Week 18: My reflective entry on how my practice has had a positive change.

Description: How have my postgraduate studies changed my practice? To say the least it has been ‘challenging’! This has been the first digital learning I have participated in and it has been incredibly challenging for me. Challenging in a variety of ways. Do I have enough knowledge myself to guide my students in the use of new apps introduced like ‘Twiddla’ (a collaborative planning app) or ‘Kahoot!’ (a question and answer app)? Does my knowledge and technology driven skill set support students interactions and collaborative learning using these apps? Am I able to create a solid foundation and maintain the forward movement by introducing other apps to strengthen students learning in the digital world that is inevitable? Questions that can only lead to a better understanding of not only my new teaching pathway but also of my students learning.

Feelings: My mind has been opened to new thinking in ways of using technology and in turn adds another dimension to the already varied layers of knowledge and skill sets. I feel that if I do not take this on board I will be disadvantaging the treasures (students) that I have the pleasure to teach. I also feel that if I did not take this aspect into consideration I would have missed the opportunity in front of me to take a lead in my own professional development.

Evaluation: What were my judgments at the time? How do I feel about them now?

My students were already using digital technology with Study Ladder, Storybird, Adobe Spark app and Class Dojo. These programmes gave them the opportunity to become accustomed to using digital technology. They developed skills of inserting photos and tables, downloading music and inserting into Adobe Spark presentations, reflecting on their own work and what they were learning plus working collaboratively together. They now feel very comfortable using these but I felt that they needed another tool to support them in planning collaboratively to complete a study project. My concern was that they were completing a lot of individualised learning and were missing out on using their ideas and knowledge in a collaborative way.

Analysis: My problem was where should I go from here? How and where do I find the correct app and could I find one that I could introduce with no problem? I discovered ‘Twiddla’ and it suited me for what I needed. It was free, it was easy to use, it could be shared by the whole class working on it at the same time. Each student was able to copy and paste the url to use it (no email logins necessary) and I could set the tasks and ‘big questions’ to get them thinking. The class enjoyed using the page to collaborate with each other in their planning of the study. Who was going to do what, what approaches they would take and how they were going to present the project. Each student could see the planning stages taking place as it was happening. This was the highlight for me.

Conclusion: There are other programmes and apps that may do the same job as ‘Twiddla’ but I felt that this particular one suited my classes’ needs at the time. We could’ve used G+ but it was much easier to copy and paste the url to connect everyone instead of setting up with gmail accounts. It was fantastic to watch each student not be afraid to use the app and contribute their ideas towards the project. By all accounts they enjoyed using the app and being able to see their classmates planning ideas appearing as they were writing them. A very positive outcome.

Action plan: I will continue to use this app as it can be used in a variety of ways. We could use it not only in planning for studies/projects but also in having conversations with each other for writing i.e. brainstorming ideas, timetabling and having healthy debates. An action plan, I think that will enhance my students’ knowledge and participation in a collaborative learning environment.

References:

A short video from the University of Northampton that briefly outlines Gibb's Cycle of Reflection

Supporting future-oriented learning and teaching: A New Zealand perspective. Ministry of Education New Zealand

Week 16 Critical Reflection

Week 17 - My Reflections

I have chosen to use this reflective model of Jay and Johnsons' because it is easy to follow and allows structure of writing to be very clear.

Description:

Now reflecting on my own reflective practice. I'll begin by saying that as a class teacher it is an expectation that our students are able to reflect on what they are learning. Not only are they thinking about what they are learning but also thinking about 'How they learnt it, how do they know they learnt it (achieving success criteria?) Where will this new learning (or strategy that they used) take them? The next step? If they did not learn what were the barriers? Did the teachers need to use a different strategy, simplify the language, and use different words or more resources to support the learning? All of this supporting them in building a picture and strategy to improve their knowledge and learning style. It is also a way of training them to develop higher order (critical) thinking skills.

We ask our students to reflect at least twice daily whole class and hopefully they are reflecting internally as they are learning.

We have adopted this as a daily routine so that it becomes normal...we, also as teachers and professionals must practice what we preach. I believe that between our 3 teaching staff we have the capability to be good reflective practitioners. We are constantly talking to each other of how the students may have had difficulty in understanding and using a particular learning tool or strategy. We participate in frequent 'learning' conversations throughout the day about our students and any difficulties and or celebrations of learning that we need to acknowledge. Our reflection is mainly verbal although we always have the intention of writing reflectively (but time management and busy schedules does not allow us to do so). 

