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  • Daily 5 – Reading or Writing Student Conference

    I have just made this resource to assist my Teacher Aide(s) in meeting with regular students during Daily 5. It outlines various questions and learning based conversations to have as to what the student has chosen to meet with them about (either Reading or Writing). This helps support the student to make choices, and depending on what stage they are up to with their writing or reading determines the kind of responses and coaching the teacher aide will provide.

    While this has been developed for a Teacher Aide to use, it can also be used by Teachers as well. It largely follows the same kind of conference I have with my students when I meet with them.

    The idea behind this would be to fold it in half and laminate it. Then it can sit in a folder in class, or be stuck to the wall somewhere and depending on what the student chooses, the resource can just be flipped to the relevent side. It can sit along side the Teacher or Teacher Aide as they conference with the student.

    Teacher Aide Daily 5.pdf (143 kb)

     

  • The Foundation: A Line in the Sand

    Draw a Line in the Sand

    It is incredibly important that when we talk about relationships, we talk about them in a purely professional sense. There have been far too many children who have suffered because their relationship with their teacher became more than professional. Keep yourself personally safe. To do this, you have to make some boundaries for yourself, and stick with them.

    1. Children are your students, not your friends.
      You need to build a relationship with them, that doesn’t mean you have to be their friend. You can be likeable, you can be funny. You can be there for them when they need you to be, but there’s no need to accept an invite to their birthday party or play on the swings with them after school.
      Draw that line in the sand.
    2. Teachers are their teachers, not their friends.
      You are their teacher, not their friend. They might like you as a person, but your job is not to be liked – it is to teach. Don’t let the guise of “friendship” stop you from keeping them accountable or making the hard call to follow consequences or make them do the hard work.
      I often get students saying “Sup Mr…”. I tell them they can say “Sup” to their friends. Not to me. I’m not their friend. At this I usually get a stink face or a “Awww sad” in reply. I follow it with “I’m your teacher”.
      Draw that line in the sand.
    3. Personal Cellphone is your personal cellphone. 
      Don’t share your personal number or other details with students. Too many teachers I’ve seen got caught up with this. It’s just not worth it. This also applies to all other forms of communication, including social media, personal emails, etc…
      Draw that line in the sand.
    4. Your class is more than one student.
      Never get into a situation where you are solely focussed on one student. You have a responsibility to the others. This will hopefully stop you from having favourites. It will also stop you from getting into one on one situations which could lead to trouble. Always have more than one student in a room with you, or have open windows for all to see (for one on one testing for example). Simple.
      Draw that line in the sand.

     

  • The Foundation: Building Relationships

    Relationships. Such a loaded word. And so many get it wrong. They use the wrong cement, or the wrong dimensions, or don’t dig deep enough (or some dig too deep!). Getting it right is key to the success of the rest of the building.

    I call them an “in”. Getting an “in” with a student opens them up. Being able to get “in” can be your key to success in being able to reach a student; to be able to meet them where they are and teach them effectively.

