This is a reflective blog about my journey as a learner and as a teacher. Posts will be based on moments of inspiration from my students, peers and myself.
There are many different styles of leadership. Each is effective in it's own way, delivered by different people in different scenario's. This year I have taken special notice of different leadership styles in action. I have found that by observing, really observing, and analysing the what's, why's how's when's and who's of each situation, that I am lucky to be working with some effective leaders. No one get's everything right, all of the time. Through observation and reflection, I have found three quotes to be true. I've also experienced a leadership model I'd like to aspire to.
Recently while engaged in a discussion with a colleague, the issue of personality impacting on performance and perspective was raised. By that I mean that when discussing learning behaviour and behaviour in general, the impact that they both have on each other is undeniable. Whether positively or negatively, the two are intertwined and form a cycle. Each feeding the other, and we as people first, educators second are affected by this.
The trick for me is to learn to focus clearly on what I am looking for, and not being distracted by what I know is also there.
Take the classic painting of the Mona Lisa. While viewing the whole picture, it is easy to be impressed with the work. It is after all, a famous painting by a famous artist with a wonderful reputation.
However, upon closer inspection one can see that there are cracks in the masterpiece.
Regardless of the reason for the cracks, be they the age of the work, poor materials or poor craftsmanship (for arguments sake), they are there and are noticeable. If we step back to look at the painting again, are you able to ignore the cracks and convince yourself that your knowledge of the painting is as it was before noticing them. Or, like me do you get caught in fixing your gaze on the affected area to point out the cracks.
With the students in my class, I'm trying to manage the balance of understanding there are 'cracks' (learning gaps, behaviour issues, personal issues) in the masterpiece sitting before me, managing the environment and activities to allow the masterpiece to be acknowledged while managing specific moments to constructively, discretely and positively fill in the cracks. To achieve this balance, I need to remind myself that it's ok to step back, pretend that the cracks aren't there and admire my students for the masterpieces that they are.
The majority of students in our class are able to complete their follow up learning tasks independently. Some of them are capable of deep critical thinking and are utilising these skills in their discussion of what they are learning. Others have become comfortable in their understanding of learning expectations. As an example, in writing, some students are meeting their specific learning goals while slipping or stagnating in areas they were strong in. Students may be becoming blase in their work standards because they feel they may be repetitious and boring. They perceive the tasks to be easy, despite not completing them fully and meeting success criteria. It could be time for me to spark things up. Include Blooms Taxonomy to extend critical thinking for those comfortable with DeBono's Thinking Hats. Perhaps I could include more offline follow up tasks. Things that include drawing, writing, recording or performing their responses to learning. I have probably fallen into the trap of placing 'Learn, Create, Share' into the total digital category, thus making digital activities the 'be all and end all' of follow up learning. It is important for me to step back, reflect upon the interests and abilities of the students under my care, and investigate a variety of media based learning tasks to stimulate learning.
In almost every one of my twenty-two years in teaching, there has been discussion and focus on Maori achievement. The term, by it's very intention infers that there is concern regarding non-achievement of Maori students. We have focused on 'the brown tail' with intensive teaching, testing, monitoring and analysis of results. Over the period of my teaching career this extra focus on teaching, data collection, analysis and hypothesising has produced generally minor shifts in achievement. Even the advent of teaching with 1-1 digital devices, although in it's fledgling stages, appears to have minimal impact on Maori achievement data. I have also yet to experience, or been informed of an effective curriculum guide (for non-speakers of Maori) for the teaching and learning of Te Reo Maori in schools. Here we have an official language of our country (let's be honest and call it the original language) and yet there is no way yet of officially incorporating it into the curriculum. I have recently begun encouraging my students, representing a range of Pasifika culture to converse with each other in their first languages. A few are excited by this and are beginning to do so. An unexpected spinoff is that one of these students already demonstrates a more confident approach to sharing her learning, including incorporating Te Reo Maori translation. Upon deeper reflection: 1. With Tikanga and Reo intertwined, shouldn't the structured teaching, learning, use, and therefore honouring of Te Reo me ona Tikanga Maori in schools provide disenfranchised Maori students with a stronger sense of self, thus increasing their mana? 2. Would it not be a logical consequence that those students who are more aware of who they are, and confident in their place be willing to take risks and contribute more as students, causing an increase in achievement levels? 3. If this is as simple as it sounds, can someone please direct me to a resource that enables me to teach Te Reo me on Tikanga Maori effectively? It would provide teachers throughout Aotearoa with a genuine tool, which I believe is vital to helping our students succeed.
