The Game of School Revisited- #EdBlogNZ reflection

It has been an interesting exercise to go back through some of my previous posts and consider whether my position is the same or different now. As I have recently re-entered the state system and will be teaching full time again this term it is a good time to review my perspective and the difference between what is between my ears and reality. 

Earlier this year I wrote two pieces about the Game of School, the first a rather dystopian perspective (I learned that word in a Children's Literature paper I did a couple of years ago) and the second a positive, forward looking perspective to offer a challenge to the first post.  

On reflection there probably needs to be a third in the series and I think this one needs to be written for teachers, perhaps looking at how we can change the rules to the Game of School despite the pressures on us to stick to the old ones. Here are some thoughts: 

1. The first thing is that you are not alone, you don't have to change the rules on your own, there is a whole world full of people out there with different ideas that are happy to share and grow with you. 

Recently I have been getting more connected with other educators in various forums: on the NZTeachers(Primary) Facebook Page which is a valuable tool for sharing ideas; in online discussions with other learners completing a paper on Internet Based Learning through Otago University Distance Learning; more recently participating in the #amplifiEDU twitter chat (fast and furious for a first timer but SO interesting!); and most recently engaging with the #EdBlogNZ challenge. I can't believe how much I am learning! 

2. Don't be afraid to try something new, co-construct what you do with your learners, let them know that we are going to try some stuff that is a little bit different and if it doesn't work then we can try shift or change or try something else. 

We can teach our children heaps by trying things and being open to them not working out. Failure isn't a bad thing, it is what real learners do... just think about toddlers learning to walk, if they gave up at the first hurdle then most of us would still be crawling or bum shuffling (now the image that brings up makes me chuckle a bit!) 

3.  Not everyone will like you changing the rules, but remember you can't please all the people all the time and if you know WHY you are doing what you are doing then pursue it but remember to do so with respect to the values of others and your community. Sometimes doing what is right will mean you need to do what is different, sometimes what is right is darned hard work but if it makes a difference for your learners then it will be worth it. 

There are a lot of reasons for people not getting behind your new approach... sometimes they are happy with what they are doing and seeing positive results for their learners, they might like the rules, sometimes they feel like they have a better idea but no-one asked them, sometimes it is actually daft idea and they can see that, sometimes they feel threatened by the rate of change around them and just want to keep doing what they know, sometimes they just need time to get used to an idea and see it in action, sometimes they might not like you and that's not really your problem (unless you have really done something to upset them and haven't attempted to address that in some way!)...  you get the picture. New ideas will often be met with some resistance, in the past there have been times when I have felt really lonely as I have tried something new, technology offers us a community to help mitigate that isolation now-a-days. 

4. Notice what happens when you change the rules. Observe, research, read, listen, learn and record your new idea and what happens when you implement it. This is good for your own practice as an educator, it helps you to note positive or negative impacts, it also helps you to become more informed about your practice and then gives you the material to be able to share it with others. 

Again technology is our friend. Use the internet and your contacts to read reliable information about what you are interested in. Read/listen widely, not only to the perspective that supports your assumptions but to the ones that counter it too... there is much to be learned. Practice a little skepticism too and where possible verify your sources. The sharing of new practices or your adaptations of others ideas is what I understand to be amplification... taking what is and shifting it and sharing it so that it can grow more. 

5. Look after yourself. This really should be the FIRST rule. Too often I hear people talk about putting on your own oxygen mask first, that you cannot give of yourself if your tank is empty etc. It makes sense. We want the people in our class to be bright, engaged, enthusiastic learners but that is a hard ask if they have a shell of a human being eking out the last of their energy just turning up to teach.  

We are no longer isolated islands of practice in the four walls of our classrooms, we have the capacity to connect with other educators all over the world. We are in a position to learn so much more from each other than we could in the past. We do make a difference and can make an even bigger difference if we work together... it is so tough being a maverick all on your own, much more fun being a maverick with friends! Let's start a movement... see below for instructions... 

Discovering Learning... inspired by #EdBlogNZ challenge

My little boy is about to turn five and will soon begin school. It has been an awesome journey watching him learn and grow over the last five years, he continues to amaze me daily. It has been unsettling at the same time however. Watching him learn through play, trial and error, persistence and the emotional attachment to caring adults around him has made me reflect on my teaching philosophy. I have learned a lot about child centred learning through playcentre training and through continued learning about the brain and behaviour. The best teachers I have had are my little man, his friends, our other playcentre families and now the children in my classroom. I have always felt that we are unique and learn in our own time in a conducive environment, not that which is dictated by birthdays, curriculum levels, national testing standards or someone else's policy. The question that screams at me often is who decided that at five years old play is no longer a relevant way to learn? It serves us so well in the first five years and then becomes relegated to what we do when the bells go after we have been 'learning'.  

