Mid year update on PDA 2019

I will be moving away from using Stile as the online forum I was aiming to use for student engagement as it can't be used in a synchronous manner.

I will be shifting my focus on to using live/synchronous online chat sessions on Growth Mindset as means of engaging students, and will continue to work on encouraging my Learning Advisory students to attend these sessions. I have one regular LA attendee and his mum is very positive about Conrad's attendance.

Whole office Tikanga sessions

Since our mandatory whole office Tikanga sessions began we've covered a wide range of topics including the importance of Wairua, the background behind family traditions in naming children, the relationship between the lunar calendar, gregorian calendar and activities such as planting, harvesting and the calculation of when Matariki begins.
Our latest activity was learning how to play Mu Torere - a board game involving strategy, similar to Othello.

Scotty's Continuers

A small group of us in the Hamilton office are still meeting weekly to work on the 2nd book in Scotty Morrison's Te Reo series.
It's getting pretty technical! We're looking at tenses of a action sentence, and negating these sentences, and are currently practicing the possessive pro nouns involving self, others, groups of 3 or less and groupos of 4 or more. Things got really confusing when the concept of ownership or superiority was introduced here with oo and aa, too and taa (sorry, no macrons!) but we consulted with one of the Te Reo teachers who said just leave it with the "too" version while we're learning as the idea behind knowing which pronoun to use is a whole day wananga in itself.

AT our current pace we hope to have book 2 completed by the end of the year. Another goal we are working on is to memorize a simple karakia kai.

Growth mindset - the power of YET

From a recommendation in the NZ Bio & Science teacher Facebook groups I started to look into PD and resources offered by an American teacher who has a post-grad degree in Instructional design. I was so lucky to discover an upcoming webinar on fostering a growth mindset with students, and it was free!

The timing worked and I attended for an intense hour online, and was so enthused and inspired that I purchased a set of teaching resources so I could begin using this approach with my students.

In Term 2 I started offering 2 online sessions per week (via YouseeU) for any student who was interested in what a Growth mindset was about. Each session I introduce 1 aspect, in the form of a question for the students to think about, and then tie their answers back to an aspect of Growth mindset - positive self talk, how success feels physically, what attributes (like attitude, persistence, problem-solving) are involved. SOme of the questions I have covered so far are: is there something you have succeeded at that you first found difficult? If you didn't watch TV/a screen for 1 hour a day what would you do with this time?

Below is an example of the on-screen prompts I have up for a session:

Welcome to the Growth Mindset session!

1.     Have you checked in to register your attendance?

<image of CNR onliners check in button> 

2.     A bit about me: Fiona Moore

 <webcam screen shot of me>

3.     Why Growth mindset?

4.     Thinking about your Growth Mindset

Today’s focus question:

When do you do your best work? What is the perfect environment for you to succeed in?

5.     Any questions – type or speak or chat afterwards if you wish

Term One 2019 - PDA goals and details

Identified inquiry context: What will the inquiry be centered around?  What is the evidence that has helped to identify the context and the priority learners? Does Stile as an online platform prove to be a useful/motivational/optimal tool when working with LA students on Big Picture ideas such as careers, aspirations, interest areas, community links for shadowing opportunities How effective can Stile be when regularly engaging with LA students about BP concepts

Focusing the inquiry - Developing our Hunches What do I already know about each of the identified priority learners?  They are capable of engaging online but not doing so regularly and therefore not engaging as frequently as recommended/desired (5 hours per week per subject) What are my hunches about what is happening?  What is working?  What isn’t?  What might be the obstacle/problem/trigger? What evidence do I have so far? ·         Hunch – lack of organisation or motivation, not sure about the purpose of their school work and how it relates to their aspirations/ideas for the future. ·         My LAs do respond when I contact them. ·         Not completing much work (low rate of submissions into dropbox, slow to complete My Korowai) ·         Possible obstacles – lack of organisation or structure in their day, lack of motivation to complete school work, unsure of where this work might take them in the future, no ideas about what they might want to do/be in the future. Lack of family support/expectations for online engagement. Students want to know how this activity will benefit them (especially if their goal is credits based). ·         Evidence: data on % engagement (MTK) and anecdotal notes from conversations with my LA’s about their ideas for the future/work/interests. ·         Hunch - That using an online forum to guide discussions removes the pressure element for anxious students or students who feel uncomfortable or challenged by adult phone interactions ·         Hunch - That using an online forum promotes self reflection and gives students time to consider and evaluate their ideas ·         Hunch - That using Stile allows students to share their ideas and thinking without the fear of being judged by other students (only the teacher can see the responses c.f. online chat functions) ·         Hunch - That using Stile’s anonymity settings for shared contributions allows collective data to be used as a class with no pressure on the individual

