One week goes by

Well, where has a week gone. The feedback from Mark's presentation has been really positive. Most people who attended received clear messages about the future of education and where we need to be working towards. Of course, the problem as always is the how. Especially when it's a struggle for schools to build infrastructure that will meet their needs for the future. Mark's insights into the needs of our learners were thought provoking and challenging. So how do we turn around our thinking from
What are we teaching? How will I teach it? Why am I teaching it? and Who am I teaching? To focusing on the WHO first then WHY, How and what?

The needs of our learners are changing and our teaching practice needs to change to best meet their needs for their future.

One teacher's voice after the presentation
"that speaker yesterday was the bomb! I couldn't stop talking about it when I got home. There was something relevant for all of us - my poor hubby, teenage daughter and 8 year old son all received "nuggets of wisdom" from his presentation. Loved it. Quite inspirational actually. Fantastic, practical ideas and ideologies that can readily be applied to the class room situation (rather than being compartmentalised.)"

Tauwhare

Another day in the country today. Tauwhare is a delightful, well resourced school. I was able to spend time with the principal discussing online learning environments and how they are used and can be used to create 24/7 access to school programmes. As well access it allows schools to share activities with the wider school and global communities. It was fun talking to teachers and showing them how blogs and wikis can be used to enhance literacy and classroom programmes.

Visits to Best Practice schools

The principals have raised the possibility of visiting best practice schools. Before we embark on this, I find myself questioning the what is we would be looking for. Having looked again at Dr Barbara Leroy's model for educational change, we could focus our visit on any of the five components or a combination of these.
The model states for complex change to work, schools need to focus on five components which are

• Vision
• Skills
• Incentives
• Resources
• Action plan

Without these, change can cause confusion, anxiety, gradual change, frustration and false starts.

So what does this mean for us when we plan to visit best practice schools?

Gordonton

Another opportunity to meet with teachers in a 1-1 situation. Teachers enjoy chances to talk about their classrooms, their practice and their children. I also had time to discuss change with the principal following the meeting on Wednesday. We discussed the setting up of an action plan, vision and values and joining up to digistore.

Principal / Lead Teacher Meeting

Our first meeting together since L@S. We were fortunate to have Allan Bull, former principal of Hamilton East and Riverside Cluster Project Director to present to us on From Here to Sustainability. Allan raised many interesting reflections about leading change in our schools and creating a shared vision based on teachers' values and beliefs about education.

A school's vision should be able to be articulated by all teachers and students. It should be visual and visible to all. It should underpin all that we do. If things don't fit with our values and beliefs, why are we doing them? Consider - homework, school assemblies, productions, cross country.

Another interesting point was appointing an abandonment officer. If something is added into our school programme, we need to take something out. (Southbridge School). MMM!

Accountability
How do we know that our professional development is effective? Build in evidence. If we have tekkie sessions on PowerPoint, teachers need to present to the staff on what is happening in their rooms in PowerPoint. Teachers sharing and celebrating together.

Incentives for teachers to change.
What incentives do we offer teachers to change practice?
Make ICT an appraisal goal
Attendance at conferences
Praise praise praise
Small rewards (chocolate fish work well)
Release time for 1-1 PD
And much more!

Newstead

Tuesday @ Newstead. Talked to teachers and visited classrooms to see what was happening. Some great ICT activities happening in classes. Teachers using digital camera for a variety of activities. Worked on action plan for the school and decided as its a small rural school we can involve all the staff and plan together based on survey data and teacher needs.

Fairfield Primary

It was a busy day and I helped out at a staff development session at Fairfield Primary. They are just beginning their journey with ICT and we were learning how to use KidPix. Debbie presented the teachers with an overview of the task and a brochure of tips and tricks. She used the discovery learning approach and all the teachers were engaged in their task. All agreed it was a lot of fun and were eager to use it in their classrooms. We discussed ways of managing teaching this to their students in the classroom and also what ideas we had to fit this into curriculum. We look forward to our celebrating in a few weeks when all the teachers get the opportunity to share their successes. (and anything else).