I completed the ‘Evaluate your reflective practice’ survey and can already see from this that I am not doing enough critical reflection to challenge myself, this includes the lack of professional reading to better empower me to understand critical reflection. I reflect on a daily basis as I am teaching throughout the day in what you might call ‘reflection on action’ and ‘reflection in action’. Schon’s (1983). Maybe this is enough for the time being but I do understand that I need to improve in the way I critically reflect and this can only be improved upon by reading more and participating in more critical thinking conversations with my colleagues.

Comparative:

In completing the ‘evaluating my reflective practice’ survey.

Question 3: How often do you reflect on your practice at the following levels?

Making decisions to change behaviours in response to students’ cues. My answer – sometimes.

I would like to better that answer to always. Within the readings so far one main word/concept/strategy keeps recurring and that is reflection. Whether it is reflection on action or reflection in action, Schon’s (1983) ‘the resulting information can only support to make decisions on the best steps to take when students’ feedback is taken into consideration. Being able to apply and develop knowledge and learning skills can only support any decisions you make and help in changing the way you teach to bring about productive meaningful learning to your students.

The teacher is the decision maker and it is the basic teaching skill (Shavelson, 1973)–‘Within a decision-making perspective the teacher is seen as an active agent who makes decisions that guide his or her actions in the classroom’

Intergrated information of knowing students, knowing the subject you are teaching, availability of resources and the right tasks or activities that are to be completed are all factors in being able to make or change or respond to your students.  

Critical reflection:

How does this reflective process inform and renew your perspective?

I can respond to this by saying that I have to ensure that I know how my students learn, what are their strengths, do I need to take them more in a one on one teaching situation, pair share or group learning? Their needs count.

 What are the implications for your reflective practice when viewed from these alternative perspectives?

The implications - always considering assessment data, collegial conversations on learning. listening to what the students needs are, using pedagogical practice and research information to adapt to students needs.

FInlay, Linda Reflecting On Reflective Practice

Schon’s (1983) ‘The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action’.

Shavelson (1973) Journal of Reading Behavior 1982, Volume XIV, No. 2 

Kia ora everyone,

My class of tuakana have been set a task to create a presentation to parents at our end of year prize - giving. They have been given the task of showing two things they have enjoyed learning this year, which could range from maths knowledge/strategies, tuhituhi skills, mahi toi, putaiao, kaiaka (athletics), Delamere Cup performance, soccer tournaments/games, or whatever else they may want to present. They have been given 2 - 3 minutes to present in any way they like by using technology and any other resources. They have already begun their planning today and it is interesting to see that they do not want to work collaboratively with others. 

There are 9 students in the class so their presentations will take up a nice chunk of 20 - 25 minutes on prize - giving day. I'm looking forward to what they come up with....and if that's not enough I have to present my first assignment for Digital Technology. I better do like my students do and get cracking!

Assignment 1

So I've just been going over,  and over our Assignment 1 for Digital Technology, and...am slowly but surely getting it planned out. I know the steps I'm going to take but still have to work out a challenge in my practice. I think there are too many to choose from...but it'll come to me. What's that saying from Forrest Gump? 'Life's a box of chocolates. You don't know what you're gonna get!' 

He mihimihi - Introduction

Tena koutou katoa.

Ko Pukenui o Raho te maunga.

Ko Waiotahe te awa.

Ko Maromahue te marae.

Ko Ngai Tamatea te hapu.

Ko Ngati Kahungunu te iwi.

Ko Aroha Shaw toku ingoa.

Welcome to my blog. I am a teacher at a little kura about 20 km out of Opotiki in the small settlement of Kutarere. We are a decile 1 kura, we teach at Level 1 immersion, we have a consistent roll of between 20 - 25 tamariki and our little school is situated over looking the  Ohiwa harbour. The vistas on a summer day are truly captivating and sometimes I feel hard pressed to take my tamariki back into the classroom to continue on their learning journey. The ever changing mood of the harbour and ebb and flow of the water within it are continual and  strengthens our wairuatanga, our manaakitanga, our whanaungatanga. 

I love teaching at this kura after coming from a large urban school 5 years ago. I love that I can really get to know my tamariki and can communicate with each and every one of them on a daily basis. I always like to think that it is a gift to teach here, as the korero goes 'Ahakoa he iti... he pounamu.'

No reira...tena koutou ano ...Aroha