Changes in my Practice

Well, here it is... my reflection on my reflections (Metacognition - thinking about your thinking).

I think most of us think about our actions, and sometimes we get to the thinking behind them. But this is an overlapping layer... an analysis of the thinking about our thinking. 

One of the key things I have realised along the way is summed up by Argyris and Schon (1974), cited in Osterman & Kottkamp (2009), regarding the 'single-loop learning' model. They suggest "The “fix-it” model is a form of single-loop learning: A solution is developed to correct the presenting problem, but the underlying causes of the problem are neither recognized nor addressed..."

...and I think I have been guilty of falling into this trap. I have treated reflections as a "What am I doing wrong, and how can I fix it?" scenario. I did not intend to lack depth. I am in fact quite self-reflective, but I have learned to question the purpose, nature and responses to my reflective practice.

I did at times, see it as annoying, 'for someone else's benefit, because I fix things as I go along and don't need to write them down for my benefit - it's just another thing to do.'

I am now re-evaluating this practice...but I still wish I had more time. I would rather do one reflection a week and do it with intent and in-depth, than daily for the sake of it. It all comes down to the purpose.

So, the journey...

I would describe it as a roller coaster. 

At first I was excited, I expected to be doing robotics and coding most weeks to a point that I could apply it in the classroom - I don’t know what I was thinking... my brain must have just jumped at those components and singled them out... I don't recall hearing anything about learning theories and analysing practice. It's probably just as well or I might have not signed up.

The first few weeks felt like the rattly part where you are dragged uphill... I got frustrated very quickly because I was presented with a model of education and asked to analyse it against my year level...within ten minutes I had designed a model of education that I wanted to be a part of - off task already - or was I? Mindlab, you had me thinking, and analysing what I valued in an education system. It was a sign of things to come... 

I felt frustration with some of the apps that I felt had limited value or we could not afford, moments of fascination as we delved into the global digital world, screeching and holding on fast as assignment dates came, delight as I managed to meet deadlines and the results started coming in... back to frustration as the workload weighed in. 

Sheer joy in the collaboration and meaty discussions, and then the corkscrew as my health packed it in,,, and I fell behind. Then into the tunnel, feeling lost in the dark as I tried to catch up in isolation without our regular meetings. More delight and some relief as marks came in and I caught up...

and as I come into the station, I have mixed feelings about whether I would ever take another ride like that again, and a sense of achievement that I did.

The learning was worth it but next time, I would prefer to do this on top of a part-time work schedule. Did I say next time! (I’m a little shocked!)

What I learned...

I am more reflective now, and I’ve been challenged to go past a tokenistic approach on many issues that I felt I had no time for. I have a new appreciation for everything I did assignments on - like the learner agency I thought I was doing... I'm now really trying to achieve this. And the use of gamification - who knew it had so many elements to it? Then there was community engagement and Maori perspectives... I've been challenged to really look at what we do and the gap between what we intend. 

I learned about design thinking. I've learned about leadership styles, and I've learned to think of myself as a potential leader, and change agent. I've learned to overcome my distaste for the invasiveness of social media for the sake of collaboration - it's all in the way you access and use it. 

I have learned a lot of skills that I ca bring back to the classroom, and how it feels to be a student again... which helps me meet the needs of my learner's better - this is one of the unexpected lessons that have taught me a great deal. 

One of the saddest things I've learned is that we've known this stuff a long time, and change still hasn't happened, so it's up to all of us to start eating the elephant (traditional schooling designed for traditional outcomes), one bite at a time.

And this is perhaps where it begins... together we are stronger. Through collaboration and connection, we can make changes. I will teach my students this. I will teach them to think, collaborate, connect, and create. I will help them develop capabilities, cyber-citizenship, and a life-long love for learning, because this is their world...the future is theirs and what they make of it. 

I know, it sounds cliché right? But it is not. This is a hard earned truth. 

What I will take with me:

Through criteria 1 of the Practising Teacher Criteria (PTC) in e-learning: 

Professional relationships and professional values"Establish and maintain effective professional relationships focused on the learning and well-being of all ākonga"

I will continue to connect by reading blogs, tweets, and using the VLN for examples of best practice and ways to use technology effectively. I will do this through discussions on forums, following and collaborating online with colleagues and actively seeking out examples of best practice. I have done this well face-to-face but not really online so this is a genuine shift in my practice.

and...through criteria 5,

"Show leadership that contributes to effective teaching and learning."

I will share my learning, support others, and mentor students to do the same.
I will do this through staff sharing opportunities, supporting other classes, and equipping my students to do this also, implementing changes that allow this in my classroom, and visiting teachers in other schools who lead the way. I have not always made time for this as I have had a million other things to do, but I now realise this is on the priority list for me, and something I am looking forward to. I have changed the way I view ICT use in my classroom - we will no longer be merely substituting, but modifying and augmenting and ultimately redefining its use. 

"You take the blue pill, the story ends. You wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill, you stay in Wonderland, and I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes." 

(Quote from 'The Matrix' retrieved from http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0133093/quotes)

I have taken the red pill... who knows where we will end up, but there is no going back!

My dream... is to be a change-maker, one who helps to bring about true interdisciplinary connection and learning for our students, through creative, collaborative and confident connections.

Anybody interested in 'Think Tank' sessions where we plan how this can take place?

Reference:

 Ministry of Education (n.d.). Practising Teacher Criteria (PTC) in e-learning. Retrieved from http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/Practising-Teacher-Criteria-and-e-learning