Celebration
Tonight I’m going out for dinner where Darin works with Rhonda. She has gained her Certificate IV in Workplace Training today and I am delighted. I’m happy for her but I’m also happy for the kids she will get to teach. She is a great teacher and has positive learning relationships with students. We’ve worked in the classroom together a few times and they have been the best years. She makes a difference to students and their learning.
I think it would be great if teaching were an apprenticeship. It would be awesome to have an apprentice to be in classes with you, assisting in all the ways an extra adult in the room can. Giving you feedback about what worked and what didn’t. I remember when I had a student teacher I sat up the back of the class and saw my students in a whole new light. I noticed some where totally engaged, just not in what was going on at the front of the room. I hadn’t noticed it when I’d been at the front of the room!
It would be great for the student as they would get hands on learning and watch all the real things about teaching like classroom management, rapport building and other things that you don’t always learn in a book. I’ve seen many students do the whole teaching course and then find they hate teaching. This way, you would get a pretty good idea quickly.
There are so many resources available to teachers now that I think the idea of a person who is all knowing as a teacher is redundant. I have taught a number of subjects over my teaching career that I learnt alongside my students. I could never be an IT teacher if I hoped to know the most in the room. The best teachers know how to build great relationships with students and understand them and their learning styles. They need to like the students enough to find a way for them to learn what they need to learn, in order to get to where they want to go. They need to be assertive enough to create a safe space, so students are free to learn. They need to love learning themselves and model that to young people. Anyway I reckon Rhonda can do all those things, hands down.
More important than the curriculum is the question of the methods of teaching and the spirit in which the teaching is given
~ Bertrand Russell quotes
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Technology at School
Today we had a student free day. We focussed on implementing IT into the curriculum. I was struggling to be positive about it all to be honest. I am fairly up to speed with technology in classrooms. It was sunny outside and I had to break myself into sitting still. I have wondered if they do that to us, to create an empathy for when our students return to the restraint of the desk the next day. That’s what I like to think anyway.
I learnt a couple of new tricks from a fellow teacher. I’m keen to have a try of Glogster. You can make online posters and embed them with videos and audio clips. She also used Prezi and it looks an interesting way to avoid the overused phrase ‘death by powerpoint’, yet I imagine if you have nothing to put on your slides other than the words you are about to speak, it will still hurt your audience.
I realised today that the handful of teachers who are technological at school all have taken different paths and use it in different ways in the classroom. I think this makes it more interesting, yet I wonder if it makes it overwhelming for those who have not embarked on the journey.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Ah Friday already….
The brilliant aftermath of the long weekend is the short week following.
This week was busy. I wasn’t expecting it. It was productive busy though and that makes all the difference. Darin’s treacle tart that I had for morning tea each day this week also helped 
.
The memorable moments of this week were many. I felt affirmed seeing photos of my son and receiving reliable reports that he’s healthy and doing well on Hamo. I enjoyed the greeting from Darin’s kids when they arrived tonight. They are so affectionate and excited to be here, it’s such a gift to me. A student who was away sick emailed me the assignment on the due date. I hate to be cynical, but usually if a student is absent on a due date… they are at home doing the assignment! Not that I am a big deadline person. In fact I am probably too flexible as a teacher with due dates for assignments. I have always found inflexibility to be an inhibitor. This student thanked me because they enjoyed the assignment. Not an everyday occurence. I had a student tell me she got her licence and got to relive with her that exquisite feeling of freedom and power that moment in time brings… I’ve never taught her, but have managed to develop a relationship through yard duties and as a co-ordinater. I had a student I taught last year at the junior campus greet me with such enthusiam! that I missed the place, for a minute, even though I am so happy where I am. The power of relationship building! To teach in a community I am familiar with is a gift. I know students parents and grandparents and Aunties and Uncles and brothers and sisters. It adds meaning to our relationships and helps to know and understand all kinds of differences that others can’t discern.
