What will week 5 bring?

The post mainly outlines what I would like to organise and get in place this week, to start using in week 6.

• Connectivism Sign – to remind me what it’s all about.
• Knowledge is a process sign – to remind everyone that its a journey.
• Think and acquire new furniture – low tables, cushions/chair, swiss ball.
• Display and consider Tony’s quote “Quality of the school is determined by the dialogue in the school”.
• Highlight in my planning a strategy to promote thinking.
• Develop my (tangiable) thinking toolbox – thinkers keys, hats, blooms outline.
• Finish my literacy and numeracy LO key rings (not related to this conference, but need to finish it this week anyway).
• Make a “Crazy Me” powerpoint as part of class display.
• Make “Digital Safety and Use” videos for children and teachers with new equipment.
• Make a news report for Senior Assembly about a local event.

Final Keynote-Wez Fryer

Wez Fryer had the very hard job of being the final keynote speaker. 

With many of the delegates having already left, and some leaving during the address to meet planes etc, Wez managed to keep us all interested and sum up the whole thinking and pedagogy of the conference with one word – connectivism. 

He also challenged us to encourage our class to really show us what they can do, rather than what they know.  Once again, another educator suggesting that especially now, the skills of critical thinking, literacy (and by this I mean -reading, writing, maths, digital), and collaboration are the things we should be focusing on over knowledge/facts.

Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy

After having a sleep in until 7:30 (YAY ) , I managed to head down to the trade hall before my first breakout entitled Bloom’s Digital Taxonomy.

Andrew Church, from Kristin School, is a very passionate digital educator who is doing some great things with his Year 12/13 students using digital taxonomies.  It was great to hear someone who has similar beliefs about what and how we need to be equipping our children with teaching currently.

Although Andrew did kill a tree or 20 to provide us with paper examples of how Blooms taxonomy can be adapted to easily encompass Blooms original thinking, it was another great breakout choice.

I would love to see what Kristin School are doing in person.

Breakout 7. Getting Things Done – Without Doing It All Yourself.

After a lovely massage, off to the Millenuim Hotel I went, hoping that this breakout wouldn’t be a disappointment. Well thank you – James Thomas – from Whangaparoa College! You did a great job! Lots of cool, fantastic dialogue today. I said to myself that I was just going to observe and take it all in without taking notes. Yeah Right – That lasted about 10 seconds. He had so many little tidbits of bite sized information! Just what we needed for the last breakout of the Conference.

Saw a very cool video clip which had a moral to the story – Multi-tasking can be dangerous! If I knew how to link you to it, I would. Long story short – clip from inside a car of a guy on a highway on a motorbike, lying back on his seat texting and changing lanes and then talking on his cell phone! What a laugh.

If you ever want to read a cool book about personalities and how to work with people - Love Letters!

Conference is closing, so have to get on the road home! Will blog the Keynote – Wes Fryer when I get home, because I know how to now!

Thanks Mel for all your support to get this blog thing going for us and encouraging us to have a go. It’s been great getting to know you out of school, even though you never stop working for our school!

Thanks Andrew, for your wit, humour, awesome gentleman manners – Thanks Andrew’s Mum!!!!  and the belly aching laughs! What goes on tour – does definately stay on tour!

It has been a pleasure you guys. Let’s go forth and change the world! Arohanui Keri xxxxxxx…

DownTime

Hey, you all can see that we have been really busy here in Rotorua, so I got up this morning and went and had a devine Spa Stress Massage at The Polynesian Pools. A one hour soak in the pools followed by an amazing 1 hour massage. Turns out the lovely lady, Jane Hayes-Mackenzie, sorry if I haven’t spelled it right, Jane!! –   who masseged me knows my brother and has worked in Queenstown with Phil’s coach, John Griffin. Small world aye!

Anyway, I digress yet again! – Needless to say it was well worth the $$. I can thoroughly recommend the Polynesian Pools Spa Therapies when in Rotorua. What a great way to start the day.

Andy – Day 2

The day began, with a healthy option, in the form of a continental breakfast.  I knew today was going to be another action packed day and so I wanted a good nutritious start.  My system just could not cope with another serving of ghastly scrambled eggs and putrefied pseudo-bacon.

My first breakout, was a very good practical hands on session on how to create an e-learning centre.  I managed to begin a framework of e-activities.  This entailed hyperlinking web pages and activities for groups within my class  to which I can add to later.  Although the session was too short to finish, at least I have something to take back to the class and engage them in some meaningful e-learning activities straight away.

Next up, I was cajoled, forsaking my intended breakout,  into a promised “earth shattering experience” in the form of  Tony Ryan.  I am pleased to report, it was the right choice.  Once again I had the pleasure of listening to an expert, not only share ideas, but also suggest how to implement good digital pedagogy in the classroom.  At the end of the session, the three of us, unashamedly rushed the stage and asked the “Great Man” to pose for a photo with the Clendon Park Trio.  He obliged unreservedly. 

