Thursday, March 3, 2016
Sunday, February 21, 2016
Reflecting on the week that was...
WOW, what a week.
I left home very early on Monday morning, boarded a flight for Auckland, via Wellington. Travelling with the team to Kia Aroha College, then across to Ormiston. WOW, both schools were amazing.
The welcome to Kia Aroha was perhaps the most moving, spiritual welcome I have had the pleasure of experiencing. The power, feeling and aroha in the waiata was inspiring. Anne Milne welcomed us and challenged us to think again about culturally responsive education. I have many, many wonderings from the visit and know that I will hold her challenges close as I visit my school and work this year on my own cultural responsiveness.
A visit to Ormiston was a chance to see a slice of a day of a brand new school, who have been gifted a vision to uphold. With a rapidly growing, diverse cultural community they are continually working to grow their innovative learning environment and pedagogy. It was wonderful to see Caro again.
A journey to Hamilton on the bus, a dinner on the balcony at the Ibis, a walk along the Waikato river and day one was complete.
Day two was an early start at Waikato Uni with the Te Toi Tupu consortium. A day of challenging our thinking as we face new pathways followed. A walk around campus, then dinner, and day two was complete.
Day three was another very early start and a morning as a consortium and the afternoon in our LwDT team. Helen led us on a very powerful journey through new approaches, new confidence, new ways. Getting my steps today involved a treadmill inside due to continued rain. A dinner on the balcony at the Ibis was followed by a wonderful night at the Craft Bar and Wonder Horse with the stunning CLA girls.
Day four was a stunning day with our LwDT team at Novotel. We had a variety of sessions, interactions, and fun learning times. All too soon the day was over and we parted. Leigh took me with her to Dianne's. It was wonderful to see her again. Sue picked me up later and I had a wonderful family evening.
Day five, Friday dawned with VPLD, UChoose and consultancy online meetings. The day flew by in a rush. A walk around the Lake with Sue concluded the day.
Day six, Saturday and what an adventure we had. R and R cycled and I walked from Cambridge to the Avantidrome. What a stunning cycleway. It was incredibly hot and we relaxed with a cold drink at the velodrome and took in a few cycle races. Off we headed for the walk home, HOT! After a yummy platter for lunch I checked out the retail in Cambridge and bought two stunning tops, before meeting up with my sister after work. Another walk around the lake saw a stunning 31,000+ steps for the day! A fun night in with carpool karaoke wound up day six.
Day seven dawned with packing up and off for an adventure. After looking around the shops, a coffee and a trip to Browser's bookstore we headed to the gardens! WOW!!! What a stunning masterpiece these gardens are. I felt as if I had been to an Ellerslie Flower Show. The Summer Garden Festival added an extra dimension with bands and singing and entertainment galore. And before I knew it, here I was, in a plane heading home. What a week! A stunning mix of work, learning, socialising, family time, retail therapy, exercise, food, coffee and a whole lot of laughter. What more could I ask for?
So to look towards this next week!
I am very excited to be beginning scoping my new schools for 2016. How exciting to be making new connections, looking at new possibilities, embracing opportunities, collaborating where and whenever possible, with opportunities for clustering where needs meet. There is something truly wondrous about beginnings. With my focus this year on 'mentoring mindfulness' I am acutely aware of the impact of all actions and words. Again, Fionna's words are my mantra - every action or word of ours serves to include or exclude.
I left home very early on Monday morning, boarded a flight for Auckland, via Wellington. Travelling with the team to Kia Aroha College, then across to Ormiston. WOW, both schools were amazing.
The welcome to Kia Aroha was perhaps the most moving, spiritual welcome I have had the pleasure of experiencing. The power, feeling and aroha in the waiata was inspiring. Anne Milne welcomed us and challenged us to think again about culturally responsive education. I have many, many wonderings from the visit and know that I will hold her challenges close as I visit my school and work this year on my own cultural responsiveness.
A visit to Ormiston was a chance to see a slice of a day of a brand new school, who have been gifted a vision to uphold. With a rapidly growing, diverse cultural community they are continually working to grow their innovative learning environment and pedagogy. It was wonderful to see Caro again.
A journey to Hamilton on the bus, a dinner on the balcony at the Ibis, a walk along the Waikato river and day one was complete.
Day two was an early start at Waikato Uni with the Te Toi Tupu consortium. A day of challenging our thinking as we face new pathways followed. A walk around campus, then dinner, and day two was complete.
