devices from tamariki as a consequence as these devices are their book and pencil. We need to be respectful of the right of the child to participate. 

Using the iceberg analogy once again, protection is above the surface of the iceberg all the things we teach the children about being in cybersmart and our presence and support however the other part of protection is under the water, the background security measures that at put in place to keep all of our digital footprints squeaky clean.

Explain Everything was fun

I have seen some amazing resources created using Explain Everything and it was nice to have a play around and some time to learn the ins and outs. I need to find time to look at slide 10 11 and 12 of slide deck used in presentation.


Screencastify

This week we have been revisiting the tamariki making smart choices about where they should be as far as their learning...not wandering around the google suite or internet but staying focused on the task at hand. So this activity has really been timely for me and I plan to use it in the classroom net week. The tamariki will really enjoy taking screenshots of their smart choices. One of the great things about Screencastify is that it is rewindable, so having this available caters for the differentiation of ability and focus in the classroom.
Take a look at my creation. On reflection next time I would make sure that my omnibar was clear of excess tabs and tidy however today was a chance to just get in and have a go.

DFI Day 5

The hotspots were really valuable for me today.

Hapara

I didn't realise how useful the blog post and comment section on the teacher dashboard was and now that I know how to find it easilyI can see the benefits of using this to increase my workflow. 

Visibility

I used to think that making myself visible was quite scary, however once I got comfortable with blogging and using my classroom website I found this part of the pedagogy easier to do. It occurred to me during lockdown that I didn't really enjoy videoing myself let alone publishing it warts and all for the public to view. I then realised that the content of the video was really what people were wanting to see ...not me.... and this changed my perception. In speaking with the tamariki, they love using the classroom website where everything is visible, there are no issues with sharing and access and they can rewind their learning whenever the want to. 

Multi-Modal

I'm a big fan of multi-modal and remember focusing on this for my MIT inquiry using writing as the curriculum area. I can see the huge benefits in this approach and transferring this approach across other learning areas makes so much sense. I enjoyed the presentation unpacking the 2 parts to multi-modal as explained below in the images.

A Chance to Level Up

This was a chance to create our very own multi-modal reading resource and it was a great time sharing ideas in a small group and having an expert on hand. I felt a lot ore comfortable creating from scratch a template using google draw which I guess is an indicator of progress rather than adapting someone elses. I had lots of fun and I thik I may have cracked a layout which  can reuse over and over again that is eye cathing and simple to follow. The other feature that I like with this template that I have created is that it explicitly has learn, create and share spaces and visibility also features with the blog post requirement. 

Here is a link to my multi-modal page and resource. 

Website development

I love my classroom website, the layout and feeling that I get when I share it with the tamariki. It really does reflect our classroom culture and I know that the tamariki enjoy using it too. I have spent alot of time creating it and learning along the way has been empowering. There are still many things for me to learn however and so today having some time to play around was a real treat.

Here is a link to my classroom website. 

Another fantastic day with loads of learning for me. 

DFI Day 4 Dealing with Data

I was really looking forward to todays DFI as I learnt so much last week that I could transfer directly into my kete of pedagogy.  Looking at the agenda I saw some deep dives that I could see would be really valuable to assist my workflow.

How did they day unfold...

SHARE

Dorothy presented a fantastic session on the share part of the Manaiakalani pedagogy which actually created an epiphany for me. It wasn't only around what share is or how we can use it to engage and motivate the tamariki, but on a personal note. In my Kahui Ako role I am focussing on Learn, Create, Share, pedagogy though a bicultural lens including modelling pedagogy and supporting teachers in the cluster. 

In Dorothy's presentation she showed a slide which demonstrated how share has been around forever, she then went further into her presentation and showed a slide with images on it of sharing. It occurred to me that from a bicultural perspective there are many narratives, stories, real life examples and mythical stories that demonstrate fantastic morsels  of learn, create and share. Situations that have occurred and presented themselves aligning directly with these three words. I thought that it would be a valuable idea to select some images, through a bicultural lens with backstories included, to unpack this pedagogy further. Maybe I could create an image that would be useful to share wider than the Kahui Ako? 

How create can present itself, all equally important .

1:1, small groups, whānau or small groups within school, larger groups such as community gatherings, assembles, lecture theatre or conferences and sharing with the world with the potential to reach across the globe.

SPREADSHEETS

Coming into today I was a beginner at using spreadsheets and really only saw them as a bunch of data for very organised people. However now after being shown the ins and outs and the exciting things that we can create I see them in a whole new light. I see so much potential to assist my workflow and organisation especially with gathering and collating data on assessment etc. With reports due in a few weeks I am going to make a commitment to use a spreadsheet to gather data and also try the customise option to highlight those tamariki that are my target tamariki. I will need lots of practise to get around these and there is so much to learn but I now feel engaged in this part of the google suite. Maybe I will become one of those very organised people? With my tamaiki I know that there are many opportunities to use spread sheets and I will introduce the blog posts activity to them as a taster of the possibilities.

Time to create.. I had a go at using the statistics available on our classroom blog for the past few weeks and came up with this. I was really pleased with how it turned out and of course the next step would be to provide some analysis of the data.