    How to build relationships

    1. Use humour
      This is the number one tool that you can use to break down those barriers that people put up when first meeting each other. The kind of humour that works is making fun of situations, never of people themselves. Getting the students to laugh with you is key. The other factor is to be able to laugh at yourself, and getting them to laugh at themselves.
      A good joke once in a while is good fun. Puns also work a treat, and are especially good when half the class miss it, while the ones who pay attention and who understand get it. It becomes a little “in” for those students and you can build on it from there. Humour is highly effective, especially for those hard to reach kids that are too cool for school.
    2. Be Genuine
      They say that dogs can smell fear. Well… kids can smell fakery. Building relationships is one of those things where you can’t “fake it ’til you make it”. You have to be genuinely interested. You have to genuinely listen. You have to genuinely care about what the student is telling you, or what they’re interested in – even when you have a million other things to do. Failure to be genuine undoes any hard work you might have tried prior to it. It tells students you don’t care, that you have other things that are more important, and that you don’t value them.
    3. Get to Know them
      This kind of goes without saying, but it needs to be done. Get to know what your students do in their spare time. Get to know what they think about when they’re waiting for the bus. Get to know what your students get up to in the weekends. What do they do with themselves? Who are their friends? Who lives with them? Then begin making connections. If they play sports, let them know what sports you used to play when you were their age. If they are learning a musical instrument, share with them that your sister plays the same instrument. Don’t make it up. Be genuine. These “in’s” are key to making connections with people. It’s why Māori begin speech with their Mihi and explain about their whakapapa, their maunga, their iwi, their whanau; all so that those who they are addressing might be able to connect with the speaker over common ground.
    4. Be Unrelenting
      Never give up on building the relationships. Maybe one child had a bad day yesterday and you had to discipline them… don’t let that affect how you treat them today. Maybe one of your jokes didn’t hit the mark. Don’t stop trying another one to break the ice. Just because you’ve asked how they are today, don’t give up on asking how they really are.
    5. Be equal
      Okay. We all have favourites. But don’t let the students know that. And don’t let yourself know that. Tell yourself that you don’t have favourites. Don’t let that thought enter your head where you start to rank students in your mind from favourite to not so much. Not even on the last day of school and they’re all no longer your students.
      Let them know that you value each of them as individuals – not just with your words, but your actions as well. Sure; you will have more input into some students than others. Some students will crave more attention from you than others. Some will be better behaved, be more responsible, and do more awesome things than others. But each of them are still in your class.
    6. Actions or Words
      Actions speak louder than words and words can never hurt me. Both words and actions are important. Words can pick people up and put them down. But actions speak volumes when it comes to relationships. I can turn up to the after school touch rugby and cheer on my students from the sideline, not say anything to them about it before, after, or during and the mere fact I was there can mean the world to some kids. It shows you value them. It shows you care enough to come watch them.
    7. Be their Teacher, not their friend
      Teachers often get this wrong – especially beginning teachers. You are not there to be their friend. They have those already. You’re there to be their teacher. You’re there to instruct, ask questions, model, explain, and challenge. You’re there to push them towards greatness. You’re there to encourage them to be better.
      You’re also there to call them up when they step out of line. Stick to your expectations for them all. Students might not like you for an hour when you issue the consequence for their constant disruptions, but they will respect you forever for sticking to your guns and calling them on it.

     

    Next Part:

    The Foundation: A Line in the Sand

  • Valuing Teachers: Teacher Salaries Compared

    A pay deal offered to teachers would put some among the country’s top earners.

    Teachers are stuck in a stand-off with the Government over its latest pay offer.

    What’s been offered – and rejected – looks something like this.

    Primary teachers with a degree, or advanced diploma, would have their base salaries increase to a range of $52,429 to $82,992, from $47,980 to $71,891 currently. Primary teachers with teaching qualifications and a specialist subject degree would get a bit more — $54,186 to $85,481.

    A beginner secondary teacher’s base salary would increase from $51,200 to $55,948 if they were to start teaching in 2021.

    More than 10,000 primary teachers, or about a third, get more than the top of the base scale (currently $71,891) because they receive extra payments in recognition of management or leadership responsibilities.

    The latest rejected offer would put a primary teacher with one unit for extra responsibilities at $89,481 a year by 2021.

     Almost 60 per cent, or 12,000 secondary teachers, are paid above the top of their base scale.

     

    Full Article: https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/113366626/valuing-teachers-does-pay-deal-stack-up

  • The Foundation: Relationships Matter

    The reality of it is, building without a foundation is somewhat pointless. If you start with the finished product without laying the groundwork, you will ultimately fail.

    The same can happen with teaching.

    You can have all the best learning intentions with well paced lesson plans and resources developed and prepared, but if you don’t put in the hard work first, all of it will be for nothing.

    So what is the groundwork for teaching? What is the foundation from which to build everything else from in your classroom?

    Relationships.

    Relationships.

    Relationships.

    The relationship between the teacher and the student is vital in making a difference in that student’s ability to focus, to trust, to experience, and ultimately to learn. Some students thrive on this more than others, but that does not make it any less important that you build a relationship and rapport with each and every student.

    Without it is pointless.

    The Māori proverb is often bandied about around many schools, and yet many overlook it.

    “He aha te mea nui o te ao. He tāngata, he tāngata, he tāngata”

    What is the most important thing in the world? It is people, it is people, it is people.

    And although we often refer to them as students, pupil, or children, it is important to remember that these are all young and growing people. They each have heartbeats. They each have spirit. They each have fears. They each have strengths. They each have backgrounds. They each have futures.

    Students who can trust you will follow you. Students that feel valued will value what you say. Students that have a place to belong will do anything to be a part of that. Students who feel they are a part of something will welcome in new ideas and new learning. Students who feel relaxed also feel comfortable. Students who are comfortable become confident, and confidence leads to taking risks. Learning new things always requires a big risk.

