REFLECTION 8: CHANGES IN MY PRACTICE

Having undertaken this 32 week journey (in truth it’s been a little longer as I needed an extension to complete the course), I absolutely agree with Osterman and Kottkamp (1993)’s assertion that reflective practice can lead to change in behaviours via self-awareness. The professional learning and development I have experienced through evaluating my practices has been tremendous. I’ve been engaged and inspired, frustrated and challenged, and I have gained a deeper understanding of the influences on my practice than I could have imagined. I feel I’m more ‘programmed’ to constantly ask – what am I doing, why am I doing it, how shall I do it?

Osterman and Kottkamp (1993) make an important point about the nature of reflection. I concur that rather than a solitary process, reflection should be collaborative. To me it seems if you only reflect alone, then you’re simply reflecting within the confines of the boundaries you have established for yourself; whereas a more collaborative approach allows you to break out of the confines of the box  and gain greater awareness and insight.

Thinking about reflective practice got me thinking about the many models through which I could evaluate my practices. One that really resonated with me was by Linda Lawrence-Wilkes, author of 'The Reflective Practitioner in Professional Education'. She focuses on how important it is to be a reflective practitioner in education today - "When I overcome my (many) barriers to learning and take on board new knowledge, I recognise new connections leading to new insights. A liberating process that empowers me to make the changes needed to be more successful in life and relationships. Today, I would see myself as a follower of critical theory and devotee of building critical skills to underpin emancipated thinking for intellectual liberation." (Business Balls, n.d.)

In the New Zealand education context, the Ministry of Education (n.d.) also provides a framework within which to reflect on our educational practices, such as the 12 Practising Teacher Criteria (PTC) in e-learning, which establish guidelines for our professional relationships and values.

• Criteria 1: Establish and maintain effective professional relationships focused on the learning and well-being of all ākonga.
• Criteria 2: Demonstrate commitment to promoting the well-being of ākonga.
• Criteria 3: Demonstrate commitment to bicultural partnership in Aotearoa / New Zealand.
• Criteria 4: Demonstrate commitment to ongoing professional learning and development of professional personal practice.
• Criteria 5: Show leadership that contributes to effective teaching and learning. Professional knowledge in practice.
• Criteria 6: Conceptualise, plan, and implement an appropriate learning programme.
• Criteria 7: Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive learning environment.
• Criteria 8: Demonstrate in practice their knowledge and understanding of how ākonga learn.
• Criteria 9: Respond effectively to the diverse and cultural experiences and the varied strengths, interests, and needs of individuals and groups of ākonga.
• Criteria 10: Work effectively within the bicultural context of Aotearoa NZ.
• Criteria 11: Analyse and appropriately use assessment and information, which has been gathered formally and informally.
• Criteria 12: Use critical inquiry and problem-solving effectively in their professional practice. 

Many key changes in my practice have taken place in relation to the Practising Teacher Criteria (PTC) in e-learning. Two areas I have looked at in particular are Criteria 3 and 5.

Criterion 3: Demonstrate commitment to bicultural partnership in Aotearoa / New Zealand.

I have for as long as I have been teaching had a commitment to improving my knowledge, skills and understanding of Te Reo, Tikanga and Ahuatanga and incorporating these into my classroom. However, I now have a greater awareness of the key role of Kaupapa Maori in not just the delievery of my instructions but in the planning of my programmes.

So where to next for my culturally-responsive journey?

My goal is to improve my focus on Maori Achieving Success as Maori (MASAM) by engaging more with Maori education strategies such as Te Kotahitanga, Ka Hikitia and Tataiako Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Maori Learners. What will be especially helpful is the MASAM self-review framework I came across. (Tawhiwhirangi & Bond, n.d.). Consequently, I hope to personalise learning for, and with, Māori learners, and to ensure they enjoy educational success as Māori. 

Criteria 5: Show leadership that contributes to effective teaching and learning.

The Mind Lab journey has helped give me a valuable insight into my leadership. The Leadership 1 assessment was an eye-opener into how I approach the leadership of my department in particular. In a team of 3, with my two colleagues being PCTs, I wasn’t quite prepared for how crucial it was for me to evaluate my leadership style and practices, in particular my skills as an HOD and an appraiser, which left me with quite a ‘next steps’ list.

So where to next for my leadership journey?

I’ve requested HOD and Appraiser training as a professional development focus in 2018. I want to especially focus on:

• Supporting the development of others effectively
• Achieving a balance between providing support and encouraging independence and promoting self-efficacy 
• Managing personnel and team dynamics
• Building a positive and professional learning culture in the department
• Providing difficult feedback while maintaining positive relationships
• Building within the department a commitment to teacher inquiry, with department members seeing it as a vital part of professional growth to transform teaching and learning practices

Finally, a thank you – to my colleague, Mind Lab buddy and friend Miriam Comeskey for the support, insight and endless pedagogical discussions. Your open, forward-thinking approach to teaching and learning has been enriching.

Nga mihi nui to all who have played a role in my Mind Lab journey.

