e-fellowship review

What an amazing learning journey we are on! Last Friday we took time to reflect on the journey and give advice to anyone considering applying for an e-fellowship. I cannot believe what a tight five we are.

MAGIC magnified...

Today I felt all wrapped up in the MAGIC of teaching success...
We gathered together as a full staff to moderate written language across the school.  I always thoroughly enjoy these sessions.  Is is an opportunity to really reflect on learner's progress and carefully work in new goals and next steps.  It is an opportunity to show off your learner's work and discuss your judgement of where they are at.  It is a wonderful opportunity for professional discussion and development, sharing successes and challenges. 
Today, I got a number of surprises... I was too hard on my writers... almost all of my best fit leveling was judged to be a little too harsh, and I have re-assessed them up.  
Other staff were stunned by the imagery my writers were capable off.  The way in which my writers put words together to create phrases, and phrases layered to paint a stunning image was celebrated. 
Why are my writers so successful?  I have been thinking about this a lot tonight - hence the need to blog!

My writers:

• are highly motivated;
• love creating phrases that make me dance on my chair;
• write everyday;
• choose to write as choice activity when finished tasks;
• worked enthusiastically with buddies in an extensive paired writing block;
• have set realistic goals;
• share their written language extensively: with their peers; their families; and widely on the blog - through quadblogging, 100WC, through skyping with writing motivators, collaborating with other classes,
• really involve themselves in their writing,
• love motivation...

Looking back over the past term we have really maximised our writing opportunities, so thank yous are in order...

Thank you to:

• everyone who has read and commented on our blog;
• Jill and Gill for the training for paired writing;
• Mrs Skinner for skyping us from England to motivate us for the 100WC;
• Deputy Mitchell for imagining and involving us in quadblogging;
• Deputy Mitchell for imagining and involving us in Pass the Blog;
• Rob Smith for the MAGIC of the Literacy Shed;
• Maia Walczak for the inspiration of STRAY and more...
• Mr Webb and the Melville Intermediate students who have worked on editing our written narratives...
• The Room 6 writers for the incredible motivation and MAGIC of their words...

A day in Christchurch...

After a much needed sleep-in Pauline and I head off to Crisp for brunch! What a wonderful environment - scrumptious eggs benedict, divine coffee and free wi-fi.  Could it get any better?

Just loving the re-purposing of this door into a coffee table! 

Pauline and I had a wonderful geeking session, catching up and sharing our current successes, challenges, dreams and more... Off we head for Sumner... but we notice signs to Crafty Christchurch. 
http://www.eventfinder.co.nz/2012/crafty-christchurch/christchurch-city

A little bit of MAGIC - I managed to find just the accessory I need... more on that much, much later...

A glorious sunny Christchurch day, nothing could prepare me for the reality of Redcliffs and Sumner.  Despite having seen it on 
TV repeatedly, seeing it with your own eyes is a completely different experience...

After an ice-cream and cold drink at Redcliffs we headed back through town pausing to remember the 185...

Christchurch, you are AMAZING, you are resilient and innovative. What a MAGICAL day in this beautiful city! 

The heart beat…

Lunch out at Peppers and a chance to relax, share, soak up the sun and more…

It really is amazing how we are so in tune we are with each other’s journeys… Time in the sun, by a lake, relaxing, reconnecting, and we are at a point of collaboration that is surreal. 

I have always loved the quote “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts” by Aristotle and n ever have I felt this to be truer than right now… What an amazing orchestra we make, while playing our own instruments…  The level of collaboration and sharing is really adding to the journey of each individual! 

Skill swap session is an amazing time.  We meander and weave our way through a range of new skills co-constructing, mashing up and inspiring. 

Dinner out at Meshino, then back into it at Hussey Road with a wonderful eluminate session with Tara and Jo learning about their exciting research vision for 2013. 

A wonderful change to our accommodation sees us all together in one HUGE unit – better than school camp.  And so the collaboration and inspiration continues late into the night!

Day two begins with breakfast together and a chance to think through our presentations for Ulearn and ICOT!  The MAGIC really flows as we collaborate and co-construct our sessions. 

Again we celebrated with a wonderful soul session over the lunch hour!  One of the clips was such a wonderful analogy for the e-fellows…. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBaHPND2QJg  Gathered together we each play our own tune, but together we harmonise and make MAGICAL music. 

A real treat in the afternoon was a toast master’s session with Michael and Rachel which saw us all participate in a table talk before individually presenting our 5 slide window to our individual Ulearn presentations.  Immediately the synergy, compassion and     came into play.  It really is incredibly emotional to present to your greatest allies and supporters.   The wealth of feedback and feedforward really had to be experienced to be believed.  I just know how much richer I am from this journey….

