Ngā ture.... He whakamāramatanga mōna

I tēnei wāhanga, ko tā tātou aronga ki ngā hara, arā; 

• ngā ture Pākehā
• ngā ture Māori
• te taenga mai o ngā tauiwi
• Te Ao Pākehā (i tā rātou taenga mai ki ēnei rā)

Nō reira, ko te pātai tuatahi nei:

He aha te tikanga o tēnei kupu: Ture?

(Ki te kore pānui koe i tēnei waenga-pū ai tētahi livebinder, ānei te huarahi māu: http://www.livebinders.com/play/play_or_edit?id=374476. He putanga tuatahi tēnei: Ā tōna wā, ka wai wā ahau ki te whakaroroa.)

Nga Kemu Awhina i te Ako Whakarau

zondle - games to support learning

Ko koe tetahi kaitaraiwa tekihi i tenei kemu o Coolmath-Games


He penei tenei ki te kemu taraiwa i Coolmath-games... ko te aronga ki nga taurea (multiples)


He kemu whakarau o mathplayground.com

Social networking: sharing and inspiring

It's amazing. There have to be perks in transition periods (not being in a class day-to-day) and attending the Speaks VOLumes online conference (http://pd.txvsn.org) is so inspirational. When I was in the class every day, I just ran out of time to keep up-to-date with everything that was happening. This can lead to distorted information / perception of bigger issues or misinformation. It was leading to a sense of isolation for me (especially when I was based within a special character environment with a MOI of te reo Maori). The investment of time required in the creation and translation of resources just did not allow time for social networking outside the immediate and close circle of specialised practitioners.

Sorry, I squirrelled this years ago -
might be from http://www.animationfactory.com/en/

It's absolutely fabulous to have the time to hear about passionate and driven teachers who are blogging, writing and presenting about their experiences in their teaching and learning!


http://tzstchr.edublogs.org/  and http://coopcatalyst.wordpress.com/ 

  Then, listening to Dr. Bonk's presentation brought out my smiley face =)
See http://trainingshare.com/ to find out about this very enthusiastic and passionate presenter! 

13 year old has been a teacher for over 1/2 of her life -
Adora Svitak is recognised for doing what I believe all
children are capable of. Fabulous!!

The R2D2 model (Read, Reflect, Display, Do) is a simple framework - in the presentation, focused on online pedagogy... But in my mind, the distinctions between online and F2F learning are becoming very blurred. It is hard to imagine 'the good old days' when I was at high school and I went to the library to do my research, looking for appropriate titles in the catalogue drawers, sending snail-mail letters to playwrights for a research project, phoning a company to try and interview an expert... The ways I live, learn and teach today can be summed up very simply:

ONLINE.

That is why it is a little sad for me to say that, while I shared as much as I could F2F, I wasn't uploading resources to share online. That has changed and will continue to change.

Te Rito - aimed at pre-schoolers

Tauihu - bilingual interactives with some basic vocabulary, for the body, for greetings and expressions, and for karakia.

Rehutai - some information literacy resources (in te reo Maori) and a database of school readers.

Wiggio - Not sure who else uses this, but would love to know how easy it is to share - http://newtonkura.wiggio.com has a social studies inquiry unit and some timetables, overviews and planners so far.


LearnCentral - http://www.learncentral.org/profile/cybersoul80#portfolio - has a couple of documents in te reo (around SGML and the origins of HTML, along with a layout drafting handout)

Flickr photostream - EOTC camp shots are it so far

Youtube (;P) - 2 clips so far, but fully in te reo Maori and more will come.

On the other hand, as a casual teacher atm, integration of technology is limited. Not as a result of lack of experience, but by the fact that:

• there may not be a functioning computer or smartboard in the room
  (sometimes a phone is as technological as it gets and I have seen blackboards recently)
• casual staff don't have log-in access, let alone administrator rights
  (so you have problems if the students can't log you in under one of their accounts, or if you are trying to access a site that requires a plug-in or viewer update)
• social networking and social media sites are quite often blocked
  (so it is a good idea to have a local backup of your delicious or diigo bookmarks and don't even try youtube or any web forums...)
• any website may be blocked -it looks like the policy is to start by blocking everything and then to go through sites manually and decide whether the site should be unblocked. Make no assumptions that you will be able to access anything online...

