Week 32 -

Activity 8: Key changes in my professional practice.

Step 1 (What): I came into the Mind Lab with some preconceived ideas; It will be fun, some hands on learning, make a model- take back idea to the classroom and apply the into an Inquiry learning group. That was the idea but things changed slowly I saw that; teachers need to have a sound understanding of where it comes from, what they’re doing, and why are they doing it.

By researching the information and having knowledge on the subject, I am assured of what I present to my students or when I speak to a colleague, I know what I am talking about.  Research is a key for a professional teacher.

In the Ministry of Educations – Our code, Our Standards, the word “Whakamana “ is written, to me that is what teaching is all about - empowerment.

The others key points are the kakahu  (cloak), we teachers put on our students and awhi ( embrace / hug – and to stand by) them, to make the student accepted in our classes and schools.

Week 31’s reading and video’s spoke very loudly to me and resonated deep within – it’s time for the Te Tiriti o Waitangi to fulfil its obligations and to assist and impart all that the Crown- (Ministry of Education) can do for our students of indigenous descant, -  ‘all the rights and privileges of a British subject ’.  

Therefore, one key change in my professional practice is - Whakamana – the empowerment of the students in my learning sphere.

Step 2 (Now what): Evaluate the identified change.

“Reflective practice fosters learning by creating opportunities to become more aware of our practices.”  

After many years of teaching in a single cell classroom, it lost its shine for me, I felt like I was alone and teaching in isolation. When I began to reflect on this, I found several areas I could address myself and one area where I would need the cooperation of another teacher. We / I,  often as the reading from, “Reflective Practice for Educators” by (Osterman & Kottkamp, 2015) says, look for the fix instead of looking for the root cause. What I was teaching was correct, how I was teaching it was at fault. This was the opportunity needed to make positive changes in my professional practice

 Using the Osterman & Kottkamp model, I approach a colleague who had a similar teaching style, behaviour management application and teaching pedagogy, we discussed how this would benefit the students and ourselves.  After a six-month trial period, the collaborative teaching style worked for both of us. It was actually very successful and easy to adapt and it’s been working well for the last three-four years. Yes, there are difficulties, this is where we reflect on the issue and look for the root cause and deal with it or seek assistance. We have learnt to become good recorders of the facts not the feelings.  

https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/foc-video-out/160a873c-9ec5-d02e-3d63-4c109c2b5795/Amanda_Paul.mp4

Step 3 (What next) Share your next plan(s) regarding your future professional development or your future practice.

My future professional development plans are simple – to encourage my colleagues to adapt the process of collaboratively teaching (Team Teaching), using digital technologies and applying this into their professional practice. This is out- lined in the last collaborative paper ‘Assessment 2 - Teacher Inquiry into Student Learning’.

For me, having a started out with collaborative teaching at the heart of my reason for being part of the Mind Lab’s post-grade paper, it would be ashamed to not share this with my colleagues. I am encourage that this change in their teaching style will empower Whakamana, their students and give each of them a successful path into the future of learning.   

Finally to Awhi (embrace) the students and teachers into the knowledge of article three of Te Tirirti O Waitangi so that the indigenous students would be imparted all the rights and privileges of a British subject. 
                                                 And that's education also. 

Nga mihi koutou 

Paul 

References

The Three articles of the Treaty of Waitangi

https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/4216/the-three-articles-of-the-treaty-of-waitangi  

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 on 7th May, 2015 from http://www.itslifejimbutnotasweknowit.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 (nd). Our code, our standards. Retrieved from

https://educationcouncil.org.nz/content/our-code-our-standards

Week 31       INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND 

CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS

Activity 7 - Indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness in my practice.

In our school we have a Bi-langual Akomanga, Noho Maere, Powhiri and Kapa Haka – simple use of Te Reo is used in a number of classes. In our co-taught classrooms, many instructions and said in Te Reo and children do understand these commands/ instructions greeting and mihi are common and part of our routines. Could we do more? Yes but without Professional Development the current level will remain. After a discussion with the principal, a view as taken that we would need another bi-lingual Akomanga in the near future. This is promising and we can only wait and continue to present the research and studies of people like Prof Bishop and Dr Milne to address the imbalance.

