Reflective Practice and Change

Reflective Practice and Change

Looking back over the past 32  weeks is overwhelming. So much has been covered, and achieved. It would not have been so successful and enjoyable for me without the opportunity to collaborate with others. We have experienced a 21st Century learning environment to learn 21st Century skills. This has formed a model of teaching from which I can develop my practice. My  two main resources are the Microsoft 21st Century Learner and the SAMR model.

One significant change in my practice would have to be understanding the power of collaboration. As a teacher I have found this a powerful way of learning, working collaboratively on assignments and valuing the depth of discussion that has followed.  In the classroom, I have facilitated more activities and opportunities for the children to work collaboratively - not co-operatively, noting the difference!

In the Practising  Teacher Criteria and e-learning:  7 it states: Fully certified teachers promote a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive learning environment.

The guiding question for this is;

How do I promote a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive learning environment that embraces e-learning and engages learners?

This year I have used Seesaw for the first time where the children have worked collaboratively and then shared their work. They have recently begun using Google Docs, working either independently or collaboratively to share their work, peer review, either giving or receiving feedback.

I have noticed the level of engagement and excitement in their learning where they can learn off each other. The home school connection has strengthened and the children have had a wider audience to share their work.

PTC  e-learning: 12  it states: Fully certified teachers use critical inquiry and problem-solving effectively in their professional practice.

The  guiding question is;

How do I use e-learning to advance the learning of my ākonga/learners through critical inquiry with my professional learning?

Why is it I don’t take time in my daily practice to engage in academic readings?  I am so often time poor. Mindlab has required so many readings and I have found the time!  The challenge will be to keep going. Teacher Inquiry, and a robust appraisal system are in place in my school. However Mindlab has given so much depth and purpose to what I do.  Reflection is so much part of our practice. The reflection-on-action in the reading by Finlay  was interesting as so much of my reflection is ‘in action.’ The deliberate reflection, especially through Inquiry is what improves my practice. The importance of professional communities has been reinforced, whether formal or informal and the online communication enables so much more dialogue and interaction with a wider group. Google+, hangouts and webinars have been a new experience.

Where to next, and it can be a dream! I would love to do the course again, just to take it in with no pressure of assignments! Just to go back week by week and review all that we covered. I would like to see others in my school do Mindlab in 2018 and be a mentor. That would have helped me through this year. Maybe be a part of a CoP, Mindlab alumni, to keep learning and share ideas.

Just discovering the Ministry of Education (nd). Practising teacher Criteria and e-learning  is exciting. It is enough to keep me going. So much to explore and try.

For now, the introduction of digital technology next year as a strand in the Technology Curriculum will be a new challenge.

To sum it all up. Hattie says, “It is what teachers do that makes the difference. They need to be more informed evaluators/consumers of teaching methods that make a difference to learning outcomes for students.”  In reality, that’s what I need to keep focusing on, methods that inspire the learners.