Draft Two of D.E.E.P. Programme

Timetable with Analysis

This is the power point information that I presented on Tuesday morning PD meeting.  It contains the tweeked timetable - change in some times and addition of an assembly.  

Remembering that this is very much at proposal stages - the intent is to have the nuts and bolts sorted before implementation.  

Currently there is a feedback form (thanks BCA) out for staff to offer their opinions.  And of course please feel free to come and speak with me directly.  

The anticipation from this point on is to accumulate all the staff feedback on the proposal - incorporate (where possible) the improvements - address this with senior management and then return with a defined discussion document.  

Thanks Justin.

This post relates to RTC #6. conceptualise, plan and implement an appropriate learning programme.

Delivery Of Lesson

Engaging Presentation Skills In The Classroom

This post is about us staff here at Waihi College co-constructing a shared understanding of what elements constitute excellence in teaching delivery.  That is for us to put to once side the differences of our learning areas and to formulate a clear set of skills that we believe with best engage our students.     

In the recent ERO review one of the reviewers commented on the prevalence of "high speed verbal" for the delivery of lessons and that there were some instances of "teachers teaching from a chair behind their desk". 

John Hattie's meta-analysis of work in 'Visible Learning' (p. 159) he creates a list of...

The Six Major Characteristics of Teachers Students Want in Class...

1. Someone who stayed with students to complete assignments;
2. Someone who was able to control student behavior without ignoring the lesson;
3. Someone who went out of his or her way to provide help;
4. Someone who explained things until the ‘light bulb went on’ for the whole class;
5. Someone who provided the students with a variety of ways through which to learn; and
6. Someone who understood students’ situations and factored them into this or her lessons.

 

Hargraves and Fullan lay down a challenge to all educators in their 2012 book Professional Capital Transforming Teaching in Every School ...

"You might be the most dedicated and passionate teacher in the world, you might be good on your feet and able to improvise brilliantly, you might have a natural empathy for young people and be very responsive to their needs - but in the end, if  you don't know the difference between good and bad teaching, if you aren't aware of the strategies that succeed with students and haven't learned how to use them, if  you do things that are fun but don't really get students to learn more, then you will sell your students short.  Even with the best of intention, even if you seem like a "natural" as a teacher, unless you deliberately learn how to get better so you can teach the students of today for the world of tomorrow, you will not be teaching like a pro.  You will just be an enthusiastic amateur." (p. 46)

Today I wanted to have you review the habits of delivery that you have.  To consider the 'toolkit' of pedagogies and consider what new items you can add to your practice. 

This post is related to RTC #6. conceptualise, plan and implement an appropriate learning programme.

Student Information For Prize Giving

Senior Academic Prize Giving
With this annual celebration fast approaching on the academic calendar I felt that it was time to examine the measures we place upon academic excellence.  I can recognise in myself that throughout my career I would fall victim to an over estimation of the 'value' of my subject.  I would unfortunately take pride in teaching Maths (one of the 'STEM' subjects). 

A while back read an interesting book by Sir Ken Robinson called The Element - How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything.   In this book Robinson presents a reasoned argument against pushing students into 'traditional subject' education towards a more open learning where students learn what interests them most. 

Robinson puts it that "School systems everywhere inculcate us with a very narrow view of intelligence and capacity and overvalue particular sorts of talent and ability."  This left me wondering how much I've contributed to this? 

I think that we have come along way in our prize givings to recognise the talents of students from a full range of subjects.  I'm looking forward to the celebration of the diversity of learning here at Waihi College. 




Please book in Wednesday 5th November from 7pm (week four of the term).  In order to gather some information on how the students have been progressing through their senior programmes of work.  I've created a feedback form four teachers to fill in (one per class).  Here is a copy...

There are two key factors that we're looking for academic success (the top three from NCEA results) and those students that have put in extraordinary efforts - but not necessarily had this reflected in their results.

This post relates to RTC # 7. promote a collaborative, inclusive and supportive learning environment.

Professional Learning Community

High Trust Conversation Starters

 

The importance of having a network around you as a professional teacher cannot be understated.  All teachers need to be able to find others who are willing to invest their time, energy and wisdom into their colleagues.  This point was highlighted by Hargreaves and Fullan in Professional Capital...

