Teaching and thriving where I am.

How long would it take you to pack up your office or teaching room space? Just over 10 days ago i moved out of a teaching space to prepare for a move into a new teaching venue. At the same time i was given the news that I'd need to move out of my small Deans' office to make room for a growing Student Centre. Am i comfortable with change? Yes mostly--- Am i capable of moving all my teaching resources easily...No not really! This change comes with trepidation, excitement and also some serious nerves. I had shoulder surgery 7 weeks ago and so simply packing up and moving out didn't just require me to be organised but made me heavily reliant on friends and colleagues who would lend a healthy strong arm...Phew- many were tired at the end of the school term, but i was exhausted. Some teachers more organised than me started their long summer break right after the traditional staff end- of- year lunch and celebration. I trudged on for another week and a half. The upside is that i

Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God? | RZIM

 Last day with Lynne and Elena- such a long eventful and wonderful journey.  Tea time at The Parlour - an English department hangout spot. With a trusted colleague at Ulearn15 for the first time.    At Mark Naidoo's cafe, another Eng department holiday habit! Most of the Eng  department are well represented at the"Language Prefect" awards... My Critical but Caring buddy.

Post ASB Marathon for me,🏅 Post RWC15 Winning Match for all of NZ. The All Blacks are an Awesome team! We all bask in their determination and success. They have won the cup. 🏆 Again! As an experienced classroom teacher I want the metaphorical  equivalent of that game on the pitch at Twicknham, in my classes for '4 more years!' 🏉🏈🏀🎯 Here is my "game" plan 2015-2019: 1. Every student is player who knows the rules of the game, I will ensure that each student in my learning cluster can access, can understand and can execute the rules of learning and achievement. 2. Every student is a player who knows their position, whether they are on the field, on the bench, as a sparing or training partner, as a glamorous or glamorous water carrier or as the injured team member who is still part of the team.  3. Every student is a player who knows they are destined to win. 4. Every student is a player who knows they have a lot of hard work to do because winning i

Lessons I've learnt from wanting this medal. More than a year and a half  ago a good friend Heather Pretorius and I decided that completing the Auckland Marathon would be a good goal as we approached our 50th birthdays. At the time we were meeting each Saturday morning at 6.30am to walk the Tamaki waterfront route- from Royal Akorana Club to St Helliers, sometimes up Achilles point, and back. We started with  a walking and talking plan. This then progressed to a 5 minute run/1 minute walk plan and then 26 weeks ago we built up to a 4 day a week running program. I am a full time teacher- i need to have a clear plan. I'm also very privileged to have had the loving support of my husband and sons. Here  are the lessons I've appreciated along the way: 1. A physical goal alongside a professional goal is manageable 2. Set your target- stick to that goal 3. Talk, ask, listen to advice from those who have gone before you- glean what makes sense and try it out your way.

Teaching is exciting. Never before has education, especially in New Zealand been so expensive, so demanding, so ...awkward and so exciting! Modern learning environments- Yeah right the buildings are old. The carpet is worn through, there is only one door into most rooms and the shape of the room is still a square. BUT i love it. There is something in the air and in the water- change . Change comes rapidly in some corners of the room and slowly in other areas. It is now about modern lifelong learning pedagogy.  I like the fact that some things are totally predictable and i like it that my teaching job is constantly embracing an element of change. After all i am a life long learner. I must adapt a bit, tidy a bit---throw stuff out, rearrange stuff! For goodness sake i never got a degree and licence to teach teenagers and then simply rot on the spot! Tomorrow is a mammoth change for me. I will be presenting at a conference that i used to think was only for the very best! #ULearn2015

 This is the second year that our college students have started the school year by attending group sessions on how to ‘Lead their Own learning’ before having to “submit” to the tyranny of the timetable. I have formulated a program and lead a dynamic team of teachers who deliver sessions loosely based on Alan November’s research and publication: Who Owns the learning (preparing students for success in the Digital Age) and His First five Days- starting the school year research. In a nutshell all our year 9-12 students attend “Rotation Sessions” for two periods each day for the 1st three days of the school year. It is through each of these important big picture learning to learn sessions that important messages are presented to the students. This has been a successful in introducing our schools core values, lead our learners to understand a commitment to digital citizenship, ensuring correct server access for every student and introducing skills to scaffold thinking and learning ri

This is mini me, Granny and big sister. It is the first photo Mum took with her Instamatic: back in 1968! Gran was a Jackie O fan! A colleague made a comment about sweet red baby shoes and I made a connection... A Tribute She is relatively new to the profession She is gracious and beautiful. Little red shoes were a trigger...wow how time has flown, how i have grown....no I'm  not still THERE, but i sure am... HERE! Still here Still learning Still teaching Still loving my students Still enjoying the power of collegial  friendship Still thankful to be here Still i believe in the words of a challenge in the early 80's- "respect  your profession and in due time you will reap the benefits of growing young lives"- that was then, I didn't believe him then because my 1st 4 years in this demanding profession were exhausting and overwhelming, Then i quit Then i entered the "real" workforce Then our firstborn arrived He was perfect Still

The 2014 School year is long gone, in fact the last time i stood in front of a class was sometime mid September.  Ready or not the 2015 year has begun. One word summarizes last year and represents this year.  Learning. If learning is my core expectation, my core business and that of my clients( students) ...then learning is also my greatest challenge and victory (success.) My battle will always be to acknowledge my weaknesses and also to then professionally share my successes. It is quite a challenge to put myself out there for others to judge, learn from or simply enjoy ( or be amazed at ). My 2014  learning highlights: 1. Humility in leading an incredible Elim Staff through our first stage of the Alan November 1st few days program and now improving on this plan.  2. Thankfulness in being included as a presenter along with Chhaya Narayan at the Inaugural     #edChat conference last year...and anticipating what that will be like this year. What satisfaction to be a