It really is all about: Haere Whakamua Hoki Whakamuri ~ Going Forward Thinking Back

Reference List:

Business Balls. Reflective Practice (n.d.). retrieved from https://www.businessballs.com/self-awareness/reflective-practice-1824/

Learning with Digital Technologies for Māori and Pasifika Learners (n.d.) What exactly does 'Māori achieving success as Māori' look like?. Retrieved from https://vln.school.nz/discussion/view/867736  

Ministry of Education (nd). Practising teacher Criteria and e-learning . Retrieved from http://www.elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/Practising-Teacher-Criteria-and-e-learning

  

Osterman, K. & Kottkamp, R.(1993). Reflective Practice for Educators. Retrieved from http://www.itslifejimbutnotasweknowit.org.uk/files  

Tawhiwhirangi, K. & Bond, T. (n.d.) MASAM School-derived self review framework. Retrieved from

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fy9UGNKk9bb_bkEZaGNp9ATV_CD1CU-PHQiD-4PraTU/edit

REFLECTION 7: CROSSING BOUNDARIES THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS

Andrews (1990) defines interdisciplinary collaboration as occurring "when different professionals, possessing unique knowledge, skills, organizational perspectives, and personal attributes, engage in coordinated problem solving for a common purpose" (cited in Berg-Weger & Schneider, 1998). This makes sense to me although it did some work for me to get my head around the distinction between multidisciplinary collaboration and interdisciplinary connections - multidisciplinary collaboration involves the paralleled work of several disciplines but interdisciplinary practice may include interprofessional interactions in which two or more disciplines collaborate (The American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2016).

A useful conceptual model for interdisciplinary collaboration is that of Mulligan and Kuban (2015).

The interplay of the three elements in the diagram above, according to Mulligan and Kuban, 2015 has a number of benefits. Interdisciplinary practice allows individuals who are based in their practice discipline(s) to focus on collaboration and participate in finding solutions to the increasingly complex problems occurring in the world today by drawing on multiple perspectives, practices and methodologies. This supports a study by Hardre et al (2013), who found the benefits from an interdisciplinary learning community included innovative thinking, metacognitive awareness and critical practice. Thinking about my own practice, I can see the potential for more interdisciplinary connections through cross-curricular collaboration. I think in secondary schools we can tend to operate within departmental siloes and become very territorial – but this compartmentalised approach doesn’t mirror the working world and we need to modelling for our students what authentic and real collaboration looks like … so it’s not all plain sailing – there are challenges … but we’ve made a start. I’m aiming to work more with HODs and teachers from other departments to create interdisciplinary learning experiences for our students e.g. looking at how we can use the work for NCEA assessments in more than one curriculum area to cut down and spread the load for our already busy akonga.

A future interdisciplinary connections goal

As HOD Humanities and being responsible for the Social Studies programme at BHS, I have often wondered how our local primary schools are teaching Social Studies and what we could learn from each other. We teach Level 5 of the NZC, the primary teachers are responsible for Levels 1-4, but often they receive less Social Science training than secondary school subject specialists. Our students’ success in Social Studies depends on how effectively we deliver our programmes at all 5 levels. I am sure it would be beneficial to teachers and students if we could develop mutual understandings of what our programmes are all about, what our students need and how we as teachers can support each other as a professional collaboration entity. There is so much we could learn from each other; I would especially be interested in how the primary teachers integrate Social Studies into the rest of their programme, as there is much we could learn from this. So I have set as an important department goal for 2018 for us to establish an interdisciplinary connection with the Year 8 teachers from our four local primary schools.

I have already asked the Cross-Col leader to facilitate this.

Reference List:

American Association of Colleges of Nursing.(2016). Interdisciplinary Education and Practice. Retrieved from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/publications/position/interdisciplinary-education-and-practice

Berg-Weger, M., &. Schneider, F. D. (1998). Interdisciplinary collaboration in social work education. Journal of Social Work Education, 34, 97-107.

Hardré, P., Ling, C., Shehab, R. L., Nanny, M., Nollert, M., Refai, H., Ramsever, C., Herron, J. & Wollega, E. (2013). Teachers in an Interdisciplinary Learning Community Engaging, Integrating, and Strengthening K-12 Education. Journal of Teacher Education, 64(5), 409-425.

Mulligan, L. & Kuban, A. . (2015). A Conceptual Model for Interdisciplinary Collaboration. Retrieved from http://acrlog.org/2015/05/14/a-conceptual-model-for-interdisciplinary-collaboration

Mathison, S. & Freeman, M. (1997). THE LOGIC OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES. Retrieved from http://www.albany.edu/cela/reports/mathisonlogic12004.pdf 

REFLECTION 6: PROFESSIONAL ONLINE SOCIAL NETWORKS and THE USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN MY TEACHING AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

The Education Council (n.d.), our professional standards body, defines social media as “web-based and mobile-based technologies which facilitate interactive communication between organisations, communities and individuals”. Teachers are increasingly using social online platforms in their teaching practice and professional development.