    Relationships do not happen overnight. They take time. Little moments can go a long way over the course of a year. Do not give up on them and just jump into the curriculum, all the lessons, assessments and the “learning”. Instead, focus on the relationship building each morning, each afternoon, and use each lesson as not only a learning experience but an opportunity to share time with your students. Get to know them. Get to know what makes them tick and what ticks them off. Get to know what their fears and dreams are. Get to know what they find funny and what upsets them. Understanding these things is like mixing and laying the concrete foundation for your building.

    By building relationship we can engage. By building relationship we can inspire. And by building relationship we can unleash.

    Next Part:

    The Foundation: Building Relationships

  • The Foundation: An Introduction

    A man began building a multi-storey high rise in the centre of the city. He worked furiously away at his dream building. He wanted a glorious penthouse at the top, with panoramic views overlooking the city. Luxurious furnishings and fittings, the gold standard in design and comfort. He began at the top, laying tiles over the top of each other and then raising them up on a slope so the rain could run off. He built the penthouse ceiling under it, before constructing the walls, windows and doors. Before long he was carpeting the floor and installing the plumbing for the grand en-suite. The patio decking stretched out from the large living area. He furnished the penthouse with expansive sofas and designer tables. The kitchenette had the latest in appliances and the reflection off the white marble was near blinding. It was a perfect example of a presidential penthouse.

    Then came the moment to build the floor below. He hired cranes to get the penthouse lifted, and began building the walls down. Each additional floor was the same, lifting the top higher and building the floor below. Eventually he had the desired number of floors and was able to start laying down the foundation.

    Something tells me that this is a slightly more difficult way of building. Needless to say that by the time he had finished, repairs and damages to the existing penthouse were extensive. The marble slabs each had a large winding crack through the middle of them, and many of the windows had long become shards. Several roof tiles fell to the ground with each subsequent level of the build.

    A teacher walked into the classroom on the first day of the year and stood at the front. He began teaching his dream lesson that was designed to fill his students with knowledge, awe, and excitement. It was engaging, collaborative and included everything a perfect lesson for learning needs…

    Next Part:

    The Foundation: Relationships Matter

     

  • A New Direction

    Hi All,

    After several personal attacks, I’ve come to realise two things:

    1. People are happy to dish things out but can’t take it (myself included)
    2. I’ve become far to critical, cynical, and political in my posts.

    Because of this I’m re-focussing my efforts as to what Unleash Education is about.

    I realise that there are a number of people who agree with my posts and political views, and with that, there are probably a few who disagree as well. In addition to that, I have been encouraged in the past to keep going, because those that follow my posts generally support the posts and are following for that reason.

    However, the reason behind setting up Unleash Education was for a completely different reason than for what it has become.

    Ultimately, it was to engage and encourage people in becoming better teachers through providing thoughts, ideas, pedagogy and resources. This also included being a part of the Twitter PLN that I’ve come to know and love and receive ongoing support and encourage from myself.

    Lately I have been posting solely on the political landscape that Education in this country has become, and the negativity that can happen when you begin to complain about all the things that don’t go your way.

    Instead, what I’ve come to realise is that what I should be doing instead is changing it from within; showing the positivity that can be a career in teaching, helpful pointers and suggestions from my own classroom experience, and encouragement to all teachers to be the best. I should be sharing the things that have worked for me, the resources I’ve made to engage and inspire students, and begin to be something to strive for, rather than as a vehicle for slander and criticism.

    To those I’ve offended, I apologise.

    To those that have found my political views great and have followed me because of it, I hope that you’ll continue to follow and support me as I shift the direction of it all.

  • A Twitter Conversation: May 2019

    A Twitter Conversation: May 2019

    ​School teachers and principals across the country have agreed to stage New Zealand’s largest-ever strike as negotiations with the Ministry of Education continue to stall.

    The Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) and New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI) Te Rui Roa announced the move on Sunday, and said rolling strike action was also possible.

    Ths strike, on May 29, will involve almost 50,000 primary and secondary teachers and primary principals, and will affect hundreds of thousands of students in more than 2000 schools.

    https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/education/112655087/teachers-have-voted-to-strike-on-may-29

     

    The Conversation

    Obviously there has been a lot of reaction to the recent vote to hold a mega strike, and a lot of this reaction has been documented on Twitter. I wanted to collect this reaction and keep a record of it in our blog. I have come to realise that I value the posts on this site, but often a lot of conversation happens on Twitter and then falls off into the Twittersphere.

