Byte Sized PLD: Powtoon and Storyboard That - Video Tutorials

This week I did a couple of hilarious video tutorials... they're rather long but I suppose they help to see just how easy they are to use.

A colleague asked me if I could do some videos on different comic making apps there are that might be useful for her students.

Here they are:

Powtoon - Video Tutorial

Finished Product

Storyboard That - Video Tutorial

Finished Product

Definitely some better tutorials out there - but these were pretty hilarious. Check them out!

Let me know what you thought of mine haha

Byte Sized PLD: Feedback on TOD and Next Steps for eLearning

Kia ora koutou,

This week I sent out a Google Form to collect feedback from staff around the learning we did on Friday and to identify areas for next steps with our eLearning PLD at Heights. 

The questions were mainly around our staff's learning and experience during teacher only day as well as their own needs for their professional development around elearning. 

Nga mihi,

Alex

Social Studies: Exploration and Big O.E.

After my social studies lesson today I asked two of the boys to stay back to talk about their lack of participation. We had started a new partial unit within our larger one around Exploration.

Today they were asked to become the explorers and plan their O.E. The rest of the class were crazy engaged. Thinking and dreaming big.

At the end... I asked these two boys why I wanted them to participate in this particular project... he said, "Because you want to see us succeed in life."

This. All of this. Now to get him to dream bigger than going further than Taupo and Auckland.

Byte Sized PLD: TES Teach (Formerly known as Blendspace)

Kia ora koutou,

Blendspace is a very cool tool and I was stoked to be asked by Jiji last week about the programme. He asked if I could create a video to help him learn how to use it after hearing about Blendspace at his Mindlab course. 

Blendspace is owned by TES, a UK company. It's been instrumental in my own teaching and learning. Really cool programme to help build collaboration in your departments, help get students collaborating on different ideas and concepts and ultimately an easy way for students to have a wealth of research in one place without going down too many rabbit holes on the Internet.

Here's the video tutorial I made below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wq8lx355JDc

Here's the link for our TES Teach (Blendspace) board for Byte Sized PLD: Heights Edition. 

Let me know what you think!

Also... Last week I got an email from Amy Lin, one of the co-founders of TES Teach (formerly known as Blendspace), to update me about the new iPad app that they've created for Blendspace. It looks pretty cool from what I can tell so far! I look forward to seeing the Android version on the app store soon too. 

Their new Twitter account is @Tes_Teach so go ahead and follow them there as well. 

Ngā mihi nui ki a koe,

Alex

Post-Interview...

I kept it relatively hidden... but I applied for a new job last week. I love my students and the staff I work with at Heights - but it was a new opportunity. Something I'd been waiting for. Something I had seriously wanted as part of my overall development as a kaiako.

Like I did with Hobsonville Point Secondary School at the first #edchatnz conference, I fell in love with Rototuna Junior High School at the recent conference. It's not just the space, or the fact that it's new or that it would be an awesome experience to start afresh without restrictions of history or school culture, access etc ... it's a combination of all this and then the fact that you're collaborating with some incredibly amazing kaiako who want to create opportunities for authentic learning and authentic contexts and relevant learning experiences for students.

When I came out of the interview I naively thought it had gone well. I was all smiles. Buzzing the rest of the day. Surely this should have been the first warning sign. I'd later cringed at how I'd answered the 'What do you do outside of teaching..?' - I have a dog called Mia, a cat called Zo and I read a lot. ... Not the best. There was heaps I didn't say.

It had been a long time since I'd done an interview. I'd been circled before by some interested parties a couple years ago but at the time I was exceedingly happy with where I was during my time at Heights that I allowed those trying to entice me into a new position to ask those questions about change and my ideas for future possibilities without too much weighing on the possibility I might actually want or need to move schools. Because I didn't want to move schools before. I would love to stay at Heights for a long time. To be so embedded that I become a Heights institution. But I know at Heights I feel crazy comfortable and I've actually become quite complacent. I got used to the ebb and flow. There wasn't any BIG change in sight and I was happy doing my own thing in my class, with a captive audience for my terribly punny jokes. I've become part of the school. My students adore my teaching and am always having refugee students seek out my help or asking to come into my classes. It's just that we're taking such a long time to get to where I'd like to see Heights be at. I know we can get there... I just don't want to still be waiting well into my 30s... or 40s and then regret the fact that I didn't try to go somewhere else for new possibilities. I'm an impatient person at best when it comes to change, despite how patient I am with my students and their development and I need to keep pushing myself to be the best teacher I can be.

