Homai Principal - Welcome to blogging

Assessment 2:  Applied Practice in Context Rosina Wikaira Identify and critically evaluate the context of your practice. Part a)  Present a collection of your reflective journal entries that respond to  activities 6-8 . https://plus.google.com/+RosinaWikaira/posts/bhcJfkQ3ZvK Part b)  For this assessment, you are also required to actively interact with others in professional online communities. You should critically engage in discussions about the topics of weeks 30-32 of the course. http://andre561961.wordpress. com https://plus.google.com/107367744682757061399/posts/dcYM8Tr9jtA

Week 32 - APC - Reflective Practice - Putting it all together Activity 8: Changes in my Practice Well Im almost there, what an amazing journey which I know I will continue to develop and grow within my capacity as an instructional leader at Homai. Has this journey been easy? absolutely not, but it definitely has been worthwhile. Being part of a community of practice with 3 other Principals who have also been on this journey has enabled me to stay focused, stay on track and motivated, while leading a school with so many demands. Looking back, this journey started with a strong focus on leading my school towards a 21st century eLearning environment, but had limited experience or understanding of where to start. My staff were looking at me to led them as we had no "expert" IT onboard. As the Principal I felt responsible for the lack of direction and decided to do something about it. I engaged with 3 other colleagues on my dilemma and the feelings were mutual so we all agr

Week 31: APC  Activity 7: My interdisciplinary connection map Identify two of the potential connections from your map as your near future goal(s).  Critically discuss the benefits and challenges of working in a more interdisciplinary environment. The following diagram is an representation of my interdisciplinary connection within my professional context At Homai, teachers and leaders constantly work towards building professional content knowledge and keeping up to date with educational initiatives, using both traditional and 21st century skills. Digital technologies and collaborative connections have been the major focus on our own learning this year. As the instructional leader at Homai, I must constantly seek learning to keep myself at the forefront of the ever changing face of education and technology. This is goal one from my "potential" connection on my map. My second goal is to continually seek opportunities for my professional context, Homai Scho

Professional Online Social Networks - Week 30 What are some key features of social media that are beneficial for teaching and learning? Why? View:  Benefits of Social Media In Derek's video, "Benefits of Social Media" (Education Council plus 2012) he highlights several key benefits of social media: Strengthening of relationships with whanau and families  A sense of connectedness in learning A sense of purpose and anticipation Karen Mulhuish Spencer also highlights key features of professional online social media networks which are beneficial for learning and teaching: Being connected is critical and the chats we have with colleagues in corridors and classrooms can now be expanded beyond the boundaries of our physical location. Collaboration is unlocked by social media platforms The limitations of trying to get information in normal work hours disappears and we can get answers from around the world over the full spectrum of the 24 hou

Week 29 - APC - Influence of Law and Ethics on Professional Practice Personal & Professional Ethics Definition:  The basic  concepts  and  fundamental   principles  of decent human  conduct . Having an ethical stance on things you passionately believe in can at times clash with those with different views. The key is coming to some common grounds or agreeing to disagree amicably.  So what are my personal ethics or moral foundation that makes me who I am, how I lead and how I conduct myself?  The code of ethic's for certificated teachers has four fundamental principles: Autonomy to treat people with rights that are to be honoured and defended Justice to share power and prevent the abuse of power Responsible care to do good and minimise harm to others Truth to be honest with others and self These four principles are similar to how I try to live my life: Treat others how you wish to be treated Be teachable just as a little child Take responsibil

Week 28 APC – Indigenous Knowledge and Cultural Responsiveness What is Indigenous Knowledge? Knowing, understanding and respecting the tikanga (protocols and beliefs) of ones culture.   What is Cultural Responsiveness? How others (non-indigenous) respond to the protocols and beliefs (tikanga) of the indigenous people of that country.   How does it fit  within my schooling context?   Students and whānau at Homai school have always felt they are part of what we call the “Homai Whanau”. Parents and whānau feel welcomed, our open-door policy is inviting and parents pretty much attend most of our schools activity nights, conference evenings, informal and formal gatherings.   There are cultural groups that perform at a drop of a hat – kapa haka, Samoan Siva, Indian, etc, and our environment is loaded with cultural icons, statutes, and cultural artwork.  So does this mean as a school we are being culturally responsive to our learners and their whānau? Are we embedding practices that a