     

    • The crisis is real, and it’s spreading. And the more who leave, the more work has to be picked up by other all-ready-stressed teachers. And thus the crisis is exponentially growing. And all the government is prepared to do is start training replacements!?
    • In all of these pay negotiations, not once have teachers been asking for anything that is unreasonable… It’s not like we’re asking for a slushy machine in every school!
    • Come on … Make history. Be the one MP to stand up for teachers and get them what they deserve. Show the public the importance of education in this country. Go on. I dare you!
    • So it’s not that the government CAN’T meet what we’re asking for…. it’s that they WON’T.
    • Kinda think that the Teacher Unions need to start playing hardball. Indefinite strike would soon get some results. Look at the bus drivers….

    • Started putting my thoughts down about teacher workload into a tweet…. ran out of characters and lost all energy and enthusiasm for continuing. A story all too common for lots of teachers at the moment!
    • Essentially here’s what would solve a lot of problems: • Pay Teachers more, because we’re worth it and we deserve it. • Shrink class sizes, because with less students comes less work but more teaching. • More SENCO resourcing, because there are more needs than ever before.
    • Shrinking class sizes is key. Less reports to write, less assessments to do, less paperwork to compile. More time for each student. More genuine relationships. More teaching. More jobs available for the additional teachers that come back into the workforce!
    • For me; class size plays a huge role on the teacher. For the last few years I’ve consistently had over 31 students in my class. Believe me; when there are 6 away and the class is only 25; it makes a HUGE difference in the way the classroom feels, acts, and learns.
    • For me, having more time in itself doesn’t sort anything out; it means time out of class if anything. What I need is less students in front of me which will in turn give me more time for each one. It also lessens the time I need for assessments, reports, planning etc…. win win!

    • I left the union at the end of last year. Not regretting it. They should be doing a LOT more given the circumstances, and a clear plan seems to be lacking. Seem to be floundering in too many ideas rather than laying out a “game” plan for teachers and the government to follow!
    • So why did the Ministry turn up to the last round of negotiations with NZEI with no new offer? Took active teachers and leaders out of their classrooms, made them organise relievers, sort out transport… for what!? No new offer!? How disrespectful.

    • Let’s face it. I am a teacher. No government is ever going to be able to pay me what I’m worth. I knew this going into the profession. But come on… at least you could try and show me I’m valued …
    • Quick question … Why has class size not been a major negotiating point as a way of reducing workload? Teachers are definitely asking for this!!!

    • So … the first strike in 24 years didn’t work… so you decide to strike again but on different days… then… when that failed to make a dent… let’s do another one day strike… do we really think that’s going to make a blind bit of difference?
    • Multiple days. Cause some proper disruption. Half day strikes. Go slow days. Play hardball. MoE need a kicking too I admit.
    • Lay out a plan of attack: If you don’t accept our terms then this is what we will be asking our members to do, and if that doesn’t work, then THIS is what we’ll do… and then…. at the moment it feels like they’re just making it up as they go.

     

    • Don’t think you get to comment . You’re the ones who landed us in the position we’re in now. Majority of parents I’ve spoken with are happy to put up with the inconvenience if it means their child’s teacher/s get a fair deal. Support for teachers is there in droves!
    • But seeing as you do get to comment; what would National’s offer be if you were still in Govt?
    • I also find your teacher ratio comments hard to believe, given Hekia wanted to raise them through the roof. If I were you I’d be offering apologies and then begin making things right rather than trying to blame the ones who came after you for the monster you created.

    • By the way… this from when reading the amendment bill for Teacher Council changes: “…to us, they are teachers, and no Government can achieve what it is setting out to achieve in the education system without having teachers on side….” (1 / 2)
    • “…We stand side by side with teachers, we back the profession, and we’re willing to trust and respect this profession in a way that the previous Government were never willing to do.” (2 / 2)

     

     

  • All Better

    In relation to: Government pours $95 million over four years into teaching resources

  • Secondary School Teachers to Strike

    Secondary teachers will go on strike next month after “running out of patience” with collective contract negotiations, their union’s president says.

    Thousands of teachers will walk off the job in a national day of action on April 3.

    At a Post Primary Teachers’ Association (PPTA) meeting in Rotorua on Saturday, president Jack Boyle said teachers hoped to receive “a realistic offer” from the Government before then. More talks are planned for March 7 and 8.

    “If we don’t, we will use the day to publicly protest the lack of progress,” Boyle said.

    “We have been negotiating with Government for a settlement to our collective agreement since August last year and our members are running out of patience.”

    In November, PPTA members voted against the Ministry of Education’s second offer of a 9 per cent pay rise over three years.

    Members authorised a one-day strike at that time, but were willing to call off the strike if they received a better offer.

    Read Full Article: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/110979827/secondary-school-teachers-to-strike