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for the layers and layers of richness you have added to my learning journey and my life….

Happiness...

"Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony". - Mahatma Gandhi

Core e-fellow MASTER CLASS 3

Despite challenging myself to early nights this week I only managed to get off to bed about 11 last night and I was wide awake at 4.20 when Katie headed off to swimming and despite every relaxation technique I could not get back to sleep, maybe it is just toooo exciting.  So I was up and ready by 6.  My check in time was 7.35 so off we went in the -1 frost..

What a surprise I got to walk into an empty airport – and I mean empty… I finally found someone to help me and learned that my flight had been cancelled and rescheduled for 7.20am departure and it was taxiing out at that very moment…

The staff could not have been more compassionate and helpful and I was rebooked on the next flight out at 10.05. I rapidly flipped my emotions and realised that some good would come of this change… will let you know what it is as and when it happens…

I sent a txt to Michael and he phoned me with such genuine kindness and care for my well being – MAGIC number one as a result of missed flight. 

I got to have a long phone chat with Mum and Katie – MAGIC number 2.

I am enjoying a very nice latte courtesy of Velluto – MAGIC number 3.

I have a relaxed time to blog and read and chat and further anticipate the MAGIC of reconnecting with the wonderful e-fellows and Jo and Michael – MAGIC number 4.

So looking ahead to the two days together I thought I might jot down some of the truly MAGICal aspects of being an e-fellow.

Way back in November last year when I first got the e-mail advising I had been awarded an e-fellowship with Core education I was in shock.  I spent a time in and out of stages of intense excitement, unworthiness, and anticipation.  I was in awe of the new pathway opening before me as I returned to school after a year’s study leave. 

Our first meeting in March was amazing.  We are a very diverse bunch, one early childhood, one librarian, three primary teachers.  We are geographically spread from Whangarei to Mosgiel.  Our daily lives are distinct, MAGIC and unique.  We immediately gelled and conversations, sharing and inspiration flowed.  Guided and nurtured by Josephine and Michael Winter the true MAGIC of the e-fellowship wrapped us in a magical mystical specialness, celebrating our learning journeys.  Staying together can only be described as all of the MAGIC of school camp without any stress.  We chat and geek into the wee small hours and a real bond is developing.

Our second session started at a collaborative point above anything I can explain.  We share a common bond, purpose, enthusiasm, passion… Session two was very cohesive as we worked on our presentations for Ulearn and put together a submission for ICOT – International Conference of Thinking – in Wellington in January 2013. (which has since been accepted)  This is indeed MAGICal as it will maintain the fellowship through to the next year and it is an international conference – no mean feat indeed.

Session three is today and tomorrow and I just can’t wait to get there…

9.05 Still sitting in the airport when Kyle from McCoy Wixon phoned, so able to fully discuss the dimensions and placement of the smartboards for the new school. Pure MAGIC number 5 to get to chat through a couple of “essentials” as I see it… a drop down screen and projection for the learning corridor.  Great to get the chance to chat and set up a meeting to discuss this further next week.

Not so MAGIC – the thought that I will be in the air when Ulearn bookings re-open…. Hmm – hope I still get my choices… I am sure good will come out of this…

MAGIC number 6 – Kevin (AirNZ) giving me a hug to make up for me missing my flight as I finally boarded…

MAGIC number 7 – Sitting in 13A – me, sitting in 13B, Mother of a past student… what a journey chatting and catching up on life…  MAGIC number 8 – hearing the story of Lynn who is starting http://drivingmissdaisy.co.nz/buy/ 

Soooo exciting to hear the MAGIC of someone who can drive and care for those who need it most… a real chance to make some bucket list dreams come true…

MAGIC – getting here – and the learning, the inspiration, the conversation, the motivation the MAGIC is ramping right up….

More later….

MAGICal staff meeting...

Following on from the MAGIC of the collaboration last night, I was very excited for staff meeting after school.  What a wonderful session we had!  We shared the google doc and looked at a few of the options then everyone worked individually or in pairs... 
I flicked from pair to pair and delighted in the success and excitement of new and innovative ways the teachers could post on their blogs.  
After being rather hesitant about adding the sparkly text generator - I found that to be a real hit and a number of sparkles were added to the class blogs.  A couple of jigsaw puzzles were made from photos, tagxedos created, and crayola pages drawn on.
What worked with this session?

• MAGIC of the collaboration of the doc;
• Choice over activity on BINGO card;
• Links on doc for instant access;
• Practice time;
• Support and encouragement on hand;
• Working individually or in pairs;
• Celebrating successes!

