Introducing Team Names......

 

We are super excited to introduce our 'new' team names.  The school is divided into 3 teams: 

• Junior/Potiki: Year 0 - Year 2  Room 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 14
• Middle/Waenga: Year 3  - Year 4 Room 7, 15, 18, 25 (previously 14), 26 (previously 17) 
• Senior/Matamua:  Year 5 - Year 6 Room 11, 12, 13, 16, 23 (previously 22),  24 (previously 21)

The teachers in the team work together to ensure we deliver quality teaching and learning programmes. At New Windsor, we value supporting each other and working together to find solutions. We create environments to foster growth and grow together to be the best we can be, like a whānau.

This is reflected in our team names:

• Pōtiki is the name of our Year 0 - Year 2 team. This translates to the youngest child. 

• Waenga is the name of our Year 3  - Year 4 team. This translates to between, in the middle or among. 

• Matāmua is the name of our Year 5 - 6 team. This translates to the eldest child. 

The team logo reflects our teams. We have used the Harakeke analogy for several reasons: 

• The beautiful Harakeke plant surrounds our school
• Represents growth. 
• Represents whānau  - rito (root) is the child and protectively surrounded by the awhi rito (parents). The outside leaves represent tūpuna (ancestors). At New Windsor, the child is at the centre of what we do. 

We have added flowers to reflect the vibrant nature of our school and the amount of Harakeke bushes increase to show we can grow together. 

This is surrounded by our New Windsor values - Auahatanga (creative), Mahi tahi (collaborative) , Ngākau titikaha (Confident), Whai koha (Respectful), Kawe haepapa (Responsible) and Manawaroa (Resilience).

Diwali and Wananga

 

As I write this, I cannot believe we are in November, and it will be 2022 very soon!  

Diwali 

We finished a week of Diwali celebrations.  As I browse our blogs and talk to our staff,  it strikes me the different ways we have celebrated Diwali with our current restrictions. It speaks to the idea that people will find a way to make it happen if it is important.  I highly recommend you visit our Facebook to see all of the celebrations: https://www.facebook.com/newwindsorsch. 

Manaiakalani Wananga

Last week, I had the pleasure to attend my very first Manaiakalani Wananga.  Wow! I can see the effort and work that went behind the scenes. Ka pai to Russell/Dorothy and their team. Very slick. 

My biggest takeaway was definitely the Manaiakalani Innovative Teachers presentation.  I thought it was an excellent example of Teachers' Inquiry. Our school is currently going PLD under Spirals of Inquiry.

                                             Graphic credit: Judy Halberg and Linda Kaser (2013)

The inquiry is about what impact do I have as a teacher on my students? Am I having an impact? How do I know? 

Things I took away from the presentation: 

• How specific the focus is. As teachers, we want to always do the best for our students, and what happens, we can take on a considerable part of an inquiry instead of focusing on specific teaching practices. e.g. I want to be explicit with my learning intentions. How can we be explicit? What are the tools we are using to be clear?  What does current research say? Does the data match what your hunch is? 
• The use of tools to enhance the teaching practice rather than learning the digital tool or app. The change is the teaching practice.

Coaching

 

I listened to a session about Coaching for Wellbeing, and it led me to a video about solutions-focus coaching (click the photo to watch a short 3-minute clip). 

The idea of coaching was introduced to us last year by our Principal.  When I first heard about it, I could see so much potential. Some of the points resonated, and I could see where this could go. 

Ultimately what do I love about it? The self-efficacy and mana-enhancing qualities it has.  It also fits in with what I blogged about a week ago. 

 "Do we create an environment where flowers can grow or an environment where it doesn't bloom?" "Do we see strengths or do we see flaws? Do we see that the bird can't fly?  What do we do with birds that can't fly? Do we let it go and blame the bird?"

I believe we enhance strengths, and we "coach" the flaws. No one is uncoachable or "irreparable". We are all humans, we make mistakes. 

This brings me back to the video and some of the points: 

• Helps people to move on from tough situations when they are stuck
• Not solving the problem and about building a solution. 
• Problem-solving is the opposite of solutions-focus. 
• Problem-solving - what's the problem, and what can we do about it? How can we fix what is broken? What is not working and needs fixing?   
• Solutions-focus - what do you want and what is working already?  What is working, and what can we build on? 
• Solutions focus is energy and motivation building. 
• Works well with team building and organisational model. 

I tend to lean on problem-solving and how can we fix it. I see how solutions focus is focused on the strengths and what is working already. I can see how this can enhance energy as you are focus on the positive. 

There is still a lot to learn with the different coaching models, but I am excited to develop my coaching skills. 

