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Showing posts from 2017

Crazy busy?

It’s the last Tuesday in October. I’m sitting on one of the benches facing the main quad area; catching up with a colleague to finish off a section in the performance appraisal documentation. Should have been in the library but that room was as cold as a fridge - a student had turned the air conditioner down to 17degrees. Prank. Freezing. The department budget gets discussed so that the final proposal can be agreed on before submission. Must be in by Friday...Then we discuss the new additions to the stationery list- must confirm with all appropriate teachers as these lists must be formalised by Friday...The seniors leave on Friday... at that point what looked like a flash mob was coming our way...silly senior student prank. They have an idea to baptise a teacher in the nearby stream. Really! No. Quick thinking as the centipede of legs...looks like half the school, are oozing out the side gate.  “ stop, this is not a good idea”. “ aw cu’ on..”. “ it’s a leavin* prank”. “This is a Teache

EC- Emotional Capital and solutions based outcomes and Making sense of change

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One of my favourite NZ authors, Sheryl Jordan in her fascinating novel The Sign of the Lion, has Elmo say:' Confusion my dear is the greatest tool of the enemy'. That's true! Confusion erodes confidence. Its exhausting! Embracing digital tools, digital teaching techniques and digital teaching strategies as part of a Blended Learning pedagogy is an area that i refer to as emotional capital ( EC). For a few years now a strange "fog" has sought to prod and poke and rob my confidence as a practitioner. "I refuse to be tired all the time" i say to myself. Now i say to myself- "i refuse to loose my confidence: i know who i am, i am skilled and capable. I am a perpetual learner and educator. " Two things have happened:                         1. At a recent and rather invigorating IT Expo i realized that experience has been a brutal teacher, but experience is also rewarding. I have trialed ed-tech systems and just when i felt mostly competent

Blame?

Day 1 Term 2. I had fascinating conversations with two of my classes today. I posed the question:' Who is to blame when things go wrong?'  This is in preparation for a novel study where a lead character encounters a range of challenges that hinder and help her journey to freedom. The answers the students gave ranged from parents, teachers, the system, the government, the family, the friends...and then one answer floored me...'I am'. This junior college student really meant that they are responsible for what happens to them in challenging situations - WOW!  I'm still mulling on this one. A similar question to one of my senior classes was meant to leave them with something to think about for homework- critical or creative thinking i guess. Who is to blame when grades aren't successful? Is it always the teacher and the school... I'm hoping to be delighted with their comments tomorrow...this is going to be a great term! <a href="http://www.copybl

Sick day -be my own reliever .

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Today the rain turned to a torrential downpour...today was a particularly demanding day. Wednesday morning professional learning starts at 7.55am AND I missed it due to an intense migraine. I haven't woken up to one of those this entire term. 'Just take the day off ' my inner critic said. ' Nah...take it easy, move slowly and get to period 1, they need you, it's formal writing hand in day. It's a quiet class. You'll be fine as the day progresses" i reasoned. Well I took it easy, navigated through the puddles, made it to period 1 and was pleasantly surprised with the submission rate. Yay. Holiday reading ! It was also teacher appreciation day...the prefects had arranged a colourful morning tea. I missed that too. One other student handed me a beautifully written note and a chocolate to  say thank you for being a great English teacher. I'm fortunate to only live a few minutes up the road. My non contact time was meant for one set of assessment mark

Growth, stewardship and distributive leadership - my Elim Story

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Growth seasons just don't stop at Elim Christian College. Autumn 2017 seems like Spring. We have sprung into a new paradigm of change yet again. We are anticipating a   SPRING of new and vast landscapes of ideas, dreams and HOPES for a new building, a design that meets hundreds of learning needs and teaching expectations and a desire for a miracle that will see teaching staff being agile enough to teach on two campus; either on various days in a week or at set times daily either on one or the other campus. After all we are a one school two sites area school: http://www.elim.school.nz/about-elim/ I have been part of a professional journey for just on 20 years on the same site. Someone recently asked me why I never get 'sick and tired of just teaching at Elim!'. My answer: "I never tire of teaching at Elim because every year a new set of students, subjects and invariably challenges come my way. I am never bored."  I also choose never to be bored . I have grown

Reach, serve and influence.

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REACH. SERVE. INFLUENCE These are my reflections, in a very fortunate position, whilst observing the prefects at a leadership camp at The Salvation Army, Blue Mountain Adventure Center in Raurimu, near the National Park. This little oasis is an absolute gem of a hideaway. The three large dormitory style lodges have comfy bunk beds, smart clean modern showers and well stocked self catering kitchens. We were there for three days. The first day included team building discussions and in door leadership, mind-switch games. The big indoor barn with an impressive climbing wall is a perfect getaway from the sun, or shelter from the rain and cold. Enthusiastic and well prepared outdoor instructors allow the visiting teaching staff and students to feel at ease while remaining excited about each new leadership challenge. My only regret was leaving my goPro at home because the white water rafting in a 2 man inflatable along the Tongariro River is an exhilarating activities worth capturing- note