Week 5 - Term 2 - 2022

Ka hihiri ahau, ka WHAI

Ka wānanga ahau, ka AKO

Ka haratau ahau, Ka MAU

Ka huritao ahau, ka TIPU

When I perk up, I close in. When I deliberate, I learn. When I refine, I Grasp. When I reflect, I Grow.

Week 5 30 Haratua - 3 Pipiri Samoan Language Week  MAO101 to Ara - All Day - Mon 30 Otago Uni Liaison visit - Tues 31 Canterbury Cross Country - Thurs 2 Early Finish - Fri 3	Week 6  6 Pipiri - 10 Pipiri Queen's Birthday - Mon 6 Big Sing Regionals - Thurs 9 - Fri 10 Year 13 Drama Assessments - Thurs 9 - Fri 10 Non Uniform Day - Thurs 9 Rockquest Finals - Sat 11
Assembly -  Year 9 - Gym (Bullying Theme) Year 10 - PAC	Assembly -  Year 9 - Pac Year 13 - Gym
Meeting  Learning Area	Meeting  Staff

Information for Staff

1. ‘Assessment for learning' is best described as a process by which assessment information is used by teachers to adjust their teaching strategies, and by students to adjust their learning strategies’ (TKI 2022).  It could be described as a formative assessment strategy that is acted upon by teachers AND students to improve teaching and learning.

If you want a refresher, check out the following clip.

Week 4 - Term 2 - 2022

 He aha te kai ō te rangatira? He Kōrero, he kōrero, he kōrero.

What is the food of the leader. It is knowledge. It is communication.

Week 4 23 Haratua - 27 Haratua Open Day - p1 - 4 on both Tues 24 and Thurs 26 Life Education - Smashed - Year 10 p5 Tues 24 Otago Liaison for year 12 - Wed 25 Careers Expo Chch Arena - Thurs 26 - Sat 28 Rockquest Heats - Fri 27 - Sat 28 Waikato Uni Open Day - Fri 27	Week 5 30 Haratua - 3 Pipiri MAO101 to Ara - All Day - Mon 30 Otago Uni Liaison visit - Tues 31 Canterbury Cross Country - Thurs 2
Assembly -  Year 11	Assembly -  Year 9 - Gym (Bullying Theme) Year 10 - PAC
Meeting  Staff	Meeting  Learning Area

Week 3 - Term 2 - 2022

 I orea te tuatara ka patu ki waho

A problem is solved by continuing to find solutions

Week 3 16 Haratua - 20 Haratua Bio301 - Field Trip to Wainui - Various students out all week Junior Parent Teacher Interviews - Tuesday 2 - 5pm and Friday 9 - 2.30pm Otago Mathematics Competition Part 2 - Wed 18 p1 Winter Sports start - Wed 18 Cross Country - Thurs 19	Week 4 23 Haratua - 27 Haratua Open Day - p1 - 4 on both Tues 24 and Thurs 26 Life Education - Smashed - Year 10 p5 Tues 24 Otago Liaison for year 12 - Wed 25 Careers Expo Chch Arena - Thurs 26 - Sat 28 Rockquest Heats - Fri 27 - Sat 28 Waikato Uni Open Day - Fri 27
Assembly -  Year 12	Assembly -  Year 11
Meeting  Nil - P/T Interviews - Tues 17	Meeting  Staff

Information for Staff

1. At the L&T meeting on Monday the Junior Curriculum model for 2023 was discussed. Next year we will see the introduction at year 9 of a number of different course options. HoLAs are able to give you more information about this and make time in a department meeting to work on course proposals. The planning template can be found HERE. All new course proposals are due to me (BLS) by Monday 27 June. Arnika and Jackie from ImpactED are happy for further discussion around any ideas to be put forward so just let me know.

You may be interested in reading this blog around students taking control of learning and how to make this happen, with the teacher as "coach"

Students Thinking about their own Learning

2. Something of use for the classroom - Classroomscreen is a service that lets you create a homescreen on which you can place reusable countdown timers, stopwatches, noise meters, random name selectors, dice,  and other helpful classroom management tools. The noise meter lets you set a sensitivity level and have an alarm sound when the room gets too noisy. Here is an example - the different features are in a toolbar, which you can just drag on to the screen.

Week 2 - Term 2 - 2022

 Mā te huruhuru ka rere te Manu

Feathers allow the bird to fly

Week 2 9 Haratua - 13 Haratua Year 12 Drama Assessments - Mon 9 - Tues 10 Athletics - Canterbury Road Race - Tues 10 NCEA Teacher Only Day - Thurs 12 LEFs Due 8.30am - Fri 13	Week 3 16 Haratua - 20 Haratua Bio301 - Field Trip to Wainui - Various students out all week Junior Parent Teacher Interviews - Tuesday 2 - 5pm and Friday 9 - 2.30pm Otago Mathematics Competition Part 2 - Wed 18 p1 Winter Sports start - Wed 18 Cross Country - Thurs 19
Assembly -  Year 9	Assembly -  Year 12
Meeting  L&T, TWH and Junior HODs - Mon 9 Learning Area/Department - Tues 10	Meeting  Nil - P/T Interviews - Tues 17

Information for Staff

1. Here is a 22 day digital challenge to encourage teachers to use a different tool on 22 days in 2022. 

There is a tracker sheet to monitor your progress too. Departments might consider challenging staff to do this for the remainder of the year and submit their tracker sheet (with links to resources, lesson plans etc. where appropriate to share with others).

2. Derek Wenmoth has just release an 'Education Environment Scan'. This resource links together a wide range of research and outlines the internal and external drivers for change in schools. 

3. The latest edition of the Education Gazette is now available HERE. It is a special edition around Aotearoa New Zealand History.

Week 1 - Term 2 - 2022

 He rāngai maomao ka taka ki tua o Nukutaurua, e kore a muri e hokia

We are on a mission together, there is no turning back

When a shoal of maomao fish has passed to seaward of Nukutaurua rock (off Mangonui harbour) it will never return.

Week 1 2 Haratua - 6 Haratua Spirit Week - All week Swimming - Canterbury - Wed 4 Non uniform House Day - Fri 6	Week 2 9 Haratua - 13 Haratua Year 12 Drama Assessments - Mon 9 - Tues 10 Athletics - Canterbury Road Race - Tues 10 NCEA Teacher Only Day - Thurs 12 LEFs Due 8.30am - Fri 13
Assembly -  Nil	Assembly -  Year 9
Meeting  Staff - Tues 3	Meeting  L&T, TWH and Junior HODs - Mon 9 Learning Area/Department - Tues 10

Information for Staff

1. As we head back into another term and we have plan A in place, but also in the background plans B and C depending what unfolds over the coming weeks, I came across an adaptation of the model below in relation to COVID and how schools are coping using the 'Phases of Recovery from disaster' and perhaps a bit of an aha moment that described Term 1 this year. 

a. Pre-disaster - Jan/Feb 2020
b. Impact - March 2020 - going into lockdown
c. Heroic to Honeymoon - Community cohesion - We can do this as a team of 5 million.
d. Disillusionment - Exhaustion, frustration 
e. Reconstruction - School was back. Feelings of recovery and a 'new normal'
f. In 2021 - back in lockdown again - so back to 'impact' phase - schools close again
g. Heroic - "We can do this - we've done it before"
h. 2022 - Back in the disillusionment - "This should be easier than it is - I feel worse than before"

So for some pragmatic optimism for Term 2 - we are back on the way up! We will no doubt have some challenges coming our way, but as they say - Let's hope for the best, but plan and prepare for the worst and continue to support each other through our value of whanaungatanga.

Diagram: Phases of recovery from disaster (adapted from Zunin and Myers, as cited in DeWolfe, 2000, p.5)

2. Something you may wish to check out the following podacast - Up to speed with Te reo Māori - These are only short episodes so if you have time, whakarongo atu e hoa mā. Here is a link to the podcast: Up To Speed with Te reo Māori | Podcast on Spotify

3. Some interesting reading  - a blog post about meeting individual students' needs with  self paced learning, using Edpuzzle. Looks at why and how to achieve this. 

How to start implementing a self-paced classroom

4. TeachNZ study awards for 2023 have now opened for anyone thinking about studying. More information, including closing dates, can be found HERE.

Week 10 - Term 1 - 2022

 Waiho i te toipoto, kaua i te toiroa 

Let us keep close together, not wide apart 

This whakatauki speaks to the importance of keeping connected, of maintaining relationships and dialogue so that we can keep moving forward together. It could be used when sharing information about community events or projects that bring people together.

Week 10 4 Rāmere - 8 Rāmere Trainee teachers from UC start - Mon 4 Otago Mathematics Competition - Thurs 8 - p4 Gateway First Aide - Fri 8 Victoria University Liaison Year 13 - Fri 8 LEFs entered by 8.30am on Thurs 7th Rostered day off for all - Fri 8th	Week 11 11 Rāmere - 15 Rāmere Year 11 Drama Assessments - p4 & 5 - Mon 11 - Tues 12 Year 13 Drama Assessments - Wed 13 Last Day for Term 1 - Thurs 14 School Break - Fri 15 - Sun 1
Assembly -  Nil	Assembly -  Year 13 Academic vie Google Meet
Meeting  Nil - we will look to resume staff meetings in Term 2	Meeting  No formal scheduled meetings

Information for Staff

1. NZQA have just released updated evidence gathering templates for all subject internal assessments. These look to be more comprehensive. Please go see the NCEA subject resources page for more information for your subject area.

2. ImpactED are the PLD provider that we have working with us on our junior curriculum program. One of theire new team members has created a great resource for teachers looking to add to their te reo vocabulary. To check our the resource go to the following links:

https://www.impacted.co.nz/us-in-action

Me ako i te reo Māori - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wqG1xxK6y_PtI5EMuBur60yDt1mFgAfR/view?usp=sharing

Week 9 - Term 1 - 2022

 Ko te amorangi ki mua, ko te hāpai ō ki muri

Leadership to the fore, everyone has a role to play

Week 9  28 Poutūterangi - 1 Rāmere Rowing - Maadi Cup - Mond 28 - Sun 3 Summer Sport ends - Wed 30 Gateway First Aide Course - Fri 1 Rostering home continues to Fri 1	Week 10 4 Rāmere - 8 Rāmere Trainee teachers from UC start - Mon 4 Otago Mathematics Competition - Thurs 8 - p4 Gateway First Aide - Fri 8 Victoria University Liaison Year 13 - Fri 8 LEFs entered by 8.30am on Fri 8
Assembly -  Nil	Assembly -  Year 12 Academic - TBC
Meeting  Learning and Teaching, TWH and Junior HOD's - Mon 28 Learning Area - Tues 29	Meeting  Nil - we will look to resume staff meetings in Term 2

Information for Staff

1. Just a note - the Assembly slot for year 12 in Week 10 is earmarked for the Academic Colours awards. This may still be done via Google Meet with students in their classes getting their certificates.

2. We have been exploring new/different ways to hold the parent-teacher interviews early on in Term 2. Google Meet now have a 'waiting room' feature that you can enable via settings. If we do go virtual we will use this option.

When you create a new google meet, you will see a 'wheel' next to it, if you click on this you will see the following:

More information to come.....