Week 4: Collaborate - sites

Week 4: Collaborate - sites

WWW

- more good ideas from the peers
- using sheets in statistics and for statistics
- assessment recording
- adobe spark video editing tool

SHARE

Need to ensure you manage time so create and share have time

Able to share beyond

Teach children to be a digital citizens

Any posts - emailed, Hapara teacher dashboard, Gadget - records all

Cybersmart curriculum must be implemented

Share - to finish learning

Share to learn - others can interact (Hattie)

Multi Modal

Window dressing - grabs attention

First impressions count -

The children know from a young age - what attracts them in a website

Hook children - engage with show by staff at start

Multi level texts to use

Behavioral engagement - Multi modal - digital component - window dressing, enticing

Cognitive engagement - Multi Textual - engage the brain

UDL - Gardeners

- We used slides to create resources with activities. The focus on Learn, create share.
The slide set-up took much discussion to figure out and, although it was manageable, I felt that drawings and slides work better and are more manageable

Week 3 - Dealing with Data

Dealing with Data

Tena koe and welcome back to the musings of me.

This week we were focused on dealing with data (not as dry as I would of thought)
Today Mark Maddren was joined by the comedy stylings of Mr David Winter

WWW

We started with the WWW

• What has worked for you since the last time we met?
• What hasn’t worked (or made sense)?
• What do you need help with?

Once again others ideas were of great value

• Creating a calendar for the children to be aware of due assessments or events was a great idea and I will look to implement this during the week. Having children add personal milestones will enhance their buy in.
• Kahoot - this is a reinforced idea that I have only heard 38 times and used twice but knowing the value of gamification in checking the children's knowledge and having them record questions. I guess I can learn new tricks.
• Rewindable learning - I did want to implement this someway in the previous week but found the week very busy with Tournaments, Cross country, RE obs, Extended Assembly, dance and life in general.
• It was good to hear others curious about ways to best use Hapara to support their learning.

Create

The wonderful Dorothy hung out with us for a spell to share what create means to Manaiakalani (I am becoming very adept at typing this word!)
This started with the realisation that children arrive at school full of bright eyed creativity and this is slowly eeked out as they progress through their education. She suggested checking out the ideas of Ken Robinson an actor who is well known for his idea that schools knockout creativity. Not so if we 'Learn Create Share'! This session emphasised hooking children in and how creative children are better problem solvers, collaborators and communicators.
We had quotes from Apple, Kohl, Dewey, Kindy to support this argument and, and examples of creativity hooking people from SISIMO
Basically I equated this to the wonderful lyrics By Fleetwood Mac ‘Ohhh, you make learning fun, it’s all I wanna do’
(I may have adapted these a little)

Forms

Forms were another thing I had heard about recently (yesterday) that I was keen to try.
I see this as a great tool and have quickly mad an example to try with the children.
The fact that I use the word quickly means it is very likely I will use this again.

Maps

We used data from a sheet to google our mad - I have embedded this below.
I can see many uses for this in the class with a hit the ground running approach in my cultural dance next week.
Using a form to identify countries children identify with, transferring this to a sheet and googling the data into a map.

Sheets

I think of spreadsheets as big spiders, they are important for the circle of life but they creep me out.
Thanks to Dave and Mark (and Paige) I still find them creepy, but not crawling on my shoulder creepy.
I have set up a template to use to record class data. and am looking forward sharing my - completed work link sheet with the class.

Data Analysis:

Using sheets and charts in the sheets I was able to create this interactive graph of a students Blog output.

When the code is imbedded it updates when you change data on the sheet allowing for real time views of progress.

(As you can see I have experimented a bit with embedding during this post which may make it a little painful to get around - but thanks for persevering)

Nau reira, tena koutou katoa

Google My Map

DFI Week 2: Workflow

Workflow

Time to reflect and share with colleagues

• What did I learn that increased my understanding of Manaiakalani kaupapa and pedagogy?
• What did I learn that could improve my confidence, capability or workflow as a professional?
• What did I learn that could be used with my learners?  
• What did I learn that could improve my confidence, capability or workflow in my personal life?

