Activity 4 - My Professional Community

Defining my community(ies!!) of practice 

Wenger's one page 'quick start' guide is a really useful tool when thinking about communities of practice.

Source: http://wenger-trayner.com/resources/

Wenger's definition heads the page - communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do better as they interact regularly.
It clearly identifies some of the key features and functions of communities of practice.

In his interview with Brantlee Underhill, Wenger highlights that there are ongoing relationships between people who can assist or have the potential to help here other when they need to. The community share as and creates knowledge. He highlights that tolls for sharing ARE not substitutes for the learning partnership or community of practice.

                                              Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=63rQ3S8EHoA

My Communities of Practice - encompass a range of domains 

Senior English class

As I try and move into a project-based approach to our learning, the class as a community of practice will become even more important. We will work together to create shared meanings and new understandings of texts. 

English Faculty

The English Faculty at RHS is a collaborative and inclusive Faculty. All members annually set a personal inquiry goal that is 'lifted' from the Faculty-wide goals. We meet regularly to work this issues that may arise in a staff of 20, and a school of 1800 students. Supportive and strategic sharing of 'best practice' and resources are often a highlight of meetings.

Cross curricular Inquiry Groups 
For the last two years I have co-lead a professional learning inquiry group, focussed around 'Towards Excellence'. Once a term this group met and discussed big picture issues and keon top of 

Kia Eke Panuku Cohort 

The change management team of KEP works with a community (cohort) of 24-40 teachers. The common goal is the development of schoolwide culturally responsive teaching practice. Regular cycles of observation, feedback and coaching by a team of coaches work together to improve outcomes for Maori students.

Senior Leadership Team

This community has both short term and long term goals, as identified in Wenger's guide. Having a clear strategic focus and being able to solve problems and save time are key goals. Having confidence in the team, sharing strategies and knowledge and having fun some of the time, make for an effective community of practice. 

MindLab Saturday Morning Study Buddies

This community developed as a strong group during Semester 1 of the PostGradSDip programme at TheMindLab. When the course went 'on-line' there was a community decision to continue meeting on a regular (fortnightly) basis. At these informal gatherings we discuss the fortnight's readings upcoming assessments and troubleshoot a whole range of things! One of the key success factors identified by Wenger is that we are energized as a group. 

If I look at Wenger's Level of Participation diagram, I would place myself in the central two circles - coordinator, core group and active member. 

Source: http://wenger-trayner.com/resources/

1: Issues in my community: if I take the broad umbrella of education as my community of practice, there are issues in all of the sublevels of my circles.

Education the education sector is facing a global crisis (unless it seems you are in Finland!). Fewer school levers are choosing secondary teaching as a career. This coupled with an aging work-force (especially at leadership and management levels) are creating gaps at both ends of the teacher age pyramid. Attracting high-quality graduates into teaching, keeping them past the first few years and persuading the to take on roles with responsibilities attached are essential. Otherwise education systems will simply be passing the pool of trained teachers around from country to country, education sector to education sector.

I believe that expanding the TeachFirst in school teacher training model, developed in Auckland is a model that could go a long way toward creating a workforce of highly qualified and well-trained educators. Two years 'in school' training with an allocated mentor teacher, much like an apprenticeship model, is one which I see as a positive move. Unfortunately, teacher unions have not seen this so clearly, and have responded accordingly.

3: Core values: the core values that underpin all of my communities of learning are the values of the New Zealand Curriculum (NZC). They are aspirational and designed to build a positive society for future New Zealanders.

Source: http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Values

All decisions that I make as a classroom teacher, as a member of a Faculty within the school and as a member of the Senior Leadership Team, are grounded in these student centred core values.Using an inquiry model of teacher practice, creative and critical thinking can be developed. Group and team work are a common focus of class tasks as is the notion of collective responsibility for the learning. Making use of the digital worlds of the students allows them to open up connections way beyond the classroom.

5: Key theories: 

When I look at the Kia Eke Panuku community of practice, the theory of Kaupapa Maori research and culturally responsive pedagogies of learning, drive the learning of this community. Effective teacher practice for Maori learner is grounded in the theory and research of Bishop and Berryman (2010) clearly outline the factors that lead to the development of a culturally- responsive practitioners. Theories for improving education outcomes for Maori learners have had a mixed history, but Kia Eke Panuku and its predecessor Te Kotahitanga focus on the development of the Effective Teaching Profile (Bishop & Berryman, 2007). This profile, the ETP, featured the principles of ako - respectful relationships -  and of rangatiratanga - the belief that power is shared and decision-making is a collaborative process. I have been a member of the lead change team for both these projects since 2007. I am observed and receive feedback around my practice, I observe others and give them feedback. There are goals set and reviewed after every observation cycle. Once a team we meet a larger group and discuss readings, issues and concerns. As a community we are driven by our desire to do better by our learners.

Being a reflective, reflexive member of communities of practice is powerful and challenging. 

Sources

Bishop, R., & Berryman, M. (2010, 05). Te Kotahitanga: Culturally responsive professional development for teachers. Teacher Development, 14(2), 173-187. doi:10.1080/13664530.2010.494497

Kia Eke Panuku: Building on Success. (n.d.). Retrieved February 07, 2016, from http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/System-of-support-incl.-PLD/School-initiated-supports/Professional-learning-and-development/Kia-Eke-Panuku-Building-on-Success

The New Zealand Curriculum. Wellington, N.Z.: Published for the Ministry of Education by Learning Media, 2007. Print.

Marsh, S. (2015, October 23). Fact or fiction? The reasons teachers choose the job – and quit. Retrieved February 07, 2016, from http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/2015/oct/23/fact-or-fiction-the-reasons-teachers-choose-the-job-and-quit

Ministry monitoring teacher retirements. (n.d.). Retrieved February 07, 2016, from http://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/369634/ministry-monitoring-teacher-retirements

Tackling educational inequality | Ako Mātātupu | Teach First NZ. (n.d.). Retrieved February 07, 2016, from http://teachfirstnz.org/

Wenger-Trayner. (n.d.). Retrieved February 07, 2016, from http://wenger-trayner.com/?s=quick+start+up+guide

Wenger-trayner.com. (2015). Introduction to communities of practice | Wenger-Trayner. Retrieved from http://wenger-trayner.com/introduction-to-communities-of-practice/