And so... when I got the call on Monday night after a day of absolute bliss and hope and excitement of a possibility... I was a little gutted. Because it was a lost opportunity. All weekend, even prior to handing in my application, I kept reminding myself to stay close to the ground and not allow myself to be carried away by the dreams and clouds drifting away.... I did... kind of. But that hope - it's infecting. That kind of feeling is something I hadn't felt in such a long time. There are so many amazing things happening in the world of education and I so desperately want to be part of it all. Despite all the cool things we do and learn about in our little space in our classroom, despite my students loving the learning, despite all of this.. I still would like to try my hand at something new. Always a learner... and this unfortunately (mostly fortunately now that I've had time to digest everything..) has been a learning curve. One which I will be thankful for in the future.

The morning after - Tuesday... I had made the decision that it would be okay. That I was okay with not getting it. I was still gutted for sure. But like anything, I'd learn from this. I was still trying to figure out what the things were that I needed to work on in order to get a job like that in the future, but I went to school, heavy hearted, knowing full well my students and colleagues would bolster me and reenergise me. Reminding me why I love teaching. Reminding me why I do all this. Why I get so involved and so laden by the stresses and pressure to keep working towards being a better teacher.

I'd given my students (only my Y12 classes..as they had the most to lose with me leaving with their high level and amount of internals etc) the heads up that I was thinking about applying for a new job... I'd told them I had an interview... and now was happy in a way I could assuage them and stop them giving me dirty, upset and accusingly traitorous looks by telling them that I actually didn't get the job. They were beyond happy by the way. Gutted for me. Happy for themselves. I knew all this. And... now we're back to normal. I think now though there is this feeling of slight untrust that I need to nut out because I've made it my mission as a teacher not to be the one that will ever abandon them. Which is why during the interview I brought up the issue around the start date because I was uncomfortable about leaving them before their end of year exams if I'd gotten the job...

Yesterday afternoon I finally got the guts up to ask for some feedback after the interview and particularly around gaining a bit more clarification around what I might need to do in order to develop more experience in what was called 'extended pedagogy'. The term was new to me and I wasn't too sure what they'd meant by it. I get it now though. And I'm still kicking myself. Because I can SO EASILY explain myself when it is in this mode of explanation through writing. Ask me face to face though and I sound ridiculous. If we're talking about something I'm crazy passionate about - there are no stops or starts in what I'm saying. I can talk for hours. I'll talk your head off. No umming - no stuttering. I know I used to be able to articulate myself well. I did. Before. So... I need to build these skills up again. I've been using stronger verbal questioning skills with my students as a way to redevelop those connections in the neurons... and even so... gosh. Maybe I just need to suck it up and ask for clarification whenever I'm unsure rather than reverting to that meek, passive person I used to be while growing up...

The very incredible new Principal of RSHS called me tonight to talk me through some of the feedback around the interview. It was mostly things I'd already told myself off about on the drive home after conference... but the clarification around what I needed to know was that extended pedagogy stuff. It's not really a new term. It's the fact that I didn't really explain myself in the interview. I didn't show how everything was interconnected. I didn't answer the questions well. Maybe in that moment I didn't even really know what the questions were trying to dig at. It's the same rookie mistake that my students make when going into their exams. They completely miss the point. And I think that's what happened to me.

She mentioned about my strengths in cultural responsiveness and relational pedagogy - a section I didn't even need to answer in the interview as I'd obviously covered it in enough depth just by talking about myself and my manaaki for my students.