What 1. - Professor Russell Bishop talks about, culturally responsive pedagogy and how to bring about, change for Maori students. They need teachers who engagement them leading to improve attendance, achievement and further engagement by the teacher. Teachers need to be educated in ways to support Maori students. These teachers, all teachers, need wrapped system to assist them in the classroom and have enough financial assistance from the government to accomplish this. Teachers need to be provides for with specific PD so they can assist, support and be effective tools of change for these students. This will be far less expensive than incarnation.

So What 2. - Highly effective teachers; care Maori students, care and want the students to achieve. These highly effective teachers also have high expectations of the student/s, have a Maori ( Manaakitanga ) understanding. These highly effective teachers also have a sound pedagogy in a Maori context and use sound classroom management. They have strong teaching strategies and have well-organised classes, use collaborative learning style, use a teacher learner- learner teacher style to enhance to learning opportunities of the students and their teaching methods. A highly effective teacher of Maori students uses formative ways to include students in their progress and they use feedback and feed forward to assist in the student’s goal setting and achievements.

Dr Anne Milne – White Spaces

Will that is a lot to take in but the 52minutes 44 seconds was worth every second – what a great way to remove the stigma of education and its organised assimilation methods and create positive outcomes for the students we teach and communities we work. Aotearoa would possible the best place in the world to live.

Milne says, ‘New Zealand’s education system has been largely silent on the topic of whiteness and the Eurocentric nature of our schooling policy and practice.’  Perhaps this is still part of the old colonial process of assimilating the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa or the old ideals never being brought into the 21^st century, either way the sigma of the majority rules has continued for far too long.

What Now 3. -  After viewing both speakers, it is clear to see that without forward thinking management in school and highly effective teachers, we will achieve exactly what we have now – Maori students be at the bottom of the graph and having the highest rate of non-achievement.  By flipping the system for the betterment of all in our country, we have the opportunity to build on the foundations of equality for all.

My next step would be to teach the history of New Zealand and the Treaty of Waitangi, this would be a way forward and bring down the racist ideas that have been distracting our educators, teachers, policy makers and governments. A point made by Prof Bishop is that, ‘This will be far less expensive than incarnation.’ Is so painfully true and now is the time to to make a difference. 

 References

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.

Bucher, R. (2008). Building cultural intelligence (CQ): Nine Megaskills. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

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

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

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

Pohatu, T. W. (2011). Mauri - Rethinking human wellbeing. MAI Review, 3, 1-12. Retrieved from http://www.review.mai.ac.nz/index.php/MR/article/v...

Week 30 –  The Broader Professional Context

Using Rolfe’s model of reflection, I Identified a trend that I am passionate about and want to see it working for the betterment of all students and their parents, who want to be on this learning journey.

Step 1. (What):  One trend I have identify and is relevant in my practice is bilingualism, in main stream schools.

Language, as a tool for communication and for trade, has been used for a very long time by indigenous people throughout the world. Te Reo, the second language of New Zealand, has been going through a revival in primary schools over the last five – ten years. This increase in the spoken language can be seen as a trend or the popular thing to learn. Researchers have shown, that children who speak more than one language can problem solve and adapt to learning situations faster than monolinguist.

So What - My problem with this trend, is that we do not have enough trained teachers to assist and teacher our children. Our teacher training establishments disadvantage us by not having Te Reo as part of their main stream qualifications for student teachers. The action I am taking is to go back to university and learn Te Reo then applying this knowledge to my classroom teaching. 

Step 2. (So What) Analyse the trend

Money spent on education in these countries.

Almost 50% percent of these countries sending students here to New Zealand to be educated.

The growing trend – education in New Zealand is a growth industry.

