Connected Educator Month - #cenz14

Connected Educator Month in NZ-Aotearoa kicked off with a bang!  I joined the celebration and listen to some amazing presentations.  We were in for an amazing 31 days of Connected, Professional Learning.


The following are links to some Workshop recordings.

Day 1: (1st October)

1. CEM Launch - Kick off session with Sheryl Nussbaum-Beach, Sandy Philips, Derek Wenmoth, Wharehoka Wano, Phoebe Davies, Anthony Faitaua, Karen Melhuish Spencer
2. Introduction to the Starter Kete 
3. CEM NZ Showcase - Carolyn Stuart, Sonya Van Schaijik, Te Mihinga Komene, Anthony Faitaua, Allanah Kind, Tessa Gray
4. Stories of Connected PLD from NZ - Aotearoa   (Connected Professional Learning - Shared notes) - Hoeard Baldwin, Trevor Storr, Phillipa Antipas, Alana Madgwick, Tamara Bell

Day 2: (2nd October)

1. Modern Learning Practices and the connected world (Shared Google Doc) - Stephen Heppell, Derek Wenmoth, Janelle Riki, Mark Osborne
2. Change Leadership: Connecting Maori and Pasifika (Shared Google Doc) - Dr. Sarah-Jane Tiakiwai, Keriana Tawhiwhirangi, Maria Lemalie, Togi Lemanu, Phoebe Davies, Tahy Paki
3. Connected Voices, Whatunga Korero project - with the link to the project
4. A powerful blend: ULearn14 and Connected Educator Month: What's in store
5. #blogsync launch: Chris Waugh, Karen Meluish Spencer

Day 3: (3rd October)

1. Connected learning: Plotting pathways, navigating mazes - Silvia Rosenthal Tolisano, Tom Barrett, Togi Lemanu, Karen Melhuish Spencer
2. Book Group kick-off: NZCER's Key Competencies for the Future - Rachel Bolstad, Sue McDowall, Sally Boyd

I made the decision not to link to all the Workshops I watched after Day 3, as I was getting ready to prepare for uLearn14 and soon after that it was back to school again.  However, the calendar for all events can be found here

Other events that I committed myself to throughout October was:

• eFellows14 Reflection
• ConnectedRotorua's Pass the Blog
• James' #primedchatnz with Tony Ryan on 'Future Focused Learning'
• TeachMeetNZ presentation

~ "We are all strangers CONNECTED by what we REVEAL, what we SHARE, and what we TAKE AWAY.... OUR STORIES" - Libba Bray ~

My fabulous #TeachMeetNZ experience

Today, I have had the opportunity to present [a second time] for #TeachMeetNZ. This was a special session, as we worked collaboratively with #TMSydney for Connected Educator Month.

Sonya [as usually] was an amazing host, which helped to make this experience even more enjoyable. Thank you for being my inspiration, Sonya!

When asked to base my presentation around a 'Connected Educator' I happily obliged, as I am a connected educator.  I have build a Personal Learning Network with incredible educators, locally and globally.  We are able to develop our shared visions and common goals and can discuss the needs for future focus learning.

We know the world is changing at an incredible pace for our students and if we want to prepare them for their future, it is important that we, as connected educators also become the connected learners.

Being a connected educator provides me with ongoing inspiration and support.  It is my wish that more educators would see the value of being connected.

I was blown away when Justine asked if she can share my presentation.

I felt humbled when reading the kind words of Kimberley. I am privileged to have had the opportunity to be in a #TeachMeetNZ session with you, Kimberley.  I think you are doing amazing things with your students and  I do hope we can have a proper chat in the near future!

Reflection:

Having the opportunity to grow my own practice, to question, to experiment and to make mistakes is invaluable.
I acknowledge that I have grown immensely [personally and professionally] since becoming a connected educator.  However, this is just the beginning... I know that there is still a lot more to learn and experience.

So where to next?

I am going to utilize the Google Hangout tool to get in touch with educators around topics that would make learning even more rewarding and purposeful for my students. 

A Storify:

~ The purpose of learning is growth, and our minds, unlike our bodies, can continue growing as we continue to live. - Mortimer J. Adler ~

My #eFellow14 Reflection

For me, this year's eFellowship was an inspiring year of challenges, research, learning and laughing. I will always cherish the memories I was fortunate enough to build with Bec, Anne, Tim, Vicki, Rowan and Ben.

When I got THAT phone call from John, telling me that I was successful in my application, I did not know what I was really in for! However, I realised that I was going to be pushed [even further] out of my comfort zone. I felt a tad of fear, but at the same time I was filled with excitement as John's enthusiasm was really infectious!

With 80 eFellows to date, I feel extremely proud and privileged to be part of the influential eFellow community.

There were many days that I felt confused, not sure how to start/ where to begin.  And just when I thought I had it, Louise brought me back to earth with her endless "Why?"  We were reminded to maintain an objective perspective throughout and to question not only what we read, but also on our interpretations of responses.  Thank you for challenging my thinking all the way, Louise!

Together, we explored what 'transformation' means and I have enjoyed learning about it's relevance for my inquiry.  We unpacked what we learned during our 3 day Master classes - we worked hard, but we also had many laughs.