In my current context, this adds up to one key result... I cannot integrate the technologies I would normally use or demonstrate problem-solving approaches that I would use when students are trying to trouble-shoot / research / answer questions.

What I have managed to do is to, at the very least, incorporate aspects of digital photography into lessons and (if the technology is both in the room and accessible to us) utilise a combination of the resources I have gathered/created over the years on my external HDD with those resources I would normally use online -- in the sessions that I have with that class.

I am really looking forward to having my own class again. It'll be much easier to integrate both my old favourites and those mentioned on:

• http://playingwithmedia.com/ (organised by type of media: text, sound, video...)
• http://www.slideshare.net/wfryer/filtering-the-information-flood-strategies-for-effectively-teaching-online (some great strategies and tools for strengthening information literacy here)
• http://publicationshare.com/ (Dr Curt Bonk - extensive list of resources =))
• http://remotedevice.net/project/ (Games in civics)

Teaching and Learning - a draft philosophy

I question my abilities in the classroom on a daily basis. Today is the start of Education Week. There were school groups that travelled to the mall. They sang, danced and performed beautifully. It made me think of last week when I returned some test booklets to a school I have done some casual work at. Walking into that school, seeing the students that I had taught: some for only one day, others for longer periods of time - but it made me happy. I smiled to just be walking in the grounds. I have seen so many places that make stories out of bad or incompetent teachers... It seems to drown out the good stories sometimes.

Take "Bad Teacher". Haven't seen it yet. Not too sure if I want to.
Has anyone seen this and enjoyed it?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1284575/

So, I have finally figured out that I definitely want to teach. Despite the hours, the challenges, the hard work... I want to teach. I love teaching. 

 

My Developing / Draft Philosophy of Teaching and Learning

E minaka ana taku ngäkau ki te ako mö töku oranga katoa

My heart desires to teach / learn for my whole life.

To the right is a representation = Learning is relationships.

The outer koru indicates the world and its impacts on the classroom environment. The triangle has as its base the subject matter, what is being learnt, the sides represent the teacher and student, each bringing their own background, experiences, needs and desires to the classroom.

I believe that it is through inquiry, social interactions, the dialogue in the classroom (whether between student and teacher, or student and student) that learning happens. Posing an authentic and relevant question is the means through which engagement and motivation occurs. Facilitation and mediation by the teacher enables the students to engage with content that they find interesting and appealing.

I believe that learning is a life-long journey and that my job is to instill in students a passion for learning, for reading, for inquiring, for engaging in dialogue. If there is one thing that I manage to achieve in the classroom, I would hope that I can validate the belief that it is important to follow your heart and to provide students with the cognitive strategies through which they can reach for their goals.

I believe that the classroom should be a safe environment, where everyone feels okay about making mistakes – mistakes are how we learn. It is okay to find a problem or to raise a question.

We need to query to discover our place in the world: our relationships to others and to our environment. We need to be able to question the government, the workplace, and our communities and not just passively accept the situations we find ourselves in.

To be human is to inquire (Aulls & Shore, 2008:vii).

I miss teaching every day =(

Just last year, I looked forward to the school holidays. Every holidays, I would commit the first week (although sometimes it took a little longer, sometimes a lot longer and on the odd occasion it took the whole of the holiday period) to planning and preparation for the upcoming term. Then in the second week, I would have some quality time with my daughter, time to relax and recharge.

Now, I am counting the days until the holidays finish. Actually, I'm counting the hours... There are 33 hours and 3 minutes until I will be able to ring the agencies and say, "I'm ready. Please ring if a job comes up".

