32 weeks down and the final assignment!
My Mindlab journey has been enjoyable in
places and quite rocky in others. My main focus for taking this on was I had
seen first hand with a colleague at school what some of it was about as I was
her ‘go to’ person for all the ICT support she needed to get through it. I
supported her understanding of the technologies that were being swiftly
introduced and trying to implement them in her classroom. For her it was
inspiring and encouraging to watch her start to implement technology in the
classroom with a new found understanding and interest. For her, the first
intake of Mindlab was successful. I was encouraged by my boss to take it on for
the ‘paper’ that it offered. I was skeptical as I did point out that I clearly
didn't need a ‘paper’ to prove my skills in technology as they had employed me
without a paper as the eLearning Director in the school. However, take it on I
did.
Osterman & Kotkamp (1993) stated that “awareness
is essential for behavioral change. To gain a new level of insight into
personal behavior, the reflective practitioner assumes a dual stance, being, on
one hand, the actor in a drama and, on the other hand, the critic who sits in
the audience watching and analyzing the entire performance.” (p.2)
In a lot of respects I think Mindlab has grown
too fast and too quickly to cope with the myriad of students at different
levels requiring different interactions with the staff. There are a lot of
issues that have arisen this intake rather than the previous one; according to
continued conversations with my colleague who had already done it. However,
some positives did arise.
For the most part the collaboration and new
found friendships I have built from the Mindlab experience are by far the best
positives. I am keen and hopeful that the friendships I have built over the 32
weeks will continue and thrive. I did enjoy being a support to other
Mindlabbers particularly in the technology area, however this also put added
pressures on me during assignments and being a full-time teacher – very hard to
keep up the momentum of keeping on top of teacher requirements and Mindlab
requirements.
I was disappointed that the one aspect of
Mindlab that I was most keen to do was scooted over very swiftly – blink and
you’d miss it. Week 3 was my week…except it wasn’t. I was most excited to learn
the ‘how to’ of Aurasma. However all I got was what I already knew, not a ‘how
to’ at all. Disappointing. Week 6 was an enlightening week. Understanding and
delving into different leadership styles was interesting and quite eye opening
too. It never hurts to understand different styles and ways of working. It
indicated to me my leadership style and the one I was aspiring to be. This
improved my practice in the way I utilised my time as an ICT facilitator in the
school – always a bonus when positive change occurs. “A facilitative transformational leadership style
also encouraged frequent reflective dialogues. This supports the general idea
that transformational school leaders can create a learning organization and can
stimulate teachers to innovate and take risks” (Bryk et al., 1999)
The experience of using a
varying model of learning; traditional verses online, was suitable for this
purpose and enjoyable on my part. I thoroughly enjoyed the weekly sessions
catching up with my fellow Mindlab Madge’s at the Mindlab. I also relished the
online reflective section as this is an area I am very comfortable with and
have engaged in for many many years. However, I do know that this was a large
stress to some Mindlabbers and doesn't suit everyone – enter me the supporter,
the teacher and the lead workshopper that supported and taught a number of
students so they could achieve this section of the paper. As Osterman &
Kotkamp quoted (1993) “In the reflective practice model, the learner’s role is
far more active: “The practitioner becomes a researcher. . . and engages in a
continuing process of self-education” (Schon, 1983, p. 299). In doing so, the
learner assumes a central position, and the model of instructor as expert gives
way to that of the instructor as facilitator.” (p. 15)
The biggest change in my practice has
surprisingly come from the most difficult and taxing part of my Mindlab journey
– the dreaded Literature Review. This was the hardest and most stressful aspect
for me personally as I hate writing formally and always had trouble with it
since my school days moving into College. However, I did enjoy understanding
how Mindset and Mindfulness are interlinked and can be utilised in the
classroom, so following the Lit Review and entering into the Teacher Inquiry
segment I found myself planning a programme for testing the effectiveness of
this learning. I think having colleagues on board who are as excited as me to
implement my programme at the beginning of next year is thrilling and
energising. Implementing a programme of Mindfulness, Growth Mindset and
understanding the brain fits perfectly with the Ministry’s Practising Teacher criteria
in a number of areas:
- Criterion 2: Demonstrate commitment to
promoting the well-being of ākonga.
