So needed a break from every day school stuff. Doing not a lot, but enjoying doing not a lot.

The Final Chapters

After checking with B I have put my name forward to do a presentation at Waikato University about how technology is being used in the classroom and how it helps towards student achievement AND to do a presentation at Learning@Schools for 2011.

Have I done the right thing. I want to share mine and my childrens learning. I am trying to convince myself that it is a good thing and that it is good for the school as well. So really do need to get busy and prepare something that will inspire, educate and connect others to the world of digital learning with the classroom.

This has been a specially tough term I did not realise how difficult it was to let go of your class for student teacher to take full control, So thank you to all out there that allowed me that when I was training. I asked M in a nice way to hurry and finish the mahi that she has cos I want my class back.

I am feeling a little exposed with the thought of our ICT PD contract ending, I know its time to move on, but do hope that our learning doesnt stop, and that teachers are motivated enough to keep their learning alive, real, achievable, c onnected globally, and that we all as well as the children grow from strength to strength.

Did running records with my kids over the pas few days and it has been great, they have been able to secure themselves at age or above, is that a reflection of the theirs or ours mahi in the class, both, YES.

Beginning also to change and make preparations for the new year 2011. It is fast approaching, and I need to stay ahead of my kids to keep their learning ignited, to move beyond.

Digital Learners

I do believe that keynote speakers now are just regurgitating the information, and presenting it differently. Have heard a lot of before.... lets move on people, lets move on. Always like Chris Betchers workshops, this time it was with Adobe photoshop,,, and we touched on just a tad of what it can do.

Lee Crockett keynote this morning, thoroughly enjoyed his korero, again, information is not knew.

U learn Tues and begining of wed

New experience on a plane for me, as I said in my fb it is like viewing terra nova like a patchwork quilt. A few bumps on the way down, otherwise clear as. I did not know what CHCH looked like before, but it looks all good to me. My first breakout was web 2 tools, I am ready for the next at least 2.2, so need to find that. A long day, of playing with tools. I have not seen signs of devastation within the city, so I know that there has been a lot of labour to clean up. The town hall is a great building, seating, the wireless is great. I enjoyed petcha kucha, short segments of speakers sharing the knowledge. There are lots of bloggers and looking out in the audience and it looks hilarious as there are heaps of laptops open, probably blogging or tweeting as I write. A great environment.

Challenges

I always look forward to the holidays, but for reasons of which I shall explain, this has not been much of a break. Thursday/Friday attended a 2 day workshop with Lane Clark, I like the way she presents, I like her ideas, and a lot of which I can take back into the class and use, but there are too many Organizers for me. I can see the logic in developing organizers for all sorts. I would like to see them being used in her class. Then next week off to U learn, looking forward to it, and by no means complaining, its just not enough time at home.

I am feeling bogged down again, although I enjoy the challenges, but when I noted from Kiri's sheet how much time I had off, I was begining to doubt myself, I dont believe that much is necessary or if I really had that much out of the classroom. I really dont take my release days or team days, its all about E Learning.... so much to learn, but more over interwrite is too time consuming. Hence going into school on saturday to set up for the next term.

The rain is tooooo much.

Looking through others eyes

As term 3 comes to end, my reflection on the terms learning and achievements are upmost in my mind. Although I have said it before we still need to remember to stop and smell the roses. I have a 3rd year student in my class and it has been a real eye opener. Listening to her through her eyes she says what a great bunch of kids we have, their e learning, their sharing, their oral language, their unpacking of words, and their grasp of the maori language, the general wairua is noticeable and obviously playing a major part in their success. I don't always see it. e learning, learning, sharing, inquiry has become a natural part of us. Mmmm I am not sure what I am trying to say, maybe I just need a holiday, perhaps catch up when I know what I am trying to say.

Interwrite

Yah! dualboard is really fun, the rest of the staff will enjoy using it.

Its a new day

Everyday brings new challenges, lifes too short to work alone. I try to take every opportunity to attend Educational workshops to increase my outlook on education, etc etc etc cos you just never know when opportunity knocks, I will need to break down the door. We grasp concepts when we are ready to take on board these new challenges. My most recent challenge has been to contribute to the e learning infrastructure we are putting in place at kura. Keeping it alive, a working document. Support is so much apart of everyday.

I find myself sharing my class wiki's with friends and how the children are learning, and they always comment on my enthusiasm, and how it must be fun to be in my classroom. I really do wonder if how we are learning is making a difference. I wonder if I should be doing more learning with e learning in the Maori medium. I wonder sometimes if colleagues really do get the picture. We are bogged down with so much to "have to" teach the children, I wonder how our kids will survive.

My feel my recent presentations, always seem to be in a rush.. I wonder if anyone real gets it, or whether they are just trying to be nice. I wonder if what "we" I" are doing in the class is really working, then I look at the progress in the wiki and realise they are enjoying what they are doing. My kids have told me that they spend more time on the wiki than any other site on the computer.

I have to keep reminding myself that you can please everybody all the time.