There are many benefits in using social media and networking in education. A study investigating social media use in teaching university students by Silius et al (2010) revealed student motivation for social media can enhance study. Pearson’s survey (in Seaman & Tinti-Kane, 2013) found an increase of 21.3% from 2012 to 2013 in social media use in teaching and the engagement of learners in blended learning. Online social networks can certainly enrich the learning environment. According to Sharples et al (2016) “social media can bring learning to life by summoning up different times, spaces, characters and possibilities” and “social media platforms have been able to provide personalised learning which is need-based and flexible in time and location.

But it’s not all sunshine and roses. There are also many challenges in using online teaching and learning platforms. 56% of respondents of the Pearson’s survey (in Seaman & Tinti-Kane, 2013) believed social media was more distracting than helpful to students. Melhuish (2013), looking at online social networking and its impact on New Zealand educators’ professional learning, raise the concern that it can be harder for educators to switch off when we’re so easily connected to our students.  I often think of our current students as the instant gratification generation; while it can be great to give that more immediate feedback, has being connected and more available led to an unrealistic expectation by our students of our availability to them? As Melhuish (2013) says, students can lose their sense of time, so how do we manage the impact online connectedness can have on our time as teachers?

The effectiveness of social media in teaching and learning is very much dependent on the expertise and motivations of those using it. That is certainly the case with me.

What online social networks do I ‘use’?

When I completed The Mind Lab survey on the networks I use I was surprised how many platforms I actually use. I’m a late bloomer, so to speak, and operate almost completely within professional sphere (I’m not hooked, as of, yet, on the use of networking in a more personal sense). I’m regularly using Facebook, Linked in, Twitter, Padlet, curriculum-based Wiki, Pinterest, Office 365, Google platforms, video, and of course blogging. Melhuish (2013) says “technology accessibility and the pace of advancement to all communities both locally and internationally has resulted in changes to aspects of the general education system, including the professional learning medium for educators. This has certainly been the case for me; to date, social media has been of the most use to me in terms of my own professional development.

What social media am I using in my professional development?

I am predominantly using Facebook as a PLD platform. I regularly receive feeds from Edutopia, Teach Thought, Cult of Pedagogy, and Mind Shift; and I belong to three closed-groups for NZ educators – Junior Social Studies Teachers, History Teachers, and Scholarship History teachers.

In what ways has social media been used to support my professional development?

Edutopia, Teach Thought, Cult of Pedagogy, and Mind Shift constantly keep my head in the ‘Pedagogy-game” but it has been the collaboration through the Facebook groups that has been the most valuable to my curriculum knowledge, skills and understanding. My personal experience matches what Sharples et al (2016) found - “teachers can use online social network to seek information, share ideas and even contribute to the development of deeper knowledge”. Given our location in on the northern West Coast of the South Island, geographical isolation is an issue. Since moving here from a bigger centre 9 years ago, I’ve worked hard to ensure I’m not “outside the loop” in terms of curriculum and pedagogy. With distance and limited opportunities to participate in curriculum-focused PLD, these Facebook pages have helped counter the restrictions and constraints mentioned. Discussion takes place on pedagogical understandings pertinent to the Social Sciences, questions are asked and answered about programme structures, assessments ideas, NCEA, and so on. I have access to some of the finest teachers in my subject areas in the country – that is amazing.

What are the challenges that arise from using social media for my professional development and how do I address these?

As mentioned in my previous reflection on ethics, it’s not just me as an individual person is networking; I have a responsibility to BHS as I am participating on these online forums in my capacity as a teacher here. It is important that I think before I ‘speak’ (post) and follow the Education Council’s ‘Teaching and Social Media’ guidelines – I make use of the Council’s ‘before you share’ graphic (Reflection 5). I also regularly check my Facebook privacy and security settings. As Seaman and Tinti-Kane (2013) highlight,  integrity and privacy are key considerations.

How am I using social media in my teaching? In what ways has social media been beneficial to student learning?

This is a steep learning curve for me. I’ve become hooked on Padlet as a fantastic discussion and information gathering and sharing forum; my junior and senior students have benefitted, both those with learning difficulties and gifted-and-talented students, as Padlet has the scope to cater well for both. The Facebook group I belong to for History teaching is a useful tool for answering the questions of my students I don’t always have the answer to. Student can ask an assessment-based question (e.g. “how many annotations do we actually have to do?”), I’ll post the question and, without fail, a range of interpretations will come through for us to consider. Checking my understanding with people from around the country is a great way of achieving consistency nationally.

What are the challenges that arise from me using social media in my teaching and do I address these?

For me the challenges cover ability and ethics. Firstly, I have to work within the constraints in my in knowledge, skills and understanding that come from being a ‘newbie’ in the social media domain. Secondly, similar to my point earlier about ethics, being a positive role model for digital citizenship is crucial for my integrity and that of the programmes I run with my students.