MY MAP

A seriously cool tool. Maria introduced me to My Map and I had so much fun playing around with it. I can see many uses for this tool in the classroom starting with tamariki plotting their whakapapa on a map of Aotearoa, their marae, awa, maunga etc. A visual on these places would be amazing as a digital pepeha. Lots to unpack and explore here... I have a feeling that the tamariki will be really savvy with this tool and it will become one of the go to tools for create. This was my map of holiday destinations of our Thursday DFI cohort that I created.

FORMS

Revisiting Google Forms and diving a little deeper was exciting. I learnt how to add an image into my form and am going to spend more time over the next few weeks learning how to make pathways. Here is a copy of the form I created. It was done very quickly and next time I would like to spend more time developing quality questions and response opportunities I really wanted to practise inserting images today.

What Netflix TV Shows do you recommend?

LABELS and BLOGS

I didn't realise that you are able to click on existing labels within your blog and that they automatically add them to your current blog post labels. This while a very simple piece of information will be extremely helpful for the tamariki in my class as they are always asking "What labels should I use?" Now I can just direct them back to labels that they have already used and get them to pick which they feel are the most appropriate. I am also grateful to the selection of labels provide for me to use on my blog as shown below. This will be more time efficient and ensure everything is linked in some way.

DFI Day 3

Mihi

It was so nice to be welcomed back and to be a part of this large online cohort. Starting the day with karakia from Makaore set the tone and the efficient way we moved through the agenda maximised the learning. What a day of learning it was... 

I met the wonderful Kerry and her team and felt very included in the space...ngā mihi Kerry.

Manaiakalani Pedagogy

Listening to Dorothy present on Create was a reminder to me that the  CREATE part of the Manaiakalani pedagogy is so important as we encourage those tamariki who may be disconnected with learning or unmotivated to stay excited. It really is at the heart of the matter and has been around for so long. If we look at research from 60 years ago we see tamariki creating, it's not new! Reflecting on our 8 weeks lockdown, the joy that sparked the tamariki over this period, was the create, there was an abundance of problem solving, adapting and thinking outside the square over this period. Tamariki were tapping into their creativity.

Youtube

Revisiting Youtube and the benefits of creating playlists is an area that is new to me and something that will definitely increase my workflow. Rather than hunting around and then being diverted to other kaupapa I personally can see benefit in taking the time and getting these playlists embedded into my site. If this is going to save me time I can only imagine how much more focussed the tamariki will be if they are not zooming around wasting time as well. It was also a chance to recheck settings.

Levelling up

I enjoyed working on Google Draw today with Makaore and Gerhard. This is an area where my tamariki are better than me at using and I really wanted to develop my skills around this. A perfect opportunity to earn how to layer and also use the tools to trace and colour images. I feel a lot more confident with this tool now and see the benefits of being able to incorporate it in the create pedagogy space.It was fun and has endless possibilities.

Reflection

As always these days are so beneficial to me as a teacher and mentor but also personally as I take time to put aside the daily rituals and really focus on developing my weaknesses or areas that I feel less confident in.  I wasn't sure about how the online delivery would go but after finishing todays session I am excited, positive, buzzing and ready for next week.

DFI Day 2

Deep Dive #1 Google Hangouts

What's all the fuss about?
Because I had no real idea how to use this amazing feature I didn't realise how useful it would be to have that face to face contact with the class without actually being present. In light of what is happening around the world I see the urgency in learning how to be proficient in this method of delivery.

 It was a bit confusing to start with but I think with lots of practise it will become easier. I am excited about doing a tuition with my class on Monday. We had a go as a small group which was lots of fun and I am keen to have a go at using the new recording function that is a part of Google Hangouts, however it hasn't been pushed out to us yet. At this stage we need to use Quick Time to record.

It was really great to join a hangout with someone in Auckland and reflect on the Manaiakalani pedagogy with a focus on Learn.
To start with we  looked at the 4 goals of learn...

Goal 1 Teachers and learners need to learn the same skills

Goal 2 Teachers need to use this learning

Goal 3 Teachers need to take the evidence that we have presented and make deliberate and effective use of it.

Goal 4 We must be working all the time in that digital environment.

We need to be moving both these lines at the same time hand in hand.

Deep Dive #2 Google Keep 

Another amazing extension that I have used in the past. This was really a refresher for me and a reminder how Google Keep can really streamline my workflow.  Just use it!

A hack that I took away from this deep dive was that you can use the recording function in Google Keep and it will convert it to text.

Deep Dive #3 Google Mail 
This was a chance for me to go behind the scenes and have a play with my settings. Look at some cool hacks and setting features to personalise  my Mail to suit me.  I really enjoyed finding our more about this as Google Mail is so important in my daily work.  My to do from this deep dive is to setup my email signature.  I remember that DJ Burt mentioned to keep it professional with no bitmoji and photos so I have to get that done. A hack that I took away was to use schedule send at the bottom of my emails.

Deep Dive #4 Google Calendar. 

This would have to be the most useful Deep Dive today for me today and an app that I am embarrassed to say I have never really used properly. I have used the surface features but because I haven't learnt ins and outs it has been a chore to add all my events and appointments. Now that I am more familiar I can see myself using this all the time. It will ensure I don't forget appointments and take away the stress of having to remember everything. Love it! The added benefits of being able to invite people to Hangouts etc easily is also great. My hack would be to use Google Calendar to send notes to reliever within an appointment.

Summary of the day...

• So much fantastic, useful information 
• Hanging out with awesome colleagues
• Knowledge which will help me with workflow
• New learning to take back to share with the tamariki
• Feeling empowered.