Towards Transformation

Lynmore School has been selected as one of eight schools in New Zealand to be part of the Towards Transformation project.

 I was selected as one of the 5 teachers at Lynmore Schoolto to work with a PD education consultant from Apple.

work with a PD education consultant from Apple. Glen Storey (our consultant) is an Apple Distinguished Educator that will work alongside us teachers towards transforming the teaching and learning in these classrooms through the use of Apple devices (iPads). It is an exciting opportunity for both me and the students of these classrooms.

Glen will deliver PD to myself and the other teachers fortnightly, with the aim of developing the use of I.T in the classroom to aid with learning.

Marae Visit

Our teacher only day for the beginning of the new term and new school year was a Cultural Responsiveness PLD. It waa delivered by Chris Murphy and Takeaway at Owhata Marae. It was also to help us link with our whole school Term 1 big idea The Value of Us.

We were greeted by a powhiri at 8.30 on a beautiful sunny morning. The content was to help us look at things from a maori learners point of view and to look at and engage with the perceived and actual barriers.

It was one of the best most thought provoking PD sessions that I have ever been on and opened up my mind to the maori perspective. It was truly a privilege to be a part of it.

It also set us up nicely for the upcoming school year.

Mentor

I have been lucky enough to be given the opportunity to be a mentor to a beginning teacher this year. It is a position that I am familiar with as I just completed my full registration at the end of last year. I had three different mentor teachers over my two years completing my registration and they were quite different.
I hope to take the strengths of the mentors that I had and to incorporate it into my own practise. Know that it can be a difficult time trying to adapt to a new school and to try and complete registration but I hope I can be a positive sounding board for the person I work alongside.
I do know the importance and significance of the role and I hope I can help them to become better teachers.

2016 Appraisal

I recently completed an appraisal for 2016. Please find attached link.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1__CfusRr9h6analE1ZIbk44ZwWLTEXViqmgEoDT7Sj4/edit

Camp

Year 6 school camp took place in week 9 of term 4 this year. Camp is such a memorable experience for the children and for most a highlight go their year.
We were lucky enough to have three days of glorious weather and amazing support from parents. Next year we are having our camp in Totara Springs again but in term 1 instead of term 4.
I think this will help to create stronger links in the class and across the year level.
One of the children was lucky enough to have her birthday on camp and I'm sure it will be a memory that stays with her for a long time.

Graduation Ceremony

On Friday the 2nd of December I attended my NZEI graduation ceremony at the Novetel in Rotorua on moving to full registration as a teacher. Myself and around twenty others graduated at the ceremony.
Their was fantastic support from the staff of Lynmore too with a large amount of staff attending to give their support.

Culturally Responsive Practices

We recently hadMaria Tibble from Core Education talk with us about Culturally Responsive Practices, Cultural Identity and the role Ngati Whakaue and Te Rangihakahaka can have in supporting your teaching in 2017. She discussed the importance of Maori achieving success as Maori and our responsibilities as teachers to ensure this happens. I have also started to read Ka Hikitia Accelerating Success 2013-2017.

http://www.education.govt.nz/assets/Documents/Ministry/Strategies-and-policies/Ka-Hikitia/KaHikitiaAcceleratingSuccessEnglish.pdf