Modern Learning Pedagogy

Hot on the heels of our two day LwDT hui comes a wonderful opportunity for our team to work with Derek Wenmoth to delve deep into the Modern Learning Pedagogy.  

Although I thought I would be torn with #latsunconf going on across the corridor I am thoroughly immersed and engrossed in our session.  Due to the MAGIC of social media I am able to catch up on the unconference asynchronously! As we delve into the WHY of our role we are privileged to explore modern pedagogy and practice.

As we delve into what research says about PLD, we reflect on it:

• is about change
• takes time
• needs to be in-depth
• should be relevant and address concerns
• should be in context
• should be done with you not to you

As we worked to surface our assumptions, explore our beliefs, we were able to use a variety of frameworks as a approach to surface concerns/needs/next steps.

This was a stunning day! An incredible opportunity for us to share, discuss, interact and dream!

And I did manage to catch up with the most amazing educators who were at #latsunconf

Twitter stream

Anne Robertson storify of the day

Learning with Digital Technologies

What a stunning hui!

 We had the privilege of a day with Joan Dalton and David Anderson!  I have to share some highlights of the day!

• Wonderful for us all to be back together again to start 2014 with a buzz!
• The day started with us detailing the outcomes we'd like... and how we want to treated and involved in the day!
• Joan and David inspired and motivated us; they modelled and interacted... the day was a total blast and we were 'offline' for the day, a rare and precious treat!  The day was all about relationships, interacting, dialoguing, discussing and delving deeper...
• We focussed on facilitating;
• We delved deeper into the areas of inquiry...

• We spent the day interacting face to face!
• The support within the team was evident as we confidently and comfortably shared, interacted, and grew together!
• Finishing the day together sharing and learning more about our leaders!

Following up with a day of the oh so important "practise, practise, practise" as we had the opportunity to dig deeper and explore some of the challenges and successes in our practice in 2013, to look forward to our journey in 2014.

Auckland adventures...

After two roller coaster flights here I am back in Auckland! The pilot commented on the unusual cloud patterns and the significant cross winds that contributed to our buffeting.

I love this place!  I am very lucky to have a chance to spend a day catching up with the wonderful Helen and Princess!  (Yet another privilege of my time as an e-fellow) The sun is shining, we are hanging out, life is good!  

My Christchurch adventure!

In line with my philosophy of fun, I tried to pack it into my first work trip of the year!  I had a day with my daughter to start the trip and pack in the fun we did!  On a glorious sunny day we shopped, had our nails done, walked around the CBD, enjoyed the jazz at the Pallet Pavillion, walked round the Botanic Gardens and went out for dinner!  Just when you were thinking we couldn’t pack any more into a day, we had the shock of my girl suffering a reasonably significant allergic reaction and spent a large part of the night with her being observed and medicated!  What great fortune for me to be there to keep an eye on her too!  As I now know allergic reactions can be scary, rapid and incredibly dangerous.  The bonus of this was that I got to spend significantly more time with my girl!

The next day was an opportunity to meet with my teaching friends, e-sisters in Christchurch and work online.  I also managed to visit the Tannery – a very impressive development indeed!

Two days with my team were indeed wonderful!  It is great to be back with the team!  What an exciting year 2014 is shaping up to be! 

Last night I managed to catch up with the wonderful Nicki, visit the Halswell School rebuild site, go out for dinner and catch up with my girl later for a dessert treat at Strawberry Fare!

Fabulous fun in Christchurch indeed!

So here I am on flight NZ5365 heading home to Dunedin!  The sun is shining brilliantly in the sky!  In fact the weather has been stunning for my time in Christchurch!  I am hoping for a nice long summer…  Woohoo, the pilot has just announced that it is 26degrees at Momona Airport!  I sure am looking forward to relaxing in the sun when I get home!

Looking forward to 2014

Here I am on my first flight of many for 2014!

I am flying to Christchurch for my first team hui!

It is 16 days out from my first CORE birthday and I think it is timely to look forward to 2014!

I am acutely aware of an almost blasé attitude creeping into my flying lifestyle.  This time last year I was in awe of the flights, the airports, the travel.  Now I find that I take it for granted a little.

I wonder what the change is due to. Is it that I have so many flights booked for the next few months that I am little complacent?  Is it that I am incredibly aware of how much time I am away from my family? Is it the challenge of living out of a suitcase?  Is it sleeping in different beds constantly?

Whatever it is I am determined to turn it around and respond with wonderment and awe anew!