Investigating (digging deeper) What additional information do I need to confirm or dispel my hunch/es? (eg additional student assessment data, observations, student voice, whanau voice, behaviour, learning dispositions, engagement, social, current teacher practice, longitudinal progress data etc)  Student voice – do a google survey (or anonymous poll in Stile) to see what they think are the reasons for slow progress What new knowledge/evidence do I need?   What does this additional information tell me about the learners? Possibly a need to scaffold some work planning activities, to help students create a workable timetable/model for their school work and community involvement. Scaffolding problem solving thinking when brain storming – pie in the sky ideas which then get teased out into some concrete/actionable elements. What are the key elements I need to focus on? ●     Possibly some Metacognition, mindfulness and aspects of self belief that students have not realised are limiting their way of thinking about themselves and what is possible.

Prioritising to take Action What will we/I need to know to accelerate the learning?  What do we need additional support with?  What external expertise will we require? Career sector academic entry/requirements, apprenticeship opportunities & job shadowing opportunities What can we/I do differently to make a difference?  What are the priority action/s that we/I will implement? Update the Stile lessons weekly What will we/I commit to in the first term? ●     Commit to starting Stile lesson structure with students: starting out by thinking about job ideas past & present, moving into community links ●     Put up a video introducing ourselves in Stile so the students have a face to put the name to Set Goals: What is the planned outcome/s from this intervention? (ie the intended impact on both teaching and learning) ●     By focussing on the student’s interests and community links and ideas on job/career areas we can foster student agency in their learning and wellbeing – help the students develop a “future possibilities/future vision” for area(s) of interest which may then relate to career areas. To help students see that their agency is the driver for their direction and pace of success. By engaging whanau in this conversation we can build on the support for our student’s learning.

Professional learning - online forums, a new experience for me

This year (2019) I have expanded my online horizons and joined 2 teaching focused Facebook groups: NZ Biology teachers and NZ Science teachers.
I was also introduced to Twitter as a means of delving into various aspects of pedagogy.

Via Twitter I have been investigating the concept and classroom practices involved with

•  "Flipped Classrooms" where the concept is covered by a short online video clip (produced by the teacher) and the the class session time is used to consolidate the learning.
• Meta cognition - who can I get my students to think about their thinking?
• Growth mindset - what I realized was actually underpinning my interest in meta cognition.

One of the fascinating posts (shared below) about cultural responsiveness in teaching made me feel really lucky to be working at a Kura where we are walking the talk, and are given the scope to increase our cultural responsiveness in teaching and all other interactions with students and colleagues.

FB conversation about Cultural responsiveness (Science teachers group) - FB names removed for privacy: 

Post: Our principal is running a PD programme tomorrow, whole day, on 'Cultural Responsiveness' Each department is being asked for a '5 min report back on 'how the principles of the treaty are explicitly embedded in one of your units of work'.
We as a department have resources that are used ..... however these would probably not be considered 'principles of the treaty'. Units do allow students to work collaboratively in groups (participation & partnership?) in an environment that is safe and supports positive learning (protection?)
Thoughts, suggestions welcome.

Responses:

Do you give opportunities for prior knowledge - which may be culturally relevant - which students can then develop? Using linking contexts to culturally relevant world views?

Are you (or your Principal) just ticking a box? (ie PTS#1) or are you trying to show understanding of our partnership?

Knowledge and understanding of our partnership can be interpreted any number of ways, from translations of scientific words to applications of traditional science (eg flax) to historical events.