But why didn't I then use this as a base for all of the other questions? In everything I do... MindLab, Kia Eke Panuku, Restorative Practice, inquiry and goal setting, reflections, planning, teaching and learning processes.... this strength of mine is at the core. Because I connect so INCREDIBLY well with my students. Why did I think it was a good idea to nekeneke without any actual connection to the kaupapa? Gah. Ko hoha au. Hoha with myself. Because I know this stuff. I know it so well. I could spout off so much of Russell Bishop and Mere Berryman's research. I can explain the areas around the Mana Potential and Rock and Water programmes and how I use these as a base for my restorative practice pedagogy and empathy modelling with students. I can easily share areas around moments where I've shown high expectations with my students - they too can easily ariticulate this. Because I never ever give up on them. So much so that when I found out one of my students had left today and it was a massive surprise to me... my students said it was because she didn't want to tell me because she knew I'd be disappointed in her. Disappointed in myself that another student was lost to me. Lost and I had no way of helping them achieve their full potential.

The Principal discussed the answers I gave around how I'd dealt with conflict with a student and how I'd extend students, and how I'd use inquiry to form judgements based on evidence collated by student data. I messed these questions up because I didn't really get the question. I was listening for what I thought they wanted to hear... not for what the question really was. I wasn't showcasing myself at all.

I have no idea why I brought up the conflict that hasn't really been resolved yet with one of my students... It's still weighing on my mind. It's still bugging me that there is that space that won't be filled from her side where she is unwilling to cross and go back to normal. Why didn't I talk about how I don't call students out for silly behaviours rather than that one time I did and it blew up in my face. Why didn't I talk about how I encourage my students to push themselves when they give up. How I contacted the parents of one student when I was just getting nowhere with him at school in my normal humourous joking manner of prodding along... and found out him and his mates were doing stupid stuff to each other and how this helped open a new kettle of fish where I reopened the dialogue I'd created with these parents last year when I'd taught him in a junior class.

Why didn't I talk about the time last year with one of the most loyal students I have now? How she seriously did not like me last year commenting on her work while she was doing her resubmission. How we got on the same page with our frustrations of the requirements set by her teacher around what was acceptable... and how we tried to nekeneke by using digital modes for her assessment... and were both gutted when it didn't work... and she had to revert her VERY awesome assessment to something more basic, more handdrawn... and which although she achieved... she would have gotten an Excellence with her digital version because of how she'd edited it... How she has been an inquiry student for me for a long time because she has issues with accepting praise when she's done something well, or when she thinks she's not good enough... how she was a phenomenal help in our extra-curricular dance competition and raised herself to a leadership position quickly, being her humble and quiet self, and her angry and frustrated self when other students weren't paying attention to what us teachers were trying to say...How this year she has grown astronomically in her confidence levels and is beginning to believe in herself finally.

I know I didn't answer the question properly around how I extend students - I'd thought the question was more around the expectations of the parents.. I should have clarified the question to ensure I was being clear from the get go. I winged that question and that was the question which I could have easily connected with. I talked about how the students need to push themselves to their full potential. At no point did I mention I help scaffold them to get there where they can fly solo. I could have talked about our awesome sticker charts that we have in class that I've developed as an inquiry over the past two years and how these show the progression of student achievement and overall development. How these sticker charts, while back to basics, are a visual reminder of how we're going as a class. How these charts are a constant reminder of the students I need to pull up with the rest of us and the students who need constant pushing forward to reach their crazy awesome potential.

I could have talked more about the fact that despite my strengths being with encouraging my students who are struggling, I am also getting VERY good at more in-depth higher order thinking questioning skills with my students to make them think DEEPER and with a stronger focus around building the audience and overall purpose into EVERYTHING they discuss and share. I could have talked about how we've developed entire programmes together as a class based on student interests and how these overwhelmingly have enhanced my teaching as I've developed stronger and more in depth foci around my own teaching style and the needs of my students. How I've become so much more aware of my reverting back into traditional modes of teaching because of the restrictions placed on us and how asserting my knowledge around building 21st century skills in regards to collaboration, participation and overall thinking skills have helped to develop more enhanced learning opportunities for all students.

