HPC - 'Excellence is our tradition'

I was privileged enough this week to spend a day shadowing Ngaire Harris, Principal of Hauraki Plains College.

I was able to attend a full school assembly, in which they sang their school song with pride, but the best part of the day was being able to pick the brains of a Principal whom I have read so much about, and who has been leading the way for years with diverse, flexible and authentic curriculum practices.




A few years ago Ngaire asked her staff to show her the Pathway that a student, who wanted to be an Electrician, could take at HPC.  There was none.  So she set about leading the school on a journey towards providing Pathways for ALL students.

Changing the Senior lines from 4 hours to 3 hours, and creating 2 extra subject lines, was a big step at the time - one in which many schools would be too scared to do - for fair of jeopardising their academic subjects.

However, HPC has been able to provide Pathways for ALL types of students, so much so that over half of their roll is out-of-zone - which speaks volumes for the work that is happening there.

I love going to innovative schools, who have the mindset that even leaving one student behind is not good enough.  Their motto 'Excellence is our tradition' encompasses the standard that they set their students.  When you read about student accomplishments, plastered all over the walls, you soon realise that 'excellence' comes in many forms - and they are proud of it!

From a student who may graduate to study Medicine, to a student who can build a house before they have left school (which is then sold off), to a student who excels on the sporting field - HPC is working hard to cater to all.  The picture below, found on Ngaire's office wall, really encapsulates the school culture.

Let's hope that more schools see the relevance of providing such flexible, authentic experiences for students, that break away from the traditional, or antiquated.

Quote for today

From the New Zealand Education in 2025 Draft Document: 

Lead with Pedagogy, 

Accelerate with Technology

No child left behind AND No teacher left behind.

"Benefit from the wisdom of all"   Hattie 2015

So of course I had to follow up the reading on Distractions in education, with Hattie's reading on what he thinks will work in Education.  And I am glad to say I am heading my thinking in this direction - Collaboration and building a culture in a school that asks the questions 'What does Learning look like, and how do I know I am being effective as a teacher?'

Once again, I am going to use this blog to highlight the key points I took from this paper, and put them into a mixture of his/my words.

Although some points I look at and go 'Wow, how do we do that?'.  I know that there in lies the challenge.  No more blaming, and no more using 'distractions'.  Just start the conversations and see where they lead you.

Start that culture in the staffroom, and in the classroom that insists upon High Expectations for all - no matter what their backgrounds, socio-economic status, or own low expectations (that no doubt have been built into them through the achievement hierarchys emphasised in their classrooms).

I like how Hattie states that collaboration isn't just about trading war stories and sharing resources.  But about sharing evaluative evidence, effective strategies, identifying success, building a common understanding on what 'impact and effectiveness' looks like, and sharing and learning how to become more expert.

Anyway, to the points that I will walk away with and reflect upon:

• Build a long-term, coherent, focused, system-wide attention to student learning.
• Identify, nurture, esteem, and bring together 'within' school expertise.  
• Have the uncomfortable discussions about why students aren't progressing in a classroom.
• Think about not just 'No Child Left Behind - but also No Teacher Left Behind.
• Aspire to have highly effective, expert, inspired, and passionate staff who work together to maximise effect on student learning.
• Have an arsenal to measure progress - not just one piece of evidence.  Triangulate all.
• Discuss within school/department/syndicate: 'What does one years progress actually look like?'
• Develop a common conception of progress and same expectations across the school.
• An optimal school has not just High Achievement, but also High Growth & Progress.
• Assist students to exceed their own expectations.
• Look at results and ask 'What do you see in them, and what do you do next?'
• Don't just measure achievement, also measure the Learning.
• Take responsibility for the impact you as a teacher has on every student.  Know thy impact.
• Evaluate the impact of All in the school on the progress of ALL in the school.
• Create trusting environments to ensure healthy debate on impact, & use of information/data.
• Develop conditions for collaboration in a school & a climate of evaluation.
• Communicate impact on students learning to the student and the home.
• Ask the question: what does success/impact look like before teaching the unit.
• See errors as opportunities to learn.
• Recognise what effective teaching looks like and know your high impact teachers.
• Recognise those that need support in becoming more effective teachers.
• Encourage conversations in the staffroom about Learning & Impact as opposed to Curriculum and Assessment.
• Maximise each others success.
• Schools are the unit of analysis, therefore accountability should be to the school.
• Excellence can be attained in multiple ways. 
• Equity can be defined as all students having the possibility of achieving Excellence.
• Clear focus on Nature of Learning & teaching that supports it.
• Teachers should be able to challenge each other to achieve excellence collectively.
• Build coalitions for success.

