Leadership Thought/idea

Learner Agency and Student Voice

Learner Agency: Move from being passive to more active control of the learning process

Needs personal sense of agency- belief that it will make a difference

Not about handing control over- about creating context- active involvement

Initiative or self regulation/ interdependent in classroom/ awareness of responsibility of actions on environment and others- acting with agency/ agentic in their learning/ IEP’s for ownership?? Student voice in day to day decisions

1.Today’s Reality What exists today that will continue to be a focus in the short term? Keep developing strong programmes for all students. Inquiry model Tool kit Curriculum Working on literacy Working on Teacher Inquiry Variety of agency throughout the school - in different teams and classrooms Student voice reflects the toolkit Learning to understand their own behaviour Inquiry model- team focus Student council	4. Transformative Innovation What do we need to start doing in order to pave the way to the vision? Research the area- learner agency/ student voice Move from the hunch to the learning develop the ability to let go Possible next steps -   student voice in current reading intervention -   student involvement in conferences - what does this look like for other schools Parent involvement Capacity building	2. Future Vision What do we aspire to? What is our preferred future? Student voice incorporated in all parts of school: Toolkit, curriculum, structures of HES Use of learner agency to impact development of specific curriculum areas Student: Chn talking about their targets, how they have achieved their targets- and be able to show /prove  how they’ve achieved this. Learner agency will be part of  all classroom practice- throughout the school. Clear understanding by teachers  of what Learner agency looks like at HES and how to talk about it Clear guidelines for everyone( teachers, students, parents) that identify  curriculum steps Teacher conversations that encourage student discourse. Use the language: I don’t know. Who knows? Who wants to know? Classrooms more learner-centric than teacher-centric Checks to ensure no falling through gaps Learner Agency continuum End point Chn talk about learning using specific curriculum language Chn can follow pathways Understand curriculum steps use the language who to go to for support what help is needed can help others discuss with peers full participation in conferences Boundaries between home and school broken down class blog ongoing and taken with them Breakthroughs? Learn create share? Timetabling- more open and fluid Students running their own inquiry Co-constructing learning opportunities and knowledge www.soundout.org/framework.html
		Beginning continuum: Choice of activity in junior classrooms. Developing agency of behaviour- and conversations around this Putting in language to express self and own needs- having conversations e.gs What are you learning now?  What is your next step? What are you learning when you play? Talking explicitly about behaviour and learning- putting in the language. Is that a growth mindset? Is that a fixed mindset?
Extend/ Defend/ Challenge Assumptions/Core	Grow the emerging ideas. Complexity, transitions, conflicts	Create viable options
3. Pockets of the future embedded in the present.  Hope and encouragement from the present system HES Toolkit and Inquiry Learning Model Play is children’s sacred work. (Te whariki) https://teachosaur.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/play-is-the-work-of-children-j-piaget/ Next steps and goals Share assessment results with students . ALiL GAFE Chromebooks Blogs	6. Decommissioning What exists in the current system that has no place on your future vision? Stationery? emacs negativity?	5. Keepers What key aspects of the current system are so important we want to keep? Next steps Criteria Self assessment of key competencies Use of the Toolkit Rubrics Language for Success Digital Tools Stand Tall! Reach high! Student participation in assembly/ student council SAMR model with more learner agency

Links

http://www.edutopia.org/blog/five-strategies-more-voice-choice-students-rebecca-alber

http://mrkempnz.com/

How Might We…

1. …enable our senior students to have more choice in their subjects?

2. …create partnerships that enable online visits, sharing of knowledge & collaborative projects?

3. …engage with parents in ways that excite them about new opportunities in learning?

4. …develop teachers who are creative and willing to prototype new ideas, across the whole school?

Trello- https://trello.com/

So this is where the Leadership Team got to with the help of and leadership and challenge from Cheryl Doig Cheryl Doig

After some challenging weeks of day to day challenges (students!!! ), I was reflecting on how we could ever find the time and intellectual energy to pursue this.

Over 2 days we had 2 events organised and inspired by students .

1. A Paper Plane competition from an idea contributed by a 9 year old J (boy) and organised by 7 year old K (girl). Reflective discussion with them included. J- "well it was good idea but it got a bit boring organising it. " "would you say you were more of an ideas person J?" "J- "Well Yes "

K -"There were lots of things to think about and organise.. and J was quite ummm what's that word ? irritating/infuriating because he wasn't helpful !" Sharing the poster written independently

Student Council PMI

P- lots of people, positive cards, enjoyed, well organized, prizes, lots of kids helping each other, lots of people wanted to make a paper plane

M-  a variety of types of planes, lots of people- out of hand, too crowded, hit by paper planes,  some on the roof, paper cuts, sorting out places, didn’t know how many people would turn out and lots did, Every should name them first

I- - how many people showed up, I wonder  how high they went,  Everyone that entered showed resilience, most people ended, we didn’t use all the positive cards, a 7 year old organized it, quite tricky to organize it,

Keen Participants

Teachers Cross country

Radio NZ

http://www.iseeteaching.com/2015/07/what-do-underprivileged-children-need.html
Interesting listening.

School as a hub for the community. All services needed by child and their family are available through the school.

A teachers story

Check out this wonderful Blogpost from a PRT at Hamilton East..
http://rmcnaughton2015.blogspot.co.nz/2015/07/going-to-birthday.html?showComment=1439519813586#c37261329734433947

PRTs present understanding of Teacher Inquiry .