I also could have explained my use of assessment data to talk about my inquiries and how these relate back to so many different areas where I have strengths... how I created a Google Form for my Year 12 Alternative English class to evaluate my teaching and their learning processes. How the questions were framed in a way to ensure full student evaluation of their learning within my class and how I've used culturally responsive pedagogies in order to ensure better outcomes for all students. How this use of qualitative data outlined certain areas and issues in my practice that I had known but had ignored - particularly how I believe my Y13 students in that class will be fine, how I try to let them figure things out before helping them too quickly. How this actually doesn't make them feel safe or comfortable in the learning just yet. How I try to scaffold them to make them feel more comfortable and ready to fly solo. Using this data and the achievement of certain internal assessments to graph the results and then analyse the data in our professional learning groups showed that I can discuss the intricacies of relational pedagogy and more importantly the critical lens of AKO and Mana Motuhake. Why oh WHY did I not bring these up? Why didn't I elaborate further around this?

The last question I messed up was around integrated learning programmes and particularly how I've been part of enabling these. I talked about the Year 9 Heights programme of induction around English, Social Studies and Science. While this was cool, I could have talked about how I'm currently collaborating with the health and physical education department and particular colleagues to enable our students to succeed in both English and Health to ensure our students are making the most of their learning opportunities and how my fabulous colleague Sam and I have been discussing the need to share our resources (which we have at differing times - start of this year and a couple weeks ago) to help define the skills in which our students are using in our individual classes to try to connect their learning on a level platform - not so much single cell subjects... I could have talked about how I've been discussing the same kind of thing with my colleagues in the Music department about their performance standard and how we could use it for our Visual Verbal standard. More than just doubling up on the credits... or double dipping as others put it... how we want to change the way we're teaching and learning to ensure that our students get the best deal. That they learn that many of the skills we're all teaching in the different learning areas are actually connected - how they're interdisciplinary skills.

All of this annoys me.. because I know this stuff. I know it so well. I talk to anyone who will listen about this stuff. Because I believe in it so much. I absolutely detest deficit theorizing. I refuse to ever believe that a student doesn't want to learn. They just haven't been given the right opportunity yet. Sometimes sure a student lacks the motivation... but again this comes down to encouragement of their efforts rather than their ability. Growth MINDSET! Why didn't I bring this up - the Class Dojo geek that I am. Gah.

I think overall, like she said, it comes down to interviewing skills. I wasn't ready for the interview - usually I do so so much prep before I even apply to a new school. I embed myself so completely within their website, and any and all research I can find, that I know the mission and school charter better than many of the current staff at the school I'm applying at. True story. It had been a while since my last interview. I was nervous. God was I nervous. But I don't think I was hungry enough for it. I am now. Because that opportunity while lost... isn't the last one. There will be more opportunities. It's an expanding school. Next time I will be ready. I will articulate myself clearly. I will be clearly spoken. I will have a range of experience to gather from and nekeneke properly by connecting everything to my overall whakaaro. I will be absolutely sure it's what I want. I will dive headfirst. Because that's what I'm like... all or nothing.

For now though... my students are happy. My Principal is happy. My colleagues are happy too. It didn't quite feel like the right timing this time. It kind of felt like a false start in a race where I tried to outstrip the bullet in the gun before it was even shot out of the barrel. I wasn't quite ready. Eager, always. But ready? Not quite yet.

Ngā mihi nui to all those who helped me with my application. I'm sorry I let you down. I will do better next time. To those who supported me post-interview and post-interview result too - it's not an easy thing putting yourself out there and I'm glad I did it if only for the interview experience. Massive thanks to the leadership team at RSHS for the opportunity and for the chance to share who I am with you. I look forward to seeing where you all go in your planning for the rest of the year and can't wait to hear about the awesome things that will be happening there. Lastly, massive thanks to the RSHS principal who took time out of her day to talk me through the feedback from the interview. Not all Principals would do this and it meant a lot. Ngā mihi nunui ki a koe e whaea.

Encouraging Minute Change with Kotuku Tribe

At last weekend's #edchatnz conference I mentored a small group of NZ educators and our little 'tribe' was called Kotuku. Throughout the conference we were spoken to about the idea of possibilities. Our group's pitch was around 'Encouraging Minute Change' so we created a hashtag called #MinuteChange which we've started using already since conference finished. The whole idea around it is that for many change is seen as hard. Grant Lichtman (my favourite EduCrush) says that "Changing schools isn't hard. It's uncomfortable." This has been something I've personally held onto for a long while. 