Reflection

Today we started with a WWW session (agenda)

• What has worked for you since the last time we met?
• What hasn’t worked (or made sense)?
• What do you need help with?

This reflection tool helped me hone in on challenges and successes.

This also allowed me to hear others fixes and things that worked for them - giving me focus for my own challenges.

Typing lessons and variations from typing.com are one example of this with dancemat and nitro

Google Keep

Google Keep

• postits/reminders
• Set up for assignments
• Events
• To do
• Connect to phone
• Make a note - take a photo of text - touch pic and 3 dots - this will transfer text to typed - send to doc and voila

Google keep - this has already proven valuable for a work/organisation perspective.

The feature of book to text  - changing a photo of text into a document will be a valuable tool. 

This was a reminder to use google.com to find apps as well.

As serial flibberty jib this tool opens up great possibilities to focus my time.

Gmail

Google Mail

Settings are always to right of screen

• Configured mail
• Labels
• Organisational
• Find an email and add labels

I have been using the apple mail app. This limits me to my device. It offers me quick access to my emails and I find it easier to move things around.

With the session I was able to focus my labels and will need to use it through gmail to prepare for future assessment.

As with every trick this old dog learns things become more comfortable after use and, invariably, invaluable as per sites, docs, pictures, slides...

Google Calendar

Create a calendar

• My calendars - create
• Hit m for month, d for day, a agenda, w for seek, s for settings

These 1 key shortcuts make the calendar more appealing to me. The accessibility of layouts - weekly, monthly and daily is useful for inputting viewing.

Learn

 We 'hung out' with Dorothy through a google hangout. Accessing her knowledge from across the globe.
This focused on the learn aspect of Learn Create Share and emphasised effective practice, thinking how this looks in schools with or without technology.
The task of recognising and recording effective teaching in our school would be valuable for our staff to see the things that are working and consider what things are transferable.

This was a reminder of SAMR. Seeing how it relates to Blooms and aiming at theTransformative activities.

 Rewindable learning - Slide 25 - reviewing - if worth teaching it’s worth recording

Not FLipped… Not preparing

Hangouts

Our adventure into recording a screen using quicktime was a fun process. We looked at the Summer Learning Project, which looked like an amazing way to engage children though their holidays. Our discussion was deep and meaningful (read: verbose) but unfortunately the audio didn't record.

Looking forward to next week!

Any teacher who can be replaced by a computer… should be

Week 1 DFI - CORE Business

Week 1 DFI - CORE Business

The learning journey continues with some intensive ICT learning.

Day one:

Creating a slide for introduction was a good way to be prepared when meeting the rest of the course-mates.
It set the scene for a hands on day with great ideas and cemented the Learn Create Share (LCS) pedagogy.

Origins

Manaiakalani's introduction and rise came from a community in need and ways to cater to needs. In 2006 it was evident that changes needed to be made to boost success and engagement in the students. A posse volunteered without prior examples of ways to make it work. These initial seven schools were bold and took risks. It was the defining of LCS and using tools to hook the children into learning with a real audience who interacted with the work they produced.

Device replaces the pencil not the book

Books are in the cloud - google

Researched what worked better - Google was easily the best option

Hapara - teacher dashboard - started from Manaiakalani

Google Groups  

groups.google.com - google tools all have this end to their URL

Google groups allow you to be collaborative with a group - use for colleagues - Set up a syndicate group to aid communication. DO not use for students as they may figure they are part of the hapara group and opt out. (Unlikely but may)

Omnibox

Just Omnibox - 

When typing into Google this is the initial ideas. It also provides timers, definitions, translations...

Docs

Teach the children explicitly how to use proficiently. Start with labels and filing. Ensure children do not use command v - this transfers formatting and can make text unwieldy and create an issue.

- Underline has no place - means hyperlink

- Headings - table of contents

- Can be used to focus links to point in a doc.