YAY - what a wonderful feeling...

A HUGE thanks to everyone who was part of the collaboration!  I can't wait to hear how others use this great resource and I am looking forward to creating yet another bingo card...

Pure MAGIC of Crowdsourcing...

I haven't been at all well the past few days and had a really quiet day today.  I checked my diary tonight and realised I wasn't quite ready for the staff meeting I am running tomorrow to increase ways and means of posting on class blogs.  

Following on from the MAGIC of #centralotagoeducamp I planned to create a bingo card with ideas for blogging.  I am tired and was really struggling with ideas when I decided to ask for help on Twitter... WELL - that is where the MAGIC began... and the MAGIC is still continuing...

The collaboration of the amazing educators has created an amazing resource for us all.  

From very humble beginnings this e-learning bingo for your blog is now a pretty special document!  At one stage I noted 49 collaborators!  What an amazing time.

Please feel free to use, modify, adapt and share this CROWD SOURCED, CONSTRUCTED bingo card!

Obvious to you, amazing to others...

I am still buzzing with new connections, new ideas, new possibilities from #Central Otagoeducamp yesterday. Today I saw a tweet with a link to this you tube clip and I think this is a part of the MAGIC of educamps. What is very ordinary and very mundane to us is in fact amazing and inspirational to others. The trick is sharing and being open to new ideas...

#educampcentralotago

Another MAGICAL educamp experience to blog about!
Up at 5.30am excited for an adventure and on the road before day break!  Jane, Claire and I enjoyed a very foggy drive through the majestic landscape...

The intrigue of the fog offered so many photo opportunities... all of these snapped on my iphone out the window of a travelling car!  Can you just imagine the photos Jane would have snapped... but as she was driving we gathered these shots of the MAGIC of the fog, the sunrise, the haze and the beauty of the dawn...

We were all the way to Alexandra before we found a cafe open for a coffee - The Tin Goose! Yummy muffin and latte to start the day and a spot of Christmas shopping... this recipe book for my amazing chef!

We arrived at Cromwell College and were welcomed into the buzz of educators gathering on a Saturday to learn, share, network, inspire! Karla welcomed us and the introductions and SMACKDOWN began.  The sheer range and diversity of learning tools, sites, apps, opportunities is what makes educamp gatherings soooo special.  I love the relaxed collaborative nature of the sharing facilitated by Karla. The use of Google Presestation for the SMACKDOWN allowed for collaboration, linking, note taking and sharing of possibilities.

A first round of breakouts saw discussions around movie-making, google apps/sites and ipad apps.  The sharing on the google doc allowed for the MAGIC of each session to be shared and enjoyed by all.  I was inspired by Kieran with his use of google sites and again I commit to making this work for us in our Room 6 learning journey.  I continue to be inspired by the sharing by amazing educators!  I am loving this Nayland site - I can see such potential for us as a staff to collaborate and create resources for our learners....
Time for another coffee, a chance to catch-up and network and off we went into another round of sessions.  I enjoyed an inspiring session on Movie Making with the amazing Laetitia!  I am empowered to engage my learners!  In fact I can't wait til Monday to get it up and running - I am linking it to our class wiki and blog tonight to allow the learners to get as excited about it as I am!!!

A link posted on Twitter during a break really inspired us and Claire and I are working on a Bingo board for our staff and one for our class... I think my class one will be around the making of our first news movie this week....

http://salwal.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/we-are-all-learning-ict-bingo.pdf

All too soon the educamp drew to a close... So much more to learn, share, discuss.... The learning will continue on the google doc!

Lunch in Cromwell in the sun before we began to meander our way home!  An early finish gave us plenty of time to enjoy the trip and catch up on a much needed caching fix...

The blue sky, the reflections, the beauty of our landscape...  I would love to know the story of the rock dweller on the laptop.....
We even detoured off the main road in search of a cache and met a beautiful Bambi....

She ate from my hand and really seemed to be pleading with me to free her from her enclosure! A coffee stop in Lawrence and the light glinting off the blades of the wind farm turbines drew us up the hill for a closer inspection and a cache with a travel bug!  The sheer magnitude of these austere giants has to be seen to be believed.  And as if by MAGIC the still statues whirred into life before our eyes...

And as the sun set we headed for home.  A mere 12 hours away from home... What a truly MAGICAL day.  - #centralotagoeducamp 

Batteries recharged, brain buzzing with new possibilities, new connections, new friends, New Zealand appreciated a little more for her beauty and contrast.....

A MAGICAL journey with two very special friends!

Looking at the world through the lens of a camera...

The camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera!

Dorothea Lange