I shared with Kotuku Tribe about what we've been doing here at Heights with our inquiries and goal setting. I shared later on about how a few weeks ago I started 'Byte Sized PLD' as a way to begin encouraging minute change here at Heights. It wasn't until the end where the group really began to flesh out their idea that I shared this and it seemed to accelerate the move towards the HOW they would encourage their minute changes into action. 

So - we began discussing how we might encourage minute changes. It begins with us. We have to decide this is the time to make those changes. For many of us we've been making small changes to develop our pedagogy for a long time. For others, perhaps it's time to realise that there is a need to change our pedagogy to suit our students in more depth. To have the learner at the centre of everything we do and ensure that we aren't just encouraging the whakaaro around credit farming. That the LEARNING is more important than the credits or what we're 'doing'. 

As a result. The hashtag began. Let's all start using it. Whether you add it as a tag in your blog like I have or begin using it to think about the small changes you make in your practice. Small incremental change becomes MASSIVE transformative change over time. 

What did you do differently today? (WIDD)

WIDD: I shared #MinuteChange with our staff here at Heights and hope that there are more kaiako that begin making minute changes in their practice. 

We live in an exciting world. Lots of awesome changes. So much potential for awesomeness. Let's get ahead of the awesome and BE the awesome. 

Byte Sized PLD: Google Extensions (OneTab and Screencastify)

Kia ora koutou,

Today I thought I'd share a couple new bite-sized tips for your weekly PLD around the most time-saving Google Extensions. You'll need to sign in to your Google Chrome browser to use these - I've added a video below that might help. 

Last week I talked about the incredible Chrome Web Store. Below are two fantastic Google Extensions that are found in the Web Store. Try the Extensions out and let me know what you think.

• OneTab: Collates your tabs. Maximises your time and research finds. Awesome Google Extension to help teach students and ourselves the value around saving important links for later!! 

• Screencastify: Video making tool. Google Extension. Quick, easy and painless. Could be used for heaps of different assessments and as a learning tool too!

Here are the slides I made for quick and easy explanation in how to sign into the Google Chrome browser - as well as how to use these two apps. 

Signing into Google Chrome and Google Extensions via Chrome Webstore - Slides

Signing into Google Chrome and Google Extensions video: 

https://youtu.be/nUgqeHGznUQ?list=PL_yc0U1SGjCIpQQ4uBQrRDqUiqg8zo8-K 

Hope this was helpful! 

Nga mihi ki a koe,

Alex

The Issue with Possibility...

I have to admit I'm slowly coming down from the high that was being with the #edchatnz whanau these last two days.

Being at Rototuna Junior High School was an absolutely amazing experience.

I had a job interview yesterday. At RJHS for Rototuna Senior High School. My first feelings was that it went well. I shared a bit about my story and who I am... where I'm from. Talked about my experiences as a student teacher at Matamata College and the complete contrast at Huntly College. Why this was so integral to me wanting to be a teacher.

I'm feeling now that I may have shot myself in the foot by not talking about the fact that I do have a life outside of teaching... because all I said was that I have a dog and a cat... and that I like to read. I also said I love my family. All of these are massive understatements and as I was driving home last night I kept thinking about all the things I could have said.

How I love watching Netflix and playing Pokemon Go. How I read a LOT during the summer... and throughout the year my time becomes devoted to professional development and learning with my students. How I have a LOT of nieces and nephews and have been umming and ahing about even having kids anymore. How I love to sing and miss performing in Kapa Haka. How I wish I could dance better than I do hahaha I always wanted to be a ballerina. How I love MAKING and creating things. How I'm a tinkerbell from way back. How I'm an innovator and an inventor. How I try new things constantly. How I adore cooking and teaching my sisters how to cook different kinds of food. How I love waking up to the sounds of cars driving past my house and the sun beaming through the windows. How I love driving and how badly I want/need to travel. How I've been dreaming for a life and how I've put it on hold til I truly found myself and moved on from my past. How I've worked hard to build a life for myself with such supportive friends and colleagues around the country and around the world. How Facebook and other social media is my main form of communication as I'm living in Rotorua away from my best friends.