- Voice typing - trial with

- Boys - group -

- Focus by talking quietly and use cup to highlight mics

- REad to computer using talk to text - book:

- 10 minutes - accurate - word count - work on fluency - Comments record words

Change page setup - don't need margins

Use a table to hold info in a cell

Make colour of table border same as background so hidden

PRACTICE - Key change in Reflective Practice

Kimihia te matauranga - Seek knowledge

The journey of learning should never end. That is what we sell to our students and expect them to push themselves to be better and grow. Mindlab afforded me the opportunity to learn and grow in my own practice and self. Initially I thought I would come away with ICT tools to better my delivery in class but found much more. Reflecting and leading have become major growth elements of my journey and I am thankful for the tools that Mindlab has provided. When buttoning down on a specific improvement for this final reflection there were many changes to my practice and pedagogy so this in itself was a challenge.

Activity 8: Key change in my professional practice

Step 1 (What): Identify one key change in your professional practice

• Learning-focused culture - Develop a culture that is focused on learning, and is characterised by respect, inclusion, empathy, collaboration and safety. 

Collaboration - identified in the code of standards and the Hack Education Research Project (2016) as a tool that children will need in the future and, I have found, is transferable to all curriculum areas. This ability to work together was a challenge for the pupils in my class who are at a very egocentric stage of life. They have challenges arising form the Canterbury earthquakes that are varying in their extent. 

With the collaborative process I have identified and used many tools that support implementation in the class. The act of collaboration has seen the rise of tuakana teina relationships between the students. Strengths possessed by individuals are shared and repaid in kind. Children were initially challenged identifying these skills but showed they found value in focusing on strengths and finding peers to support challenges.

Step 2 (Now what): Evaluate the identified change

Problem Identification

Children performing below national standards were targetted by the teacher. Time and perception of the pupils but dampers on their progress and they seemed to come up in every cycle with similar problems. This raises the question if doing what you've always done will give you what you've always got or what is the reality. Osterman and Kottkamp (2015) suggest reasons for a change in practice, and would a change work. I felt the need to change for the benefit of these pupils without hampering others who were succeeding by stealing time or resource.


Observation and analysis

Use of previous and current assessment supported my assumption of these children continuing to struggle, these included PAT testing, STAR tests, running records, GloSS and e-asTTle. Having previously taught these children also gave credence to my anecdotal notes and observations. This prior knowledge of the learners gave me good insights into the strengths that could be shared amongst the group.

Abstract re conceptualization

Set up in a number of ways in the class through curriculum  I will focus specifically on changes made in math program. The outcomes I hoped for may not have measured across all students as successful. We need to consider interventions trailed previously and build on these or disregard depending on success.
The target children had taken part in a Maths intervention based around acceleration (ALiM). These pupils were able to express what they were learning and question when they didn't understand and became a good base for focus and model for feedback to the class. They were sought after buddies although they didn't always understand new concepts they displayed a positive attitude and 'had a go'.

Active experimentation

I chose to work with a neighbouring teacher. We grouped both classes, focusing on a multilevel approach. The children identified individual strengths in Math at the initial stage. The delivery was pitched at the higher end of strategy and knowledge. Time was set in the session for peer discussion and collaboration. Children were encouraged to support and look for support where needed. 

A positive off side to this was freeing up of teacher to target those children who may be challenged by the freedom this agency provided. Supporting these children to stay on task and come up with educated theory relating to problems was pleasing.

The cycle with the neighbour teacher involved a 2 week rotation where each teacher had a mandate around specific focus and delivery. When based in one room the focus was on ubiquitous problem solving tasks, again focused at the more able students and games. The other room was set for more curriculum based strategies and use of technology to support learning in the form of basic fact drills and study ladder.

The children were more focused and engaged. The major assessments are yet to happen but reporting and anecdotally improvements have been shown. Interestingly in interviews the majority of children expressed a dislike for the system showing a ingrown need to be led and spoon-fed. Hopefully, with persistence they will see and respond to the benefits of using this approach. 

Bolstad, R. & MacDonald,J.(2016). An analysis of participant blogs supplemented by teacher interviews. Wellington: New Zealand Council for Educational Research.