Now I know I am not the only one thinking about this and I know great stuff is going on that is challenging that final perception. I have been exploring learning through play and discovery time (as well as genius hour and project based learning) over the last wee while and have embarked on at the very least sharing more control with my class. It has been a journey as we have been building more self management in for our class since the start of the year to be able to operate successfully at this point. One resource I have read is Discovery Time by Brenda Martin and Gay Hay (http://www.discoverytime.co.nz/), it is an easy read and I love the relation to our key competencies. 

So what's been happening lately... 

During term three we have been opening up our reading activities so rather than dictating set activities per mixed ability group per day, the students have the opportunity to choose literacy activities. This has been much more successful than I had envisaged. The big rule: students must be able to tell us what they are learning in the 'activity' they are doing with a focus being on literacy learning at the time. (Not that we ask very often but it creates a mindset of thoughtful selection... well that's the hope anyway) 

As an aside, towards the end of the term I had one child ask me if he could type out some of his writing and so he undertook that considerable challenge over consecutive days, in doing so he has discovered various aspects of the keyboard and shown real perseverance. Another child is really interested in Dinosaurs and wanted to find out more about them so we have started talking about what things he might like to find out and there where can we look. These are real and relevant literacy tasks that are child initiated and this is another branch of what I would like to see happening in our reading programme going forward. 

I am planning to introduce something similar with our maths learning time as well- when they are not with a teacher or participating in a specific learning activity then they are free to choose from a range of activities but they must be maths related and they need to be able to say what they are learning by doing what they are doing. 

We need to spend some time on working out what we mean by learning however and this is what I want to do at the start of the term with the class. If learning is creating and/or strengthening pathways in the brain then doing stuff that is challenging, stuff where we might have to think hard for answers, stuff where we can do things in lots of different ways, stuff where we are exploring and asking questions, stuff that helps us get better at something by practicing is some of what I envisage. 

It is important at the end of these open-ended sessions there is an opportunity for children to share what they have learned- either by doing a walk around, creating a display, talking to a partner or having a sharing circle depending on time available as well as having seesaw available for recording learning. This is something that I picked up from the Discovery Time book and see the value in making sure that the learning done is valued.  

I trialled Discovery Time with some focus on fractions on the last Friday morning of the term. Initially we spent a little time talking about what self management looks like and then I took them for a wee tour around the classroom to show them what was on offer- we had beads, weaving (a project that some needed to complete), maths books (for recording patterns), a collage activity to demonstrate fractions, computers (although WiFi was down so they weren't all that helpful), writing and painting, IWB (but the game on there didn't work as WiFi was down), varied literacy and maths activities from around the classroom. (Obviously I need more open-ended, messy play type options going forward) I was expecting a lot of noise to manage but that wasn't actually the case, in fact it was quieter than normal! The kids really responded to the openness and one student even completed his weaving task before getting on with the varied options where as earlier on he was really reluctant to complete his weaving when asked. I taught one student how to work out fractions for bead patterns and then she taught others, it was great to see that happen. We had a sharing time after morning tea and I was really stoked with how the kids could clarify what they had been learning. 

There is so much to develop here but I am pleased with how we have begun and stoked with the improvement in self management of our class from where we were at the start of the year... we have all come so far! 

Going forward- my thoughts at the moment: 

• Morning meetings to clarify what is on for the day and clarify expectations 
• Working with the class on what learning is, what it looks like... 
• Calling open ended/discovery type times- Meaningful And Independent Learning- MAIL time  
• Reading- continue with open ended time within the programme  
• Maths- have some open-ended problem solving options available... need to review our maths activities to ensure there is enough variety and scope 
• Ensure that there are movement activities (kinesthesiology movements) posted around the room and teach it to them so they can select them when they need to have a stretch
• Have Discovery Time on Friday mornings first block- ensure that there is a range of options available, science focus, build in growing and planting learning into this time

This is obviously a work in progress and any suggestions and comments are gratefully received :) 

Childhood is not a race to see how quickly a child can read, write and count. It is a small window of time to learn and develop at the pace that is right for each individual child. Earlier is not better.

Magda Gerber

Read more at: http://www.azquotes.com/quote/881330

Educators that have helped me dream bigger

For the #EdBlogNZ challenge we need to write about educators, bloggers, leaders who have inspired you to dream bigger and so tonight I am going to salute some of the ordinary (but for me extraordinary) educators/mentors/guides who have, and continue to, inspire me to keep on dreaming rather than going for the big names (there will time for that another day)... and so I am leaping away from the brief a little here to share some of the heroes from my own teaching career thus far... it is quite personal but I hope not too uncomfortable! 

This list isn't finite, but there is only so much time and space here, so if you don't see your name listed please know that isn't because I haven't appreciated your gifts...