To see the full paper click here.

Are schools being distracted? The Politics of Distraction

I always enjoy reading Hattie.  He keeps

things pretty simple, and makes them easy to read and digest.  A paper he put out in June of this year has finally found its way onto my table - something to do with my babies being down in Wellington, me having no life, and a lot of readings piling up!

But Hattie's 'The Politics of Distraction' has kept me entertained for the last hour and a half - see, easy read.  But I have written notes, as some of his one-liners (or those he has used from other brainy people) are really hitting home.

Below is a list of the key points I have taken from this paper.  I'm not going to just list the 5 distractions he talks about, but rather, write (in his or my words) the things I will take away with me and seriously put some thought too.  And BTW, some are not new, but he revisits them all over again.

• Student Outcome = One years progress for One years input.
• Make evidence-informed decisions and policy rather than evidence-based.
• Improve teacher expertise: Recognise, Value, Enhance and Resource.
• Insist upon high expectations for the impact of your teaching.
• Develop collective expertise in and between schools.
• Robust discussions must be had regarding the purpose and desired outcomes of teaching.
• Standards really set an in-built failure system in schools, as there will always be a 'tail'.
• Be careful with language eg. minority tail.  
• Applaud educators who 'add value' to a students learning each year - even if this means the student 'plateaus or flatlines'.
• Believe 'I can make a difference' everytime I walk into a school - for every/any student.
• Create the circumstances for success.
• Remove barriers - especially low expectations.
• Worry about what is happening 'within' a school, rather than 'between' schools.
• Choice of school matters less than choice of teacher.
• Tests should provide interprative information on teacher impact and where to next, rather than student achievement.  
• Tests should inform the teacher not the student.
• Before the 'environment' changes; coach the staff on how to improve student achievement and outcomes using this environment (collaboration, alternative methods, evaluating impacts).
• The atmosphere in both the staffroom and the classroom need to be indusive to high level learning.
• Resourcing in schools should be on enhancing student outcomes not enhancing adult satisfaction. 
• Use technology to enhance knowledge production not knowledge consumption.

To read the full paper click here.

Thank you Core Education!

Although probably 'old hat' to the well-researched educators out there................... I have found Core Educations Top Ten Trends for 2015.

They have perfectly put, in an easy to read format (plus cool, eye-catching diagram), all the information and 'big-words', and all the new initiatives and ideas, that I have spent hours reading about through my NAPP research.



Although I actually enjoy the research that I have been doing this year, it is really hard to find a way to put it across to other staff members, without them looking at the paragraphs in front of them, and saying 'um, I will when I get the time!'.

The Top Ten Trends that Core Ed have put together summarise what is happening in education in NZ right now - or at least is starting to happen.

I will definitely be using this website and its relevant links, to enlighten the staff I work with.  The fact that it is broken down into readable chunks, and each chunk has related articles/links/blogs attached to it, makes it a much easier sell to staff.

I particularly love the 'Maker culture', which is also discussed in the following blog article by Mark Osborne - I want a MakerSpace at my school!  Well actually, we do have similar spaces, but probably under utilise them, and also staff probably don't see the relevance of what is actually happening in them!  The following blog article explains it more:

Check out the full 10 Trends!

Te Tiriti o Waitangi - Keeping true to its intent

So last week I attended a Treaty of Waitangi Workshop here at Onewhero Area School.  Open to community, and whanau, it was amazing to see 17 representatives from OAS turn up, including most of the Board, SLT, and some teachers.

