With great power comes great responsibility...

Photo credit:
http://imgfave.com/view/2544391

In the last week of term 3, I had asked my class for quiet for further instructions by saying "Fingers on lips".  This came from a TV programme I once watched, and I have a quiet chuckle to myself when my class follows the instruction (so far it has always worked).  After I had given the instructions, one of my Year 6 boys came up to me and said it looked like the class was picking their noses.  We both had a laugh, until I said, "If I asked you to do that, you probably would" to which he replied quietly, "Yeah, we probably would." Although it was a joke, it made us both stop and think...

Hall (2001) states that "teaching in school has long been considered a moral activity" and that teachers have the ability to influence young people (p 1).  This brings up an interesting question - whose morals are teachers following?  Every family, culture, nation has their own moral code that they follow, so in the day-to-day running of a classroom which morals do teachers follow?

In New Zealand, the Education Council has set up a Code of Ethics for all certificated teachers to follow.  There are four fundamental principles that govern professional interactions of teachers:

• Autonomy
• Justice 
• Responsible care
• Truth

Also, the Code of Ethics states four ways to apply these principles:

1. Commitment to learners
2. Commitment to parents/guardians and family/whanau
3. Commitment to society
4. Commitment to the profession

These guiding principles are there for teachers to use to remind themselves of what there commitments are.  They can be used to help those who find themselves in an ethical dilemma, as the code states how the obligations can be fulfilled.

Ethical dilemmas are, by definition, full of conflicting thoughts and ideas.  As an educator we are faced with a multitude of ethical dilemmas.  We are in loco parentis to a large group of children.  We have the responsibility not only to educate them in the content of the curriculum, but to educate them socially as well.  This in itself becomes an ethical dilemma - should teachers be responsible for responsible for students social skills?  

An ethical dilemma that most schools and educators are currently facing is how to educate students within an online world.  Which sites are most appropriate?  Should students be on YouTube?  Should students be using social media?

It is important that teachers take in consideration parents/guardians opinions, but also the commitment to the learners in your class/school.  This is a huge responsibility.

References:

Education Council. (n.d). The Education Council Code of Ethics for Certficated Teachers. Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/content/code-of-ethics-certificated-teachers-0

Hall, A. (2001). What ought I do, all things considered? An approach to the exploration of ethical problems by teachers. Paper presented at the IIPE Conference, Brisbane.  Retrieved from  http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Developing-leaders/What-Ought-I-to-Do-All-Things-Considered-An-Approach-to-the-Exploration-of-Ethical-Problems-by-Teachers


photo credit: Clint Hamada With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility via photopin (license)

He aha te mea nui o te ao, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata

He aha te mea nui o te ao 
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata
(Maori proverb)

A few years ago I travelled to see Uluru.  It was breath-taking.  What really interested me though was the short tour I was able to go on with a local Aboriginal guide.  He spoke of the cultural significance of Uluru, told us the local legends of the area, and then he spoke about how he was working to put together a curriculum for schools to teach students about their local Aboriginal culture.  That really knocked me for six - it was 2013 and there was no curriculum for learning about Aboriginal culture?

Not long after that trip, I met with my aunt who was visiting my parents.  I was wearing a t-shirt with
the colours written in Maori (as seen on the right).  When she asked me what it meant, I told her it was "the colour song" which she replied, "What song?"

This made me wonder if our curriculum was effective - were we really giving the Maori culture and language a fair go in our classrooms and in our society?

I teach at a small school that has predominantly Maori and Pasifika learners ( 57% and 36% respectively).  It has been a focus of our school to make sure we are including our student's cultures and language into our everyday programmes, and to create relationships with our students, parents and whanau.

In his video, Russell Bishop spoke about the teachers who can make a difference for Maori learners.  He spoke of teachers who have agency - teachers who understand themselves and are able to incorporate all of the necessary things to create a learning context where Maori students can bring themselves and their knowledge to the conversation, and reject deficit thinking/theorising.  Russell Bishop also spoke about how these teachers are not enough by themselves, they need support from their schools and the government, they need professional development to be able to carry on their work.  This is the type of teacher that I strive to be.

This year our school has begun working on the PB4L contract.  Through this work, we have had to closely look at and discuss our school values, goals, and vision.  What I believe has worked well so far on this project, is the inclusion of the students' thoughts and opinions.  The students are becoming more involved in the process and what is happening around the school.

