What?
Never before had opened Google scholar, never before had I even considered backing up my thoughts with research. The fact that someone else out there had been thinking the same thing and actually carried out the research to prove it, was very refreshing. I could now literally prove my point!! Using reflection, theory and evidence to guide changes in my practice will be one of the biggest changes I will take away with me from MindLab.
I loved the exposure to new knowledge and ideas which the professional readings and research bought me. The requirement to reflect through blogging was at first foreign and difficult. So much of my reflective thinking had been just in my head or in a verbal download in a side-line collegial conversation. Now I was able to put these reflections on a platform with an authentic audience and with genuine feedback. Reading other teacher blog reflections was so encouraging also, it helped challenge me to think differently.
So What?
The Ministry of Education “Our Code and Our Standards” value (2017) “Whakamana: empowering all learners to reach their highest potential by providing high-quality teaching and leadership” has most stood out for me was. How can my students be their best if I am not?
In particular, the code of professional responsibility “Professional learning - Use inquiry, collaborative problem-solving and professional learning to improve professional capability to impact on the learning and achievement of all learners.” Doing MindLab has so how given me permission to truly feel professional in my role as a teacher, to feel validated with my reflections. It has inspired me to become a better educator. In many countries, the teacher is considered a well admired and revered professional. Their words and knowledge was listened to and it was a great honour to be educated by someone so skilled. One of our sessions in MindLab showed us a clip about the teachers in Finland and how qualified and what excellent practitioners they were. Society values their teachers, and the teachers see their role as a huge privilege and honour to do! I would love to see New Zealand teaching become like Finland.
Now What?
Where to from here for me? How can I sustain all this learning and professional development? How do I share it? Who wants to know?
I guess that first I must simply be an example to my colleagues in the manner of ‘show me don’t tell me’. I would like to create a transparency with a community of practice colleagues. To help them see the problems as opportunities, not dilemmas. The problems we could identify need to be subjective and based on feelings, to have data and evidence which could back and support those hunches.
I want to be a Transformational Leader. I must start with being a transformation leader within the classroom. Sitting with the student and having an open and honest conversation about their current progress and the next steps. To be able to give them the tools and ideas for the next steps so that they can have a sense of ownership of the journey. This will empower both the learner and myself.
I would like to make myself available for small Professional Learning workshops. Start the ‘fire’ small, then hope it spreads. MindLab takes you on a journey which I had no idea what it was going to do for professionally. I am glad I didn’t know; I am not sure I would have signed up. I was once told that we should all do one thing a year which scares us silly. Box ticked.
References
Ministry of Education (2017). Our code, our standards.
Osterman, K. F., & Kottkamp, R. B. (2015). Reflective practice for educators: professional development to improve student learning. (2nd ed.) New York: Skyhorse Publishing.
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