• Lisa Beere- my tutor teacher for my final year at T.Coll- Lisa had a programme that was sensitive to the needs of the new entrants we were teaching, she gave me licence to try new things and trusted me to take over her class. This became my first teaching position as Lisa was on leave for the following year, I felt confident to step into the role having been so well prepared. Her calm, confident, kind manner in the classroom is something I still aspire to. 
• Greig Mercer-  leader extraordinaire. Greig taught me to love professional development and embrace professional reading, he set me off on a learning journey I am still undertaking now. He challenged my thinking and stretched me beyond what I thought I would ever be capable of doing. He talked me about his decision making processes and showed me a pathway to ethical, people centred, integrity based leadership and I aspired to that in my last leadership position and hope to get there one day. He has returned to principalship and I hope those lucky enough to work with him learn as much as I did. 
• Trevor Grice- when I first met Trevor he spoke to my heart and had such an overwhelming drive for that which he was passionate about, making a difference in the lives of our children. His decision making mantra was 'will it make a difference for the children' and if there wasn't a clear how to it then we didn't go there. He was a force to be reckoned with but at the same time worked on a foundation that all healing, all learning starts with love. He would often say that love is an irresistible force and this is what our children desperately need. 
• Celia Lashlie- she challenged me with her upfront manner but she came from a very human place and hearing her speak I felt moved by her empathy for those often misunderstood and her strong desire to help them be heard. She also highlighted the need to care for ourselves when caring for others lest we bleed out and become like 'lemon lips', sour and mean. She was another force to be reckoned with in her pursuits and even as her days were numbered she continued teaching through her life experience. 
• Evelyn Mann- a lecturer, friend, mentor and director. I have been lucky to travel in many ways with Evelyn. She has challenged my practice, I love our honest conversations. I have seen her help others discover untapped potential for drama and theatre in many settings, she does so with empathy, skill and humour... she is very skilled but has the ability to use this to empower others rather than make them feel inadequate. I have learned a lot about questioning and working alongside learners from Evelyn. She has also shown me that taking risks is important... if a little scary! 
• Karen Boyes- and speaking of risk takers! Karen is the consummate risk taker and has taken a risk with me more than once for which I am truly grateful for. She has invited me to present, and emcee, at her Teachers Matter Conferences in the last two years, she has invited me to collaborate on writing a study skills resource and in doing so has not only shared her expertise with me but given me feedback to help me get better. Karen is continually stretching herself, reading prolifically and works so darned hard! She is also human and has shared her trials and tribulations with me. Her insights into managing the demands of parenting, relationships, professional learning, work and travel has been a real asset over the last few years!  

Wonderful presenters like John Shackleton, Allie Mooney, Andrew Fuller, Robyne Moore, Maggie Dent and countless others have all contributed to me building my dreams and inspiring me to reach higher and do better. 

To those who have supported and believed in me over the years like Joyce Beck, many of the Dunedin T. Coll staff, Rob Wilton and so many of my Heartland Life Ed colleagues, Peter Cox, David Buck and others from Life Ed NZ, Liz Bowen-Clewley, Helen Darling and so many more... because of the support and belief you have shown me I am inspired to reach higher and do better. 

I often imagine my dad looking down at me when I am teaching or presenting and hope that he is smiling and feeling proud of me as he did when he was alive. I am lucky to have had tremendous support from my parents, they always had my back, so for them I want to reach higher and do better. 

To the educators that I have been privileged to work with, train with and observe in so many different settings... the conversations we have had about teaching and learning, the little things I have seen you do, the support you have given me makes me want to reach higher and do better. 

To the children that I have worked with over the years, I have learned so much from all of you... for the ones that I teach now, you inspire me (in fact sometimes demand of me) to reach higher and do better... keep doing that!  

And finally to my own baby boy who will start school shortly, I now have an even greater vested interest in reaching higher and doing better as a teacher because I understand that as a parent that is what we want from all those who teach our babies. 

#EdBlogNZ Reflecting on my teaching practice

Having been focused on school, playcentre, some other work for my own business and studying for my masters I haven't made the time to blog like I was last year where I would post about once a fortnight. I have missed it and see the #EdBlogNZ challenge as an opportunity to do this... despite a large essay being due in a few days (or perhaps because it is due...?!)

Lately I have been doing a fair bit of reflection on my teaching as I prepare for the coming term so I'll start here I think.

This year I have returned to the regular classroom in a job share model and next term will be teaching full time as my teaching partner is on maternity leave. It's been a huge year, with a lot of learning for me at least!