Reference List:

Education Council of Aotearoa. (2017). Teachers and Social Media. Retrieved from https://teachersandsocialmedia.co.nz

Melhuish, K.(2013). Online social networking and its impact on New Zealand educators’ professional learning. Master Thesis. The University of Waikato. Retrieved from https://researchcommons.waikato.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10289/8482/thesis.pdf?sequence=3&isAllowed=y

Seaman, J., & Tinti-Kane, H. (2013). Social media for teaching and learning. Babson Survey Research Group. Retrieved from http://www.onlinelearningsurvey.com/reports/social-media-for-teaching-and-learning-2013-report.pdf

Sharples, M., de Roock , R., Ferguson, R., Gaved, M., Herodotou, C., Koh, E., Kukulska-Hulme, A., Looi,C-K, McAndrew, P., Rienties, B., Weller, M., Wong, L. H. (2016). Innovating Pedagogy 2016: Open University Innovation Report 5. Milton Keynes: The Open University. Retrieved from https://iet.open.ac.uk/file/innovating_pedagogy_2016.pdf

REFLECTION 5: ISSUES OF ETHICS IN MY PRACTICE

Ethics are defined as the learned behaviours shaped by a range of societal influences such 

as school, work, community, family, church, the arts, culture and sports. Our individual 

interpretation of ethics helps shape our ideas about justice, morality and virtue. Ethics 

underpin the motivations, decisions and actions that make up our practice as educators.

Ethical considerations are vital when using ICT and online platforms. With an increasing use of digital technology in teaching and learning, it is as important for teachers to use online environments effectively and appropriately as it is for students (PPTA, n.d.).

As teachers in Aotearoa the conduct expected of us is laid out in the Education Council’s (2017) handbook ‘Our Code Our Standards’. The Council states “as teachers, we respect our trusted position in society and recognise the influence we have on learners, their understanding of the world and the future”. This is reflected in the Code of Professional Responsibility, which indicates our commitment to:

• The teaching profession
• Learners
• Families and whanau
• Society

and the values which underpin the code:

• Whakamana: empowering all learners to reach their highest potential by providing high-quality teaching and leadership.
• Manaakitanga: creating a welcoming, caring and creative learning environment that treats everyone with respect and dignity.
• Pono: showing integrity by acting in ways that are fair, honest, ethical and just.
• Whanaungatanga: engaging in positive and collaborative relationships with our learners, their families and whānau, our colleagues and the wider community.

There is a responsibility on teachers to be positive role models. This is especially so regarding teachers and social media. The Education Council (n.d.) has produced guidelines specific to this. It defines social media as “web-based and mobile-based technologies which facilitate interactive communication between organisations, communities and individuals”. The Council states “teachers who model good social media use will grow learners who apply positive, respectful values in their interactions on social media platforms” and provides clear guidelines and resources which cover safe and ethical use. For example:

Henderson, Auld and Johnson (2014), in looking at the ethics of teaching with social media, highlight the common ethical dilemmas that teachers need to consider when using social media in teaching – consent, confidentiality, boundaries, and recognising and responding to illicit use. These are also catered for at my workplace, Buller High School, in our Professional Boundaries Policy, which has a section on appropriate teacher online behaviour. Although we also have a cybersafety agreement at BHS for students and staff, I think there is much greater scope for a more explicit digital citizenship structure for both groups.

An ethical dilemma I have faced or might face in the future in my practice linked to digital or online access or activity is the use of public Facebook forums in my capacity as a teacher at BHS. I do not use social media at all for social use but I am a member of 3 closed-membership curriculum groups for NZ teachers of Junior Social Studies, History and Scholarship History. I have used Hall’s (2001) set of questions to guide my reflection process.

• What is the ethical issue – that each time I engage in these Facebook forums, I do so not as an individual but as a teacher employed by BHS
• Stakeholders – my department (Humanities), Senior Management, Board of Trustees, my colleagues
• Restrictions to my actions – my posts and contributions are not only my own but are the ‘property’ of BHS, therefore, I am governed by the terms of my employment, which are covered by the school’s Professional Boundaries Policy and the Education Council’s Code and Standards.
• Courses of action and solution – as I have a responsibility to BHS as much as to the integrity of my curriculum, it is important that I always think before I ‘speak’ (post); following the Education Council’s ‘Before you share’ is also a good tenet to follow. I also regularly check my Facebook privacy and security settings.   

The dilemma I have described is new to me as I am new to the social media world … just like the students I teach, safeguarding myself, my school and my profession is vital.

Reference List:

Education Council of Aotearoa. (n.d.). Our Code Our Standards. Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/content/our-code-our-standards

Education Council of Aotearoa. (2017). Our Code Our Standards Code of Professional Responsibility and Standards for the Teaching Profession. Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/Our%20Code%20Our%20Standards%20web%20booklet%20FINAL.pdf Education Council, Wellington

Education Council of Aotearoa. (2017). Teachers and Social Media. Retrieved from https://teachersandsocialmedia.co.nz

Hall, A. (2001). What ought I to 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

Henderson, M., Auld, G., & Johnson, N. F. (2014). Ethics of Teaching with Social Media. Paper presented at the Australian Computers in Education Conference 2014, Adelaide, SA. Retrieved from http://acec2014.acce.edu.au/sites/2014/files/attachments/HendersonAuldJohnson_EthicalDilemmas_ACEC_2014_0.pdf