Osterman, K. & Kottkamp, R.(1993). Reflective Practice for Educators.California.Corwin Press, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.itslifejimbutn otasweknowit.org.uk/files

Osterman, K. F., & Kottkamp, R. B. (2015). Reflective practice for educators: professional development to improve student learning.(2nd ed.) New York: Skyhorse Publishing.

Ministry of Education. (2017). Our code, our standards. Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/content/our-code-our-standards   

Indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness in my practice

Indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness in my practice

Whakataukī

Toitū te kupu, toitū te mana, toitū te whenua

Without language, without mana, without land, the essence of being Māori would be lost

MIHI   

Kia ora, Ko te mihi tuatahi ki te atua tena koe.

Ko Kai Tahu toku iwi

Ko Nick Gray toku ingoa

No Otepoti ahau

Kia ora,

I believe that every child is entitled to a quality education and that, as the classroom teacher, I have a responsibility to ensure that the needs of the individual are met.
These needs must be met in a caring and stimulating environment, which inspires trust, respect and a life long love for learning with the focus firmly on the child.

This ideal is ultimately my goal as a teacher in New Zealand.
Identify as Maori and growing up this was a challenge for me to recognise in a classroom situation.
In my school days it wasn't acknowledged and as I was estranged from the Maori element of my whanau from the age of 12 this became distant and foreign to me.
The later introduction of higher education through the Christchurch College of Education and the University of Canterbury allowed me to realise this history and make-up of my identity.
It reinvigorated the pride I had and allowed me to pursue this element of myself. Having had a youth where was unfashionable to be Maori I understand we have a long way to go.

Maori success has been a strong focus for me in my career and giving me opportunities to lead in my school role.Empowering students and whanau at my school too grow the awareness of issues and improve results.
To initially engage the community and Maori whanau we and talk meetings where we discussed Maori success as Maori compared these and in our school there was much correlation between the wider community and  Maori.
We did this with informal and formal meetings involving kai and it was initially successful.
To grow the engagement of whanau used the community themselves focusing on their skills such as having meetings involving weaving and culminating in a hangi.

Issues arising from these meetings included the visual representation of Maori in the school and the overall use of te reo in the classroom.  
This group became a focal point at the school and children and parents were proud to be a part of it.
It's sole purpose was to raise awareness and embrace the skills culture and heritage of community members identifying  as Maori.

This group gave rise to the Maori voice represented in the school.  
Milne, (Core Education, 2017) gave recommendations is two ways that we could get this voice from our community.
I feel the initial implementation of the farmer group catered to this in a successful way.
It needs to continue to grow and teachers need to reflect on their own use and teaching of Maori in their classrooms.

Whilst it is never been an issue to take time for funds to grow this group it is evident that sometimes this culture doesn't correlate with the predominantly pakeha makeup of the staff and community.  
Continuing this group has proved challenging as strong leadership from appearance is important and has moved on to other roles or left the school.
Recreating the initial buzz from the group continues to be a challenge and one that often gets overlooked with the supposed importance of other issues.

Teachers are aware that this is a challenge as I am aware that it is a challenge for them. I took a to do this they have been offered courses and completed courses in the use of to.do in the classroom. Others have been included in the leadership group around Maori issues and cultural  responsivity Insuring that more than one person addressing national concerns around around Maori success as Maori.

Bishop, R., Berryman, M., Cavanagh, T. & Teddy, L. (2009).Te Kotahitanga: Addressing educational disparities facing Māori students in New Zealand. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(5),734–742.

CORE Education.(2017, 17 October). Dr Ann Milne, Colouring in the white spaces: Reclaiming cultural identity in whitestream schools.[video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cTvi5qxqp4&feature=em-subs_digest

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

Milne, B.A. (2013). Colouring in the white spaces: Reclaiming cultural identity in whitestream schools. (Doctoral Thesis, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand). Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/10289/7868

Milne, A.(2017).Coloring in the white spaces: reclaiming cultural identity in whitestream schools. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc.