Week 6 - Term 2 - 2019

He maurea kai whiria! 

Ignore small matters and direct effort toward important projects 

This whakatauki encourages us to keep things in perspective, to not get bogged down by the small things, the little details, but instead to maintain our focus on the vision, on what is important. It could be used to keep people on track, and/or to remind us/people to maintain focus on what’s important even in the face of great complexity. 

Week 6 3 Pipiri - 7 Pipiri Queen's Birthday - Mon 3 LEFs Due this week Year 12PED Boyle River - Wed 5 - Fri 7 Big Sing - Thurs 6 - Fri 7 Year 12 Formal - Sat 8 Badminton Canterbury Champs - Sun 9	Week 7 10 Pipiri - 14 Pipiri Chamber Music - Wed 12 (morning) 12MAS Assessment (expt) Thurs 13, 12.20 - 4pm 13BUS Trip - Fri 14 Rockquest Finals - Fri 14 12GEO Fieldtrip - All Day - Fri 14 June
Assembly - WED House Assemblies	Assembly - WED Nil - (year 12 postponed to week 8)
Meeting  Staff	Meeting  Learning and Teaching

Information for Staff

1. You may be interested to read what a few schools in Auckland have put together as their response to the NCEA package. You can read their response HERE.

2. 2020 TEACHNZ Study Awards are now open. Go to https://www.teachnz.govt.nz/professional-development/study-awards-sabbaticals-and-study-support-grants/secondary-study-awards-sabbaticals-and-grants/secondary-teachers-study-award/ to find out more information.

3. Metacognitive tools - Mindmeister in Google Docs.

Mindmeister is an add-on that you can use easily in a Google doc. Mindmapping is a tool that allows students to organise and consolidate ideas. It enhances note taking and encourages students to make connections.

If you are looking for an easy add-on then: 

a. Open up your google doc, and click on 'Add-ons'.

b. Search up Mindmeister

c. Students may take notes or read and article and group their ideas under a series of bullet points.

d. Once the have completed their list, they highlight it, and click on 'Mindmeister' and it will generate the Mindmap in the google doc.

Week 5 - Term 2 - 2109

He iti te mokoroa, nāna i kati te kahikatea 

The mokoroa (grub) may be small, but it cuts through the Kahikatea 

This whakatauki reflects that small things can have a great impact. It encourages us to think big.Although numbers or resources may be small, like the mokoroa, it is possible to achieve great tasks/achievements. 

Week 5 27 Haratua - 31 Haratua Samoan Language Week World Challenge Launches - in PAC - Mon, Tues, Thurs and Friday Cross Country Canterbury Champs - Tues 28 PPTA Strike Day - Wed 29 Mufti Day - Thurs 30 (For St John Ambulance Service) Multisports NZSS	Week 6 3 Pipiri - 7 Pipiri Queen's Birthday - Mon 3 LEFs Due this week Year 12PED Boyle River - Wed 5 - Fri 7 Big Sing - Thurs 6 - Fri 7 Year 12 Formal - Sat 8 Badminton Canterbury Champs - sun 9
Assembly - WED Year 11 in PAC	Assembly - WED House Assemblies
Meeting  Pedagogical	Meeting  Staff

Information for Staff

1. Addressing misunderstandings and confusion - There is an update on the NCEA review that answers extra questions in relation to the initial release of the NCEA review. This can be found HERE.

2. Samoan Language Week: I celebration of Samoan Language Week, Te Papa have created an activity book to help students learn some of the basics of the language.

3. FYI, assessment information that is currently on Kamar can now be found on the Google Calendar. This has nearly been completed.

A shareable link was sent out - https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=Y2docy5zY2hvb2wubnpfcHJvOWhqbDBwNTU1NjBnY3JkNXAza2xqcmdAZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ. 

This link is for CGHS staff and students only.

To have the calendar on view
a. Open up your emails and view the calendar down the side of the page

Click on the 3 dots, and select calendar to view.

b. Select the calendar

c. The list of assessments on each day, should then appear on the list.

4. Something to show your students at an Ako morning perhaps? Can I be your friend?

Week 4 - Term 2 - 2019

Mā mua ka kite a muri, mā muri ka ora a mua 

Those who lead give sight to those who follow, those who follow give life to those who lead.

This whakatauki also speaks to the importance of working together. It acknowledges and values the importance of both the leader and the followers for both are essential and co-dependent. 

Week 4 20 Haratua - 24 Haratua 13BIO Wainui - Classes rotate through all week Maths Speaker p1 - 3 with Year 10 (10Kah, 10Kom and 10Piw) - Mon 20 School Cross Country Reserve Day - Mon 20 Open Day - Tues 21 Pasifika speech Competitions - Tues 21 Squash Canterbury Champs - Sat 25 - Sun 26	Week 5 27 Haratua - 31 Haratua World Challenge Launches - in PAC - Mon, Tues, Thurs and Friday Cross Country Canterbury Champs - Tues 28 PPTA Strike Day - Wed 29 Mufti Day - Thurs 30 (For St John Ambulance Service) Multisports NZSS
Assembly - WED Year 10 in PAC	Assembly - WED Year 11 in PAC
Meeting  No Meeting - Open Day	Meeting  Pedagogical

Information for Staff

1. Beyond PD: Teacher ProfessionalLearning in High-Performing Systems(2016). This report looks at 4 countries that have high performing PLD systems. What was integral as part of the findings in each country was that PLD was not an add on task, that teaching as inquiry is one of the key components to improving student success, and collaboration and observation are what makes a difference in teacher learning.


The report states "Adult learning should only be considered effective when it changes practices for the better. Therefore, professional learning is only effective when it improves teaching" (p.8) For learning to be effective it must include a range of activities, and be connected to classroom practice. 

In the recent staff survey, teaching staff were asked the question "I regularly reflect on my own teaching practice as part of applying the inquiry teaching model" (see graph for results) and 94% of staff either agreed or strongly agreed with this statement.

Teaching as Inquiry is integral in the 4 high performing PLD systems in the report, and sharing the results of the inquiry with others is a very important part in the learning process. The key questions that Singapore teachers base their inquiry on are:
1. What is it we expect students to learn?
2. How will we know when they have learned it?
3. How will we respond when they do not learn?
4. How will we respond when they already know it?

Which could be alternative reflective questions when you are working through your own inquiry.

The second graph, shows the staff responses from the statement "there is a collaborative and supportive working culture amongst our staff" with only 45% of staff agreeing or strongly agreeing with this statement. As far as collaboration is concerned the report recommends working in small groups to encourage each other. Making change happen in the classroom involves multiple attempts before proficiency is achieved, and being given feedback, discussing ideas and having the support of others is critical. Timperley and Street (2005) believe that teachers involved in collaborative inquiry are able to better design more effective strategies and interventions for use in their own classrooms. So it will be interesting to see how or if this response changes over the next few years.

(Temperley, J., & Street, H. (2005). Improving Schools Through Collaborative Enquiry. London: Continuum.).

Bill Gates discusses teacher feedback below:

Week 3 - Term 2 - 2019

He kotuku rerenga tahi

A white heron flies once

This is used on an occasion when something very special and unusual takes place.

Week 3 13 Haratua - 17 Haratua LEF Reports Due this week Late Start - Tues 14 Lifesaving Exam 8.30am - 12pm - Wed 15 Winter Sports Start - Wed 15 Music Concert (Evening) - Thurs 16 National Support Staff Day - Thurs 16 School Cross Country - Thurs 16 Pink T-Shirt Day - Fri 17 Rockquest heats - Sat 18	Week 4 20 Haratua - 25 Haratua 13BIO Wainui - Classes rotate through all week Maths Speaker p1 - 3 with Year 10 (10Kah, 10Kom and 10Piw) - Mon 20 School Cross Country Reserve Day - Mon 20 Open Day - Tues 21 Pasifika speech Competitions - Tues 21 Squash Canterbury Champs - Sat 25 - Sun 26
Assembly - WED Full School - Prefect Assembly	Assembly - WED Year 10 in PAC
Meeting  Learning Area - Tues 14	Meeting  No Meeting - Open Day

Information for Staff

1. Our second late start will be on Tuesday morning. This session is a chance to share your thinking around what you will be doing for your inquiry and possible ways of collecting data.

Remember to share your inquiry question in the google doc.

https://forms.gle/ETWUkPe31dxeY8Cx6 

2.The Tuahiwi Education Committee welcomes you to take part in a day of interactive-learning at Tuahiwi Marae.

The workshops have a history of success, attracting educators from schools, early childhood centres, tertiary institutions, health providers, and others from government, non-profit, and corporate organisations.

If you would like to register for our upcoming June workshop, please click this link to register. https://forms.gle/tBuHUdTA36KCwQYd8

3. PLD opportunity in Christchurch. 

It is a special series for Sāmoan language week and we have the honour of hosting Dr Karamia Muller, the first Sāmoan in the world to gain a PhD in Architecture as well as a whole host of Christchurch based leaders from the Ministry of Justice, Entrepreneurship, Youth Work, Education, Trades and sporting worlds. 

The kaupapa of the event is "Tautua"- which means to serve. It's a great professional learning development opportunity about a Pasifika way of thinking and being. $25 a ticket, cash bar and free nibbles provided. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vaka-speaker-series-tautua-tickets-61227192180

Week 2 - Term 2 - 2019

Te amorangi ki mua, te hapai o ki muri

The leader at the front is backed by the workers behind

Week 2 6 Haratua - 10 Haratua Otago University Open Day - Mon 6 13GEO Camp - Leaving after school on Tues 7 - Fri 10 NCEA Parents Evening - Tues 7 Year 12 and 13 Careers Evening - Wed 8 Careers Expo - Horncastle Arena - Thurs 9 - Sat 11 May Athletics Canterbury Road Race - Thurs 9 May Basketball Starts - Fri 10 May	Week 3 13 Haratua - 17 Haratua LEF Reports Due this week Late Start - Tues 14 Lifesaving Exam 8.30am - 12pm - Wed 15 Winter Sports Start - Wed 15 Music Concert (Evening) - Thurs 16 National Support Staff Day - Thurs 16 School Cross Country - Thurs 16 Pink T-Shirt Day - Fri 17 Rockquest heats - Sat 18
Assembly - WED Year 9 - PAC	Assembly - WED Full School - Prefect Assembly
Meeting  Learning and Teaching Meeting - Tues 7	Meeting  Learning Area - Tues 14

Information for Staff

1. Earlier this year, school's were asked to complete a questionnaire regarding whether they were digitally ready for examinations. The results of this survey have been shared.
If you would like to see at a glance what NZQA will be offering this year and particularly what will be new or improved then you may be interested in looking at the summary document they have produced. 
The second document is a summary which gives a national overview from the online survey about NCEA Online School Readiness.

2. #Kia ora Challenge - Reminder that we have been challenged to use kia ora in:
a. emails, texts, facebook messages
b. answering phone
3. kanohi ki te knaohi - face to face

3. Keeping with the same theme, we recommend that you watch the video below "10 ways to teach me". Great student voice on different strategies to use in the classroom.

“10 ways to teach me” – Brigham Riwai-Couch from Evaluation Associates Ltd. on Vimeo.