Expecting to be taught again about the '3 P's' and the two different versions, I was pleasantly surprised, and totally engaged in what we did discuss. So below are my interpretations of this powerful TOW Workshop.

Kawa for the night: you are not expected to agree with everything that is presented, but you are asked to keep an open mind to what you hear.

'The true intent of the Treaty, and what it means to keep its real meaning at the heart of our thinking'

A great way to start 'any' learning activity with akonga is to present them with 'The Wave' diagram above. Out of the 7 vantage points on the diagram, who would have the best idea about how a wave works?  Who would be able to state how 'big' the wave is?  Who can hear the wave the best?

Its all about 'perspectives' and its all about the many differences of opinions, based on what they can see, hear, smell, been taught already, what they don't know, interest levels, and whats 'in it for them'.  

So is one way right or wrong?  Who can claim to be the 'authority' on The Wave?  Or does everyone bring a new angle of The Wave, that is just as interesting, and right/wrong as the others?  

Being the very open-minded, and insightful group that we were, we could understand the importance of what this diagram was telling us..................especially in relation to Treaty of Waitangi discussions.
But it is a great 'starter' activity in the classroom, to create discussion about 'different ways of seeing things'.

So who is the Treaty between: Maori and Pakeha is what I probably flippantly say when asked.   But a Treaty, in International law, is an agreement between sovereign nations - not between 'cultural' groups.  So who is the Treaty between: The Crown and Hapu.

Probably the most important thing I took out of the night, was that the Treaty is not about Colonisation.  What we hear through the media as 'Treaty' issues (grievances, claims, settlements) are all due to Colonisation - which would be issues today even if there had not been a Treaty.

When you look at the general population figures from 1800 to 1860, Maori still held the upper hand in terms of 'people numbers'.  Although, the number of Tauiwi was fast increasing, Maori still held fairly good relationships with the original settlers - the Tauiwi who first came, and adopted Maori customs, language, and culture.  They understood the 'taonga' that is the Maori culture.

The Treaty was designed to encompass these relationships, strengthen them, and allow for a truly bi-cultural nation to evolve.  Bi-cultural meaning that people are equally competent when operating in either of two cultures.  Using the strengths of each culture to build a nation.

We were challenged to look at the Treaty in this regard, without looking at the aspects of Colonisation that led to one nation exerting its power and political control over the Tangata Whenua. Certainly, the message wasn't to forget the past, and forget what has happened to lead to this point in our Nations young life, but to instead try to think about the Treaty in its true meaning - building relationships.  Equity not Equality.

  

So the big question: how do we attempt to do this in schools?

We were presented a really easy way to encourage discussion about Treaty relationships, without actually explicitly studying the Treaty.

Take a simple unit on Place Names.  In five steps, you can go a little way into developing young minds into thinking like the Treaty wanted us to.

Maori Culture   -     Other Cultures     -      Treaty    -     Colonisation     - So what now?

What do we know about Place Names in NZ?  What would the Maori Cultural aspect be?  What are Other Cultures aspects?  In what way can we stay true to the Treaty in terms of Place Names?  What has colonisation done in regards to Place Names?  What can we do now, what actions would be right?

Pretty cool that the group that spoke to us are also developing a resource for NZ schools, basing it on the above concept, and covering many Learning Areas of the NZC.

To finish off, I would like to set you a challenge.  Here is the quiz we were asked to do at the start.  True/False Questions: Have a go.

 

Answer:  They are ALL false!  How did you go?

Te Puaha o Waikato - Making Connections

So we had our second Community Engagement Hui with our Maori community last night, at Te Kotahitanga Marae.  I was really proud of my kura, who not only organised it, but had most BOT members, all SLT members, and 5 staff members present.

The turnout of our parents wasn't as great, but there were other kura represented, in particular, local kohanga and kura kaupapa.

The discussion was enlightening and enriching, both on a personal and a professional level.  Our main objective last night - to develop a 'purpose' for these hui, and design not only a mission statement, but set short, medium and long term goals.

