Focussing on Deliberate Leadership Actions

As part of working with school leaders in The Manaiakalani Programme Outreach cluster of schools in Tairāwhiti we looked at Barriers, Enablers and Deliberate Leader Actions that could help to move the understanding and implementation of the pedagogy we use: Learn, Create, Share (LCS).

Explain Everything Pecha Kucha

We were set the challenge to create a Pecha Kucha to share a skill or tool that is being used where we are teaching.

A definite challenge.

My learners are teachers and leaders so I created a Pecha Kucha to inform these people about how Explain Everything is used in a junior class on ipads.

Data Dealings

We have dealt to the data today in Gisborne.

People have moved from shying away from Google Forms, Maps and Sheets to be able to see the power and excitement of these tools.

Great to see that people can see where they could use their tools in their classes and that if fits with Numeracy and Inquiry learning as well as so much more.

It is Friday after 3pm and everyone is still hard at it!
How to get people to go home.

DFI in Gisborne

Our first session of Digital Fluency Intensive  (DFI) in Gisborne has happened.




We have a big space with a range of seating options in the Literacy Centre in Riverdale School. We have the use of an attached kitchen and bathroom as well, so we are self-contained.

Dorothy Burt led our first day and gave everyone a great overview of where Manaiakalani has come from and where we are going with the DFI.

Our Goals for the nine sessions are:

I am looking forward to being stretched as I lead the DFI and seeing the learning that happens over our time together. 

Barriers and Enablers

Are our learners engaging deeply with cluster-agreed transformative digital pedagogies:

learn, create, share?

As part of my own learning, I am focussing on helping school leaders in our learning cluster to consider this question.

It's nearly been a year since the journey as a cluster began. Trust is building and understanding around 'learn, create, share' is jelling for school leaders. It seemed a good time to use a tool to reflect on progress and look at next steps.

Image Credit: https://pixabay.com/en/cooperate-collaborate-teamwork-2924261/

Doing the Work

The next step in my Google project is to read and reflect on Chapter 5 in The Mentees Guide, entitled Doing the Work.

As part of the idea of keeping the focus on learning, I am looking at the objective of journaling.

Journaling

The concept of making journaling a specific 'to do' appeals to me. To record thoughts and be able to reflect on them. To see my thoughts perhaps in a new light as I come back to them again and again.

Journaling would also be a good way for me to develop those thoughts further as I know I can often go round and round with the same ideas, the pros and cons, the why and why nots and not actually make progress. Journaling is a good vehicle to help me move my project forward by writing to reveal what the next step is and then trying it out.

Could Journaling be Blogging?

Somehow I feel that journaling could be just a brain dump but perhaps by using the discipline of a regular blog as a journal it might mean that rather than a brain dump, it is a creative and disciplined act.  The discipline is both the hard part and the one that I think will generate the best outcomes.

One problem I can see is that I am so busy journaling that I am not doing the work of the project, just writing about it. Currently, I focus on my project once a week for an evening. This is not enough as it is. Journaling as well will mean I need to put more time in! Perhaps I just need to bite the bullet and do it. Just do it!

Some journaling tips from the book

1. As you write, keep in mind three words: head, heart, and action. Include factual material, reactions, feelings, goals, and tasks.
2. Write regularly, after each meeting and in between. Even if you are not a journal person by nature, write something down.
3. Schedule journaling writing time. If you don't schedule it, it will get lost on the back burner.
4. Review your entries regularly. Doing so will help you monitor your progress.

Template

A template to help me in journaling when thinking about a mentoring relationship:

1. The most important work we did today.
2. The most valuable lesson.
3. How will I apply what I've learned?
4. What are the biggest challenges ahead for me?
5. What questions still remain for me.

A regular, (weekly?) journal is a good aim. I can try this for three weeks and reassess if it is working in terms of time input and outcomes. Outcomes would be that I am seeing progress in my thinking and doing.

Learning Opportunities

Where can I get exposure to new learning? I can take opportunities that arise through #GEGNZ, ULearn and other informal learning opportunities. Also, I need to remember to play as I learn lots by just giving things a go.

Cybersmart Content

Are you Cybersmart?

Smart people are powerful people.

Cybersmart learning allows learners to be powerful. It needs to be in the timetable for every class.

Digital Content

Testing out what it is like as a learner using a chromebook.
We tried out Digital Dig on a chromebook when we were signed in a guest.

I found out that the bookmark bar and extensions do not show when on guest mode.

Explain Everything

We had a play with EE on ipads as learners.

Google Exam 

I am working towards the Trainer Certification. I am creating a video to showcase my training of teachers.