Day three was another very early start and a morning as a consortium and the afternoon in our LwDT team. Helen led us on a very powerful journey through new approaches, new confidence, new ways. Getting my steps today involved a treadmill inside due to continued rain. A dinner on the balcony at the Ibis was followed by a wonderful night at the Craft Bar and Wonder Horse with the stunning CLA girls.
Day four was a stunning day with our LwDT team at Novotel. We had a variety of sessions, interactions, and fun learning times. All too soon the day was over and we parted. Leigh took me with her to Dianne's. It was wonderful to see her again. Sue picked me up later and I had a wonderful family evening.
Day five, Friday dawned with VPLD, UChoose and consultancy online meetings. The day flew by in a rush. A walk around the Lake with Sue concluded the day.
Day six, Saturday and what an adventure we had. R and R cycled and I walked from Cambridge to the Avantidrome. What a stunning cycleway. It was incredibly hot and we relaxed with a cold drink at the velodrome and took in a few cycle races. Off we headed for the walk home, HOT! After a yummy platter for lunch I checked out the retail in Cambridge and bought two stunning tops, before meeting up with my sister after work. Another walk around the lake saw a stunning 31,000+ steps for the day! A fun night in with carpool karaoke wound up day six.
Day seven dawned with packing up and off for an adventure. After looking around the shops, a coffee and a trip to Browser's bookstore we headed to the gardens! WOW!!! What a stunning masterpiece these gardens are. I felt as if I had been to an Ellerslie Flower Show. The Summer Garden Festival added an extra dimension with bands and singing and entertainment galore. And before I knew it, here I was, in a plane heading home. What a week! A stunning mix of work, learning, socialising, family time, retail therapy, exercise, food, coffee and a whole lot of laughter. What more could I ask for?
So to look towards this next week!
I am very excited to be beginning scoping my new schools for 2016. How exciting to be making new connections, looking at new possibilities, embracing opportunities, collaborating where and whenever possible, with opportunities for clustering where needs meet. There is something truly wondrous about beginnings. With my focus this year on 'mentoring mindfulness' I am acutely aware of the impact of all actions and words. Again, Fionna's words are my mantra - every action or word of ours serves to include or exclude.
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Inquiry and our work journey this year and going forward...
‘Being comfortable with the discomfort’
Taking time to get to the question
Not fixing the outcomes and measures too quickly
Take time to know where you are going
Not using the usual tools to measure
What are we focusing on
Be comfortable with the uncomfortable…. Our mantra… dance with the dissonance… ‘Alana Madgwick’
Four key statements….
A context, recommendation, action and evidence of practice…
Evidence into action and impact
4 x 1
Context
As a facilitator we have utilised individualised inquiry process ourselves. We are now working with a school that has collaborative teams, and wants to carry out a collaborative inquiry. The learners have not worked this way before, therefore we are all in a new space.
Recommendation
Use research based on SOI & 7 Principals of Learning for FFE and pakirehua to develop TTT approach.
Time and opportunity for cross-partner collaboration
Action
Immersion in the SOI & change framework
Discuss ways to take the theory into a collaborative context
Virtual coaching and mentoring
Evidence
Experience, confidence and capability of the facilitators in a shared inquiry, turning theory into practice.
Embedding knowledge and systems to support inquiry.
Student improvement.
Taking time to get to the question
Not fixing the outcomes and measures too quickly
Take time to know where you are going
Not using the usual tools to measure
What are we focusing on
Be comfortable with the uncomfortable…. Our mantra… dance with the dissonance… ‘Alana Madgwick’
Four key statements….
A context, recommendation, action and evidence of practice…
Evidence into action and impact
4 x 1
Context
As a facilitator we have utilised individualised inquiry process ourselves. We are now working with a school that has collaborative teams, and wants to carry out a collaborative inquiry. The learners have not worked this way before, therefore we are all in a new space.
Recommendation
Use research based on SOI & 7 Principals of Learning for FFE and pakirehua to develop TTT approach.
Time and opportunity for cross-partner collaboration
Action
Immersion in the SOI & change framework
Discuss ways to take the theory into a collaborative context
Virtual coaching and mentoring
Evidence
Experience, confidence and capability of the facilitators in a shared inquiry, turning theory into practice.
Embedding knowledge and systems to support inquiry.
Student improvement.
Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Māori Medium non negotiables - English medium dimensions
Māori potential underpins Māori Medium.
Deconstruct who you are, contract obligations, re-construct with your community. Making a difference for akonga!
Is it okay for Māori medium dimensions to be different?
English medium - collaborative pathway to date, from October last year.
There is a synthesis of ideas coming through - international ideas - Fullan and Quin, coherence; EDUCANZ summary paper; facilitator dimensions; addressing the changes and new environments.