But I'm glad my skills in cultural responsiveness got across. I'm glad that I was able to articulate my thoughts and perspectives clearly enough. (EDIT: Bahahahaha... nope). I'm glad I didn't stutter or forget what I was saying. I'm glad that there was a feeling of true interest in those who were interviewing me and that they were keen to learn who I was. It showed that they too value relationships and creating that connection.

I keep thinking about how I might feel if I don't get this job. If they go with someone else instead. I'm the best at coming up with a bad situation... or worst possible situation... that being I don't get the job. That literally is a possible situation. But I'd still have my current job. I still love my students and the staff that I work with. I still have big ideas on how to enable change and I'd love to continue with that... but there is finally a positive perspective towards that nagging in me. One that I've held off since stepping inside Hobsonville Point Secondary School. That negative nagging perspective saying that I'm holding myself back, that I'm not ready. But I think I finally am.

Like the principal said - there is never a right time to move. But if I don't jump at a chance like this I would have always regretted it.

I chose to stay at Heights for the past four years, loyal to my principals and my students.

It's time for me to develop myself further. Push myself out of my comfort zone. I wholeheartedly believe that there is a need for me at a school like that. It's a similar need at my current school too though. The need to embed myself into something exciting. To help where I can. That need to grow and develop. To connect wholeheartedly with the concept of Ako.

...

Edchatnz Conference: Part 1

Wow! What an awesome first day ;) We started off yesterday with a bit of a trek from the car towards Rototuna Junior High School, sun beaming behind it. Made a new friend as we both got out of our respective cars and were talking about our schools and the possibilities at RJHS. Now that I think of it, both of us were skirting the issue around how cool it would be to work there.. haha. More to come on that later...

The amazing thing about edchatnz conference is that the connections you make and the ones you originally made on Twitter to fully form face to face... are absolute gold. I can't wait to see who turns up today at conference!

Danielle and Phillippa talked to us about the possibilities and sharing of ideas. The need to continue being the lone nut and embracing the lone nuts in schools who help on the journey. Absolutely adored Danielle's korero. Awesome effort with her pepeha too!!!

We were welcomed from Fraser Hill, the principal of Rototuna Junior High School (RJHS), at the beginning of the conference. It was good to hear him explain in more depth about the area, how Ngāti Wairere gifted the names of the school learning areas, the importance of how deep the consulation went with hapu means so much to me - even down to the colour of the orange in the uniforms as pigment that was used for dyes, the carpet on the ground floor representing the peat from the area, the use of the kahu... ataahua.

Our day started off with finding our tribe. Sounds weird... I know.. but as tribe mentors, we were able to create discussions with our groups around what they might do to help their own situations in schools and how they might go about creating change. Our tribe is hoping to stay connected, for a long time, if not a short time... preferably through a Facebook Group.

We are the very ataahua Kotuku. Graceful, elegant and sleek.

At the beginning of today, I was trying to find a way in to ask about goal setting, it didn't work as fast as I liked. I started off with a quick circle up sharing who we are, where we've come from, how long we've been teaching. It was great to see them all sharing in this at least. To help explain that we don't want to be waiting for the next person to share once we began the big discussions I used Bogun's term 'Circle of Death'. I kept figuring out how to pose the question around creating a goal.... but backed off when there was radio silence... realised that we hadn't done enough whakawhanaungatanga and so carried on... We shared what struggles we had in creating change at our schools, how we might develop more risk taking in schools, how we might find ways to circumnavigate issues we wee currently having, how we might share without restrictions and collaborate with our colleagues.

The conversation that was generated from that was absolutely beautiful. So stoked. We finished our korero and went to our first session with the promise of meeting up at lunch again.

I spent a fair bit of time today talking to different kids at RJHS. I was a little surprised at how they circled me and wanted to talk to me after only a short few minutes. Sure I initiated the conversation and began building on the relationship by asking about their learning and their experiences, but I always find it interesting how quickly those bonds are formed between me and potential students. I loved that the kids were so articulate with their learning. Sharing what they were learning... not what they were doing.