I'm wondering how it can fit with Kim Scott's Radical Candor? 

Kahui Ako WSL Presentation Day

What a fantastic day of sharing of learning!  I love these kind of days as it is chance to get challenged with your beliefs/ideas or get new ones. 

I have to give a huge pakipaki to the WSLs for the outstanding job they have done! I can see the work and effort they have put throughout the year!

 I attended 3 sessions - Wellbeing, Cultural Responsiveness and Assessment for Learning Inquiries. 

Wellbeing

The biggest takeaway for me was the importance of team towards wellbeing.  It was really fascinating this correlated to students' wellbeing around friendship. This resonated with me as my wellbeing increases when I contribute to a team and we are working towards a goal. I know being excluded can be tough too. 

Assessment for Learning 

I really enjoy this one as it reminded me of the importance of rubrics. I have heard pros and cons but I can see why it will give a clearer pathway. 

Mātauranga

The team shared a quote that resonated with me: 

Taken from Kahui Ako Slide

It reminds me a lot of the PB4L values and restorative practices. Does the environment allow the students to grow? It makes me think what our role is in creating that environment - do we create an environment where it can grow or an environment where it doesn't bloom?  The inquiry was placed in a culturally responsive context. How culturally sustainable is our environment? Do we encourage only certain types of flowers to bloom? 

Taken from Kahui Ako Slide

Which brings me to this quote. Do we see strengths or do we see flaws? Do we see that the bird can't fly?  What do we do with birds that can't fly? Do we let it go and blame the bird?

The most powerful for me is: " If an alien walked into your classroom would they know they were in New Zealand (a country based on a bicultural foundation as set up in Te Tiriti o Te Waitangi)?" 

Te Reo Māori Week Raapa Wero

 Nau mai ki te wiki o Te Reo Māori! 

Since 2019 our staff have been given a wero to try during this week. I still remember losing to Ms Key in pronouncing the longest place name. 

 Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateapokaiwhenuakitanatahu. She did it in 5 seconds and I did it in 10 seconds. 

This year is no different - our kura is celebrating with a few wero that our kaiako posted onto the NWS Language Site.  

Here is my Raapa Wero: 

Wellbeing

Let's talk about Wellbeing. 

Mental Health Foundation has a great resource called 5 Ways of Wellbeing.  This resource works really well for me as I'm a checklist girl (and in teacher land, we call it success criteria).  I use it as a way to check my own wellbeing. 

Before Lockdown, I took the opportunity to teach writing every day with a group of Year 5 - 6 students. I was super disappointed I was unable to do this during Lockdown.  I wasn't sure it will even work, but we will never know until we try. 

So every Tuesday and Thursday, for 30 minutes, I will host a Google meet with my Writing group.  After my 2nd lesson, I felt.... for the lack of a better word buoyant. I felt quite light after connecting with my writing group. 

I can describe it as adding to my wellbeing. 

I originally had a lesson planned on Slow Writing; however, 5 minutes into it, I decided to change. The kids wanted to connect. They wanted to talk and listen to other people's experiences about the storm the night before.  Hearing their stories reminded me why I spent hours reading blogs and giving feedback, planning lessons and putting together data to analyse where our students are at!  It's for the kids! By me connecting to them and giving them time, it added to my wellbeing. 

Before the lesson, we played a focus game, and after the lesson, we played a typing game. It was simple, but I took joy in the kids trying their hardest! I'm a little bit worried that William will totally beat me......

Confession. I haven't really "taught" kids using Google Meets. It's always been adults, so I was pretty nervous. When I'm nervous, I need certainty, so I tend to research and trial before having a go. In my trial and research, I found out about host controls.  Students can't join until you have.  I can simply put a consistent link - it saves me time to create a new one every day. I love this feature and love I learnt it. 

After feeling quite energised, by my meet  I went for a walk! 

Wellbeing is different for everybody.  I personally enjoy using the 5 Ways of Wellbeing to check my own! 

Lockdown Norm: August

 Here we go again! 

Just like that, we go back to a new norm of meetings online and distance learning. 

Yesterday I had back-to-back meetings on 3 different platforms - Google Meets, Zoom and a Microsoft Meet. 

It made me think of how all 3 platforms were different but the same. The place you may click on is different, but it offers the same functionality.  All have the ability to share the screen and put people into rooms. 

Like reading, digital fluency is about teaching strategies - what to do if we have come across the unknown?  In reading, we teach to draw upon their prior knowledge and use the clues in the text. 

In the digital world, we ask them to draw upon their prior knowledge and look at the screen for clues (can you see the mic button?).