Iterative process - revisit and explore the facilitator dimensions.
Developing the Facilitator Framework... Helen Cooper
Welcoming the interruption to our work...
Change can take a long time, it's continuous, and we need resilience and tolerance. We need to understand each other and build trust. We need open dialogue.
Standards for accreditation - March?
Development of a one-pager.
Pou Herenga - unifying/common approach
Unpacking the framework...
Change can take a long time, it's continuous, and we need resilience and tolerance. We need to understand each other and build trust. We need open dialogue.
Standards for accreditation - March?
Development of a one-pager.
Pou Herenga - unifying/common approach
Unpacking the framework...
Exploring the thinking and changing needed going forward...
How can we support learning in and across communities?
Framing the national priorities...
Early achievement challenges and involvement!
What expertise do we bring in to build their capability... intentional interruption! Knowing when and how as a team of facilitators!
Building on what we do well and take it into a new context!
Best practice and next practice, and it is about us all together... as all players in all layers of the system learn and build capability together.
How do we support schools and educators to know what they don't know?
How do we make sure the expertise that is available is publicly known - so schools can support known expertise?
CoL - will be in a position to hold support accountable - what will this mean for us and what will it look like?
Relational Trust... pathway collaboration...
Bringing BOTs together - into the conversation - honour real voice in the journey.
What matters? What are the unavoidable consequences of being in a CoL? What changes will we see? Time frame?
Professional accountability and clarity around what we are doing? How are are going? Successes and challenges?
Turning the finger inward... pointing at self! What am I going to do differently? What are we going to change?
Align frameworks and ways of working and thinking... getting a shared language...
Teams into CoLs... it is a team approach, not individual PLD. All players in the room together.
Framing the national priorities...
What expertise do we bring in to build their capability... intentional interruption! Knowing when and how as a team of facilitators!
Building on what we do well and take it into a new context!
Best practice and next practice, and it is about us all together... as all players in all layers of the system learn and build capability together.
How do we support schools and educators to know what they don't know?
How do we make sure the expertise that is available is publicly known - so schools can support known expertise?
CoL - will be in a position to hold support accountable - what will this mean for us and what will it look like?
Relational Trust... pathway collaboration...
Bringing BOTs together - into the conversation - honour real voice in the journey.
What matters? What are the unavoidable consequences of being in a CoL? What changes will we see? Time frame?
Professional accountability and clarity around what we are doing? How are are going? Successes and challenges?
Turning the finger inward... pointing at self! What am I going to do differently? What are we going to change?
Align frameworks and ways of working and thinking... getting a shared language...
Teams into CoLs... it is a team approach, not individual PLD. All players in the room together.
Lorna Earl #TTTPLD2016 - How Networks for Learning work
How Networks for Learning work -
- are very complex
- can influence learning
- changing in thinking and practice is the key
- locus of change
- the correct, shared focus is necessary and needs to be understood by everyone
- strength of engagement is important
- distributed leadership is necessary...
- Upload and download - consider the things that matter, issues arising, and bring into the discussion; reflect back alternatives and options
- Shared purpose and foci for work - look through a variety of lenses
- Collective agreement,
- Facilitation role - bringing everyone together;
- There will inevitably be conflict in the bringing together of communities.
- New shared knowledge enables us to move forward, with everyone on the same page.
- Clear and defensible learning foci for students, Teachers and learners - look at the evidence;
- If that's what they need - what do I need? What do we need
- Learning focus across schools and learning focus for the teachers;
- Focus takes time and is complex;
- Getting the focus clear and understood,
- Avoid the doings that are not needs basis or necessary... activity trap;
- Monitor the focus in the school and the network;
- Engage all!
- De-privatise schools in relation to their communities;
- Create hunger - visible as consummate learner;
- Be aware of the distractions, how do you keep the focus!
- Prioritise and avoid the 'if only'
Relationships and Collaboration:
- Working together
- Discuss
- Give and seek
- Feel supported to try new ideas
- Feel responsible to help and support all
- Collectively coming up with something that is bigger than any of us individually!
- Feedback for growth!
- Talking openly about differing views and values,
- Dealing openly with conflicts and disagreements;
How do we create the conditions for a group to:
- talk openly
- value, discuss, share...
Facilitation for change, what we actually know, believe and feel - we have to interrupt! New learning happens in the ambiguity. We have to rethink the schema. New learning is hard work.
Facilitation as interruption.
Facilitation is a role - not a person.
Facilitators as a community of practice!
How do we create the conditions to move us forward as a team?