The korero from Mel and the tour after by students of RJHS was awesome. Seeing the school through their eyes was great. Beautiful spaces. Awesome learning. Great teaching. Twos and threes. Integrated learning. Modules and flight time. Makes sense now that I've seen it in action.

We met up again - the tribe mentors - to discuss our progress and what we'd learnt so far. Some of the groups weren't quite gelling yet - I was pleased to share that our group was doing really well! We discussed the issue around the pitch and figured out essentially, what strengths did our tribe members have and what could we do to amplify this?

Last session of the day was to talk with our tribes again and drill down on a possible idea for a pitch. Using that question around how we might amplify something in our schools, we discussed how we might begin making small changes that lead to incremental changes that eventually lead to bigger changes.

The idea around risk taking was shared a lot. As most of my tribe members are primary sector it was awesome hearing about their experiences and issues with reading groups and writing... a lot of discussion around methods and alternatives to what was already happening. Discussion around needs-based groups and self-evaluation. Having the whiteboard tables helped immensely.

Our idea is awesome too. Our pitch is this morning. I look forward to seeing how they go.

Feeling a bit excited, way less nervous now that I've refocussed myself. Interview this morning. :) Night koutou.

New Opportunities...

I'm currently in the process of rehashing my CV and teaching portfolio. A lot more work is needed to go into it and to be perfectly honest... I used to keep them both tip top shape... but I got settled and complacent.

New opportunity on the horizon. I may not even get the new job. I would be happy either way. I love our students at Heights. They are beyond awesome. Our staff are amazing too. There are just certain things that are taking too long to get started and I feel constantly held back.

Doing the new films this term with my 12's and Y10 class has helped remind me about what I love about teaching. But I keep falling back into traditional modes of teaching and I've fought so long to move towards more 21st century learning styles and modes of pedagogy that it bothers me a lot that this is happening. The silent game for example... seriously. Sure it works when used sparingly... I just never ever want to be one of those old kuia who get so uptight because things aren't working for them and take it out on the kids.

I need to be challenged. Whether that is somewhere new or at Heights - I just need to figure out my role and where I stand. I asked the question yesterday too when I talked to my principal about this new opportunity. He gave me a really honest answer about the looming issue around our roll and the positive carrot of possibility in the somewhat near future.

My cards seem to be laying face up on the table. Not too sure where to from here. Wherever - this next phase and step in my career looks crazy exciting.

Byte Sized PLD: Google Chrome Browser and Grammarly

Kia ora koutou,

This week for your bite sized PLD - I thought I'd share a couple tips and tricks with eLearning. 

Google Chrome browser

Google Chrome is easily the best browser to be using with Google Apps for Education (Docs, Slides, Sheets, Forms etc). If you only have Internet Explorer (the one with the Blue E logo) on your computer... it might be time to download Google Chrome. 

You'll find it runs much smoother and has better capability with using GAFE tools - even just Gmail! The link to download it is here. There are a bunch of tips and tricks to go with using the Chrome browser for example, signing into Chrome so that your bookmarks and extensions appear for quick and easy access. 

Grammarly

Grammarly is a VERY cool little Google Extension. It works within the Google Chrome web browser and is super easy to use. 

Whenever I'm typing something, the little Grammarly extension is checking my spelling and grammar and helping check what I've written. Perhaps issues around privacy - but for the most part students and staff would be using this app at school where we'd be using it for classwork. 

To access it - go to the Chrome Web Store - and search up 'Grammarly'. The link here will take you to this page directly. Under Extensions - you'll see the Grammarly button and you just need to click 'Add to Chrome'. You will need to click 'allow' a few times for it to be enabled. You'll now see that there is a little green G in the top right-hand corner of your browser. 

There are heaps more tips and tricks with using Google Chrome - let me know if you want some one-on-one tutorials or flick me a quick email if you need help :)

Ngā mihi,

Alex

Social Studies - Expeditions Unit

When my HOD of Social Sciences first told me about the next unit in the Year 9 programme I could do I completely buzzed out. The idea of 'First Crossings' completely inspires me and makes me wonder about so many things. Like... what would have Ihenga's first crossing really have been like and what was Sir Edmund's real thoughts when he got to the summit?

