Week 32 Key change in my
professional practice
It is quite a nice way to
finish the last entry in this collection of reflective blogs looking at a key
change in my professional practice.
I somewhat stumbled upon The
Mindlab over a year ago, when my very enthusiastic colleague managed to
convince me that doing this paper would be the best thing for me. Please note
the statement “this paper” I did not realise at the time that the course was
actually made up of four papers!
I twigged to the fact,
approximately the day before the course actually started that I had signed up
and agreed to undertake a year’s work in a postgraduate certificate.
I am actually very thankful
that I did sign up and work through it because what I have learnt over the 32
weeks has far out weighted that nauseous sinking feeling that kicked in the
night before.
Step 1 (What): Identify one key change in your professional practice
The key
change to my practice and has underpinned all that I have done is that of
Professional Learning which Our Code – Our standard states as
“Use
inquiry, collaborative problem-solving and professional learning to improve
professional capability to impact on the learning and achievement of all
learners.”
I think, in
a nutshell, this reflects what The Mindlab is all about.
Step
2 (Now what): Evaluate
the identified change, I used the Cycle of Experiential Learning by Osterman
and Kottkamp (2015, p.70)
Stage 1: Problem
identification
I had been working closely
with another colleague around a collaborative teaching and learning model that
we had developed. We saw the potential in collaborative teaching and learning
as well as the potential in well planned and structured innovative learning
environments. We both also wanted to integrate digital technology in a way that
was meaningful and easy for the classroom teacher
Stage 2: Observation and analysis
The wonderful thing about the work we did through our study was that it
was classroom based and developed around the needs of our students.
As we learnt something new and could see the benefits for our students
we would trial the learning with our students. Not the whole lot but just small
groups of students, we were able to gather data from these students as to the
impact t was having on their learning and the impact it was having on our
teaching.
As our students became more and more engaged in what we were doing, they
were taking on more of the learning themselves and their enthusiasm fired up
the others who wanted to be doing what these students were doing.
We shared with or students what we were doing and after each face to
face session they would ask what we had done and what could they do. Natural
collaboration between the teachers and the students was happening and the role of
the expert constantly changed.
Stage 3: Abstract re
conceptualization
The resource by ITL
Research. (2012) 21CLD Learning Activity Rubrics has been incredibly useful
and it has been great using this document to support in class learning and
teaching.
I was very hesitant initially at the start of this course to take any
risks especially around the use of video, but with the support of my 10 year
old son, who helped us film, edit and produce our first assignment, I became
much more confident to continue with this form of presentation and have actually
implement it into my classroom teaching and learning.
Stage 4: Active experimentation
Taking other ideas from our work through Mindlab and developing them in
the classroom has been incredible. Having to have to complete assignments and
homework activities, ensured that we moved from the abstract into actuality.
I was very lucky to have another teacher working through this with me as
we have formed a very collaborative teaching relationship and because we
collaboratively taught two classes together we ensured that we took some risks,
stepped out of our comfort zones and trialled ideas, which we then reflected on
and adapted if needed.
Active experimentation has been a key aspect of what I have done and
Mindlab encouraged this to occur almost weekly – sometimes things worked and
other times they didn’t.
Step
3 (What next) Share
your next plan(s) regarding your future professional development or your future
practice.
I realised through the Mindlab experience, importance of teachers being
able to access professional development that had an immediate connection to the
classroom and to the students.
Too many times professional development has been about listening to others
talk about how amazing they are and that there was very little in the way of
mistakes, failings or errors.
We didn’t get that on this course, we were working with teachers who all
believed in bettering what they did for their students, no one tried to come
across as more expert than anyone else and this was conducive to a learning
environment based on support and reflective feedback.
I was very fortunate to have my very enthusiastic colleague to work
with. With his support we have discovered so much, which is supported by sound research
and pedagogy.
Here we are on "Faces of Change" http://facesofchange.themindlab.com/#/grid
Here we are on "Faces of Change" http://facesofchange.themindlab.com/#/grid
We did have the next two years mapped out to continue with our work of
setting up and developing an innovative learning environment that is enhanced
by digital technology, but like all things change is not uncommon nor
unexpected and my partner in crime has taken a year’s study leave to pursue further
academic study around Te Reo.
I was unsure as to what to do next when the teacher used to replaced him
showed a strong desire to continue with me on the journey – so upwards and
onwards.
References
ITL Research. (2012). 21CLD
Learning Activity Rubrics. Retrieved from https://education.microsoft.com/GetTrained/ITL-Research
Ministry of
Education (nd). Our code, our standards. Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/content/our-code-our-standards
Osterman, K. & Kottkamp,
R.(1993). Reflective Practice for Educators.California.Corwin Press, Inc.
Retrieved on 7th May, 2015 from http://www.itslifejimbutnotasweknowit.org.uk/files.