"Individuals get confidence, learning, and feedback from having the right kind of people and the right kind of interactions and relationships around them." (2012, p. 4) 

John Hattie in his book Visible Learning For Teachers: Maximising Impact on Learning says...

"Teachers who do not acknowledge the importance of peer feedback can be the most handicapped in their effects on students.” p.147


The following questions are designed to create honest and open conversations between professionals.  They are simple questions that are not supposed to have “correct” answers – rather they are designed to spark deepen our understanding of each other’s practice. 
The purpose here is not to 'prove' anything to anyone.  Rather the purpose here is to 'improve'.  The people who you are working with have all decided that their lives to the education of young people.  

I have designed the following questions in an attempt start honest and open conversations between teachers.  They are simple questions that are not supposed to have “correct” answers – rather they are designed to spark deepen our understanding of each other’s practice. 

A good tip to keep the conversation moving is for there to be change of focus at regular intervals.  One person presenting honest discussion about their experiences/habits – the others listening (soak it in) and moving into constructive advice/questioning/empathy.  Five minutes and then try another conversation starter led by a different person. 

Remember – high trust + open to learning = respect. 
[These are not in any particular order – you may not get through them all].
  1.       Identify any administrative issue you feel is a challenge/confusing/wasteful.
  2.       Describe the things have changed about the classes you teach year.
  3.       Describe the extent of challenge you are having in regards to demand on your time.
  4.       Give a summary of your last period class yesterday. 
  5.       Tell about what is it about a student you find particularly challenging or hard to reach. 
  6.       Describe what areas of you teaching you’ve feel you’ve been neglecting recently.
  7.       Tell us about a lesson that you’ve had recently that didn’t go well. 
  8.       If you could be given some extra non-contact time how would you spend that time?

The end result of this activity is that collectively as a group you will have a greater understanding of each other.  That you will be conscious of the intentions, frustrations, positives and negative we all face here at school. 

I have saved this document in S:\Administration\Appraisal\High Trust Conversation Starters.docx

This post relates to RTC # 1. establish and maintain effective professional relationships focused on the learning and well-being of ākonga - engage in ethical, respectful, positive and collaborative professional relationships with teaching colleagues, support staff and other professionals
and RTC #8. demonstrate in practice their knowledge and understanding of how ākonga learn.

Senior Subject Selection Evening

Option Evening
The importance of our learners making their best choices for future learning cannot be underestimated.  It is vital that at this stage of the year we provide clear information so that the student (and their whanau) can set up their programme of study 2015. 

"When students find something they enjoy and can excel in, they do better in education."

Sir Ken Robinson Out of Our Minds

This year our option evening will be on Tuesday 21st October from 7pm to 8:30pm in the school hall.  It will be an opportunity for students to find out more information on the programmes of work available 2015 and how these will contribute to an NCEA qualification. 

The hall will be set up in an expo/display style (a la term three's careers evening).  Curriculum areas will have a section of the hall each and can provide some displays of the work/content/materials that are associated with their courses.  [Set up can be done from period four]

There will be letters home to all parents of students from year 10 to 12 to let them know of the events of the evening.  The Pouako's for those year levels will be expected to also contact (phone call or email please) home to let parents/caregivers know. 

The official subject selection booklet (which will be electronic this year) will be up on our school website - there will be a few printed copies but these are $6 each from photocopier so limited. 

The straw poll has now been completed so we have an appreciation of the relative size of classes for 2015.  The next step will be to form the lines around the actual subject selections of the students and arrange the timetable around their options (as best BCA can). 

At this stage students will be picking a time

• Year 11 Students - Six Subjects (compulsory Maths and English)
• Year 12 Students - Six Subjects
• Year 13 Students - Six Subjects

From the straw poll it looks like we will have more students accessing Trade Academy through Wintec which we'll need to plan through.  Thursday 23rd there is an open evening starting at 4pm Wintec Kopu Road Thames (we will be putting on minivan for this).  

This post is related to RTC # 6. conceptualise, plan and implement an appropriate learning programme.

Remainder of Year Overview

Waihi College 2014

Term Four - 86 HALF-DAYS

Seniors have 28 actual days until NCEA externals begin. That will be 16 School days (less Labour Day, and two days of study leave). Approx. 27 lessons with juniors and 11 lessons with seniors.

