Learning Together

Learning Together

Saturday 13 February 2016

Activity 2: Reflection on learning and practice

Create a blog post in which you reflect on the last 24 weeks of your study by providing a critical discussion of
  • two of your own key competencies that have developed the most
  • two key changes in your own practice
Reflection:

“Maybe reflective practices offer us a way of trying to make sense of the uncertainty in our workplaces and the courage to work competently and ethically at the edge of order and chaos...” (Ghaye, 2000, p.7) 

http://www.open.ac.uk/opencetl/files/opencetl/file/ecms/web-content/Finlay-%282008%29-Reflecting-on-reflective-practice-PBPL-paper-52.pdf

Reflection using our school Teaching as Inquiry format.

Step 1 - REFOCUS - What are my strengths & learning needs?
What educational outcomes are valued for my students?
How am I doing in relation to those outcomes?

As the leader of the school I can make change quickly, based on my learning and up to date research and pedagogy through Post Grad study with the Mind Lab.

We worked as a staff to develop a Growth Mindset, and are all open to change for ourselves, our children and for the future of education in NZ. Our teachers are open to continuous learning through Post Grad study - in 2016 all staff will complete their own independent tertiary study. We hope this will compliment school operations and the future direction of our school.

Challenge: To move our parent community with us through modelling expectations and 21st learning programmes with our children, who will in turn involve their parents.

Step 2 - REALITY What do I need?
What strategies (evidence-based) are most likely to help me help my  students' learning?

I am a strong believer that the key competencies will support our children into the future and we base all our teaching and learning programmes on key competencies. The research through the Mind Lab strongly suggests that our curriculum must be key competency focused rather than knowledge delivery based. Creativity, problem solving, flexibility and perseverance are the dispositions that alongside the key competencies will see our children be successful in life and in life long learning.

Step 3 - NEXT-STEP Learning
Is there something I need to change?
What are the next steps for learning?

My focus in this post grad study is to move from a traditional teaching and learning response and set up and move into a modern 21st century teaching and learning response and mindset. 
The research and information provided through the Mind Lab has provided me with the research and evidence to support these changes and the pedagogical basis that underpins them. I need to continue to inform our 'traditional education focused' parent community about what we and doing, and in particular the why we are doing it.

As our country school has decreased in number, I will be a teaching principal this year. We have one multi-levelled classroom and will be team teaching across the levels.  This provides me with an opportunity to model the expectations and build a new culture for our school. An environment and learning program that is Whanau-Based alongside the principles of Maori and whanau. 

To be continued ...

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