In the Term 2 Holidays, Andy McFarlane from ETap came and spent a day with our staff looking and learning about how to use Spotlight as a learning, teaching and assessment tool.
We have been looking into what digital platforms best suit our pedagogy and practice at Kaimata, and what ETap had to offer sounded very intriguing and we were keen to learn more about the Spotlight tool.
We quickly discovered that Spotlight was the missing link in our collaborative teaching and planning and would be an amazing tool to use for assessment also.
Andy ran a great session, and we all learned at the same pace, so no one missed anything. Tanz, Jen and I decided that we will use Spotlight for our teaching, planning and assessment from Day One, Term 3. We loaded our groups and modelling books to the platform, ready to go!
We also made the decision that we will not be having the students use Spotlight, as they are still getting used to signing in and out of Google Docs! This would be too much for them, and the tools Spotlight offers doesn't suit our kids digitally...YET.
Link to staff notes on Spotlight training
SO WHAT? (Week 2, Term 3)
Spotlight has been a great tool. We have gotten rid of using Google Sheet as a planner, now have digital modelling books and have timetabled in our first assessment for the term to happen next week! It is working well having all of our data and timetables, planning etc...in one place. I believe we will continue to grow our digital fluency in Spotlight more and more. It has already had a positive impact on our planning and teaching. I am looking forward to seeing how our end of year reporting will look!
Showing posts with label Manganui. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manganui. Show all posts
Thursday, 1 August 2019
Friday, 8 February 2019
Growing for Good/Beehive
Acceptance Letter
At the end of 2018, I applied for a grant from Countdown's Growing for Good campaign to support us in growing and developing the beehive that Marie Doorbar donated to our school last year.
So far we have tow frames of bees and three beekeeping suits. The suits were dontated by the PTA. We currently have a group of 4 children who look after the hive with Marie.
I am now hoping to develop this further with purchasing more equipment and tools for the beekeepers, fruit trees for the bees and then progress onto making, marketing and selling honey.
Watch this space!
At the end of 2018, I applied for a grant from Countdown's Growing for Good campaign to support us in growing and developing the beehive that Marie Doorbar donated to our school last year.
So far we have tow frames of bees and three beekeeping suits. The suits were dontated by the PTA. We currently have a group of 4 children who look after the hive with Marie.
I am now hoping to develop this further with purchasing more equipment and tools for the beekeepers, fruit trees for the bees and then progress onto making, marketing and selling honey.
Watch this space!
Thursday, 7 February 2019
2019 Inquiries
We are continuing our Ako Inquiry, with a focus on Transitions looking at how we can strengthen these within and between school/s
Term One Inquiry-Ako/Transitions
SO WHAT? We are hoping this Inquiry will continue to build on the improvement of teaching and learning across the school. We want this inquiry to support our beliefs that relationships support and reflect on the quality of teaching and learning.
Term One Inquiry-Ako/Transitions
SO WHAT? We are hoping this Inquiry will continue to build on the improvement of teaching and learning across the school. We want this inquiry to support our beliefs that relationships support and reflect on the quality of teaching and learning.
Wednesday, 28 November 2018
2018 Manganui Hub and Leadership Reflection
This year has been a massive year for me both personally and professionally.
The change to a new school and new responsibilities has been very refreshing. It has been difficult for me to 're-set' and settle into a new environment. I have come from a high numbers, high pressure school to a small, happy and supportive culture.
The Manganui Hub has been something that Jen, Emily and I can be very proud of. We worked really well together and collaboratively plan, teach and report. We have made a great team! We get each other, take the pressure off one another when needed and we know our kids well. We have had major success with our students both academically and socially through having a great Must-Do, Can-Do learning culture. Our students have voice and choice in all that we do, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what these kids are capable of when they are Year 8! I know it will be exciting!
I have learnt a lot about being a collaborative leader this year. Rich, Jess and I work together well. It has been awesome to learn about budgets, annual/strategic planning, SENCO, reporting systems, leading meetings and leading the appraisal and inquiry processes. I feel I will be capable Acting Principal in Term 4 2019 thanks to all the support and guidance that Rich has given me.
My leadership skills have grown from being singular to being part of a strong leadership team.
I'm looking forward to growing these skills more in 2019.
The change to a new school and new responsibilities has been very refreshing. It has been difficult for me to 're-set' and settle into a new environment. I have come from a high numbers, high pressure school to a small, happy and supportive culture.
The Manganui Hub has been something that Jen, Emily and I can be very proud of. We worked really well together and collaboratively plan, teach and report. We have made a great team! We get each other, take the pressure off one another when needed and we know our kids well. We have had major success with our students both academically and socially through having a great Must-Do, Can-Do learning culture. Our students have voice and choice in all that we do, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what these kids are capable of when they are Year 8! I know it will be exciting!
I have learnt a lot about being a collaborative leader this year. Rich, Jess and I work together well. It has been awesome to learn about budgets, annual/strategic planning, SENCO, reporting systems, leading meetings and leading the appraisal and inquiry processes. I feel I will be capable Acting Principal in Term 4 2019 thanks to all the support and guidance that Rich has given me.
My leadership skills have grown from being singular to being part of a strong leadership team.
I'm looking forward to growing these skills more in 2019.
Tuesday, 17 April 2018
Kaimata Curriculum
Kaimata Curriculum
Above is a link to the Kaimata Curriculum that has been lead by myself and Jess Packman. After our ERO visit (March, 2018) and leading MLP PD with the staff, we were all in agreeance that we need to formulate a Curriculum Map for the school to ensure NZC and Key Competency coverage. The Kaimata Curriuculm has also been designed with our special school character, collaborative and innovative teaching and learning in mind. We used teacher voice, student voice and community voice to create the possible contexts for learning.
End of Year Report Template
Above is a link for the End of Year Report Template modified from my old template we used at Fitzroy School, adapted to fit Kaimata School and Kaimatatanga.
Above is a link to the Kaimata Curriculum that has been lead by myself and Jess Packman. After our ERO visit (March, 2018) and leading MLP PD with the staff, we were all in agreeance that we need to formulate a Curriculum Map for the school to ensure NZC and Key Competency coverage. The Kaimata Curriuculm has also been designed with our special school character, collaborative and innovative teaching and learning in mind. We used teacher voice, student voice and community voice to create the possible contexts for learning.
End of Year Report Template
Above is a link for the End of Year Report Template modified from my old template we used at Fitzroy School, adapted to fit Kaimata School and Kaimatatanga.
Monday, 5 February 2018
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