So, here I am on a bumpy flight from Dunedin to Christchurch flying into 140km winds!  I am uber excited to have a day with my daughter in Christchurch today!  This is one of the extreme benefits of my transient lifestyle!  I simply couldn’t imagine only catching up with her in the holidays if I was in class this year. 

I also have the extreme bonus of catching up with my very good friend Pauline!  I have really missed her and can’t wait for the talk fest!!!

For Christmas I gave Mum a diary for 2014 and in it I wrote a quote on each page so I know that even though I am not there she will know that I am still thinking of her and wishing her well!

I am incredibly lucky that our son is still at home this year so my hubbie and him have lots of boy time while I’m away.

All in all, I am one incredibly lucky lady and I am really looking to the journey that is 2014!

What then are my specific goals?

·      Work life balance is going to be brilliant!  I am going to switch off from the online world at least two nights a week and enjoy family times and outdoor adventures;

·      Loose 8 kilos!

·      Run the stadium to surf in under 1hour 16minutes;

·      Run, cycle, gym, or exercise 3+ times a week;

·      Blog 2+ times per week;

·      Maintain a professional development diary on my blog;

·      Continue to develop and extend my facilitation skills;

·      Develop my facilitator inquiry and record and reflect on it 3+ times per week;

·      Motivate and inspire when I present at TODs, L@S Roadshow, Literacy groups, schools;

·      Share my learning journey through social media, twitter, facebook, blog,

·      Continue to promote and spread the educamp philosophy starting with #educampdunners on 1 March 2014;

·      Develop my mentoring skills as I take part in the VPLD programme;

·      Meet new educators wherever and whenever possible!!!

Enjoy 2014!!!!

What I envision for education...

What I envision for education...

Inspired by this post by Justin Tarte I set out to record what I currently envision for education!

·      Education must be fun;
·      Educators must get to know their learner’s life story;
·      Education must be personalised, allowing for each learner to be motivate, challenged and extended; taking into account the learner’s prior knowledge, talents, attributes and life story;
·      Everyone is education must be a teacher and a learner with concept of ako ringing though loud and clear;
·      Learners must have agency, choice over what, how and when they learn best; including say in learning spaces and places;
·      All learners ideally need ubiquitous access to the online world; preferably with their own personal learning device;
·      Every learner should be having their voice heard, should be sharing their story and adding to their learning portfolio regularly;
·      Every learner must connect and learn in partnership; ideally with whanau, educators and learner working cooperatively and collaboratively;
·      Every learner must be learning in an authentic context;
·      Every learner must connect and collaborate with an authentic audience, locally, nationally and globally to truly identify with their place in the world.

At the moment, I am pretty happy with these ten.  No doubt as the year progresses and my professional development continues I will add to and tweak this list.  

Reflecting and goal setting...

Today I read a blog post by Justin Tarte

What I envision for education...

It got me thinking a lot about what I envisage for education!  It also got me thinking about how little I have been blogging lately.  I find it increasingly frustrating that when I am incredibly busy I don't make time for reading and blogging.  I know that when I am busy that is the very time I should be reflection and sharing my thoughts on my blog, so I am spending time tonight reflection, goal setting and blogging.

To look forward though, it is essential for me to look back and reflect on my thoughts and goals from the start of 2013.

A new chapter is the blog post for me to reflect on.  As I read this post I celebrate the MAGIC of the year's journey with CORE and look forward to my CORE birthday on 28th January 2014.  Looking back over my dreams and goals for 2013 I am in awe of the journey!  I have learnt more, networked more and been challenged more than I dreamed possible. I have travelled more than I ever have in my life previously, around New Zealand and overseas!  In fact, there have been very few weeks this year where I have been at home for the week.  I have participated in more PD this year than I have in the total of my thirteen years in education. I have increased my use of my ipad, iphone and Mac Book Pro exponentially and am now a total apple convert! 

My commitment to my fitness has been a mixed bag, and I am delighted that I am back training for the Stadium to Surf and thoroughly enjoying cycling, tennis and getting back into running and gym sessions.  

My dream to increase my scrapbooking has failed miserably with not a single venture or page completed... and I have almost lost some of my enthusiasm for this hobby, but I know that when the time is right I will return to scrapbooking.  

My goal to spend time filming Mum and recording her story has not really come to fruition.  My dear Mum had a fall on the 28th of January 2013 and as a result of injuries and her time incapacitated she has been unable to return home. She now lives in care in my home town and I am privileged to be able to spend time with her everyday I am in town.  In a way I am privileged to spend more time with her than ever and we have just celebrated Christmas and her birthday with all of the children and grandchildren together for the first time in eight years!