Someone said to me today it’s good my kids got out of here. I agree. I was in a big rush to do that when I was at that age and I was away for a total of 12 years…. off and on. I am so glad to live here now though. I love where I live. I love that I know a reasonable part of my community. I enjoy not having to line up with strangers(at least you can catch up with peoplein the queue at the supermarket). I realised today in a discussion with a new teacher, how much easier it is for me. There is a richness in long term relationships, whatever the nature, that is enriching.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Sharing Blogging with Teachers
Tonight went ok I guess. It reminded me of when I was in adult education teaching beginners computer lessons. Some have a reasonable skill level and will dive in and have a go. The people I feel for are those who are completely out of their depth. Every instruction needs to be explained and in some cases to create some momentum, done for them.
I don’t think it is impossible for anyone to learn how to use a computer, or to blog, if they want to. It is a big IF though. My mum has learnt to use facebook to stay in touch with my overseas sister. I heard on the weekend my dad is doing footy tipping online. I have helped them both out on the computer, they have slowly become more competent, yet I imagine this game my dad is playing will have him build skills faster because it’s something he enjoys. I have watched Darin’s mum learn how to use skype, to connect with her grandchildren who live interstate, in a short period of time. She wanted to do it badly enough that she kept at it. She asked lots of questions. She enjoyed some success when it worked and now I reckon she could guide someone else to do it.
The resistance I find when introducing new things to any student, is always the problem. The reluctance to make a mistake leads to them to stick with what they know. I have no idea what it is like because I have gradually expanded my skills over years. I wanted to learn. I made plenty of mistakes and then corrected. I have in no way made all the mistakes yet, there is still bucketloads more I don’t know. I remember this game I played a long time ago called the maze game. It was played in teams and you had to navigate your team through a grid that sometimes changed. People would stand there, with their foot up in the air afraid to put it down, because if it was wrong, you had to start all over again. The lesson was to make the mistakes quickly by just having a go. The quicker you made the mistake, the quicker you would get it right in the end. I wish I could find the instructions to that game and play that with some classes. It is a lesson that could make all learning come easier. So many of us have been taught to avoid making mistakes.
Some are not just learning blogging, they are learning a whole range of skills, even how to use a keyboard. If they are that disinterested in computers, when they have been around them for so long, I feel a bit of personal frustration to think I can share much with them at all. It is going to take time and practise for them to be competent enough to use them in a classroom. I doubt they have the time or the interest to practise. I know I shouldn’t make assumptions about students and I don’t weigh up young people like that as I have tonight with the adult learners.
All in all though, it is a start.
Popularity: 1% [?]
Parent Teacher Interviews
Tonight was the night and tomorrow morning, I’ll have more again. I enjoy parent teacher interviews. I like meeting my student’s parents. I learn more about what’s going on at home from them. It’s insightful. Tonight I had a couple of challenging interviews. I had to tell parents or students, in front of their parents or child, things I knew they wouldn’t want to hear. I was pleasantly surprised with how well the news was received. I was prepared though, with alternatives for them so I think that made a lot of difference.
I really appreciate being at the senior campus. It’s given me a different focus and one that I’m really enjoying. I like seeing parents that I met when their child was in year 7, 8 or 9 and being able to share the pleasure of the students development and maturity. It’s very rewarding.
I also had my annual review (from last year) today. It went well also. I am glad I ran out of time last year to complete it because I feel like a whole new person this year, professionally. Our school has updated it’s technology, and this has made a huge difference to me. I like using technology to teach. I believe students are able to achieve a lot more and I am more efficient using it, to facilitate that. I can see now that all the learning I have done in this area is paying dividends for me this year. It is making my life easier.
Tomorrow I start my holidays…. how good is that!
Popularity: 7% [?]
Pruning
After attending the Cybersafe training day on Thursday I have pruned my facebook of all current students. I was reluctant to do that because I felt that I was a responsible user of social networking, but the implications and lack of control over what others post, creates vulnerabilities for teachers. I like to be socially inclusive. If a person I know requests to be my friend, I would need to have a clear reason for saying no. It’s easier to have no current students than to make judgement calls.
Greg Gebhart the facilitator is very knowledgeable and I highly recommend his site IT Vision for educators. I have completed a few IT courses with Greg over the past few years. He is a great resource to teachers having been a teacher and possessing a practical and grounded view of how to work with IT in schools.
I have also pruned my twitter account on the same basis. I’ve rid my feed of all the people I don’t read or aren’t really interested in as well as students. I don’t read my twitter feed that often though to be honest so I’ve created groups. The great thing about having different groups is that if I only check it once a week or so, I don’t miss as many posts in the areas I’ve created because the fewer amount of people makes it easier to catch up. Does that make sense?
