Keep it moving people, please!

I hear a lot of people say, "It was good enough for me" or "we turned out alright" when referring to their school experience. I'm not so sure.
I think back to my time at school, and yes, I will admit it, my aquarian nature did see me day dream my way through at times,but essentially I didn't get it. I had no idea what I was doing or why I was doing it. Don't get me wrong though, I could do it. I enjoyed the SRA box especially at primary school and ruling up my maths book and filling in two or three pages of perfectly layed out equations gave me some sense of satisfaction. Apart from 'process writing' (I was at primary school late 70s and early 80s) I had no choice about my writing. Process writing didn't really work for either by the way. I just wrote rubbish. I've had to teach myself as an adult about such things as verbs and still don't know about pronouns.
I got through secondary school largely unscathed. Missed an A bursary by two or three marks and went straight off to teachers college. All the way through not really thinking about my learning, just doing the work in front of me because it was a means to an end. Becoming a teacher. Getting a job.
My son who is now 21 sailed through school. He was made for the system. Perfect memory. Diligent. He is now in his fouth year at med school. He works hard. It's not difficult though. Things make sense to him. Lucky.
Miss 17 has taken a different course. Equally capable as her older brother, but no interest in academia. She dances. School was boring. The most she enjoyed her learning was doing level two ncea via correspondence last year. She liked working at her own pace. She liked the autonomy. She enjoyed not being at school.
The experience that my older kids got was not too dissimilar to my own. How can that be? We're a generation apart.

I think about little miss 13 months. What will her experience be? I hope things make sense to her. I'm sure school would have to be different for her, to the experience her older siblings got. Wouldn't it? Twenty years down the track, things would have to be different. It would have to be different to my own experience wouldn't it? 40 years later? Surely.

Unbundling

I first came across the term 'unbundling' when reading Supporting future oriented learning and teaching - a New Zealand perspective. For some reason that one term has stuck in my mind more than others from this publication. I wonder if it's because it seems to have so many layers and migt explain why change in some cases is so difficult.
I'll start with myself. To 'unbundle' myself as Principal. Here's my thinking. First of all, I have ideas of what I think a Principal should be and how they should act, what they should do etc. Then there are the ideas and expectations of others - students, parents and colleagues. Where do these expectations ckme from? Usually from our previous experiences right? I've watched and been around several Principals in my time. I guess along the way I've decided that that is what you do and how you behave. I'm not entirely sure that I fit the typical mould, if there is such a thing, but I attempt to be the type of Principal that I believe others would want me to be like. I sometimes ask myself if I'm the type of Principal I would want to work for. Sadly, sometimes the answer is no!
So, unbundling. Where would or should I start? After all, I am the only thing I can change. I can only control myself. What one thing could I attempt to change about myself that might have a positive effect on all those around me? I have no answer, yet. But being aware that to bring about change at all levels of school, to unbundle some of the existing practices that might be holding us/me back, I might need to reflect on what it is I do as Principal, and what I don't do and begin with one idea or behaviour to focus on.
I'm thinking that in order to bring in something new, I will have to let something go. That's the whole idea of unbundling. I want to go back from my sabbatical time, changed slightly, for the better.

What would you wish to unbundle?

The impact of 28 days of writing

This is challenging. 28 days worth of content? I'm not sure. I've normally not written much - largely out of fear - after all - what could I possibly write that could compete with all those who have such an easy way with words and are expert in their field?

It's been an interesting experience already. For me to see myself as a writer again, but also making new connections and gaining insight into other schools and topical issues that each person has.

I've been "forced" into thinking about dress code, uniforms, effective literacy practice, gender balance on staff and transforming my principal's office somehow. What a variety.

I'm trying also to comment on others' blogs. (Annoying when you've typed a comment in and then realised I wasn't logged in, and then the comment is lost when I did log in. Sigh)

I've had a comment or two on my own blog - which has been surprising and is rewarding and will keep me going too. (I wonder if that's how learners at school feel when their teacher responds to content rather than surface features?)

This is what has surprised me. Isn't there always a lot going on and isn't it interesting what's going on in others' minds - what's topical, annoyed them or is a current issue. I've been blown away. 

So keep writing dear colleagues - keep the flow of words coming. Who knows what impact it may have. 

What is learning?

I love this question! I don't have the perfect answer YET. What I do know is that I used to believe that learning occured because of me as the teacher and during times with me. What I'm thinking more about now is that learning isn't linear, despite our long term plans, carefully sequenced unit plans and weekly planning. Learning doesn't just occur near the teacher.
I've been watching our little girl, who is now 13 months, learn. Babies seem quite random at times, but watching closer as she has learned to pull herself up to stand has been quite a testimony to her resilience, ability to self assess and act on feedback. She has systematically tested just about every object in the house to see if it will be stable enough for her to use. Thinking about this for the classroom, we need to allow learners free range on their environment, time to test and freedom to explore.
Next she has self assessed and acted on feedback received. She has given up on going to some objects and favourited others. This was achievable through her willingness to repeat her actions hundreds of times to make sure she was making the correct evaluation. For our classrooms we might need to allow many many opportunities for our learners. Sometimes I was too quick to move on and didn't allow the time that some learners would have wanted. I controlled the pace. Silly mistake.

So, lessons from a baby. Learning occurs when and where she is involved. Sure, we've modelled standing, not deliberately, but she has been watching. She has worked out things on her own. We praise her and clap our hands and tell her how clever she is. Because she is. It's genuine.
I'm thinking what other lessons we can learn from babies.