Zone of proximal development - providing the scaffolding to move through the journey.
What needs interrupting?
- The culture of activity - from activity based to learning based.
- Moving beyond the nice-ness - separating person from practice
- Leader as lead learner as opposed to lead knower...
Sea of barriers...
- Imposter syndrome...
- Cognitive misers - mental shortcuts...
- Exception to the rule
- Risk averse
How do we ensure that the growth of us all in our role is an unavoidable consequence?
If it's not about learning what should it be about?
In a fast changing world, if you can't learn, unlearn, and relearn, you're lost. Sustainable and continuous learning is a given of the twenty-first century. Stoll, Fink and Earl (2003)
Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Tomahawk Lagoon Walk
I Yet another walk to tick of my walk's brochure! Starting around the edge of the Tomahawk Lagoon I was very surprised to see so many swans!
Around the edge of the lagoon, through the bush, up the hill, through the paddocks across towards Highcliff Roaf.
Then over for a walk at Tomahawk Beach! A lively spot in a sunny Sunday afternoon!
Maureen's birthday!
Friday, January 29, 2016
Monday, January 11, 2016
Mentoring reflection
Time for some deep reflection on my mentoring...
What does this tell you about yourself as a learner?
I love challenge, I am very determined, very reflective, empathetic and genuinely want to be able to support educators to see their strengths and work through their challenges and not only survive but shine. I deeply value the role of my mentor and continually strive to emulate this experience.
How can we support each other more as learners (mentors) and through the UChoose online community of practice?
For me - it is essential that I communicate with other mentors. The strength gained from conversations and interactions with mentors, face to face at hui, or virtual through our modules and webinars has been immense. I have had the privilege of sharing some of the success of mentoring journeys… we could be sharing more… I should be sharing more… I will share a story on the VPLD site TODAY!!!!!!
Before I head into my mentoring sessions for 2016 I want to reflect deeply on the 2016 journey. Hazel has framed some wonderful questions for me to reflect on, so I will start there. I will move on to a framework I saw in a Dr Libby write up, and will conclude with some goals for myself heading into the new year.
Hazel's questions:
What has surprised you?
I guess the biggest surprise for me this year has been the growth in my mentoring 'comfortableness'. I have had a large number of mentees this year and I am in awe of the journey we have all made. Without a doubt virtual mentoring has enabled us all to get to a place of increased capacity. Relationship building has been crucial to the journey. With regular mentoring sessions it has been possible to develop trusting relationship where we have been comfortable to journey into, at times challenging, at times difficult and at times unknown territory. I have been most surprised by the development of my listening skills, listening as much for what is unsaid as what is said. Organisational capacity has also surprised me this year. We have, in many cases, developed clever systems of notetaking and recording an action from a current session, which we report on prior to the next session. I am surprised at my confidence in supporting action plans.
What has challenged you?
I have been challenged by time. I am often reading through notes immediately prior to a session, when I am sure I would gain a lot more if I read them a day earlier and mulled them over before the next session. I have also been remiss with re-reading notes from a current session before I close the document for that session. This is definitely a goal I want to work on for this year. I continue to be challenged by having the 'right' questions or provocation at my finger tips. I have developed a folder of resources to have at hand to further support me.
How do you feel as a mentor now?
Early in 2015 I had a lot of doubts. I lacked confidence in my ability to be the 'right' mentor for my mentees. I lacked trust in myself to work the best mix of support, motivation, challenge. I had also not spent enough time on the modules to support me in my journey... Well so much has changed. 2015 has seen significant growth in my confidence, my awareness, and my enjoyment. I am absolutely loving being a mentor. I think it is one of the most powerful things anyone can be and have. I know, without a doubt, that without a mentor, I would not be anywhere near where I am today. (Which triggers another blogpost - who has mentored me?)
What has surprised you?
I guess the biggest surprise for me this year has been the growth in my mentoring 'comfortableness'. I have had a large number of mentees this year and I am in awe of the journey we have all made. Without a doubt virtual mentoring has enabled us all to get to a place of increased capacity. Relationship building has been crucial to the journey. With regular mentoring sessions it has been possible to develop trusting relationship where we have been comfortable to journey into, at times challenging, at times difficult and at times unknown territory. I have been most surprised by the development of my listening skills, listening as much for what is unsaid as what is said. Organisational capacity has also surprised me this year. We have, in many cases, developed clever systems of notetaking and recording an action from a current session, which we report on prior to the next session. I am surprised at my confidence in supporting action plans.
What has challenged you?