Prior to teaching this year I have been working in a management role in an educational not-for-profit organisation and studying consistently throughout that time (I completed my post grad part time and participated in NAPP2012 along with other things). My role had me working with teachers, managing learning programmes, leading PLD and occasionally teaching. Last year I had a year of sifting where I was learning, taking on new work and doing some relieving as well as lots of playcentre stuff. It was great to play and try some different things, I learned about blogging, I set up my own business, I started my masters.

Despite all of this I have still found the shift back into regular classroom teaching a challenge... not that it is a bad thing at all- challenge is where the learning happens. Some of the challenges have been in getting out of my own head! I have been teaching Thursdays and Fridays all year, this worked well for fitting in and around both of our personal/family schedules but probably isn't how I would go about things if I was to do it again, two days at the end of the week is not quite enough to establish any real flow but I have found a better rhythm recently.

Learning curves:

1. beware of assumptions- we had assumed our children would be largely self managing (age appropriately of course) at the start of the year so set up a programme on this basis, they weren't and we weren't ready for that so had to take some steps back early on after realising this
2. only connect- for the first term I really didn't take ownership of the class, figuring as I was teaching less it was really my partners class and I was just doing some days. We shared the planning, assessment and other management tasks but I hadn't made that emotional investment like I would have if I had taken on the role of classroom teacher, I know that sounds a bit odd especially knowing the work I used to do but it was almost like I had a relieving mindset about the teaching. Again I know that if I was to do this again I would structure the start of the year differently so I could make those connections as I would any other time.
3. be realistic- I was also over planning and expecting too much of myself and the children... seriously one art piece took us over eight weeks to complete but then we weren't doing it every day and I was only there some days! I needed to think about what we could conceivable achieve and remember that I was only teaching a percentage of the time so couldn't cover everything! We both struggled a little with this initially as new job share teachers. I also needed to keep in mind how long I had actually worked with the class... in Term One I had 16 teaching days with the class, that is a little over three weeks with students, not 8-9 whole weeks which I was judging myself on.
4. don't forget what you know- there are many things that I haven't done or used which I used to and it has taken me a while to realise that. In the start I got hung up on literacy and numeracy and trying to do 'what was right' rather than what was right for the children right now! I have started playing my guitar again and plan to use drama as well which are things I used to do a lot.

Gardening- Sustainability
Room 5 the Place to Stretch and Grow

I am grateful for the work my teaching partner has done and the experience she bought to our role, she had much more and indepth recent teaching experience so I have learned heaps from her. I have also undertaken further study into maths through E-Ako and NZ Maths as well as recently completing a free online Stanford maths course. I have pursued an interest in the brain and learning with focusing on learning differences and behaviour... it has been brilliant and full of stuff I wish I had known as a young teacher. Thankfully my work into teaching as inquiry, brain based learning, inquiry learning and health has given me a good grounding to build from at least.

Highlights of this year so far:

• having a brilliant job share partner who I felt comfortable to share my fears, beliefs, triumphs and failures with... we didn't know each other very well before we started off but I have really enjoyed working with her
• seeing our class operating at the end of Term 3 as self managing classroom citizens- it's been a lot of effort from everyone to make this happen
• success in inquiry learning over the year and now exploring learning through play and discovery learning opportunities for our class
• seeing our inquiries flow from one into another at natural times and then last night looking at our overall plan and realising just how much we have explored as a class this year (which was quite a surprise!)
• learning about gardening, sustainability and weaving with the class... thank goodness for one particular crafty student who has been a great source of expertise with our weaving projects that children have self selected... love this ako where we are all learning together- there has been a lot of this for me this year

  

  Our completed class weaving artwork
  We did plate weaving first, then a CD
  each and after that individuals could
  choose a project that interested them.
  It's been terrific. 

• sharing some of my learning around the brain and learning with the class and seeing them 'get it' and build on it together
• working with a great team at our school, I love the vibe we have and how we are building a shared philosophy with several of us coming together over the year so a relatively new staff

So what next:

Well I have started building discovery time (I am calling it Meaningful And Independent Learning (MAIL)) into the programme, I have some great learners in the class who are becoming quite self motivated and this works for them as well as others. It is a great chance to work alongside individuals or small groups, for children to learn from each other and for children to pursue their own interests. We are focusing on self management and co-operative skills so this is a great opportunity to teach and learn through doing. Our big thing is that you must always be able to explain what you are learning if asked, and I am hearing some wonderful responses already like "learning to stick with something even if it is hard", "learning what fractions of shapes look like", "learning to make words that rhyme with -at etc", "learning to share my ideas with painting". Like everything this is a work in progress but I see it paying huge dividends for our class.

I have also created a google site for our class which at the end of the term I shared with our parents so they can use the links etc at home for learning at home if they want to. It was great to put some of my old skills into practice in a new setting.

And finally, just enjoying the last weeks of the year with our fabulous, challenging, unique learners as we keep on learning together.