One way that we have found that makes students feel a sense of belonging is our House groups.  We have four 'houses' that are made up from our student and teacher population.  We foster a sense of whanaungatanga with these houses.  Students are encouraged to participate for their house.  Families are kept together in the same house, and older students are encouraged to look after the younger students in a familiar way.  Over the past few years we have found that students have become more willing to help others, particularly those younger than them, in the playground - which I believe stems from the fostering of whanaungatanga.  This system appears to be working well for us, however it is under constant review to see if it can be any more effective.

Another way we foster whanaungatanga is through collaborative learning.  In the senior school this year we have started Robotics groups.  Each group consists of students from Years 5 to 8.  The interaction between the students is interesting to observe.  When the groups began the older students tended to take over, however as time has past you can see most groups working effectively together with age not being a barrier.

It is my belief that all teachers have a responsibility to include culturally responsive pedagogy into their everyday teaching practice.  Our students have an amazing amount of knowledge to share with us and each other.  It is important that they have the chance to share that knowledge and have it valued.

Photo credit: http://www.sliptalk.com/amazing-quotes-2/

References

Edtalks.(2012, September 23). A culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. [video file].Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/49992994

Underneath it all, we are all MacGyver

I read a quote in the Education Review Office (2014) report that made me mad.

"New Zealand prides itself on its child-centred approach to learning, yet ERO's        national evaluations would suggest that practice is not matching rhetoric." (p13)

At first I was furious! How dare they say that.  But after time to think, and read a bit more, I understood what they meant - data (National Standards/NCEA) is becoming more important to some schools than the students and what they need to learn.  How can this be changed?  What can we, as classroom teachers or school leaders, do?

MacGyver: The Maker Movement personified

The Maker Movement is an innovative approach to learning, with roots in the learning theories of constructivism and constructionism. Globally, educators are turning to this approach to learning in order to incorporate all areas of the curriculum and 21st century skills/key competencies.  The Maker Movement "values human passion, capability, and the ability to make things happen and solve problems anywhere, anytime" (Martinez and Stager, 2014 p13).  

The student, or maker, is the centre of this approach.  The Maker construct their knowledge as they create artifacts that have real-world value.  This knowledge construction is done in both formal or informal settings, with adults and children working together.  Classrooms that "celebrate the process of design and making...produce students who start to believe they can solve any problem" (Martinez & Stager, 2014 p13).  This brings the student back to the centre of the learning focus.

Through my own experience of using a Maker approach with my Year 5 and 6 students, I have seen my students become more collaborative, more able to solve their own problems.  Students who did not previously choose to work together (unless made to) are now having discussions about how to use equipment and what they think could work better.  Students are talking to each other more, asking each other for help rather than expecting me (the teacher) to just give them the answer.  Now when I say that I don't know something I'm always told "Well have you tried looking it up yet Miss?"  My students are beginning to come to the realisation that they

can make their own knowledge, they don't need to rely on me to give them what they need to know - but they know that I'm there to back them up and help them if they get stuck.

Educators have the responsibility to help our students navigate the changes in how the education system works for them.  Our students have the challenge of not knowing exactly what jobs/occupations will be available to them when they leave the education system in 10-15 years.  I believe that by embracing the Maker Movement in our schools, our students will be more prepared for the unknown - they will be problem solvers, they will be able to collaborate effectively with others, they will be able to manage themselves appropriately for the situation.  By embracing the Maker Movement the future will be less uncertain than it would be otherwise, our students will be prepared for the unexpected.  Our students will be like MacGyver.  

References:

Education Review Office. (2014).  Evaluation at a Glance: Priority Learners in New Zealand Schools.  Retrieved 27 September from http://www.ero.govt.nz/publications/evaluation-at-a-glance-priority-learners-in-new-zealand-schools/ 

Martinez, S. & Stager, G. (2014).  The maker movement: a learning revolution. Learning & Leading with Technology 41(7) pp 12-17.  Retrieved 27 September from http://www.iste.org/learn/publications/learning-leading

photo credit: classic_film Richard Dean Anderson, MacGyver, "The Wish Child," 1986 via photopin (license)

What's up in my world... (Current issues in my professional context)

The relief that was felt in our staffroom in November 2014 was immense.  We received our decile rating change - dropping from a 4 to 1B.  It wasn't the money side of things that we were relieved about (although we knew that would be great!), it was the multitude of programmes that we were now eligible for that got us most excited - KidsCan, Duffy books, Fruit in Schools for starters.  We knew that "our kids" needed extra help to achieve their potential.