REFLECTION 4: INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURAL RESPONSIVENESS IN MY PRACTICE

Gay (2001) defines cculturally responsive teaching as “using the cultural characteristics, experiences and perspectives as conduits for effective teaching”, and states that “the academic achievement of ethnically diverse students will improve when they are taught through their own cultural and experiential filters”. Gay highlights five essential elements of culturally responsive teaching:

• knowledge about cultural diversity
• developing a caring and learning community
• communicating with ethnically diverse students
• responding to ethnic diversity in the delivery of instruction
• having culturally integrated content in the curriculum

Gay researched culturally responsive pedagogy in a US context in underachieving African, Asian, Latino, and Native American students. Gay’s assertions are consistent with material from a NZ context regarding Maori students, particularly in the work of Bishop (2009) and Macfarlane et al (2008).

I agree with Bishop’s (2012) point that a classroom context needs to be built around caring and learning relationships; this is paramount to the educational performance of Māori, and all, students. Macfarlane et al (2008) states that education is the key to improving Maori engagement. I take this seriously. I know that for this to occur, I need to continually challenge the “deficit thinking” of student educability by developing my own agentic thinking and appreciating the lens through which Maori view Te Ao and the wider world. Like Macfarlane et al (2008), I agree that a Kaupapa Maori approach to education, in legitimising and validating Maori language (Te Reo), knowledge (matauranga), custom (tikanga) and characteristics (ahuatanga), is vital to achieve a culturally responsive learning environment. Macfarlane et al (2008) suggests if learning contexts are to be effective for Maori students they need to be characterised by establishing and maintaining caring (manaakitanga) and family-like relationships (whakawhanaungatanga). I understand how much teachers make the vital difference. Each day I try and make a deposit in the relationship bank and maintain high expectations. As Macfarlane et al (2008) says “mauri tu – mauri ora: active engagement brings well-being” and “a Maori worldview involves a focus on all individuals reaching their highest potential for expanding and deepening their talents and skills”. In recent years, I have endeavoured to make greater use of the Ka Hikitia (2011) ‘Maori achieving success as Maori (MASAM) recommendations. In my practice I value Maori identity, language and culture and try to reflect this in my teaching.

In thinking about the actual practices of myself and our school, Bucher’s (2008) point that before we can deliver a culturally responsive pedagogy, we need to be aware of and develop our cultural intelligence makes sense. Of Bucher’s nine elements of cultural intelligence, I feel confident I am developing well in most of these, with number 6 regarding conflict being an area for further improvement.

I also looked at a number of evaluation frameworks. I have taken an integrated and pragmatic approach, taking the best of each and those that fit my current understanding and cultural intelligence. I hope that as my understanding, skills and cultural awareness expand, so will the evaluation framework within which I judge my and our cultural responsiveness. Two frameworks I have endeavoured to match up are shown below:

Bishop (2009) 6 criteria actions that “agentic” teachers demonstrate daily in their classrooms	Tataiako (2011) Cultural competencies for teachers of Maori learners
Manaakitanga: Caring for students as Māori by acknowledging their mana as culturally located individuals.	Manaakitanga: Showing integrity, sincerity and respect towards Māori beliefs, language and culture.
Mana motuhake: Caring for the performance of Māori students through high expectations.	Tangata Whenuatanga: Affirming Māori learners as Māori. Providing contexts for learning where the language, identity and culture of Māori learners and their whanau is affirmed.
Ngā whakapiringatanga: Creating a secure, well-managed learning environment.
Wānanga: Engaging in effective learning interactions with Māori students. Reduce reliance upon transmission modes of education to engage in a range of discursive learning interactions.	Wānanga: Participating with learners and communities in robust dialogue for the benefit of Māori learners’ achievement. Whanaungatanga: Actively engaging in respectful working relationships with Māori learners, parents, and whanau, hapu, iwi and the Māori community.
Ako: Using a range of teaching strategies that can facilitate learning interactively	Ako: Taking responsibility for their own learning and that of Māori learners.
Kotahitanga: Using student progress to inform future teaching practices. Promoting, monitoring, and reflecting on learning outcomes that in turn lead to improvements in Māori student achievement, and share this knowledge with the students so that they can reflect on and contribute to their own learning.

So how culturally responsive are we? Below is a snapshot of some of our/my practices.