In the movie, The Empire Strikes Back, Yoda is trying to teach Luke how to use the force, something he has never done before. While Luke becomes adept at smaller tasks, such as moving stones, he is aware at the big challenge, his ultimate goal of raising his ship out of a swamp is too much for his capabilities. He becomes frustrated and stops believing that he will ever be able to achieve it.
A trend in education is visible learning. It has benefits in that class displays are present which show the students next learning steps in the curriculum areas that National Standards are measured in. Students are able to identify the stage of learning they are at, and the next step for them to continue progressing, learning and improving.
Contradictory to this is another visible learning display which tells students their stage of achievement in relation to national standards. A child who has learning needs and sits below or well below national standards is reminded daily of the fact that they are not achieving. Each year, as the National Standard goalposts shift, regardless of how hard the student works or improves, they are always chasing the standard. A standard that will always be out of reach. A standard that is the ONLY thing they are judged on when assessing and reporting achievement is undertaken.
Herein lies the dichotomy of being a classroom Primary School teacher. On one hand we are encouraging students to focus on next learning steps, yet we don't report to the Ministry on this. League tables published in national publications don't reflect growth and improvement in student progress. Our value and worth as educators is not judged on fostering a love of learning, or creative learning tasks. It is judged primarily on how many students are above the target. It relates, in a negative sense, to Yoda's words, "Do, or do not. There is no try."
It has become increasingly difficult to serve two masters. Fortunately I work in a school where teachers and management are positive, creative practitioners. Being surrounded by people with these qualities makes it easier to do what it takes every day to plan for, teach towards and celebrate the small learning steps each student makes along the way.
An old quote goes "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is."
Yoda raises the ship from the swamp. Showing Luke that it is possible for the task to be achieved.
Luke: "I don't believe it." Yoda responds with, "And that is why you fail."
In my opinion, while National Standards are probably the easiest way for the Ministry of Education to track and present achievement data, and are what my success as a teacher are externally judged on, the thought of them doesn't enter my head at any stage of any day that I'm working with my students. They are irrelevant. As someone charged with nurturing children, why would I want to have that in their faces everyday as well? As an adult, having a reminder everyday that you're not considered good enough would kill off any trace of a growth mindset. What would that do to a child?
The best way to foster a love of learning, is to remove the barriers to self belief, and focus on small improvement steps. In a choice between students and targets, I choose the students. The National Standards, are coming off the wall.
"Work with one maths group per day." They said. "Organise your class into larger instructional groups across different levels." They said. "Dissect, discuss, analyse and share strategies amongst the group for one problem an hour." They said. "Sounds ridiculous. " I said. "How will this affect testing results?" I asked. "Can't see it working. Don't want to do it." I said. Well, I'm sold. Our recent 'talk moves' PLD in maths (also known as Bobbie Maths) encourages the students to use strategies they are comfortable with, on paper to solve problems. Then they are encouraged to share their problem solving thinking, with other students being asked to listen, repeat, rephrase and identify common threads and links between each students strategic thinking actually improves the students' confidence to share their ideas. Another major shift away from tradition strategy instructional thinking is 'think time'. After discussing the problem so the students are all clear in what they have to achieve, the students are given up to 5 minutes to think about how they can solve the problem, and to trial a range of strategies they know in order to solve it. THIS is difficult because it no longer requires the teacher to deliver the specific strategy of correct the students with implicit direction. Instead, the teacher now has the time to analyse what each child is doing and how they are thinking. This provides a framework in the teacher's mind for the group sharing which is to follow. My students and I are enjoying this style of teaching and learning. Students are more engaged in their learning and are developing confidence in asking each other questions, removing the 'fear of being wrong or looking stupid' when asking the teacher. It's still a work in progress. Watch this space...