PL Notes

Inquiry-

Bex and Edie - "Inquiry, it’s a good thing, it really is!"

Last year as students, Edie and Bex learnt a lot about inquiry. Now they are both in the classroom, how this impacts and pearls of wisdom from what they have learnt and discovered.

“Insanity, doing the same thing over and over again…

Inquiry is an improvement for us…

Focus: What does the evidence tell us- talking to others, what things are happening in other schools. It has to be based on evidence of something someone else has done.

Google scholar- type in what you need and you should be able to see articles used around your key words. Be critical when you are using things online- use articles that are within the last ten years, look for how many times it has been sighted. Who was the publisher? google the publisher to check. If it’s from a journal it is probably okay.

Check who and multiple citings

Pre and post testing-

Be specific to your focus.

Decide on your time limit/ number of lessons.

Deliver your lessons and take notes.

Reflection-

What did you notice?

How did it compare to your research? Did you find it? yes/no?

What were your limitations?

Implications?

Was there an improvement in achievement?

WHat does this mean for your teaching?

Do you need to change something from this information?

Kairaranga is a great resource- online journal http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/learning/departments/institute-of-education/research/kairaranga/abstracts-journals.cfm

Regardless of the outcome, improvements or not.  Any inquiry will inform you as a teacher.  It is invaluable.  We do it unconsciously on a daily basis, however our inquiry process formalises it.  It’s not supposed to be reinventing the wheel, use the resources that are out there.

Big thank you to Edie and Bex for their great presentation.  It reinforced what we are doing and filled in a few gaps.  

Avoiding Burnout

12 Choices to Help You Step Back From Burnout 

"Our very lives are fashioned by choice. First we make choices. Then our choices make us." - Anne Frank

A tired teacher is a powder keg waiting for a match. In my bouts with burnout, I've learned that stepping back from the brink is about choice. These 12 choices have helped me recover and be a better teacher for my students.

Choice #1: Choose to Be Happy

First, happiness is a choice. Choose to be the first one to smile at everybody you meet. Choose to greet your students by name.

Use happy triggers to boost your mood when you get upset. I have a Pinterest Board called Happy Thoughts and another called Things That Make Me Laugh. The "Atta Girl" folder in my desk holds nice notes.

Choice #2: Choose to Disconnect

We are making a dumb use of our smartphones. Instead of freeing us up to go anywhere anytime, they've tethered us to a hamster wheel. Usually, I check email twice a day. I deleted my school email off my smartphone after several evenings because of an angry email. (We all get them.) Unplug once a week. Be a human being, not a human doing.  Part of weekends.

Choice #3: Choose to Be Mindful  noticing

Mindfulness is being called society’s next wonder drug. Some meditate or practice yoga -- I pray every morning at 5 AM for at least 20 minutes. I find a sense of peace that centers me upon what is important.

Choice #4: Choose to Make Time for Sleep

Sleep loss harms your thinking, your health, and your mood. Psychologist Norbert Schwarz says, "Making $60,000 more in annual income has less of an effect on your daily happiness than getting one extra hour of sleep a night."

Realize that watching your favourite movie may not be restful when you're exhausted. Go to sleep early with your cell phone in the kitchen where it can't wake you.

Choice #5: Choose to Get Outside and Get Moving Walking schedule

Last year when I was in charge of prom on top of everything else, I was close to quitting. So my principal and I had an honest conversation about my struggle to stay grounded. I asked to take a 15-minute walk during morning break every day until I could get through it. Thankfully, he agreed. I packed my tennis shoes and kept them at school. It worked.

Boston University psychology professor Michael Otto says, "Usually within five minutes after moderate exercise, you get a mood-enhancement effect." Exercise is shown to be a powerful intervention for clinical depression, diabetes, and anxiety. Even five minutes of green exercise (outdoors) is also shown to boost your mood. So get outside and exercise.-road patrol - Mornings , parts of interval and lunchtimes in playground 

Choice #6: Choose to Be Grateful

Research studies have shown that keeping a gratitude journal will "increase your long-term well-being more than winning a million dollars in the lottery." I keep a joy journal by my desk and write in it every day.

Choice #7: Choose What to Overlook

"The greatest remedy for anger is delay." - Seneca

Understand that you're working with others who are almost (if not more) burned out than you. Therefore, count on everyone being fussy, cranky, and tired. Let it go. Studies show that patients who've had heart attacks can improve their well-being by practicing forgiveness and working to be less angry.

Sometimes our biggest enemy is the perfect person we try to be. My kids will be happier eating a frozen lasagne from a happy Mom than a home-cooked meal served by a witch.

Choice #8: Choose the Battles Worth Fighting

Most situations that educators regret "caving in on" are those that happen in these exhausting end-of-school months. Parents are emotional. Kids are emotional, and we educators are tired of fighting the battle. Choose to fight only for what matters.

Choice #9: Choose What to Do Next Time and What to Stop Doing

Arthur Gordon says to learn to say "next time" instead of "if only." Make the mistakes of your past a signpost, not a hitching post. Remember your mistakes, but keep your eyes facing front toward your current surroundings.

There are times to say, "There will not be a next time. Enough." Some places should be left. Some relationships should be severed. Some organizations should become part of your past. Not all the time, but sometimes.

Choice #10: Choose to Enjoy the Relationships That Matter

Don’t be so busy making a living that you forget to make time for living. You have relationships and hobbies. Keep them in your life.