Our students receiving jackets from KidsCan and the
NZ Warriors (Wed 24 Aug 2016)

One of the most pressing issues facing our school currently is the low attendance rates across the school.  Over the past 3 terms, attendance rates have been monitored with term averages for classes being between 80 - 90%, and a few students with attendance rates below 70%.  To begin countering this issue we have put the following ideas into action:

• building positive relationships with parents and whanau
• Being involving in programmes,such as Kids Can, Fruit in Schools, Milk in Schools
• extrinsic motivation, in the form of "prizes" for attending school each day for a week
• senior students (Years 5 - 8) and parents being made aware of how much school they have missed through conversations, letters home
• investigating different teaching pedagogies and learning styles that will engage students

APA (2016) states that students from low SES households and communities develop academic skills at a lower rate than those from higher SES households/communities.  This is one reason why the current attendance rates are so alarming.  Not only are our students missing out on learning opportunities, but research has showed that they may have delays in their learning. 

Alongside of the attendance issue, we also have a high level of transience.  Just under half of our school roll have started at our school within the last 12 months.  These are not 5 year olds - these students are spread throughout our classes from Year 1 through to Year 8.  The high rent within the Auckland housing market is one reason behind students moving.  Within the past 3 terms I have had two students from my class having to move out of their houses due to the landlords selling.  Luckily these students are still about to continue to come to our school - but with a significant distance to travel.  

Snook and O'Neill (2014) discuss the varying opinions on the correlation of students SES and their educational achievement.  I somewhat agree that some students who have grown up in a low SES household are disadvantaged when they begin their formal education.  These students may not have the chance to participate in extra curricular activities that broaden student's learning opportunities.  

As their teacher, I believe that it is part of my responsibility to ensure that their time in our class is full of learning experiences that cover all curriculum areas and expose the students to different ways of learning.  While in my class I want all of 'my kids' to be engaged and motivated to learn, I want them to want to come to school everyday.  Unfortunately the high transience levels are something that is out of our hands, however I believe that if students are settled, achieving to their potential and are enjoying going to school, parents will try to keep their children in the school.

References

APA. (2016). Education and Socioeconomic Status. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/education.aspx

Snook, I. & O'Neill, J. (2014). Poverty and inequality of educational achievement. In V. Carpenter & S. Osborne. (Eds).  Twelve Thousand Hours: Education and Poverty in Aotearoa New Zealand (pp. 19-43) Auckland, New Zealand:Dunmore Publishing

Who are my people?

Humans are social creatures.  We gravitate towards others who we see as having similar goals/values/mindsets.  Throughout our lives we move in social groups - family, whanau, friends, colleagues. These social groups are often also groups from which we learn skills and values we use in our lives.  So this begs the question - who belongs to my Communities of Practice?

My main work-based Community of Practice consists of my teaching colleagues at school.  We are a small staff, who are very supportive of each other.  We have all taught students at a variety of levels, and are able to understand and empathise with each other.  Reflecting on why we seem to work so well as a Community of Practice, I look towards the article written by Wenger (2000).

Wenger (2000) states there are three elements that define the competency of a community of practice (p. 229).

1.  Members are bound together by their collectively developed understanding of what their community is about and hold each other accountable -  there is a sense of joint enterprise.

2.  Build their community through mutual engagement; interacting with each other, establishing relationships and trust.

3.  Build a shared repertoire of resources and use it appropriately- language, routines, artefacts, tools, stories, etc.

When reflecting on these three competencies, it is clear that our teaching staff have a strong Community of Practice.  With such a small teaching staff, it is vital that everybody is about to interact positively with each other.  Everyone works towards a shared vision.  This is true for larger schools as well, however at a small school there is nowhere to hide - everyone is accountable all of the time.  When stressful times occur, members of our COP work together making sure everyone is able to get through and achieve what needs to be achieved.

Of the seven teaching staff members, four have been teaching in the school together for six years or more.  The trust in each other that has been developed over the years is essential for a community to work successfully.  These four members have had to work together through difficult times, helping each other achieve their work and personal goals.  The three newer members have similar values and work ethic which has made it easy to assimilate these members into the Community of Practice.

The third element has been enhanced this year with our school starting on PB4L (Positive Behaviour for Learning).  We are consolidating our shared language and routines around our school.  We share stories with each other, either for venting purposes or to ask for help and ideas.  We are all open with each other - we want each other to reach their potential.

I've always known that our school was special.  The people (staff, Board of Trustees and students) work hard to help each other.  The article by Wenger cements the idea that our little community is as good as we all believe it is.


References

Wenger, E.(2000). Communities of practice and social learning systems. Organization,7(2), 225-246