Homai Principal - Welcome to blogging

Week 27 - APC - Broader Professional Context A fter much collaboration with this weeks information (week 27), the trends that I find most relevant to my practice are taken from the NMC Horizon Report 2015, supported by EROs 2012 report, Evaluation at a Glance: Priority Learners in New Zealand Schools. C ollaborative Learning Approaches According to the NMC Horizon Report (2015) collaborative learning approaches are increasing. This is not only between learners but between teachers, also. These approaches, which involve inquiry-based learning, gaming and global blogging, are proving successful, especially for less able learners. Collaborative learning models are proving successful in improving student engagement and achievement, especially for disadvantaged students. (p. 12) Increasing Use of Collaborative Learning Approaches Collaborative learning which refers to students or teachers working together in peer to peer or group activities, is based on the perspe...

Week 26 - APC - Professional Contexts of Practice  My Professional Community Ehara toku toa i te toa takitahi Engari he toa takimano My strength is not that of n individual but that of the collective Maori Proverb The Organisational Culture (Collective Values / Principles) that underpins our practice: Within our PIMP (Pasifik Island Manurewa Principals) community of practice our shared values have evolved as we ourselves have strengthened our relational trust with one another. Building strong relationships with high trust is important within our community, so all members are valued and feel they are supported to share, to challenge, have a difference of opinion and still walk away with their mana intact. As previously stated, "Te Kaupapa Maori Principles" are our guiding values of how we treat and respect one another in every place and space, no matter the platform we use. Fostering a Positive Professional Environment: Stoll (1998) defines school...

Week 25 - APC - Reflective Practice What is a 'Community of Practice'? Defining my Community of Practice What is my practice?  We are 3 primary school Principals in Manurewa who are wanting to improve our practice and pedagogy to improve the educational outcomes  for our students. According to Wenger, belonging to a 'communities of practice' (CoP), comes naturally to humans. CoP's help us to learn socially, and understand what we need to do to be competent in our profession. By interacting with our colleagues in a CoP, helps us to define the competence required to do our jobs effectively (Wenger, 2000).  What is my Professional Context?   We created the PIMP ICT Google+ community of practice in order to collaborate across schools. This innovation would provide an online learning forum that would support our inquiry into our practices, the sharing of ideas and information, celebrating successes, facilitating problem solving, and helping us to inform decisi...

As the leader of learning at my school, it is important for me to continually seek learning, grow my own leadership pedagogy and improve practice. My leadership inquiry journey which began half way through last year, had me constantly asking myself and reflecting on...." What are the set of conditions that school leaders control which lead to success for every learner?"  I viewed many TEDTalks, reflected on their content, messages, agreed and disagreed with points of views and shared ideas with other colleagues. My journey had me join a small group of like-minded Principals who were also searching for answers to this question. We decided to form a community of practice to collaborate our thinking, viewpoints, challenge each other and find solutions to problems.  Our first group decision was to work engage with Cognition Education on the framework of Emeritus Professor Russell Bishop, Culture Counts - RBL (Relationship Based Learning Practices).  Cognition's de...