There are things that we, as a kura, can put into action now.  Small things granted, but things that will make a difference to ensuring our Maori community start to feel that their culture, language and identity are being embraced at Onewhero Area School.

Community - Manakitanga - We are stronger together - one of the values our school are currently proposing to put in place, through explicity teaching what this means and celebrating students success in this area.

"Naku te rourou nau te rourou ka ora ai te iwi"

With your basket and my basket the people will thrive

On Monday night next week we host a Tiriti o Waitangi workshop at our school, for the whole community.  Another step towards embracing our bi-cultural heritage.  

Deepening my bi-cultural knowledge, culture and understanding

Tauranganui Marae Poukai


So on Sunday I ventured down the road to Tauranganui Marae, to attend the Poukai, and listen to my Tumuaki address King Tuheitia and a large contingent of our Tainui community.

I have never been to a Poukai before, and to be fair, I hadn't heard of it before either.


So we were welcomed onto the Marae in our party at around 9.45am, and then proceeded to become part of the Tangata Whenua ropu who waited for the Kings arrival.  We learnt the basic actions that would be performed during the powhiri, and then proceeded to welcome King Tuheitia and his people on - accompanied by his band.

Although a long day, and mostly in Te Reo Maori, of which I could make out the gist of some of the korero, it was a culturally enriching experience.  Not to mention partaking in the kai, which consisted of Whitebait galore from the Waikato awa, and a beautiful hangi.

Even better, was that our school Kapa Haka were present, and were part of the celebrations, and helped all day prepare the food.  What great ambassadors they were for our kura (the only one present at the Poukai).  Ranging in age from 6 years to 16 years
 - they did our school proud.

Our Principal's speech was short and sharp, but had a vital message - as a community we need to come together and be participants in our childrens lives.  We need to engage in their education.  And most of all we want to do this together - with our Maori community.

It was extremely well received, and our Community Engagement Hui tomorrow night at another local Marae should be even better attended than the last!

It was a whole day away from my own whanau, but it was an experience that I wouldn't have had otherwise, and I plan to not make it the last.  Connecting with our Maori community and building those relationships is vital, and just being there made me and our kura take a huge step forward in being able to do this effectively.

When the seeds start to sprout

When a niggle grows in you that what you have been trying to do in leading your staff through Curriculum innovation has either been, all for nothing, or slow and painful, it can cause a person to have a crisis of faith in themselves.  It often causes you to doubt your actions up until that point, ponder every decision made again and again, and even get you questioning whether you are cut out for the job/portfolio that you have.

It is too easy to then throw the baby out with the bath water and start all again, or just give up.  You have to be really quite strong willed and, in a way, a little arrogant, to back yourself and what you are trying to achieve.  Add that to a constructive, supportive, and encouraging group of staff around you (with the odd barrier builder for good measure) and you may just be able to see through the fog to the sun waiting above.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been so encouraged with the openness in which the staff I work with have been offering little gems into the curriculum discussions, and opening themselves up for potentially - a loss of subject protection, a collaborated approach to planning, courses that allow students to choose and move more freely, and quality over quantity of credits offered.

For some schools, this is old news, and they are on to their 5th, 6th, 7th year of trial and error.  For our school, it is a giant step towards creating more flexible, integrated, and relevant learning experiences for our students.

The seeds that we started to sow are starting to sprout, with every day, new ideas being discussed throughout meetings, departments, staffroom conversations, blogs and emails, that relate directly to themes on future-focused/21st C Teaching and Learning.  Teachers are emailing me ideas on how they would like to adapt their curriculum, change up their units, see the connections with other subjects, researching Best Practice in other schools.  Wow!!!!

It has been a long wait, and I have learnt so much about leading change, and whether I have actually impacted staff is still up for debate.  But I am a part of a change that is occurring, and the best thing is - it is all about the learner being at the heart of all of our discussions and thoughts.  What a cool time to be teaching, leading, learning, and changing with education in NZ.

Why I do what I do, where I do

So this morning the view from my backyard gate/office window (pretty much one and the same) was this....

