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Classroom Culture - Learning Focused Culture

March 2018 Classroom Culture: Bringing out the best in students requires a fine-tuned balance of understanding, acknowledging and accepting differences. Clearly, no two students are identical in their approach to learning. The uniqueness of each individual illustrates our differences in a myriad of ways. The diversity from the cultural representation in my classes, to the way my students learn is broad. Ensuring success of student learning at the varying levels is both challenging and rewarding. There is no ‘one size fits all’ lesson plan. To address this constant change of information overload I have adopted the idea; that in order to learn it’s okay to make mistakes. It is the learning that comes out of these mistakes that make learning more authentic and meaningful. Allowing these mistakes to happen in a class environment where taking a risk is encouraged is what I have promoted with my students. Building relationships where students feel free and safe to take ris...
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Activity Eight: Practice and Changes

Activity Eight:  Practice and Changes Reflective Practice and Changes in Practice “Reflection as a slogan for educational reform also recognises that the process of learning to teach continues throughout a teacher’s entire career, a recognition that no matter what we do in our teacher education programmes, and no matter how well we do them, at best, we can only prepare teachers to begin teaching.” Carlgren, Handal, Vaage (1994). I think it’s important to keep abreast with the changes occurring in the educational arena. I’m always feeling challenged by trending new innovations. I worry I will get left behind, therefore crystalizing and redefining my pedagogy is important because it enables me to embrace these new changes. Change can be confronting and yet it can also be liberating. As teachers we often define who we are from the work we do. It is this work of building strong relationships with our students that will enable us to engage with them more effectively.  In ...
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Activity Seven: Crossing Boundaries

Activity Seven: Crossing Boundaries We are always looking at new ways of improving teaching and learning. Interdisciplinary innovation is not really new. I can remember ‘thematic’ approaches to learning, where all subject areas were squeezed in under a theme. At times some subject areas just didn’t fit and consequently had to be left out. Integrated learning was captivated under the umbrella of a specific theme. I can recall ‘Olympic Games’ as one such interdisciplinary; cross curricular theme. Historically there has been no shortage of theorists and educators advocating for interdisciplinary learning; Tyler, (1949) saw integration as the horizontal connection necessary for a coherent curriculum, and similarly, Bloom,(1958) advocated an inquiry-oriented, integrated curriculum that “opened up possibilities,” of understanding and relevance in learning. I have used Bloom’s Taxonomy in my practice over the years in an effort to encourage a broad range of skills across curriculum ...
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Activity Six: Applied Practice in Context assessment 2

Activity Six Applied Practice in Context assessment 2 The use of social media is gaining rapid momentum. It has surged globally in recent years and its use; to connect formal and informal learning and allow students to connect in new and meaningful ways is becoming more evident (Mazer, Murphy, & Simonds, 2007; 2009). Over the last eight years I have taken groups of senior students on six week social justice trips across India. We blogged our way around the country and students each had a turn to voice their experiences of our journey, giving their account of events throughout the time spent there. Adding also their choice of photos to add value to the blog. Blogging enabled us to embrace the school values and share our experiences of how we addressed issues around social justice and share personal and valuable insights from recalled events. Students utilized language and writing skills to capture key ideas and their ability to portray vivid imagery of the places we w...
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Activity Five: Legal and ethical contexts in my digital practice

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Activity Five: Legal and ethical contexts in my digital practice With the constant use of smart-phones, many students are armed with these pocket rockets and use these devices for a myriad of uses. One particular use that is popular with students is videoing. It seems this readily available device gives rise to becoming a lethal weapon when used for purposes other than what may have been requested by the teacher. I feel concerned that too often I hear reported cases of students videoing disputes between other students and using this as evidence to the detriment of those videoed. A worse-case scenario; students sharing these videos on Facebook. This is an ethical dilemma that I feel is on shaky ground and needs specific attention. I am acutely conscious of the risks involved when using social media and smart phones appear in my view, to be a given digital device carried by most students as a communication tool for a myriad of uses. The use of such devices include working in...
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Activity Four: Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Responsive Pedagogy.

Activity Four: Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Responsive Pedagogy. I agree with Gay (2001, p.106) “using the cultural characteristics, experiences and perspectives as conduits for effective teaching” enables the ability to make change in learning. We are proud to have a growing population of both Maori and Pasifika students. Our roll currently has 21% Maori and 12% Pasifika and we have lead teacher positions with responsibility for both Maori and Pasifika students. There are five elements, Gay (2001) which include knowledge about cultural diversity (1) and achievement that promote change. Students at our college are educated in a diverse environment which prepares them for 21 st century New Zealand and the global environment of the modern world. Our Maori and Pasifika students achieve in learning, sport, culture, service and Young Enterprise business at regional and national level. Culturally integrated content in the curriculum (2) is reflected in a variety of ways in ...
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Activity Three: The Broader Professional Contexts.

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Activity Three: The Broader Professional Contexts. Keeping abreast with educational changes Megatrends continue to shape our future in many ways. As a teacher of twenty plus years I have seen many pedagogical changes over my teaching career, from a traditional style of teaching and learning to a current Modern Learning Environment of which I am involved.  I have seen an explosive range of changes from chalk boards, whiteboards to 21 Century digital technology. This is just the beginning. It seems the realisation of education is changing in a rapidly changing world. We are at a tipping point and now more than ever, it seems students are able to access learning anywhere and at any-time with the broad range of options and technologies available to them. The need to change and work within this paradigm shift, I believe is paramount. Not keeping up with the transforming educational landscape and not being flexible to change as a classroom practitioner jeopardises the learnin...
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