(I would like at this point, to point out Mel W is actually dictating as I pace back and forth across the great expanse of the luxurious surrounds that is my suite.  It takes approximately 3 minutes to pace my suite.)

The day soured a little, however, and as the song goes “Two out of three, ain’t bad”.  (Angry pacing now.)

The last breakout, entitled “Developing self managing students using a co-constructed timetable”, unfortunately should have been entitled “Memoirs of Superman’s brilliant, so, so modern, decile 9, Anglo-Saxon, revolutionary educational classroom spiel.”  In other words, I couldn’t relate to Mr. Christchurch, and his self gloating importance in regard to how fantastically his class operates.  For example, “If a kids wants to get some books from the local library, all I need to do is call up a parent and get them to take them down. I love breaking the rules.”

My point here is we can all share the positives about how we run our classrooms, but I was really hoping for once again some good practical ideas of how to benefit my kids’ achievement through empowerment  and co-construction of content.  Rather it felt like, Gordon Ramsey showing us around his restaurant and beaming about how clean and shiny his kitchen is.  Call it pedagogy envy.  I think we’ll leave it there. 

Day two ended with some fanastic dancing at the conference dinner.

Developing self-managing students

After having my breakout cancelled at the last minute, I went for my second choice option, which just happened to be with Andrew.

This breakout really displayed to me, just how different the children in our class perceive the message and attitude of the teacher.

I had a completly different experience to this breakout than Andrew, who heard and saw exactly the same as me.

Although I too saw a person with a huge ego, I didn’t feel as strongly about that as Andrew. 

I suppose what I mean is, we both experienced the same thing, but our perceptions were slightly different, and we need to be aware of this when teaching our class.

The breakout wasn’t what I hoped, but I still managed to come away with a few ideas/thoughts/questions to use in my class next week.

The 2 main points for me were;

1. My idea of having “no assigned desk” for the kids was ok, and that I should revisit that regularly.
2. I should be weary of how I “judge” people who need to complete work in a space other than a desk.

It has also given me some ideas to think about in relation to how I timetable my day and teaching groups.

Tony Ryan & Digital Pedagogies

I dragged Andrew out of his chosen breakout so he to could be inspired by Tony Ryan and he didn’t fail to impress.

Tony always makes me question myself, why and how I’m teaching.  This session was no different, especially since it was targeted at Digital Pedagogies-the art of teaching in a digital world.

Next week, I will be implementing two ideas from Tony’s session.

1. Ensuring that my dialogue is as good as our fantastic school at ALL times. (After Tony gave us this quote

   Quality of the school is determined by the dialogue in the school. )

2. Highlighting (or using a different coloured pen) to show on my planning the thinking strategies I am using-at least 1 per day.

Breakout 5. Digital Pedegogies – Tony Ryan

I whipped off to town to go shopping after lunch.  No, not to wag seeing Tony Ryan!!! Managed to get back just in time! Andrew and Mel were already there. We made sure that Andrew was with us. He hadn’t selected a Tony Ryan session, so Mel decided that this was the one!

I have only 1 thing to say about this session – AWESOME AS ALWAYS!

Made new friends, had my thoughts provoked and got kicked up the butt by Tony again! More evolving, and more changes to my thoughts, beliefs and practices! Some great practical information for us all.

Had a photo with Tony.

End of Blog Post! I am smiling!

Breakout 4. E-Portfolios: In early childhood and in through to school.

This was my first session today after a really interesting and very thought provoking Keynote address by Pam Hook. She challenged John Hattie’s effect size and gave us a run down on the SOLO toxonomy. It was an interesting way to start the day!

Back to the Session:

This was a real fun session run by a lovely team of ladies from Rotorua Girls High School Early Childhood Centre. I found out that they produce e-portfolios by way of blogs. They started small, posing an action research question, doing some research and upskilling, and then selecting only 7 children from their centre to work with. 

We looked at the blogs that they had done with their children and also the posts and comments that had been entered by their families. I saw a video of a little boy (18 months) who knew he wanted a tractor on his blog and he ”told” the teacher what he wanted in his blog.  It was amazing!

I learned that the blogs are printed off for the ‘hard copy’ portfolios. Everything is done in the blog and then copies are made from there.

The Centre staff shared their problems, highlights and helpful hints for us and we had a great discussion time about transitioning these e-portfolio students to primary school. Relationships between ECE’s and Primary Schools are paramount for e-portfolios to be worthwhile for the students and their families.

 No-one in our group had come across students coming to their school with e-portfolios yet, but we all knew that this day is coming.

Yummy lollies and an evident enthusiasm made this session great!

Got lots to share with you Leanne! I know this one is one that you are interested in!