MIT - My Journey

Wow, what an amazing experience being a Manaiakalani Innovative Teacher has been!

It all started with an application to a nerve racking interview to being offered a position, it all happened very quickly.

We were off to Kuaotuno to the Burt's batch.  It was really awesome to spend a few days together as the little family that we have become, when you are living with people you get to know everyone pretty quickly.  We shared our inquiries and the same question was popping up... WHY? WHY? WHY?  We were questioned for everything, and I thought to myself, I'm not to sure, it made me really think about my inquiry and why I wanted to do it.

I went back to the drawing board and thought to myself - Why do I want to make movies?  I went back to the data and the the student voice that I had created.  My learners weren't enjoying writing and they weren't cognitively engaged in the learning.

I then started looking at Storyboards and movie making, this instantly helped with the structure in my learners' writing, my learners became a lot more cognitively engaged in the learning that was happening.  My learners' started asking lots of questions and were really intrigued about making movies.  I realised that they were hooked and it was working.

I then was given one of the biggest opportunities in my life and was put on a plane and flew to Sydney to present at the EdTech Summit 2018.  I was incredibly nervous and had to present to other educators for an hour, was very stressful!  Although what an incredible experience learning from so many educators from around the world, can't say you get the opportunity to do that everyday!

We were able to present at the annual Manaiakalani Annual Principals' Hui.  Personally I find public speaking quite a frightening thing, having all these opportunities to speak this year has really helped me feel a bit more confident about public speaking.

The biggest thing about being a MIT teacher for me this year is not only have I created a really cool tool for educators to use around New Zealand but I have a new whanau that helps, challenges, looks after and supports each other.  We have critiqued each others work intensely and have constantly supported everyone through the ups and downs.  Massive thank you to Aunty Anne (Anne Sinclair) and Aunty Dorothy (Dorothy Burt) for making this opportunity so amazing for us we are truly blessed.

Data and results are on the way!


 

Annual Manaiakalani Hui

I was very lucky to be given the opportunity to speak at the annual Manaiakalani hui this year.  I spoke about my inquiry and what I had done this year.  If you have time have a watch, I'm quite nervous during the presentation, not much of a public speaker! Haha

Learning Steps

Today we went through and showed the direct steps that we takes as teachers to engage and inspire our learners.  This was a lesson that I taught last term showing learn, create, share.  My learners were able to get outside and change a tyre on my car.  This is a link to my planning and reflections.