I have been challenged by time. I am often reading through notes immediately prior to a session, when I am sure I would gain a lot more if I read them a day earlier and mulled them over before the next session. I have also been remiss with re-reading notes from a current session before I close the document for that session. This is definitely a goal I want to work on for this year. I continue to be challenged by having the 'right' questions or provocation at my finger tips. I have developed a folder of resources to have at hand to further support me.
How do you feel as a mentor now?
Early in 2015 I had a lot of doubts. I lacked confidence in my ability to be the 'right' mentor for my mentees. I lacked trust in myself to work the best mix of support, motivation, challenge. I had also not spent enough time on the modules to support me in my journey... Well so much has changed. 2015 has seen significant growth in my confidence, my awareness, and my enjoyment. I am absolutely loving being a mentor. I think it is one of the most powerful things anyone can be and have. I know, without a doubt, that without a mentor, I would not be anywhere near where I am today. (Which triggers another blogpost - who has mentored me?)
What does this tell you about yourself as a learner?
I love challenge, I am very determined, very reflective, empathetic and genuinely want to be able to support educators to see their strengths and work through their challenges and not only survive but shine. I deeply value the role of my mentor and continually strive to emulate this experience.
How can we support each other more as learners (mentors) and through the UChoose online community of practice?
For me - it is essential that I communicate with other mentors. The strength gained from conversations and interactions with mentors, face to face at hui, or virtual through our modules and webinars has been immense. I have had the privilege of sharing some of the success of mentoring journeys… we could be sharing more… I should be sharing more… I will share a story on the VPLD site TODAY!!!!!!
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Friday, January 8, 2016
Owaka 150th Celebrations
Holiday time, 150th Celebration time, Catlins... YAY! I picked Mum up early this morning and off we set for Owaka. We met up with Jenny and Colin, and Glenda and John and took flowers to Grandma and Grandad's gravesite, and to Aunty Margaret and Uncle Buds.
It was blowing a gale so instead of an outdoor picnic we lunched inside at Jessie Coutts place.
Next stop was the Centenial Waka. I love it! Jessie said there has been a lot of comment and controversy about the material it is made from. I think it looks wonderful!
Next up a drive up Katea Valley to visit the family homestead... well what's left of it. I can imagine many fun times spent building huts in the hedge. Jessie told us how her father had planted all the macrocarpa around her place next door, so I imagine Grandad planted these quite some time ago.
Glenda, Jenny, Colin and I had a good old poke around the old place in the wind. I even managed to find a cute old bottle to take home for a vase, after a bit of a clean up.
I think these wheels would look fabulous in my garden... but it doesn't belong to our family now so guess its not to be...
Thistles now invade the patch that I am sure would have boasted a fabulous flower and vege patch.
From the road, the house looks nothing but a pile of sticks...
We drove further up the valley past the Cheese Factory and on to the site of the Katea school.
A lasting tribute to those who left the valley never to return...
On our way back out of the valley we encountered a classic Katea Valley traffic jam...
Next stop, Catlins area school for a look at collections from the past and photographs.
As we manouvered between the displays a lady (Dawn) said to Mum, wow, I was in the Balclutha maternity hospital with you, to Mum. She retold the story to Mum of how she remembered her because she had stayed in Pounawea too long before heading home and had to stop on the way home for the arrival of a precious little baby... well guess who that was? Me!
After much searching we were delighted to find photos of Mum and her siblings. This photo below has Margaret Kean (back left),
In this photo below we have my Mum, middle row, fifth in; Altha middle row, far right;
Katea Valley School history...
In the photo below Fred Kean (back row - second from left); Mary Kean (third row - fourth from right); Frank Kean (second row - far left); Margaret Kean (second row - third from right); Eileen Kean (front row - third from right)
Photo below - Kathleen Kean / Mum (middle row - fourth from left); Eileen Kean (middle row - third from right); Altha Kean (middle row - far right)
We drove up Keatoa Tce for a reminisce, looking at where Grandma and Aunty Bridgy used to live. Then took in Teapot Land... 1296 teapots on display!
As the sun shone we drove over to Pounawea and up to Aunty Margaret's place!
High tide makes for stunning views at Pounawea...
...a little windy still...
Blue cod at Lake Waihola on the way home was a slightly different experience. The gates to the lake side were locked for fear of trees falling in the ferocious winds!
And finally a stunning welcome home to Mosgiel!
What a truly magnificent day out!
And would you believe, when I dropped Mum back I noticed a book sticking out of her bookshelf... a book I am sure I have never seen before and just look what it was! MAGIC eh!
That's my reading sorted for this weekend!
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