Monday, September 29, 2014

New Learning Journal! Need Some Inspiration?

No...I'm not going to give my e-addie for my new learning journal as that is strictly between Me and the Principal (or Appraisal team) when he/she fills out my "Yep, She's a Pretty-Good-Teacher" form for my next teacher registration...but I will describe what it is intended for!

All NZ teachers are now required to keep some kind of 'Learning Journal' that records the learning and professional journey of a teacher which should support why they should be registered (and continually registered).  What should this learning journal keep tabs on?

1. Professional development - what has this teacher done, learnt and done to show they have grown as a professional teacher?  What have you done to address your weaknesses?  How have you continued to develop your strengths?

2. Critical and Personal Reflection - what has this teacher done to critically reflect on their professional and personal development?  How has this helped in the classroom?

3.  How any of this critical to what a teacher does in the classroom?  - Well done!  If you are going to do any personal and professional development all in the name of teaching and learning, it better matter in the classroom especially in terms of uplifting student achievement!

I'm sure the list goes on but the short message is...'What am I doing to uplift my pedagogical content knowledge, professional and personal development so that I can develop into a Pretty-Hot-Teacher?'.  I have been questioning my performance for some time but now I really look at what I'm doing in the classroom and asking questions like "Did that matter?", "How does what I do matter?", "How is what I am doing uplifting student performance" and ... "How am I uplifting my own performance so that it matters?".

Whew!  Not much to ask :)

Anyway...as a last but aspirational note, here's a TED Talks vid that I am pretty inspired by...PS Rita Pearson is no longer with us but her spirit and message will be for what I predict, a long time!

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

The Meaning of Ironic

Sooo, the last time I was here, I was pretty excited about the upcoming Mumford & Sons concert to be held in NZ in November (yeaaaaa!). 

Pre-month preparations.  Checklist included:
     1.  Tickets                                                                     Tick
     2.  Concert bubby or buddies                                        Tick
     3.  Driver                                                                       Tick
     4.  Money for food, petrol and merchandise                 Tick
     5.  Songs almost memorized and practised                   Tick
     6.  Bags ready yesterday and, today ready to go          NOPE!!!

This does not include the pre-month of bragging (advertising) practices on FB, over the phone and over the staffroom lunch table to staff who neither really cared or knew who I was talking about (which I didn't care about because everyone was going to hear the 'bragging' anyway!).

The Concert day arrives...
The only time my body decides to get ill and refuse to obey Over-ride commands from the Brain Centre is the only time I really, really, really want to go to enjoy a music band I really, really, really like!  

New checklist includes:
     1.  Tickets passed on to only person who wants to still go                                 Tick
     2.  Concert buddy has her new buddies                                                               Tick
     3.  Driver cancelled and aware of why                                                               Tick
     4.  Money for doctor, replacement energy and rehydration tablets                      Tick
     5.  Absolutely quiet and darkened house with fan going, windows open            Tick
     6.  Sleep, sleep, loo, sleep, sleep, sleep, sleep, loo, ARRRRGGGHHH            Tick

No longer watching Mumford & Sons vids anymore until they return to NZ because it is feigned -depressive-irony that is before me as well as the feeling of, 'so close, but yet so far!'.

PS  Clicked 'Like' for a lot of pictures from the only concert-buddy that still went to the concert (boo hoo) but have not mentioned a word over the phone or across the staffroom lunchtable regarding M&S...yet.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Mumford & Sons (playlist)



Sooo going to see these guys when they come to NZ!!!  CANNOT WAIT! :)

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Making a Vid Using Movie Maker

At the beginning of the year, my class, a few buddies from two other older classes and myself made a video for a school assembly as one of our items.  Our class was hosting the school assembly.

Enjoying Watching NZ's Got Talent

I was watching NZGT a couple of weeks ago and saw these two brothers.