ECONOMIC IMPACT

International education is New Zealand's fifth biggest export industry and the second biggest services sector. It was provisionally worth $3.1 billion for the 2015 calendar year, according to Statistics New Zealand, and it's growing so quickly it looks set to be the fourth biggest, overtaking wood at $3.52 billion. 

The Government has set a target to grow the value of international education to $5 billion by 2025, and the industry is well on the way to reaching that.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education

The next growth area in New Zealand will be languages and by the way the new government is talking it will be Te Reo. The reason why the focus will be on Te Reo, is because New Zealand is a unique country with a unique language. Studies have shown that learning a second improves a number of copying and problem solving. 

Step 3. (Now What)

I believe the Trend for schools and education facilities is to teacher Te Reo. This will cause the government and the private sector to seek language tutors/teachers so they can train our student teachers or recruit fluent speaker to be educators of Te Reo in our teacher training facilities. Te Reo will need to be a compulsory subject in pre service training of all new teachers.

References

https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/80534811/the-rise-of-international-education

National Intelligence Council. (2017). Global trends: The Paradox of Progress. National Intelligence Council: US. Retrieved from https://www.dni.gov/files/images/globalTrends/documents/GT-Main-Report.pdf

OECD. (2016) Trends Shaping Education 2016, OECD Publishing, Paris. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1787/trends_edu-2016-en

Rolfe et al.'s (2001) reflective model

https://my.cumbria.ac.uk/media/MyCumbria/Documents/ReflectiveModelRolfe.pdf

Visser, L., & Gagnon, K. (2005). Defining “Trends” and “Issues” in Distance Education. Conversation with Donald Paul Ely Y. Visser, L. Visser, M. Simonson & R. Amirault (Eds. de la serie), Trends and Issues in Distance Education. International Perspectives, pp.83-89.

CONTEMPORARY TRENDS

A little preamble

When I was growing up in small town New Zealand, a Trend was like the latest hairstyle of the newest clothing items. In school trends between age groups depends on TV or Movies, they can be anything from cards to small toys. As globalisation has been shrinking, trends have become a global such as house prices, fashion and even ideologies.

The definition of a trend - According to Visser and Gagnon (2005), the term “trend” refers to the statistically observable change or general orientation of a general movement (Visser & Gagnon, 2005; Karataş et al, 2016).Its trajectory is likely to continue in the near or medium immediate future. Wilson (2012) notes on “trend” is that the changes it bring would have impacts within the field or wider environment (Wilson, 2012).

From our studies, we see that our small slice of paradise in the south Pacific is undergoing a continual change, population, financial, weather and government policies. We see that no one or country is immune for the effects of change and as the National Intelligence Council says,” hardly any country can be immuned from the impact of trends such as climate change or digital technology ubiquity.”

National Intelligence Council, 2017; KPMG International, 2014

Life is a lot faster now and by the time children of today are as old as I am now, the world will look a lot different

In the teaching profession change is a constant part of the job, sometimes it’s good and other times it’s something you have to make a conscious effort. The best thing as a teacher for me is that I have the power to help (with a lot of others) the outcomes for that child at that time. I do my best to assist and encourage my class and school to be their best and to reach their full potential.

The Future - Why do you need to know about this?

There are trends taking place worldwide that would have tremendous effects on every aspects of the society and its citizens. In this globalisation and interconnected era, hardly any country can be immuned from the impact of trends such as climate change or digital technology ubiquity (National Intelligence Council, 2017; KPMG International, 2014).

After reading the document put out by the National Intelligence Council, it reads and looks like a return of the Terminator.

Teaching has to more than just AI’s (Acritical Intelligence)  taking over the world of the middle class, while the others become slaves to the machines. We have opportunities to use technology for what it was designed to do – make our life easy and to have more time e.g a washing rock was replaced by a washing machine, petrol cars will be replaced by electric cars. We can spend quality teacher time with our students designing the future NZ, making it better for all. We need to preach hope into these lives we have in our classrooms not doom and gloom. Reality is that some of the things described in the Nat Intelligence paper might happen but I haven’t got the time to wait for it.