Work life balance has been an area I am really continuing to be challenged with.  I LOVE MY JOB and because of this love it is incredibly easy to be seduced into spending more and more time connected and learning.  I really am committing to less time online outside work hours. 

Yes, 2013, you were a beautiful year! Just a few of the many highlights:

• Joining the CORE family
• Travelling around New Zealand
• Facilitating and working alongside incredible educators in Otago and Southland
• Continuous professional development
• Presenting at Ulearn, conferences, school groups, and more
• Travelling to Paris
• Touring Italy
• Holidaying in Singapore
• Celebrating a significant birthday
• Learning, sharing and growing with my wonderful PLN!

I am sharing my 5 favourite photos from 2013! (oops sorry... I just couldn't stop at 5...)

CORE Education photo

Stadium to Surf 10km run complete - smiling all the way! 

Pont des Arts bridge across River Seine

Gondola ride in Venice

Trying to straighten the Leaning Tower of Pisa!

Sailing around Cinque Terre

Celebrating my birthday at 1altitude at the Top of Singapore!

Birthday celebrations with my family!

Altogether for Christmas!

Holidaying in Cromwell with family!

Well that is more than enough for this post!  Check back tomorrow for my post on what I envision for education....

And maybe the next day for my goals for 2014....

Blogging meme...

I've been tagged in a blogging meme by my online friend Sonya @vanschaijik 

Firstly, thank you Sonya for tagging me in this blogging meme...

What a wonderful idea....     

The blogging task includes:

• Acknowledge the nominating blogger.
• Share 11 random facts about yourself.
• Answer the 11 questions the nominating blogger has created for you.
• List 11 bloggers.
• Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominate to answer, and let all the bloggers know they have been nominated. Don’t nominate a blogger who has nominated you.
  
  

11 Random facts about me:

1. My first cat was called mama cat and my first doll was called big doll - very lucky my daughter is not called daughter one, and my son is not called son one!
2. I am petrified of mice - no matter what I have tried I am unable to deal with this fear!
3. I love life, laughter, giggling, family and fun times!
4. I use the word MAGIC a lot, to account for anything outside of mundane, routine, ordinary everyday life!
5. I am scared of heights but managed to bungy jump!
6. Venice is my favourite place in the world!
7. I want to wake up on the sand, right by the waves one morning!
8. I love gardening and one day would love to be a florist!
9. I really want to visit Poland!
10. I love travelling but love coming home even more!
11. I love getting dressed up to go out!

My answers to Sonya's questions:-

1) What language do you use when you become emotional?

The language of love!

2) What is your favourite movie genre?

Chick flicks!

3) Who inspired you to set up your blog?

David Young!

4) Who are your mentors and why?

My mentors are: Pascalle, Helen, Greg, Derek, because they all provoke me to think more, do more, be more, than I would alone!

5) What is one survival tool you would choose to take on a journey?

My sense of humour!

6) Where do you like to go to for thinking time?

Into my head... I can shut off completely from everything around me to think, but if I am at home, the thinking stone at the bottom of my garden is my favourite place to reflect!

7) Which do you prefer watching on the television, or live streaming.

I don't really do either a lot, but I do watch a little television - especially some of the movies on around now!

8) List 3x goals for 2014 and explain why you chose them.

To get fit - to run and enjoy the stadium to surf 10km.

To loose 10kilos - because I feel so much fitter and more active when I am lighter.

To laugh everyday - because life is for enjoying!

9) Tell me about your closest mountain, river or other natural landmark?

The Taieri River is very special to me because I grew up beside it and my great grandparents started life in a tent city there after arriving from Poland.

10) What is your earliest childhood memory?

Climbing the gate at the end of the garden with my brother to look at the world on the other side!

11) Write your favourite whakatauki, quote or proverb and explain why you chose it?

He tangata, he tangata, he tangata... because the world is full of beautiful people I am waiting to meet!

The 11 bloggers I am tagging are:

@paulinehendog @jackbillie35 @kirstinmills @carobush @catrionapene @TheOrganist @BridgetLCM @virtuallykaren @janenicholls @KiwiNomad @nickitempero

My 11 questions are:

1. Who in the world would you most like to meet?
2. What is your favourite food?
3. Which season do you enjoy most and why?
4. Where is your favourite holiday destination and why?
5. What pets do you have?
6. What is your favourite sport?
7. What is the best photograph you have ever taken of?
8. What memories do you have of your favourite teacher?
9. Where would you live if you could choose anywhere in the world?
10. What is your favourite childhood memory?
11. What do you want to achieve by the end of 2014?