Two hours later I am on the way for my NAPP conference, still stuck in this............

And this is why I get to work so early, and why I do conferences like this........... found it on my office desk the other morning before work

Being better than the status quo

Since my NAPP journey started I have had a lot of time to reflect upon where my 'moral compass' is pointing in regards to my teaching & leading.  Before it began, I hadn't even considered my Moral Purpose and what that meant for decisions I made in my teaching career.  I hadn't really delved into what it means to make a difference in a student's life.

So the first thing I had to seriously reflect upon was what are my 'deal breakers'.  What are the values and beliefs that I hold true too, and that should underpin everything I do in and through my life, Wow, big question for a not very well-read brain!

Not that readings are the be all and end all.  But they did start me thinking about my teaching and leadership in a new light.  There are so many well-respected and well-researched authors out there, who have done a lot of the thinking for me.  I just needed to tap into them, and form my own Educational Philosophy.  The readings that have given me a lot of insight and cause for reflection are posted below, and I am building a great bank of readings/research that are really thought-provoking.  They make me challenge my views and opinions - and isn't that how true learning can occur?

• Learning Leadership - Robertson
• Swimming out of our depth - Bull & Gilbert
• Coaching & Mentoring through Partnership - Robertson
• The Assessment Capable Teacher - Booth, Hill, Dixon

I always struggled to write the part in my CV that described what I am all about in terms of my teaching beliefs.  I always thought I could 'feel' it, more than I could 'describe' it.  Through this process, however, I think I can start to articulate it better. I am starting to have those challenging conversations with colleagues and my aim over this year is to really articulate how I intend to be better than the day before and more importantly, why.

So over the last couple of months I have been starting to have these discussions with a 'think tank' at my school, made up of a group of around 7-8 secondary teachers, who teach across many Learning Areas.  Basically, I asked them the question 'Have you ever wondered 'what might be'?

My presentations and all research used have been added to an Evernote folder, aptly named by a colleague Curriculum Reimagined, which I find to be an easy-to-access notebook, that the entire group can add to, and collaborate on.

As a school, we have developed a safe, caring environment in which students understand the school values and actively promote them.  What a great platform from which to build an amazing curriculum, that engages ALL learners and is relevant & authentic.  Yes, we have some brilliant teaching happening, and yes we have practices that need a lot of work.  But, its not about throwing the baby out with the bath water - its about being better than the status quo - and we should all want to do be that!

The start

Four years ago I became a Deputy Principal for the first time.  My family consisted of a husband, 2 kids, a dog, and a cat.  I had no idea what I was getting myself into, and I had no idea if I could foot it in a Senior Leadership Team.  

My days over the last few years have consisted of juggling my boys and their schooling, driving too and from sports trainings and games, trying not to speak in a 'teacher voice' to my wonderful husband.... oh and popping out a beautiful daughter 15 months ago.  

I thought I was doing an OK job at DP, but I never really felt I had a complete handle on either home or work life.  That continual guilt working mothers have made it hard to ever sink my teeth into anything - guilty for spending too much time at work and guilty for not being at work when with the kids.  

But this year has seen massive changes in all areas of my life.  Not only has having a daughter put the icing on the cake for our family, I have also engaged in a leadership learning journey called NAPP - National Aspiring Principal's programme.  Never did I think I would be into all of that 'fluffy reading stuff' that I had seen other aspiring leaders get into.  You know, the stuff that made you go 'yeah well when do I have time to do that, and anyway the real learning is done in the classroom not in a book'.  

Boy have I changed my tune.  Not only have I become captivated with learning about leadership, I have become re-captivated with 'learning' fullstop.  Yep, its a juggle, and yep I still question myself when I spend a Sunday avo in the office reading and planning.  But when I am home, its family time, and I think it has made me reassess and reevaluate the balance needed in ones life.  I need my family, but I also need to be learning.  So this is my journey, for whats its worth, on that roller-coaster of juggling everything, and most importantly on what and how I am learning - and hopefully through all of this, 'leading' through my actions.