We are Kiwi’s -  Kia Kaha ! Come with me if you want to learn

Week 29

Using social online networks in teaching or professional development

An explanation of what what social media is.

 

                                                                            

Step 1 (Descriptive stage): 

1. In teaching I have to admit I see very little social media come into to the primary school classrooms. In my school, social media such as Facebook, twitter and snapchat has a block on it, but as for Youtube it is a different story, most teachers use it as a teaching tool and use it for various teaching applications from Science, Maths, Te reo to Dance, Physical Education and Webinars.

Step 2 (Comparative stage): 

The use of a wide range of positive social media applications in our school and it does have a big budget because it require it. A lot of classroom work is on computer and children have their own school blogsite. The students uploaded work to their blog and share it with their families.

Social media in teaching

I think without a doubt that using the some types of social media as a teaching tool is necessary in today’s classroom. Social media has saved many hours of photo copying and drawing on white boards or blackboards if you can remember using one. Digital data can be stored and retrieved at will so this is a time save device essential for the classrooms of the 21^st Century.

Social media – webinars and conferencing online means we can have a Professional Development training session in the staffroom.  

Does it tick all the boxes – no not for the face-to-face team building that is, from time to time, needed with teachers.  

 To build a community of members it requires that ‘kanohi kei te kanohi’ (face to face) experience 

Social networking allows its members to have that individual input where you can load on or off in your own time.

I believe we as teachers are time restricted and social network with social media allows us to save time and participate. Community networks take time and build relationships

Step 3 (critical reflection): 

Using the Reflecting on reflective practices by Gibbs allows you the participant focus on the event and describe what happened, it is important to do this when things are fresh in your mind.

I was a little surprised and at the importance the emotional / feeling play apart in this process and when I reflected on this, I realised that our senses do help us make decision. With this model, the action plan was a major key in making those positive changes – If it happened again, what you would do; this is the most powerful part of the reflection process.  

We all want our children and class to be a safe learning environment so use technology wisely and be wise, smart and diligent. Watch the video clip before you show it and don’t use the technology as a baby sitter. Teach you class social media etiquette and set a positive tone for learning on computers.

References

Gibbs, G (1988) Learning by doing: a guide to teaching and learning methods. Oxford: Further Education Unit, Oxford Polytechnic

Melhuish, K.(2013). Online social networking and its impact on New Zealand educators’ professional learning. Master Thesis. The University of Waikato. Retrieved on 05 May, 2015 from http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/han…

NZ Education Council. (n.d.). What is social media . Retrieved June 16, 2017 from http://teachersandsocialmedia.co.nz/what-social-me...

Seaman, J., & Tinti-Kane, H. (2013). Social media for teaching and learning. Babson Survey Research Group. Retrieved from http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/social-media-for-teaching-and-learning-2013-report.pdf

Sharples, M., de Roock , R., Ferguson, R., Gaved, M., Herodotou, C., Koh, E., Kukulska-Hulme, A., Looi,C-K, McAndrew, P., Rienties, B., Weller, M., Wong, L. H. (2016). Innovating pedagogy 2016: Open University Innovation Report 5. Milton Keynes: The Open University. Retrieved from http://proxima.iet.open.ac.uk/public/innovating_pedagogy_2016.pdf

Silius, K., Miilumäki, T.,Huhtamäki, J.,Tebest, T., Meriläinen, J., & Pohjolainen, S.(2010) ‘Students’ motivations for social media enhanced studying and learning.’ Knowledge Management & E-Learning: An International Journal, 2, (1). Retrieved on 7th May,2015 from http://www.kmel-journal.org/ojs/index.php/online-p.

New Zealand Teachers Council discusses the importance of establishing a clear purpose of social media use in one’s practice.

Source: Education Council.(2012). Establishing safeguards.[video file]. Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/49216520

Week 28

Ethics and Moral Dilemmas

Ethics are thing things we say, “This is the standard we adhere to and these are behaviours we display when you are with us.”