Initially I was stoked because the idea around Exploration and Innovation is very very cool and there is a lot of lee way and planning that can be undertaken as a result. Lots of cross-curricular planning. Lots of student centred learning. Lots of discovery.

Today we kicked off the unit. Albeit it was a slight motivator as we were trying our best today to complete the Peace Crane assignment - theory side of the assessment... and we finally cracked the first section so we could finally watch the first part of the Motu River reconstruction of the 'First Crossing'. The two survivalists are NZ guys and have absolute respect for the stories they're retelling.

My students didn't know where the Motu River was. I was surprised! But I guess I only know where it is because my Dad helped build the tracks for the Motu trail ride when he invested in the biking business for a stretch.

Best part about this episode is that it's close enough to home. The first part is full of mistakes and the kids can relate to it. They laughed when the two guys were having trouble and cheered them on when they succeeded. The boats capsizing, tipping, getting stuck on bolders as they make their way down the treacherous river, finding solutions to problems.

I've been listening to my students properly the last couple weeks. Truly trying to hear them and what they're asking and saying - rather than trying to move on instead of allowing those teachable moments to occur naturally. Today was no exception. They asked a few questions. I pointed certain things out. The guys explained certain areas and issues about the trip and I reemphasized it for more clarity.

The bell went before we could get passed the first ad break - and so am looking forward to it.

Hoping to hear some questions from them tomorrow and getting them to remember key details about the experience so far.

Looking forward to the next few weeks. :)

Byte Sized PLD - Kahoot and Plickers (Gamification)

Kia ora koutou,

Last week I was fortunate to sit in on a korero between Adam, Ryan, Manu and Jiji where they were discussing their use of a couple of new apps in their class. Kahoot and Plickers are great tools to gain formative assessment data on student's understanding using quizzes and are incredibly engaging. This week for a bit of bite sized PLD I thought I'd share these two apps with you. I've added links and how to videos as well - so feel free to skip over my written explanations if needed :)

* Kahoot! - Kahoot is super simple to use - in fact there are a tonne (currently 8.9 million) of pre-made quizzes to choose from. Making your own quiz that are relevant to your own learning in class are just as simple - most questions are either multi-choice or true/false styled questions. The students absolutely enjoy this app and from our korero last week it was really cool to see how it was being used in different departments.

The link for teachers to set up Kahoot is: https://getkahoot.com/ and the link for anyone playing the quiz is: https://kahoot.it/ 

 Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sC_9zE53Wmo

How it works: Set the quiz up on the projector, make sure you've clicked 'Show Game Pin Throughout' for the students late to getting to start (particularly once they see how cool it is!), and if any student creates an inappropriate nickname for themselves you can delete it so they can enter a more appropriate one. Students read the questions on the projector screen and answer on their devices using the assigned colour or shape answers. Scores are calculated by speed of correct guess and correct answer. Scores are shown after each question and at the end of the quiz too. If you use it often you can collate a series of awesome data for your students about their understanding of main concepts within their learning. Students will need to be using their devices to play this - so make sure your class has the appropriate use forms and (in future BYOD forms) signed.

* Plickers - Plickers is a new tool for me but one that I'm very excited to get started using. The best thing about this app is that only the teacher needs a device. It's quite lo-tech in that sense which is good particularly if you don't have that many devices in class. Adam and Ryan have both used this app in class - Mary observed it's use last week so if you have any questions - check with them. Plickers unfortunately doesn't have the same pore-made quizzes available but it seems to be quite quick to create single questions for each round of Plickers.

The link for Plickers is: https://plickers.com/

Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bejiz2HzUz8

How it works: Students have a numbered card which kind of looks like a QR code that is allocated to each student's name. Their cards have four options - A B C D - and each time you turn the card around the shape of the Plickers code changes. When using the Plickers app on the teacher's phone, you scan the room and collect the students answers with their raised cards. Each student's name is recorded along with their answer. At the end of the quiz (and perhaps as you go?) you get a series of results of student's answers and you can see a trend as to their understanding.

Let us know how you go!