Week	Day	AM Meeting	Day Events	PM Meeting
Week 1   13-17 Oct	MON (day 2)	STAFF BRIEFING	Year 7&8 Rotation 4 Starts. Year 9 Rotation 5 Starts.
	TUES (day 3)			International Students Surfing
	WED (day 4)	STAFF BRIEFING		International Students Waitomo Trip
	THURS (day 5)		Horticulture Trip to Waimata	Cultural Awards Evening
	FRI (day 6)	STAFF BRIEFING	Year 11 Geo trip to Rotorua (BHY).

 

Week 2   20-24 Oct	MON (day 1)	STAFF BRIEFING
	TUES (day 2)		HPV Vaccination Year 8 Girls	International Students Surfing Senior Option Evening
	WED (day 3)	STAFF BRIEFING	Defensive Driving Course
	THURS (day 4)		Defensive Driving Course Drama Trip to Dust Palace Akld	Sports Awards Evening
	FRI (day 5)	STAFF BRIEFING	Year 13 Tours to Rotorua

 

Week 3   27-31 Oct	MON (day 0)	Labour Day
	TUES (day 6)			International Students Surfing
	WED (day 1)	STAFF BRIEFING	Defensive Driving Course	Volunteers Evening
	THURS (day 2)		Defensive Driving Course
	FRI (day 3)	STAFF BRIEFING	Principal's assembly Years 7-9

 

Week 4   3-7 Nov	MON (day 4)		STAFF BRIEFING		Year 6 Enrolments Due			Gateway Graduation Evening (from 5pm)
	TUES (day 5)							International Students Surfing
	WED (day 6)		STAFF BRIEFING		Calf Club			Senior Academic Prize Giving Evening
	THURS (day 1)				Year 10 Camp Training
	FRI (day 2)		STAFF BRIEFING		Calf Club Group Day
Week 5   10-14 Nov		MON (day 3)		STAFF BRIEFING		PB4L Team	NCEA External Exams		Year 10 Camp - Waharau
		TUES (day 4)								Intern Surfing
		WED (day 5)		STAFF BRIEFING
		THURS (day 6)
		FRI (day 1)		STAFF BRIEFING

 

Week 6   17-21 Nov	MON (day 2)	STAFF BRIEFING		NCEA External Exams	Formal Interviews for Year 6's with SLT
	TUES (day 3)		Year 7&8 Athletics			Intern Surfing
	WED (day 4)	STAFF BRIEFING
	THURS (day 5)
	FRI (day 6)	STAFF BRIEFING	AP/DP Day Tauranga.

 

Week 7   24-28 Nov	MON (day 1)	STAFF BRIEFING		NCEA External Exams
	TUES (day 2)
	WED (day 3)	STAFF BRIEFING
	THURS (day 4)
	FRI (day 5)	STAFF BRIEFING

 

Week 8   1-5 Dec	MON (day 6)	STAFF BRIEFING		NCEA External Exams	Activities Week & Year 9 Homunga Walk (1 class per day)
	TUES (day 1)
	WED (day 2)	STAFF BRIEFING	Documents Day.
	THURS (day 3)		Primary School Tour
	FRI (day 4)	STAFF BRIEFING	Primary School Tour

 

Week 9   8-12 Dec	MON (day 5)	STAFF BRIEFING
	TUES (day 6)
	WED (day 1)	STAFF BRIEFING		Year 9 & 10 Prizegiving from 9:30am
	THURS (day 2)		Last Day of School	Year 7 & 8 Prizegiving from 9:30am
	School Holidays Term One Starts with Teacher Only Days on Tues 27th Jan and Wed 28th.

 

Waihi College 2015

Term One - 100 HALF-DAYS

The year is divided into four terms. They are 10 weeks, 11 weeks, 10 weeks and 9 weeks (in order)

Week	Day	AM Meeting	Day Events	PM Meeting
Week 1   26-30 Jan	MON (day 0)	Auckland Anniversary Day
	TUES (day 0)	Teacher Only Day
	WED (day 0)	Teacher Only Day
	THURS (day 0)	STAFF BRIEFING	Year 7's only day.
	FRI (day 0)	STAFF BRIEFING	Year 7-10's only day.

 

Week 2   2-6 Feb	MON (day 0)	STAFF BRIEFING	Full School Day
	TUES (day 1)
	WED (day 2)	STAFF BRIEFING
	THURS (day 3)
	FRI (day 0)	Waitangi Day