Networking

Enjoyed my trip down to Gisborne to attend a E Learning Conference. Company was great. I do believe we have been well taught and learned from Lorraine W in our ICTPD Cluster and I think very spoilt. Feeling very nervous about the rest of the year, the pressure to perform perhaps. Need to remember to take time and smell the roses

the Inquiry

Totally enjoyed listenng to Kath Murdoch. It helped me to understand her inquiry process. It is easier than I made it out to be, just takes a little bit of work on my behalf. Great Stuff

FUTURE

I recall attending a few ed conferences over the past 12 months and listening to others share what their vision of the future would be like, or sharing what they have seen.... Technology is moving so quickly, our grandchildren, will live in a computer e world.... its very exciting

Perspective

Its always great working with L as she puts perspective on ideas. I know this sounds really crazy, dont go spreading it, but I finally clicked into action planning. duh!!! I mean how easy is it.... See we do learn things at different times, or when we are ready to grasp a concept. ANOTHER so much for the Education system putting an emphasis on Science...... How dare they cut T's science fellowship when she would be one that would so totally deserve the opportunity.

sharing

Preparing a workshop for a cluster in Gisborne, and then in kawerau, already since doing the last one at BEST the learning has changed and added to. Wow this is great..... I think it would be great for our school to do our learning conference.

E Learning excitement

I was very pleased, excited and whats the other word, ...... Bob came in to ask if I would like to go to U Learn..... there wasnt even a hesitation. I am honoured that I can rep the school for this. At the same time increase my own learning, so that I can be a better classroom teacher and help my kids with their learning. I sometimes wonder though how easy this has been to move from stage to stage in this particular kind of learning. Is it because one believes or has a passion for it, does one believe that the children have a better chance of learning this way, even for those that do not. A parent texted me to ask how to upload their childs picture on to the wiki. That child had earlier asked how to do a particular task. Another child said you do it in paint, then upload it. Wow!! is that learning or what... now the parents are asking. The child said to their parent, "no not that way, Whaea J wouldnt like that one" the parent was pleased their daughter was become fussy and learning so much.....

Student Led Conferences

Under the direction of the staff I presented a staff meeting on Student Led Conferences. Ideas on how we as teachers need to prepare out tamariki for these conference. The aha moment was when Dave mentioned the next day that he had tried it on his children in the class, and he was surprised by their answers. So it the presentation helped.

Infused ICT in the classroom

Wow! how exciting. Mahi Kainga (homework) has now been on the wiki for two terms. This week I decided there was going to be no more paper, or copying from the board. Mahi Kainga can be accessed and completed via the internet. Those who do not have access have been told they can use it in the classroom. Already there have been four responses to tamariki beginning to complete their homework online and completing the tasks. Most of the mahi kainga was accessing their blog and the wiki. this is so exciting. I must get the tamariki's voice on how they feel about doing it this way... Yah!!!

There is always so much to learn. I am going to put a survey out to the staff and going to call it Dreams and Reality. As we need to put a infrastructure in place. This kind of learning is easy to embrace. I look forward to the day when all the kids can be using laptops on a more regular basis within the classroom environment. I have appreciated heaps the help of L for her patience and her faith in me to deliver. I find it all very exciting.

I wish

I think the government really needs to take the time to see what is happening in the classroom. I think my kids are learning ways, processes on how to problem solve, time will tell. They enjoy sharing their learning and are always keen to put their voice to learning. I still need to take more time with them and sharing what i know so that they become independant learners. I really enjoy teaching at the moment and I am grateful that I have been given opportunities to share my learning with others. There are a lot of teachers out there who really need to take stock of their learning in the classroom, and gear it to the learning of the tamariki. The money is good, more is better, but having fun with kids is very rewarding. We used skype today, to talk to my sister Julie who lives in america. The kids sang waiata for my sister and the family. My sister was very impressed, the kids enjoyed the skyping, all apart of e learning.

BEST

I thoroughly enjoyed my day today at the BEST/RELLCo conference. I enjoyed sharing my learning with others about the many Wiki experiences, learning and inquiry. I was excited that a couple of attendees received a "aha" moment. I also enjoyed Tony Ryan. He had some good ideas and shared experiences off others. I am going to use a few of his ideas. One was the fact the some students constantly ask the same question, so he talked about a Thinking Toy for the students, and how they need to learn to think things through, so I will put that into play. I totally enjoyed SOLO Taxonomy, and this is definitely something that works along side inquiry. Awesome weekend. Then of course my daughters and nephew made a decision the night before to run for fun in the 5km race alongside the Lions Marathon. So I took them all out to dinner..... I had a great weekend for learning.

Update

I have learnt so much in the last couple of years, its amazing how one looks back to reflect on change and how it has happened. There is a definitely a time for everything. I started wikis last year begining of the year and have been able to start a few and develop them, I think it is enriching the childrens global learning. Although they all do not have internet access at home, they are able to show their parents and other as well. I am presenting at BEST, when I offered I was still thinking of the old BEST ideas, but talking to LW I have realised the changes that have happened and happy to share with the rest of the world, what works for us in our class.

L@S 2010

Listening to Tony Ryan sharing about thinking skills. Not a lot of new thinking, however I do believe I do some things that he has suggested. Out of body experience is one way of putting it. If you take a step out of your body and review the situation, are you pleased. It creates peace an a deeper thinking.

I like we are no longer a closed classroom, we are now global