I feel honoured to have had the opportunity to be part of this incredible journey, thanks to CORE Education and our amazing mentors John and Louise, who guide us along in our inquiries.

We will definitely be #eFellows14 for life!

To conclude our journey, we also contributed to Connected Educator Month where each one of us presented a quick look into our inquiries.

~ It's not the end of the book, It's just the beginning of a new chapter - Unknown ~

#primedchatnz - Future Focused Learning with Tony Ryan

This was this year's second #primedchatnz and my first where I've been asked to moderate for #primedchatnz with James and Kate during the Live Google Hangout with Tony Ryan.

I was also responsible for pledging this event to Connected Educator Month.

I knew I would have to multi-task, as this was also one of the days [in the week leading up to uLearn14] where our #eFellows14 came together for our last sessions with what John and Louise had planned for us!

While the other eFellows were busy in a session, I was busy tweeting questions on twitter, while listening to the live conversation with Tony.  What an inspiring, thought provoking and inspiring session to have been part of.

Thankfully, I was able to [also] record the eFellow session and discussion for listening to afterwards.  I really can't imagine my life without technology!

My Storify of the discussion on Twitter:

And then... after working online together, the amazing moment when meeting #primedchatnz organizer James face to face...

as well as Kate from Learning Network NZ!

~ " Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away" - Anonymous"

Connected Educator Month - #Blogsync

We all have something to say...

I love that I can use my blog to share my views and to reflect on many things.  My blog is a wonderful tool that I use to look back on my posts.  It enables me to reflect constantly on my past and current thinking.  It shows how my thinking has changed and what I have learned [or not!] 

On day #2 of Connected Educator month, I watch the launch video for #blogsync and as a blogger, I found this session and tips on blogging to be very useful.

Chris Waugh mentioned that he's noticed that people who write blogs are sometimes a little bit afraid of the process, and I can't agree with him more.  I sometimes find it quite frightening to lay bear my thoughts.  But then he also mentioned that if you have a blog and you decide to write on a topic, it is completely yours, you curate it and decide on the tone and content. Yay!

With blogsync you just have the opportunity of more people taking notice, in particular people who might be thinking of the same things than you are.

We were invited to join http://blogsync.edutronic.net/ and connect to a blogging community. Yes! That would be my next step.

Thoughts from Karen Melhuish Spencer and Chris Waugh:

- Use the 'connectedness' of the internet to make what we do in the classroom real and authentic to the students.  It is also for us [as educators] to connect with the wider world as most of us work in schools settings where we're isolated from our colleagues most of the time.

- Cracking open of what's happening within the four walls in your school is incredibly powerful  - that making visible. Especially if you're teaching in a quite traditional model school where it is you and your classroom and your learners and people rarely see what you are doing. Blogging can then sometimes be the only window that you offer on your practice and that shared, collaborative conversation can come through something like blogsync. It helps make our profession visible through the stories of the practitioners

What is blog sync?
- Blogsync is for educators who is looking for something deeper and more critical in terms of reflective writing and connecting to each other around that reflective writing.
- Some of the benefits are, you can expand your thinking and the reading of and responding to each other's blogs leads to a depth in discussion.
- This is also a way for people to express their personal view, but also to do it in a form that allows for wider discussion

Topics for this month:

Week One: 1 October - 10 October:
'What it means to be a connected educator' - my learning life online, and how being connected has affected my work in education.

Week Two: 13 October - 17 October:
'Diversity and inclusive practice' - What does this look like for us as Educators? For us as learners?

Week Three: 20 October - 31 October:
'Leadership in schools' - Modern leadership? Leading change? Leading with moral imperative?

Week Four: 27 October - 31 October:
'Student agency and voice' - Making students' contribution meaningful, giving it agency


Tips for writers?
- One of the most powerful things a blogger can do is write from personal experience. Yes Chris, I agree,  it does take a little bit to get comfortable with!
Bloggers who write from their own, experience in the classroom or experience as learners themselves, are often the ones who attracts the most interest.
- Be confident that your own personal experience is interesting to people and that you're personal take on something is valuable.
- You don't have to regard yourself as an expert on to the topics chosen.
- Be confident and comfortable with your own view
- Don't write too much at a time.
- Tell your story in a medium that works for you (Use just words or use them in combination with pictures)

~ To Blog is To Share, To connect, To create, To inspire - Anonymous ~

Connected Educator Month - Modern Learning Practices in a Connected World

Day #2 of Connected Educator Month started with a Workshop on 'Modern Learning Practices in a Connected World' with a supporting Google Doc.

I was really looking forward to it, as this topic tied in with my eFellowship inquiry. I will also have the opportunity to share my findings at ULearn14.

With presenters like Derek Wenmoth, Stephen Heppell and Mark Osborne, this  workshop was all about what 'connected education' might look like for future-focused organisations. I really enjoyed listening to Janelle Riki story about how they started and their first steps into Modern Learning Practices in a Modern Learning Environment. 

My Storify sums up this session:

~ There is no such thing as as an unmotivated student.  There are, however, students in unmotivated states - Eric Jensen ~