The School’s Practice:

• Our core values, the 4Rs, have a bicultural component embedded in them – Relationships (Whanaungatanga), Respect (Manaakitanga), Responsibility (Kawenga), and Resilience (Manahau). Recently, in planning ahead for 2018, I have incorporated these into our department’s curriculum unit plans. The aim is to cover these more explicit and integrated manner than previously.
• Our senior management team is committed to expanding our school’s relationship with local iwi (a number of meetings have taken place this year)
• Powhiri for key staff appointments and sports exchanges
• Pride in Kapa Haka
• Commitment to Professional Development for staff
• Seeing teacher’s as learners and students as teachers in Te Ao Maori
• 2018 saw the introduction of a new award by the Kapa Haka group for a staff member- known as the Pouako Trophy, it acknowledges a Kaiako at BHS who is demonstrating and integrating Te Reo Maori and Tikanga within their class/teaching and everyday life at school. 
• Our staff meeting waiata is a key part of proceedings:

My Practice:

• I am committed to developing a respectful and inclusive environment where Te Ao Maori is normalised, legitimised, and validated. My aim is that this will not only be seen as a key to educational success but to what it means to live in Aotearoa. I am doing this through developing my growing use and understanding of Te Reo, Tikanga and Ahuatanga. I was very honoured to be the first recipient of the Pouako Trophy and am grateful to my students for being my teachers and for helping me develop my cultural understanding and pedagogy. (Daily emails from https://kupu.maori.nz/ also help).
• In our Social Studies curriculum I’ve been looking at ways to personalise our coverage of Te Tiriti o Waitangi around the 3 Ps – partnership, protection, and participation.
• A basic task I have undertaken is to pronounce place names correctly, particularly local ones. This was a great takeaway from a professional development course here in Westport on supporting gifted and talented Maori as Maori – I look at it as a message to that doing what is right culturally is more important than what is commonly popular in the local vernacular.
• I am employing Newbold’s deficit busters (Team Solutions, n.d.) to remove barriers for learners. These are barrier questions with possible responses centred around the themes of academic achievement, student engagement and whanau engagement. e.g. “Surely we should be catering for the needs of all our students. Why treat Maori differently?” or “lt doesn't matter what we try, we still can't get our Maori community involved in their children's education or the life of the school” are matched with a number of positive affirmations to bust the deficit thinking. 
• I am using the He Tikanga Whakaaro Key Competencies in my teaching (from Macfarlane, 2009). I am impressed by the richness and depth within each competency.

What could I/we do better?

• I would like to see our school goal – striving for excellence through high expectations – written in Maori as well
• A clearer Kaupapa Maori consideration in strategic planning e.g. when our recent curriculum review began, the Kaupapa Maori focus was initially overlooked

While I take pride in my cultural journey, I appreciate it is an ongoing adventure. Through teaching I have discovered the joys of embracing the unique and invigorating culture of my country. This is making me a more culturally responsive teacher.  I only wish it had been sooner in life … but it’s never too late to learn … I, hopefully like my students, am embracing being a lifelong learner.

Reference List:

Bishop, R., Berryman, M., Cavanagh, T. & Teddy, L. (2009). Te Kotahitanga: Addressing educational disparities facing Māori students in New Zealand. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(5),734–742.

Bucher, R. (2008). Building Cultural Intelligence (CQ): Nine Megaskills. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.

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

Gay, G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2),106-116.

Macfarlane, A., Glynn, T., Grace, W., Penetito, W. and Bateman, S. (2008). Indigenous epistemology in a national curriculum framework? SAGE Publications Vol 8(1): 102-107

Macfarlane, S. (2009). Te Pikanga ki Runga: Raising Possibilities. Retrieved from http://www.nzcer.org.nz/nzcerpress/set/articles/te-pikinga-ki-runga-raising-possibilities

Ministry of Education. (2011) Tataiako: cultural competencies for teachers of Maori learners. Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/required/tataiako.pdf 

Newbold’s Deficit Busters (n.d.). Retrieved from https://technologynz.wikispaces.com/Realising+Maori+Potential

Team Solutions. (n.d.). Realising Maori potential. Retrieved from https://technologynz.wikispaces.com/Realising+Maori+Potential

Te Kete Ipurangi (n.d.) Māori achieving success as Māori – MASAM. Retrieved from http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Leadership/Maori-achieving-success-as-Maori

Whakataka te hau. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://folksong.org.nz/whakataka_te_hau/  

REFLECTION 3: THE BROADER CONTEXT OF MY PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE - CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN NZ OR INTERNATIONALLY

Visser and Gagnon (2005) define a trend as “the statistically observable change or general orientation of a general movement”. Wilson (2012) states the changes a trend brings have significant impacts. OECD (2016) highlights the trends shaping education – globalisation, changes in learning behaviour, digital technology acceleration, interconnectedness, redesigning learning spaces, coding design and so on.

A trend relevant to my practice is rethinking how a school and school curriculum works.

Our school recently began a curriculum review, which will continue into 2018, as we look ahead to where we want our curriculum to be headed from 2019 onwards. I think we need to think differently about learning than our current structures and curriculum design allow. We are teaching students in the 21^st century using a model that has its beginnings in the 19^th century. As Heick (2017) says “The world is changing; let schools change, too”.

Our educational goal is, or should be, to build people’s capacity to learn, so we need to be looking at:

• What are our school’s aims? What do we want to achieve for our students?
• How do we design learning for our students?
• How well are we meeting our students’ learning needs?

