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 a world of advancing technology I am aware of the increased urgency to re-purpose the delivery of the curriculum. Change in pedagogy has required me to reshape my thinking. Reflective practice has been key in helping me redefine the enablers to make me a more effective teacher. Mind-lab has been the vehicle to start this change. Making change, for me, has meant a certain amount of discomfort.
Mind-lab was daunting at the outset. The challenges of working with other teachers from other schools across the education sector was one thing, and then setting aside any self-preservation, which for older teachers like me has its challenges. Particularly in that we can have some deeply embedded habits of a traditional nature, meant it was not an easy feat by any stretch of the imagination.
Teacher workload has always been an issue. With each new initiative placed on us there is often little taken away. There were periods when I found it taxing juggling day to day teaching, work deadlines and Mind-lab deadlines rather conflicting at times. Keeping all my balls in the air was to say the least, compromising on many occasions. Fortunately, it’s all been worthwhile. This learning journey has given me a whole new awareness of the need to be alert to the ever-changing landscape of education, in particular, 21st Century learning and the challenges and benefits.
Traditional knowledge acquisition is not enough today, self-awareness of the need to make a shift in teaching and learning behaviours through reflective practice, Osterman and Kottkamp (1993) is required.
Two Key Changes:
  • Criteria 1: Establish and maintain effective professional relationships focused on the learning and well-being of all ākonga.

  •  Criteria 4: Demonstrate commitment to ongoing professional learning and development of professional personal practice.
Mind-Lab has given me a collection of useful tools for my kete. I feel way more informed and certainly more motivated to implement change in my practice. I have gained new understandings which have confirmed the importance and relevance of critical analysis in my practice. Keeping abreast with current changes will be key in moving forward.
I have discovered the discomfort of new challenges and this has heightened my awareness to embrace new change. It is this renewed focus that will keep me motivated. Clearly, in this turbulent time of change there is no room really for complacency. What has been great is being a part of the online google community and reading and sharing experiences and growing from these. The interactions have been encouraging and useful and there has been a myriad of useful and engaging learning experiences that we all can utilize in our own practices.
  • Criteria 6: Conceptualise, plan, and implement an appropriate learning programme.
Next year our junior school is launching into a whole new model of curriculum delivery; ‘Gamification in Learning’.
We have been looking at deconstructing old routines and the importance of relationships and relational learning. We have inquired into what the deposition to be a better learner means.
The Mindlab course, I feel has been great professional development in the preparation of this new endeavour and I feel ready to take on the challenges we are about to embark on with a like-minded team, of whom many have also been involved in this course. What we have learned throughout the year will certainly help us gain momentum.  
For me, it feels like the dormant stage, so to speak, is over and I am now ready to open up to new possibilities. My next dream regarding future professional development is to ensure I am surrounded by like-minded people who value the ongoing learning journey of students and who are prepared to diversify their thinking and be brave enough to face a challenge.

References:
Carlgren, I, Handal, G. & Vaage, S. (Eds.). (1994). Teachers' Minds And Actions: Research On Teachers' Thinking And Practice. London, UK: The Falmer Press.
Ministry of Education (nd). Practising teacher Criteria and e-learning . Retrieved from http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/

Osterman, K. & Kottkamp, R.(1993). Reflective Practice for Educators.California.Cornwin Press, Inc. Retrieved on 7th May, 2015 from http://www.itslifejimbutnotasweknowit.org.uk/files.



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