I have also discovered a whole branch of my family on facebook this week. I think social networking is great. I love staying in touch with people who live all over the place. Although I generally have no time for reality TV, a family member is on ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ (vote Nick!), so I’ve been keeping up with his progress.
Popularity: 6% [?]
Next Year
I am going to the senior campus of our school next year. I have known about it for a little while now and have been thinking about it. I am nervous for sure. I have reassured countless year 9s over the years about going to the ‘big’ school. This year I can actually share their anticipation. It is a mixture of excitement and apprehension.
I have loved working where I am. The community has been a solid part of my life. The people I work with are like a family to me. I see them every day. They have shared my joys and pains over these years. I have friends and helpful people surrounding me. Rhonda is there. I know who I can rely on. I know where all the resources are, I know the shortcuts. I have been teaching pretty much the same subjects for the past 8 years. I’ve had leadership positions in both curriculum and pastoral care roles, so I have explored what I can I guess. It’s very comfortable. It’s probably been too easy the past couple of years and I have perhaps become a bit complacent. I have felt my frustrations compounding and feel I have trapped myself in a bit of a negative spiral at times. I intend for this to be a fresh start to my thinking about work.
I look forward to learning more. There is a cool new library where I am going. There are some people I admire from a distance and it will be an opportunity to learn more from them. I know plenty of the people there, just not as well as I know those who are here. I look forward to teaching new levels in my favourite subjects. I have taught many of the students who will be there and I look forward to reconnecting with them. I expect this will give me a new lease on my professional life…. and I am due for it.
Popularity: 12% [?]
Teachers and Social Networking
In QLD teachers have been banned from contacting students on social networking sites. This bothers me. There are so many things I see as wrong about this stance. Students can run into trouble online. There are no adults in their lives giving them any feedback about the publishing they do online. I have attended a number of talks on cybersafety and cyberbullying. I read numerous blogs about education and using social networking software for educational purposes. This just reeks of people who don’t know what they are talking about wanting to control something they have limited understanding of.
I think inappropriate behaviour is not acceptable anywhere, banning useful tools is not going to stamp out inappropriate behaviour. Teachers have the potential to set an example online as they are expected to at school.
Michael Carr-Gregg at one of those talks last year said the internet was like the Wild West where the children were there with no adult supervision. These restrictions placed on teachers could discourage teachers from the learning and participation they need to effectively guide students. A fellow staff member attended a cybersafety course recently and told me they were advised not to talk about online participation if they had no experience of it. Students would see right through it. Makes sense doesn’t it?
Popularity: 6% [?]
Behaviour Management Course
Today I had a professional development day. It was a course in Behaviour Management. I haven’t been on a Behaviour Management course since the first years I was teaching. I have been more interested in things like technology or learning. It was productive and has given me some great things to think about, especially as a co-ordinator explaining things I take for granted. It reinforced my strong belief that relationship building is really the most important basis.
It reminded me also of something I used to do, but have neglected lately and I think my classroom environment has suffered for it. The initial clear explanation of your expectations is really important if you want a good learning environment. I don’t mean the flakey kind of ‘I expect great things from you’ stuff. I need to clearly explain the behaviours I want to see. I need to be really explicit and model it as well as explain specifically what I expect.
Popularity: 7% [?]
Learning Day for Teachers
Yesterday at school we had a student free day. We got the opportunity to participate in a range of sessions led by fellow teachers. My first instinct was to sign up for all the technology courses, blogging, forums and so forth. I did the blogging course and it was good. I got to see some of the things a small handfull of teachers are doing at school with blogs. I mostly knew from my personal blogging how to do it though.
I changed my approach and did ceramics in the morning, which I love and learnt to make gnocchi in the afternoon. I felt like the special needs student in ceramics because it took me a long time to create an even coil. By the time I got to making gnocchi though I had the coils handled and I applied it successfully to the dough. It was actually a very pleasant and relaxing day. I hope we learn from one another more often because there are many talented people on our staff at school and often, living outside a major city, we travel to learn things that we could probably learn just as easily from one another given the time and space.
Popularity: 6% [?]
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