I've found life as a casual teacher, without a car, to be very hard... Especially for someone who is navigationally challenged, living in a new area. At first, I thought that I had covered my bases by signing up with two major agencies and hand-delivering my CV to the six closest schools.... But, I was mistaken. I've had so many days 'to myself' that I have been able to:

• order my external HDD (1TB of data, dumped from CDs, DVDs, my computer and school laptop before leaving NZ - all of my projects, coursework, portfolio pieces, workshops and conference presentations.... a feat and a mission!)
• read up and study four new curriculum frameworks (the local NSW curriculum documents K-10; the IPC; the England and Wales National Curriculum; the IB framework - the differences and similarities between the organisation of learning areas is fascinating)
• organise a re-write of my will (last done in 1998)
• catch up on all of the movies I haven't had time to watch (since becoming a mother in 1996)
• photograph and backup my important documents
• post a video to YouTube, as a way of practicing my te reo Maori
• join livemocha.com and start to learn some basic phrases in Ukrainian, Mandarin and Indonesian

There's also been a lot of time to think. Although I am only in my third year of teaching post-qualification, I have committed to teaching and learning since 1998. Being a mother is what drew me (like many others) into teaching. I started as a teacher's aide (kaiawhina), going in to my daughter's kohanga (nursery or kindergarten) to help. I was and always will be, passionate about learning. I wanted my baby to have every opportunity and it is from this, that my belief in the right of every child to excellence in education came from.


My brother asked me a question, when we first arrived in Sydney. He asked me why I stayed so long as a teacher's aide. I didn't know how to answer at that time. But, I thought about it as I was sorting my HDD. I thought about it while I was sorting photos (getting all teary eyed and 'homesick'). 

http://goo.gl/photos/V7AjmFiDqJ

I worked many more hours than I was paid for, especially when I started as a teacher aide at my baby's primary school. I realised... I found it hard to leave and do the formal training, because I love the children. I love the job with all the associated ups and downs. I love learning and teaching and I love the 'click' moments.


I strongly believe that teaching should be an apprentice-ship first and foremost. You learn how to teach by teaching. All of the theory and academic readings in the world cannot help you if you don't go through the practicum experience. Perfect attendance at lectures and great note-taking skills won't help you if you cannot question and reflect on your own practice. Getting A's on your assignments won't help you if you cannot accept constructive criticism or feedback about your classroom practice, using it to learn and grow as a practitioner.


I love reading books. I love watching movies and I like keeping up-to-date with news and current affairs. But I am saddened by what I see and hear sometimes. I believe that teaching is the hardest profession in the world, after parenting... yet, despite (or maybe because of) the challenging nature of this profession, teachers are constantly looked down on. There are so many reasons that are given. Teachers are not professionals, who work shorter hours, get longer holidays and are not even capable of constructing a grammatically correct sentence. Teachers 'brainwash' their students, don't care, or that it's such an easy job anyone can walk off the street and be a teacher. 


I believe that this is the reason why I (unintentionally) insulted a practitioner, while in the process of writing my thesis. I was not a qualified teacher at this stage, but I was in the fourth year of my apprenticeship. I sincerely apologise to you and I hope that you know how wonderful and painful every teaching day is. I constantly question my practice and invite questions and dialogue from colleagues. It took me many years before I was able to drag myself away from the classroom for the university qualification... and I used every excuse I could find to return to the school and the classes that I was missing dreadfully. Every one of my classmates quickly learned of my passion for the school I loved, for the 'master' colleagues that I had been apprenticed to and of how badly I wanted to return. 

It was likewise very difficult for me to leave this school that I love, at the end of 2010. But I had to leave. I believe that, as a practitioner, I need to study and apprentice in the programming and implementation of new curriculum frameworks, in new countries - immersing myself in new cultures to learn and grow.

The process of accreditation in NSW

Now, I've been wanting to post this for a while (ever since I found out how many steps are involved). At first, I put it off by saying I needed to make pretty banners... I needed to focus on this or that... But, the information is really important, so here I go with the vanilla version.

The first thing you need to make sure you're aware of, is that:
- Each Australian state has a different process of accreditation. This process applies only to NSW, so, if you are planning to travel inter-state, you will have to find out what other states require (see http://resource.australiateachers.com/certification.html for state-specific information).

