Activity 1: Reflecting on ....me

Kia ora, Yiasas and welcome!



Ko Troodos te māunga
Ko Thames  te awa
Ko Australis  te waka 
Nō London ahau
Ko George rāua ko Vera mātua
Ko Alison tōku ingoa

I was born north of the Thames in London, England. My paternal Grandparents lived on the foothills of the Troodos Mts in Cyprus, and my father's family were in the last village to be invaded by the Turkish forces in 1974. My parents, brother and I immigrated to Australia in 1970, and then onto New Zealand in 1973, both times on the SS Australis. I was educated in West Auckland and moved to Counties Manukau when I began my teaching career. Until I moved to Canterbury on 2012 all of my teaching was in low decile, multi cultural schools. The work of Russell Bishop and Mere Berrymann and the Te Kotahitanga Professional Development  form the foundation of my approach to classroom practice, especially the words of Prof Russell Bishop - you can hear his views here: http://tekotahitanga.tki.org.nz/Videos/Interviews/Focus-on-Maori-students

Source:  http://tekotahitanga.tki.org.nz/Videos/Interviews/Focus-on-Maori-students

It is with some relief that have I started the last paper in this Post Graduate Certificate, and that the assessment project is something that I am somewhat familiar with.

I have been a blogger off and on since 2008, when I completed my MEd (Hons) at University of Waikato. I participated in a self-study, action research project with my Yr 12 English class, around the use of 'blogs' as a writing medium. I blogged, half of my class blogged and I encouraged many of my Faculty (I was Head of English at  rural school at the time) to blog. My research journey and findings can be accessed through the University of Waikato's library -              http://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/handle/10289/2280

Since then I have blogged off and on, sometimes sporadically, sometimes more regularly. For the last 18 months I have curated my professional learning as a blog Facilitating Learning in the 21st Century. I administer a Library Blog where I review new books for our school library - you can see books that I have reviewed here  https://teenarotake.wordpress.com/ . 

Whatever the purpose of a blog (Susan Gunelius lists the top 10 reasons) they are designed to be read.Sharing then, I believe, should be a compulsory component of this assessment. Otherwise the blog is not an authentic context and these notes might as well be written on a word doc. I have liked mine to our Saturday morning Google+ Community. 

I am currently DP Curriculum at a large North Canterbury High School. I teach one senior English class (last year a Yr 13, this year a Yr 12.)

I believe that is almost impossible be an effective teacher and not be reflective. I think the NZC of 2007 formalised through the inquiry cycle (below) the need for all teachers to actively inquire into their practice. Like many schools, we have to document an inquiry for our annual appraisal and registration: 

Source: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Teaching-as-inquiry

The following section forms a part of my current curriculum vitae. The two quotes underpin my personal view of teaching and link closely to what I see are some of the core components of  culturally responsive pedagogy, as outlined by Bishop and Berryman. 

LEADERSHIP and EDUCATIONAL PHILOSOPHY

‘I touch the future. I teach.’ Christa McAuliffe, Teacher in space – US Challenger Space Shuttle January 28th 1986

‘As a teacher, I possess a tremendous power to make a child's life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated and a child humanized or de-humanized.’

Dr Haim Ginott

Source: Author's CV

I believe: 

• that all students are individuals and have the right to be treated as such
• that the learning relationships that exist within the classroom and the school community are crucial to the development of  successful learning and successful learners 
• that culturally responsive pedagogy is the key to success for all learners 
• that everyone in a school community is a learner and has the potential to be a leader 
• that the experiences of the first years of schooling are crucial to the future success of the students
• that schools must provide curricula that focus on authentic learning opportunities that in turn will enable students to develop as confident, competent and connected 21^st  century individuals – providing voice and choice
•  that leadership qualities are both inherent and learnt
•  that it is  my job to make a student’s experiences at school – authentic, inspirational, positive, meaningful and fun

     Who influences and inspires me?

In the sidebar you can see the educational leaders and thinkers that I follow - either via their blogs or my twitter community. I find these PLNs an invaluable source of information and inspiration. 

     
    References: 

Bishop, R., & Berryman, M. (2010). Te Kotahitanga: culturally responsive professional development for teachers. Teacher Development, 14 (2), 173–187. Retrieved from   http://doi.org/10.1080/13664530.2010.494497
                                                                                                                                                                         
      Gunelius, S. (2014). Top 10 Reasons to Start a Blog. About.com.Tech. Retrieved from http://weblogs.about.com/od/startingablog/tp/Top-Ten-Reasons-to-Blog.htm

      The New Zealand curriculum. (2007). Wellington, N.Z.: Published for the Ministry of Education by Learning Media.