Bolstad and Gilbert (2008) describe our current curriculum structures as “the 20^th century, one size-fits-all, “production line model” of schooling. They advocate replacing the traditional subject-oriented model with a competency-oriented model that supports students to develop personalised programmes designed to build overall learning capacity. They believe the current system encourages students to master specific bits of knowledge to pass exams and accumulate credits for qualifications. Bolstad and Gilbert 2008 go on to argue that many of the ideas that drive the current senior secondary curriculum are making it very difficult to develop a 21^st century curriculum.

In our small school we could be perfectly placed to make changes but how do we address system-level challenges while holding true to our school culture and community? Bolstad and Gilbert (2008) use the metaphor “unbundling” schools – “a process in which innovators deconstruct established structures and routines and reassemble them in newer, smarter ways”.

In thinking about my overall vision for our curriculum at Buller High School, I was taken by this quote by Prakish Nair (n.d.) - “We worry about our schools becoming ineffective when we should be afraid they are becoming irrelevant”.

What do I think is vital to a 21^st century curriculum for BHS?

• student-centred and driven – an active partnership with students in their learning which reflects student voice and encompasses personalised learning models
• caters well for diversity and culturally responsive
• students enjoy learning, with high levels of participation, engagement and intrinsic motivation
• based on innovative teaching and learning research
• clear pedagogical basis
• students know how to think in depth and critically
• relevant e.g. reflection of the high level of knowledge and skills necessary in the 21stC, preparation for life beyond school
• innovative and fosters creativity
• clearly and strongly reflects the Buller and West Coast - our ownership
• ICT infused into classroom and curriculum
• learning drives the curriculum, not assessment
• meaningful connections between subjects through increased cross-curricula collaboration, instead of learning being in separate compartments - absence of territorial and/or competitiveness between departments
• developing learning skills and understanding progression (over content)
• incorporates the 21st Century Learning Design skills framework

What questions do I think we should ask when thinking about curriculum design?

• What is essential for our students to learn?
• What is desirable for our students to learn?
• Is the current configuration of the curriculum best for our students?
• What changes, if any, would we like to see in the curriculum?
• How do we think the curriculum needs to respond to the needs of our community?
• How can we use the curriculum to increase whanau/community links and involvement?
• What makes our students want to come to school, or would make them want to come to school more?
• Is the school curriculum doing enough to spark their interests and fully engage them?
• Does the curriculum reflect and respond to their needs?

What might be the implications of changed curriculum design?

• What flexibility would be needed in the teaching and learning priorities of the curriculum, learning spaces and timetable structures?
• What areas of additional support would need to be catered for?
• What upskilling/PLD would be needed ?
• Reorienting the senior secondary school towards this learning-centred, competency-based approach requires some organisational changes. (Bolstad and Gilbert, 2008)

It’s not an easy fix and change is difficult … but I think this quote sums it up well:

Reference List:

Bolstad, R. & Gilbert, J. (2008). Disciplining and drafting, or 21^st century learning? Rethinking the New Zealand senior secondary curriculum for the future. New Zealand Council for Educational Research. NZCER Press, Wellington.

Hipkins, R. (2011). Learning to be a new school: Building a curriculum for new times. New Zealand Council for Educational Research, Wellington.

Innovative Teaching and Learning (ITL) Research. (2012). 21st Century Learning Design, Microsoft Partners in Learning.

Nair, P. (nd). Learning with Technology. Retrieved from http://www.designshare.com/Research/Nair/Learning_Technology.htm

Visser, L., & Gagnon, K. (2005). Defining “Trends” and “Issues” in Distance Education. Conversation with Donald Paul Ely Y. Visser, L. Visser, M. Simonson & R. Amirault (Eds. de la serie), Trends and Issues in Distance Education. International Perspectives, pp.83-89.

Wilson, B. (2012). Trends and issues facing distance education. In L. Visser, Y. Visser M., R. Amirault & M. Simonson (2nd Ed.) Trends and Issues in Distance Education. International Perspectives (pp.39-54). North Carolina: Information Age Publishing, Inc.

REFLECTION 2: ISSUES OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS, SCHOOL CULTURE AND PROFESSIONAL ENVIRONMENTS IN RELATION TO PRACTICE

Buller High School (BHS) caters for Years 9-15. It is situated in the small town of Westport (population 3000) in the Buller District (one of three districts which make up the West Coast province). The roll is usually around 320. The school currently has a decile rating of 5 (although this is still a bone of contention as the rating was raised from 3 to 5 in 2013, at the same time as the community began to experience further economic hardship due to the woes of the Solid Energy Stockton Mine located nearby).

School Culture

Stoll (1998) states that school culture is one of the most complex and important concepts in education, and that it is shaped by its history, context and the people in it, their assumptions and beliefs. Therefore, it acts as a lens through which the world is viewed. Hongboontri and Keawkhong (2014) in looking at the significance of school culture on teaching practices, similarly defined school cultures as a collection of traditions and rituals that have been built over time. Heinecke (2017) describes school culture as a “true game changer [in] … providing optimal educational experiences and refers to Brian Chesky’s (founder of Airbnb) definition that “culture is a shared way of doing something with passion” – this definition really resonates with me. 