The second thing to know, is that the process outlined below, is only for for the first of the three sectors that make up the NSW Education system: 

- DET/DEC public or government schools

- Independent schools
(http://www.aisnsw.edu.au/Main/TeacherAccreditation/NSWITAccreditation/tabid/653/Default.aspx)

- Catholic Schools

http://www.ceosyd.catholic.edu.au/Teachers/Learning/Pages/Classification.aspx

Process for accreditation in NSW public school system

1. Online application forms (can take up to 1 hr) thru Institute of Teachers (NSWIT) and DET.
   http://www.nswteachers.nsw.edu.au/Statement-of-Eligibility/ - This application was approved for me within 24 hours of receipt of my documentation (your mileage may vary), but important to do this one first, as you need an institute number before DET continue processing your application.
   
   https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/eat3/welcome.do - This is the tough one, especially if you are new to Australia, as you require printer access and two people you have known for 12 months or longer, who can attest to your good character / disposition for teaching. Get onto it as soon as you can.
   
   
   
2. JP signed documentation for both applications, plus the signed declarations of good character for DET and the printed application form. I sent mine off using Express envelopes, about $5 a pop, but worth the investment, if you want to ensure speedy delivery.
   
   A note here: Australia works on a 100 point identification system, so it is a good idea if you are looking at settling in Australia (and have a postal address organised) to start investigating other requirements, such as Medicare and applying for a Tax File Number (TFN).
   
   
3. On getting accepted for the first and getting your institute number, you are then eligible to continue the DET process.
   
   Note: Institute fees are $100AUD yearly.
   
   
4. As an overseas trained teacher (OTT), I had to sign up for the OTT course, receiving an email that gave me a number to ring. This is irrespective of experience, whether this is at leadership or management level, or of how many years experience you have in teaching - the course is a requirement for any 'new scheme' teachers. At first (in early March), they said that the first vacancy was in May, but I signed up for any cancellations, so ended up being placed in the course starting 24th March. This involved a 1 1/2 hr train ride to get to Blacktown by 9am for a two day orientation, finishing around 4pm each day.
   
   
5. I made it through the orientation part of the programme, with a certificate proving my participation.
   
   
6. I went to a nominated school for a week practicum in which I had to conduct observations and teach at least 3 formally observed sessions of my own. Any trained teacher will be familiar with this process, which culminates in a meeting with the principal and your tutor teacher at the end of the week. There, you are either approved as suitable to teach, or you will need to extend your practicum to meet any requirements you didn't quite reach, or you will be signed off as unsuitable to teach. If the latter, you will need to investigate other options as a career in NSW. I was assured, along with my OTT cohort, that the latter is a VERY irregular occurrence.
   
   
7. I then travelled to Blacktown for my Suitability to Teach interview (This is supposed to go for up to 45mins – I found this step incredibly helpful, as the interviewer was able to either answer all of my questions, or point me in the right direction for answers).
   
   
8. After getting my emailed acceptance letter with my DET ID which stated exactly what I was accredited to teach, subjects and levels, I needed to head down to the library to make a 1 page CV and double-side it with the letter to then hand-deliver to schools I wanted to relieve at. The way it works here, you start as a casual teacher to build experience in NSW schools. I have been automatically signed up with casual.direct but apparently you can’t just hold out for the phone calls if you want to work sooner.
   
   I cannot stress how important hand delivery is. Majority of my work to date, is through schools that I hand-delivered my CV to.
   I also found it helpful to register with agencies (Randstad, Hayes, Key Stage Casuals). You have to hand deliver and register after you get your approval, so I would suggest making sure you complete as much of the registration forms as you can, so that as soon as you get your approval, you're ready to go.
   
   
9. Once you have experience, you can then start looking at applying for a position. Keep in mind, your acceptance letter has a priority date that DET use when they’re matching you to the school you will be working at – this limits the number of interviews that you need to do, but I have no ideas about this part of the process yet.

Once again, whew! Lots of work... but it helps knowing the steps! I hope this information helps =)