Day three of 28. I won't bore you with more baby stories. Promise.

Key Competencies for the future

#28daysofwriting entry 2:

This book has been sitting on my desk at work for a while. It's common for me to have 3 or 4 different texts on the go. I prefer to read a bit, put it away, muse and then maybe read some more - as opposed to reading something cover to cover. A colleague borrowed the book when they realised I wasn't actually reading it and now I have it back. The title alone captivates me. Key Competencies are something I truly believe in from our curriculum.
Ideally, I'd like a school curriculum based on the KCs. A teacher identifies a KC that might be lacking in their class and designs an inquiry around it that focuses on learners practising that particular KC. Alternatively
At our school we have 5 values that are linked to the KCs - Respect, Communication, Life Long Learning, Contribution and Self Worth. These brought together make up our "Bridge to Life". (Read more about this here)
I think that the KCs can sometime be a little ignored with our assessment practices focusing on National Standards a lot of the time.
What I'm starting to think and talk about is the link between being competent at the KCs and achieving well in regards to National Standards.
At our school we had awards for students who had achieve well in each of the 5 values on the Bridge to Life. We put their photo on a wall of fame in our library/hall area. When we looked at those photos we realised that every one of them (about 20 students) were all either "above" or "at" standard for their year group. It dawned on us then that perhaps there's a link. Seems obvious now I know.
What it takes though is a "mental flip" from viewing the KCs as something that sits beside or even as an extra element to that of viewing the KCs as something pervasive, central and pivotal for a learner.

I'm wondering now how my views shape up against those of the authors of the book. Time to begin reading.

Also - wanted to mention how much I've enjoyed reading other posts from those who have shared #28daysofwriting via Twitter. I can see already that it's freeing not worrying too much about what I'm saying, and just getting ideas on here.

The Guide vs the Farmer

I read a recent post claiming that "the guide on the side" position currently put forward as good practice needs to be reconsidered as the teacher should be at the centre of things and a new idea was put forward to consider - the teacher as farmer.
I've thought about it. Here's why I think a guide is going to work better than a farmer as an analogy in education.
A farmer controls just about everything that happens on their farm - apart from weather. They buy stock they want, sell stock they don't want, put fences in place to stop stock movement and drench everything. Hmm. I'm not convinced I want to be in their room as a learner. Drench, drench, drench. Weigh, weigh, weigh.
For me, I want a guide. Someone who has expertise and will offer it to me when asked and when they see I might need it.
Here's my analogy. I'm a novice tourist - never been out of NZ. I wish to go somewhere exotic and different to home. My travel guide should inform me of unsafe places that I would want to avoid. They should listen to what I'm telling them and then ask more questions to find out more about a suitable destination. They may make suggestions and offer me brochures. I get to make the final decision though - not them.
A local guide can be handy when in a new and unfamiliar place. This local expert knows people, hidden gems and the language. This local guide may have been suggested by my travel guide. Ideal!
While visiting my destination I might take a guided tour  - headphones on - where I'm able to pause while I ponder, fast forward past the boring part or rewind to hear it again. It suits my pace and my interests.
Now - here's where my guide is useful again. After my travels they find out about my experience  - what worked, what didn't, what I enjoyed etc, so that the next novice tourist is given this information too.
I'm now no longer a novice. I've travelled a bit. I still need a guide, but less so. I've learned from my first experience and want to make some changes- longer here, less time there, learn more local language etc etc/ I need to be guided, but I'm not entirely dependent.
Eventually, I'm able to self-guide my own travels.

I'm excited about the concept of  learners as explorers and teachers as guides.

(I'd be willing to talk to a teacher/farmer who is willing to go free range perhaps)

Will I be able to write something everyday for 28 days?

Exploring in 2015

Our "non-contact" time is almost over and while our thoughts are never far from work, it's now that we're looking to cement priorities, welcome new staff and get the year off to a great start.
I've done teachers only days for the past 20 years - I can still remember my first one in 1994 as a first year teacher. We did first aid and the rest was just confusing. I was NOT ready for big picture stuff. I was consumed with what I was actually going to do on day one with my class. Sitting next to me was my tutor teacher who'd been in the game longer than I'd been breathing, Imagine trying to meet the range of needs. My contention is that they weren't.
So as the new year begins, I'm mindful that my role is to inspire. Staff have identified their own goals from appraisal last year and we're all on the journey of personalising learning at our school.
Phillipa Antipas (@AKeenReader) tweeted about her word for the year. This concept caught my attention and I think it's really powerful. It will keep me focused. My word is EXPLORE. 
I will be exploring while on sabbatical in Term 1. I'm wanting to visit schools that are doing similar things to us - creating Explorers of learning through a self-guiding approach. I want to synthesise the ideas and practise that I see and create something useful for schools to use who might be starting their own exploration of creating self-guided learners. (this might be a wiki or google site)
So, when we gather together as a staff next week, I'll be talking about the concept of Explorers. How we can be explorers as staff and how students can become explorers of their own learning.
To back this up - we're not having traditional staff meetings where all staff get the same PD. We're creating PLNs within the staff that will be self-selected. Each staff member will lead one - they don't have to be an expert - the idea is that those in the PLN will explore together. This new initiative has me excited and nervous at the same time. I view this as a major shift from previous practice in PD. We have a year to explore how this goes.