The morals we have are what we personally hold our selves too and our beliefs and these can be from a religious or cultural background and belief system that we have been brought up with and hold close to our being.

As a teacher I follow a certain ethical system that I adhere too, some of these ethics come from teacher’s council and these are called the code of conduct, others come from the school where I work. These ethics are what I follow when talking to parents and working with children or dealing with situation where I need a black and white answer, which I have needed over my years of teaching.

Mana or Matatika -  is respect , right, fair and honest  this is the easiest way to describe the word ethnical

As a Maori, I use my moral up bringing to invite parents into my class and share their child’s learning path and to offer them a cup of tea, and this I do with all parents.

It is so exciting how education is becoming aware of positive ways to include parents and make them welcome in our school. When I first started teacher and asked parents in for a cuppa I was told not too, as this is a learning place and not a social gathering – how things have changed for the better.

Maanakitanga – to show hospitality, kindness, generosity, support - showing respect, generosity and care for others in your surrounding or presents.

In the video section of this week’s study there is a clip on cyber bullying between students – I think building those positive relationships with the students and their parents this could be solved. The tricky part is when the parent corner you when your off guard and out of school.

For me the best thing to do would be to ask them to come and discuss this at school – and don’t let them pay your bill (you would be finically indebted to them) By asking them to see you at school gives you time to review the case and ask for assistants from senior management. – even ask both students and parents to come in and talk - get to the root issues 

Ethical dilemmas: Situations involving bullying. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm-FjtUklPI

Social media be great but it can also be very dangerous. Dumb photos and comments –

These are bound to get anyone in trouble and the repercussion of a heavy weekend can cost you a job. Do you as the colleague say something or let it ride – this is a moral dilemma that can turn into an ethics situation and be costly on friendships.

If I were the person’s friend, I would say something to them. Better to warn them at the start that people can see what you are doing because it online, than have them say nobody told me everyone knew.

Social media dilemma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGQbLSEPN5w

Anyway sometimes you’re in a no win situation with these ethical and moral dilemmas and you need to find someone you trust in management to discuss these issues with, they can give some insight on what you could do.

I have a situation a number of years ago and being the union rep I told them to get in touch with the union and listen to their advice and do it. I put the responsibility on back on them to listen to sound advice. This meant I was not the person they came to see when things went wrong, it also meant they could get legal advice if they needed it.

References 

Teacher Code of Conduct - Conduct & Competence Overview

https://educationcouncil.org.nz/content/conduct-competence-overview

Ethical dilemmas: Situations involving bullying.

LS1ClassPrsnttns. (2017).Ethical dilemmas: Situations involving bullying. [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm-FjtUklPI

Social media dilemma

Cinelearning. (2016, August 17). Teacher Ethics Video - Social Media Dilemma. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGQbLSEPN5w

Teacher bear

LS1ClassPrsnttns. (2017). Ethical dilemmas: Professional ethics. [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_80gTxP71i4

More on the Spiral Of Inquiry Model

Yes after the extension we finally got the assignment really to send in tomorrow.
This would have to be one of those type of assignments , where you have to put a lot of time into it really think hard of how to work it into a finished product.
our question was “How can teachers be supported in applying digital technology to an innovative learning environment at our school."
We used the Spiral of Inquiry model as our base for the assignment and will hope implement over time into our school. What the Model has shown us through our work is that not everybody is on the same page as what we would have hoped for.One of the aim, for us, is to get teacher in our school up-skilled and working collaboratively.
I think the Spiral Inquiry Model of and the research we have done, through the assignment, clearly show that teachers need to see is as a way of using a positive tool for change. As for our assignment question we posed, the Model is a step forward in answering our question “How can teachers be supported in applying digital technology to an innovative learning environment at our."

References
Timperley, H., Kaser, L., & Halbert, J. (2014). A framework for transforming learning in schools: Innovation and the spiral of inquiry (Vol. 234). Melbourne: Centre for Strategic Education.