The more you put in, the more you are just trying to tick a box. We won't contrive 'content' because thats not authentic, but we can easily find little bits to put in all our Y10 units

Great to hear your school is actively trying to implement consideration for the Treaty in the curriculum. This is a great way to connect with Maori students but also provides an opportunity for non-Maori students to get some ideas of a Maori world view. Great for race relations, ect. In saying that, ways I try to honour the Treaty through my practice is by considering Maori knowledge and practices in my teaching, no matter the context. Quick example, I am a Bio teacher, when studying life processes, I get the students to classify living and non-living things, eg: tree, insect, log, rock, bird, fire, volcano, and lastly a river. Is a river alive? Science hats on = No, Maori world view hat on = Yes. Then we have a big discussion about the Whanganui river and how recently it has been recognised as a living entity by (Pakeha) law. If you want to go with the 3 P's Partnership= acknowledging Maori beliefs, Participation= actively sharing, discussing, teaching Maori knowledge, Protection= No matter what you personally believe, Maintaining the Mana of that knowledge by 'treating' it as a truthful, and valid cultural belief, not just airy fairy myths. Of course there are lots of things we can do that come from a Maori pedagogy (tuakana/teina- peer teaching, manaakitanga- support, ect) but like <NAME> mentioned, great way to tick the box, but these are just teaching and learning strategies with Maori names. I guess my challenge to you (all teachers) is: How can you include Maori knowledge and practices in your curriculum to help connect with and acknowledge Matauranga Maori for the benefit of not just Maori students, but all students, and society as a whole?
I hope what I have said doesn't sound grumpy and I say these things with the upmost respect to all teachers who want to acknowledge the spirit of the Treaty. I also acknowledge a lot of this Maori kind of knowledge can be hard to find.
In saying that, I hope I inspire, rather than dishearten. Anyone, please feel free to get in touch if you feel the need.

 Similarly, we have a teacher only day on cultural responsiveness. I've just started reading "Teaching to the North-West" by Russell Bishop of Te Kotahitanga fame. I've only just read through the introduction but I like this section "Relationship-based learning is a form of culturally-responsive pedagogy (CRP), in that it allows for that which marginalised students bring to the conversation. That is, they are enabled to bring their cultural knowledges, understandings, and sense-making processes to the forefront. What is important for this understanding is that, for teachers, CRP is a matter of pedagogy rather than learning and/or transmitting the culture of their students which is often what is meant when CRP is promoted. To confuse CRP with a cultural competency approach is to expect teachers to learn about the culture of all their students - an impossible and unnecessary task, for the students are already "experts" on how they see the world. A cultural competency approach produces anxiety among teachers of "getting it wrong" and promotes stereotyping, reductionism, and mimicry. A responsive approach includes learners in their own determination and supports teachers to become even more professional and productive". This section refers to Professor Iribinna Rigney for analysis of the dangers of a cultural competency in comparison to a responsive approach.

From that I interpret the questions about how Te Tiriti principles are imbedded are as you say: participation, partnership, and protection with an emphasis on respecting the knowledge and culture that our priority learners bring and how that has an impact on what and how they learn.

Running PD for colleagues

 I set up a 2 day Microscope practical & assessment for BY2080/AS91160 in May 2019.

As well as running this activity for 4 students I had to train 2 colleagues on how the teaching and assessment activities were run.
We were able to support the 4 students in their practical skills - only one had used a microscope before - and help them develop the degree of detail in biological drawings required to pass the assessment. One of the students had been taught how to use her cellphone to take photos through the eyepiece lens, which made a useful aid when completing the drawing step of the activity.

Once the students had completed the mandatory lab sections of the assessment we (staff) remained behind and agreed on the assessment of the drawings; much referral to the NZQA explanatory notes took place!

The test of how confident my colleagues are on their ability to run this workshop and assessment will come in December, when we hope to offer the same workshop & assessment in the Hamilton office.

Term 4 2018 - Coaching & feedback course

Attended a 2 day course on coaching and feedback conversations in Term 4  run by the local cluster of schools, located at Fairfield College.

 Was an interesting exercise to be coached myself by a colleague - helped me to get some concrete action points sorted for an issue that I was feeling stuck about - preparing the family home, food & finances for the upcoming Christmas celebrations.

Some useful reminders about removing your opinion from the situation to remain in your coaching role, and facilitating concrete (time bound) actions using the SMART structure. e.g. "by this time - specified- I will have done - actions, specified"

Also, an uncomfortable experience when it was my turn to be the coach in a role-play with unco-operative colleagues (who had been primed to be so) to achieve the end point. They were very unco-operative! And we had a fascinating discussion with the facilitator about when is a conversation truly a coaching situation, and what sort of conversation is it when you're wanting something specific to be done.