- Criterion 4: Demonstrate commitment to ongoing
professional learning and development of professional personal practice.
- Criterion 6: Conceptualise, plan, and
implement an appropriate learning programme.
- Criterion 7: Promote a collaborative,
inclusive, and supportive learning environment.
- Criterion 8: Demonstrate in practice their
knowledge and understanding of how ākonga learn.
- Criterion 9: Respond effectively to the
diverse and cultural experiences and the varied strengths, interests, and
needs of individuals and groups of ākonga.
It’s only October and heavily into report
writing but I am already excited about the year ahead and really putting my
teeth into Carol Dweck’s Growth Mindset and seeing if as Dweck states (2012)
that "In a fixed mindset students believe their basic abilities, their
intelligence, their talents, are just fixed traits. Their goal becomes to look
smart all the time and never look dumb. In a growth mindset students understand
that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort, good teaching
and persistence. They believe everyone can get smarter if they work at it”
(p.2)
While I went through many mindsets/attitudes and behaviour changes during my Mindlab journey - I can at least say thank heavens I have come out the otherside a better Educator and a better person.
My new focus for professional development
will be to find out what is required for the next paper so that I can use this
Post Graduate paper towards another achievement. Is it achievable while in
full-time employment? Hopefully it won’t be quite as full on as this paper and
that it is doable. I am both relieved and pleased I have survived the
experience and come out with some very pleasing grades [some of the best of my
career] the elation of completion is like nothing else.
Roll on graduation day!
References:
Dweck, C. S. (2012). Mindset - How You Can Fulfil Your Potential. Random House.
Morehead, J. (2012). Stanford University’s Carol Dweck on the Growth Mindset and Education. Retrieved from http://onedublin.org/2012/06/19/stanford-universitys-carol-dweck-on-the-growth-mindset-and-education/
Osterman, K. F., & Kottkamp, R. B. (1993). Rethinking professional development. Reflective Practice For Educators, 2–17. Retrieved from http://www.itslifejimbutnotasweknowit.org.uk/files/RefPract/Osterman_Kottkamp_extract.pdf
TKI, & Ministry of Education. (2015). http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/Practising-Teacher-Criteria-and-e-learning. Retrieved from http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/
Since mid-Janaury one has had to sneak around my deck due to a thrush or a blackbird building his/her nest right on the vine on my fence.
I
am reminded on an incident nearly 10 years ago now….when I first decided to
have a Teacher profile on Facebook as well as a private Facebook account. So many children [even though they shouldn't
be on Facebook, they are] want to keep in touch with teachers – my decision rested
on using it for educational purposes and continuing to educate students even
after they’d left my classroom. It also opened up the conversation with
students within my class to feel comfortable discussing issues with me. Now I
am fully aware that they shouldn't have been on Facebook as the requirement is
being 13 years or over, however, I am also not going to be an ostrich and stick
my head in the sand and think it’s not happening when it clearly is. An
incident arose in quiet conversation where a female student asked me how to
stop someone from requesting friendship via Facebook. She had been approached a
number of times by the same male whom she did not know. Am I pleased she felt
comfortable enough to talk to me YES! Am I grateful she knew I had a Facebook
page and knowledge of the Privacy settings YES! Should she have been able to
discuss it with her family YES! But she didn’t……too often students feel more
comfortable discussing personal things with unrelated people – in this case I
am relieved she could ask for help and that I could help her deal with the
situation and stop it happening again.
Henderson,
Auld & Johnson (2014) stated that “the ethical issues are largely founded
on the understanding that both students and teachers have lifeworlds outside of
school that are characterized by complex identities, social practices, and
discourse that influence how they engage or disengage with each other and with
social media texts such as Facebook” (p.2)
