Reflection Activity 2

Activity 2

Metacognitive reflection on learning and practice.

Reflecting on the last 24 weeks of my study at the Mindlab.

Key Competencies  

2 key competencies that I have developed the most of the last 24 weeks are:

Thinking

OMG, have I been doing a LOT of thinking. Primarily about how to use what I am learning in an authentic context in my new job. Thinking about what my teaching style is and if I'm happy with it?Do I want to change? Have I changed? I think that I have changed my teaching style - I have definitely blended the learning in my class in 2015 and the students have benefited also by me letting them lead some of the learning (they were just  5 years old). I thought about how I can use DCL in my class to enrich the learning and foster an inquiring mind. I want the students to be able to ask interesting questions and then be able to answer them and present their findings. Having worked in a Manaiakalani School I really do love the Learn Create Share pedagogy and have embraced this in my teaching practice. It's just how I think now and this is reflected in my planning.

Managing myself

Busy, busy and even busier is how I describe my life at this time.  Managing my time has been a challenge as I am the Princess of Procrastination, preparing for a new job, have 2 teenage sons and I'm a single mum. I have enjoyed the learning journey more as the weeks have passed by probably because I was actually using what I was learning in my class the next day and have a whole lot of things that I am looking forward to doing with my students this year. I'm not that fond of lit reviews and essays so this blog is a much more manageable and enjoyable task for me personally. 

Welcome Activity 1

Activity 1

Welcome to my professional development journey. Initially set up this blog for my MINDLAB "Applied Practice in Context" APC - CISC 8100 paper - which is the last paper in the Post Grad Cert in Digital Collaborative Learning.

Setting up this blog is part of Week 25 Reflective Practice.

I am really excited to be starting a new teaching position in a small school in Auckland, NZ.
I am the lead teacher for digital learning (a new role for me). I will be released 1 day per week to focus on this area in addition to teaching a Year 7 girls only class for 2 days and a Year 5/6 class for the other 2 days.
In 2015 my students described my teaching style as " she is kinda strict, has high expectations for herself and others, is really funny and very kind".

I attended a session at the MINDLAB in Auckland last night re this assignment and also future learning at Unitec which I am interested in doing and intend to follow up with a view to completing a Masters in Applied Practice - for me this will = DCL.,