Opportunities to Fly

Am I providing opportunities for my Learners to 'fly'?  

This video by Alex Fortmann provides questions that I need to reflect on when designing learning opportunities for the Learners in my habitat.

Are they...

• soaring
• exploring a landscape of imagination
• defying gravity
• be who they want to be
• be empowered to reach heights
• seeing things from different perspectives
• feeling like they can do anything

My Mama Said

An entertaining video by the wonderful Rita Pierson who explains how she responds to two boys fighting in the the playground.   

There are sets of rules for many different environments - home, school, playground, sports field, cinema, restaurant.   How we manage ourselves in these different environments is part of learning.

One point that Rita emphasises is to make parents aware that while we respect their rules, there needs to be a different set for school where we (the educators) are responsible for more than just their child alone.   

I know parents who have said to their child,

"Stand up for yourself, and hit back."

I realise that these parents are trying to teach their child to stand up for themself and to not let themself be bullied, but retaliation and violence can't be seen as the only option in today's society - whether it be the school playground or in the adult world.  

Hopefully the next generation of adults will have a set of strategies to fall back on in times of disagreement, anger and frustration - rather than resort to the fist.

FISH Philosophy

Something Fishy

This fish doesn't smell.  Instead, it's an idea that originated from a fish shop in Seattle called Pike Fish Market.   Watch the video think... if Pike Fish Market can create a workplace attitude that makes everyone smile, then anyone can.  

I'm looking forward to gaining a better understanding of all four parts that make up the FISH philosophy.  

My first goal in 2016 is to have an element of  'play' in our learning.  I'm excited about this as it sounds like a great way to encourage curiosity and creativity.    I will have to work on this goal as I can sometimes be overwhelmed by the need to meet curriculum stages and therefore hurriedly plough through curriculum content, rather than step off the path to explore and smell the flowers.

Week 1, 2016

Getting to Know the Learners

It's the end of my first week... three days with 87 learners.  My wondering is how long it will take me to know all the names and match them to the faces???  At this stage I feel like it will take

FOREVER!!!

I'm loving my team and am finding everyone so helpful.  This makes it so much easier to settle in and feel part of this #Oresome family.   

At this point in time, the learning experiences in LH2 have been focussed around moving into our hapu groups (I'm leader of the Sheep hapu group) and spending time learning how to use the maths and reading independent activities.   Transitioning is a bit chaotic - for the Learning Coaches and Learners, but I'm sure that we will get it more streamlined over time.  

The temperature is rising everyday so I'm glad that we are having short weeks to wean us back into learning.  

LH2 Learning Coaches and Learners 

What does PB4L look like @OrmPS?

This programme started running in the foundation year.  I can see it's good points as it's always great to be recognised for the good, rather than the bad.  Who in their right mind would want to be made a spectacle of when they're in the wrong?

PB4L is managed in the following ways:

• #Orestome tickets
• School-wide - rewards
• Focus Assembly - recognition (certificates and pens)

The following are areas that the Learners can be recognised in:

Learning * Playing * Eating * Meeting * Moving * Well-being

These areas help to guide our talking and thinking.  It's explicit and easy for the Learners to understand which area they have shown #oresome behaviour in - at all ages.

The tickets and small prizes may seem like intrinsic rewards and I know that some people don't agree a rewards system, but rewards are what many of us come to work every day for.   Although I thoroughly enjoy my job, I would certainly not be working full time if it wasn't for the money.  Is that not an intrinsic reward?

I for one am looking forward to using this language and developing positive relationships with all Learners through the use of this reward system.

Learning the OrmPS way - Day 4

Another day jam packed with information... at least I have the above document to refer back to so that I don't have to S-Q-U-E-E-Z-E anything more into my head. It's great to have everything set out clearly and to also have the opportunity to question and add to the document.


I'm excited to be Talia's mentor and consider myself fortunate to be working in a school who acknowledge that mentor's need release time to work together, share and grow so that they can provide the best support to their PRT. 

Sign Language

Kaori provided us with some #oresome PD in sign language. She has a very humorous nature which made the learning process less intimidating and daunting. I've learned how to sign my name and have a short introductory conversation. I'm looking forward to learning more about sign and I'm sure this will happen with the way that it is immersed in the OrmPS culture.  

It was interesting to learn how to get the attention of a deaf person when they are further away and/or not looking at me. At this stage, I don't think we have any Kdec learners in our habitat, but I will be working alongside others through cross-habitating. This is another new learning curve for me to negotiate as I begin working at OrmPS.

First thing is to learn reading the alphabet when someone else is signing their name.

Professional Development - Thinking Differently

Think differently - Engage differently - Act differently

OrmPS BIG question: 

How do we build a community of connective citizens?

PD with presented from Edgework - 

Ally Blull (primary school background)

Chris Clay

Jane Gilbert

Leanne Lamb

Moving on from 'industrial-aged' thinking to "what does today's knowledge look like?"  

It is no longer a noun.   It is now a verb.

"Knowledge is in the space, not the individual."

Emphasis on:

• connectivity
• relationships and connections
• spaces between
• working in third spaces (communities, clusters, collaboration)
• innovation

"We can open up the space, but we need to open up the mind as well."

If....

New schools are the hardware, with teaching staff as the software.    The infrastructure is there, but who is updating the software? 

Complexity Thinking

Looking at things not as individual entities, but as part of much bigger systems - the interaction between the 'things/parts'.  Simultaneous interaction, not just adding individual parts. 

Small changes can make a big difference

How do we build on collective intelligence (matter)?

• quality of the elements within the system
• interactions between the elements
• diversity within the system - bringing in outside intelligence to disrupt and raise questions

Strong collaboration is important, not just sharing of ideas.  

New ideas need to be discussed, questioned and debated upon to 'teased' out before considering as a change to current status.

Wrapping up

Reflecting on the day:

• New thought - that there is a space in between 
• New action - discussions across habitats to help to understand 'how things work at OrmPS'
• Where to next (what support would be appreciated) - understanding more about 'space' 

Reflecting on 'post-it' thinking from the beginning of the day:

• Although I understand this, I'm finding it difficult to think how we can better connect with a space, rather than the person.   Is it by listening carefully to others and thinking about what they are saying, rather than what I want to hear?  If this is the case, then how can I support learners to value this 'space'?

• Can standards follow the learning?  Will discourse and a focus on the key competencies to develop the child as a whole be more beneficial to learning?   This thinking aligns with my Post Grad 'Teaching as Inquiry' assignment where I would like to explore further the inclusion of play-based learning and development of language, rather than placing an emphasis on reading writing and maths in order to achieve a standard.

Activity:  Polarising thinking to explore +ve and -ve

Read:

Evans, R. (2012). Getting to No: Building true collegiality in schools