Stoll (1998) goes on to highlight four Teaching Cultures – Individualism, Collaboration, Contrived Collegiality and Balkansiation. I believe BHS falls predominantly within the Balkanisation culture — we are not isolated and we tend to work in small collaborative groups, such as departments and various specialist teams (e.g. Curriculum Team Leaders, ICT, PB4L, Houses).

Using Stroll’s (1998) ten norms for improving schools as a reference point, we can look specifically at the culture of BHS:

• We have shared goals, a responsibility for success and the desire for continuous improvement — our mission, vision and goal, respectively, are clear – we are ready for the challenges of tomorrow; we want to meet future challenges by raising expectations through quality education and experiences in an environment that allows everyone to be their best, and we are striving for excellence through high expectations. The goal is visible throughout the school and is (generally) known by all.
• A sense of collegiality, support, mutual respect and opennessare inherent in the school’s core values, known as the 4Rs – relationships (whanaungatanga), respect (manaakitanga), responsibility (kawenga) and resilience (manahau). Inherent in these values is a culture of citizenship, consideration, and commitment to biculturalism.
• We celebrate success in the fields of academic, arts, culture, and sport

An integral part of our school culture is a strong sense of belonging to our community and our identity and place within it. Although there is an anomaly for a school which is and sees the reciprocal relationship with the community as vital to our success . ERO (2017) said “The school receives strong support from its community which benefits many aspects of student learning. A number of families and staff have inter-generational links with the area leading to extended support over the academic, cultural and sporting aspects of school life”. However, we struggle to get a wide range of our parents and whanau to participate in parent-teacher interviews, for example. This could perhaps be explained by socioeconomic factors, about which there could be further scope for investigation. 

Socioeconomic status

APA (2016) defines the SES of a family as “a combination of education, income and occupation” and links socioeconomic status (SES) to educational attainment and perceptions. I cannot argue with the research that lower educational achievement and poverty are linked. This is supported by Stoll (1998), who looked at the influence of the socioeconomic background of a school’s students on its culture and the community and its expectations, and Gargiulio (2014), who researched how poverty in NZ impacts on the educational engagement and success of students.

The SES of a community reflects the collective background of the families residing there. Our area has experienced tough economic times frequently in its history, and especially so since 2013. The key to how we cater for this in our school is we focus on being aspirational and we maximise our sense of community. The financial struggles of our students and their families in the declining SES of our district are countered by the commitment of the school staff and community to providing our students with the tools to reach for the sky. As I often say in my classroom, “we may come from a small school in a small town, but with an education we will never come from a small world”. I would like to think that even when our students and families are struggling, they see themselves as much a part of our school community  as we see ourselves as part of the wider Buller community.

Yes, we do need to consider how SES impacts on our students’ learning and wellbeing but I don’t think we should perceive this as being an insurmountable barrier to advancement. SES is a barrier to overcome, but in our corner of the world, it is not the obstacle some might purport it to be. Our PB4L daily breakfast club initiative has more of a social focus than an economic one It could be equally important to ask how other areas overcome the narrow-mindedness of affluence. Many teachers from BHS have addressed assumptions by teachers from high decile schools e.g. how do you cope with being so poorly resourced, do you have access to modern technology? These are assumptions that overlook the efforts of the Board of Trustees and Senior Management Team to ensure our students have access to the best, and are a form of deficit thinking that perhaps affluence brings.

Professional (School) Environment

Our professional environment is about understanding the unique aspects of our setting while placing our students’ achievement and wellbeing at the centre of everything we do. There is acknowledgement from most at BHS that there is room for improvement but we also need to celebrate our successes. Our most recent Education Review Office report sums it up well:

Students benefit from a strong pastoral system, a committed board, senior management team and staff. Buller High School is an integral part of its local community. It utilises the wider natural environment and community well. Leaders and teachers remain focussed on improving outcomes for students and on providing a meaningful range of pathways for leavers. The next steps for the school include improving a number of school management systems and practice. These include internal evaluation, success for Māori and evaluating the effectiveness of the school curriculum.

Reference List:

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

Education Review Office Report. (2017). Retrieved from http://www.ero.govt.nz/review-reports/buller-high-school-12-05-2017/  

Gargiulo, S. (2014). Principal sabbatical report. Retrieved from http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Leadership-development/Professional-information/Principals-sabbatical-reports/Report-archives-for-2007-2014/Secondary-award-recipients-2014/Gargiulo-Salvatore

Heinecke, T. (2017). Positive school culture a true game changer for educational institutions. Retrieved from http://www.educatorimpact.com/articles/positive-school-culture

Hongboontri, C., & Keawkhong, N. (2014). School Culture: Teachers' Beliefs, Behaviors, and Instructional Practices. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 39(5), 66-88. Retrieved from http://ro.ecu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2332&context=ajte

Stoll, L. (1998). School Culture. School Improvement Network’s Bulletin 9. Institute of Education, University of London. Retrieved from http://www.educationalleaders.govt.nz/Culture/Understanding-school-cultures/School-Culture