Lead the Change, Follow the Change, Be the Change...

Can teaching ever be a 9-3 job? I don't think so.  I love connecting with other passionate educators and debating some of the issues that are at the forefront of our pedagogy.

This week the #edchatnz discussion (fortnightly at 8.30pm) was on "change":

Species Twiducatus Edchatnz (No Birds Were Harmed in the Making Of This)

Twiducatus Edchatnz

Appearance: 

Twitter birds come in all shapes and sizes and many coats, but like a combination of black and bright colours. The female is usually identified by its avatar; she normally takes selfies from above in order to minimise chin flesh.  The male usually takes selfies from below in order to maximise height and may well wear a hat to disguise early loss of feathers.

Also distinguishable by having a small coloured, backlit device appendages attached to hands and heads down; a risky business for this species, as it may walk into things.

Spectacled Twiducatus

Habitat:

Enjoys flocking in brightly coloured Modern Learning Environments, with coloured bean bags, stools and various multi-level furniture items.  If these are unavailable, is not adverse to meeting on virtual cloud spaces and can swim in fast-moving streams.

Favoured habitat of Twiducatus

Feeding Habits:

Feeds by diving in and out of streams where it follows other Twitter birds and consumes their links. Works cooperatively however, by ensuring stream is freshly supplied with new links.

Also found in cafes where eating procedure involves firstly tweeting photos of coffee froth and beautifully styled cake arrangements, in order to impress other twitter birds with success as a hunter and collector of delicious foodstuffs.

Noisy flock of Twiducatus feeding in early morning light.

Reproductive habit:

The twitter bird begins as an unhatched egg which is nurtured by more mature Twitter birds.  They help it to develop feathers and a suitable profile without which it will not survive; survival is dependent on being followed and following other Twitter birds.

Young of Twiducatus

The Twitter bird then goes through several stages before it is fully mature:

At the curious stage, the new Twitter bird is affectionately tagged as a "lurker" and is allowed to watch more mature members of the species feeding and resupplying the stream.  The most mature members of the species who are successful stream divers, are also affectionately tagged as "queen".

Language:

In flocks will hug and shriek.  Ordinarily it communicates with shortened text forms and hashtags. It cannot utter anything with more than 140 characters to ensure that communication is quick and that all members of the flock can utter a tweet in the chorus.

Committee Chorus

How to catch a Twitter bird:

Twitter birds are attracted by uttering abbreviations and by giving them brightly coloured and shiny tools.  GAFE, UDL and MLE are current favourites as are LCD screens especially if accompanied by smart phones. 3D printers, ipads and Chromebooks are equally successful in capturing their attention.

Global Flock Numbers - Is It At Risk?

Twitter bird numbers, especially the subspecies Twiducatus, which we have highlighted here, are currently undergoing a rapid expansion in numbers.  There is a possibility that similar species such as Snapshoticus, Instagraminfinitum and Facebookaddictus might subsume the species, but there is no indication of that at present as the Twiducatus is enjoying global growth; it can feed at any time of day or night and in any geographical area or climate, as long as wifi is present in the atmosphere.

Odd birds are all accepted by the flock, ensuring that the flock maintains variety and a wide range of ideas. 

Personalised Learning on #edchatnz

Wow - another twitter speed dating - should that be speed writing and reading - session.  Powerful and pithy!

My worries are that teachers forget that it's not about just following passions for students.  As teachers, facilitators and activators (thanks @digitallearnin), it is our job to know our students' needs and scaffold their next steps. "Standing on the side" does not mean standing at a distance. We stand close enough to motivate, question, and assist.

Dyslexia and Loving Words

Earlier this week I talked with mother from school as we talked over the dentist's chair I sat in. She was concerned about the last school report and her children's dyslexia. Who could she talk to?

It made me think about children diagnosed with or who I knew had dyslexia over the years. I thought about what I did do for them, what I didn't do for them, and that feeling of not having done quite enough.

I thought especially about one young chap who I know is bright; he could solve maths problems easily and was holding things in his head instead of using paper. He loved to discuss and debate and of course, at that stage in my career I told him to quiet down and write his answers. Whoa!

Another young lass more recently, was able to tell great stories. I read her story out at a moderation meeting. After the accolades, I showed my colleagues her written text and told them her name. They were astounded. Then of course, came the debate about how to grade the piece. Therein is the problem: we use tools that give us an overall grade. This wordsmith could capture an audience, by creating amazing word pictures and plot lines.

I knew that these children were getting a raw deal.  I knew that there were people in public and academic life who had found success in spite of dyslexia and a less than satisfactory experience of school.  Even in my own experience, I'd had a student who left my Year 13 English class to complete and English degree for which she planned to use a tape-deck (another decade of course).

I have to admit I still felt helpless as the mother spoke. So when the film,"Dyslexia and Loving Words" by Vicky Morris, was promoted on Twitter by Sir Ken Robinson, I got sidetracked from my reading and started watching. That was me for the next hour or more! (Stopping and starting to reflect, make lunch...)

I'd started out to read about writing in Gail Loane's book, but this was definitely a worthy substitute for the chapter I aimed to read.

I've added my reflections from Storify after the Youtube video:

 

I didn't formally make resolutions for the year but I have resolved to do things I want and need to do for my soul. One of these is find out more about dyslexia and ensure that our teachers are better informed. I'll be promoting this documentary for a start.

Chatting About Student Centred Pedagogy

Another great chat tonight with forty other twiducators from around New Zealand. It is so reassuring we have educators who are continuing to inquire about their practice.

Big ups to Maurie Abraham and the group of teachers he has gathered around him at Hobsonville Point Secondary School. They are having fun - yes fun - being able to design a school from the foundations up with people who are building a shared vision and being given permission to explore and experiment. It will be exciting to follow their progress as the first students enter their doors.

@mrs_hyde @MissDSciTeacher @mattynicoll #edchatnz to change students experience teachers must change pedgy and schools change institutions
— Maurie Abraham (@maurieabraham) November 14, 2013

#edchatnz Let them fly... Via @venspired pic.twitter.com/ub8YiI9VV6
— Sally (@SallyHart72) November 14, 2013

#Edchatnz - Speed Dating With Twiducators

Every second Thursday I grab my phone, ipad or laptop and get ready for the speed date otherwise known as #edchatnz.

I don't miss this date if I can help it, as the topic is always one on top of a lot of educator's lists of what's hot right now. It is so good to get the feelings and experiences of educators across the sectors. It's definitely "turbo tweeting"; trying to keep up with the different conversations is nigh impossible and it's a necessity to find the time to go back and read what else has been going on.

The last #edchatnz was on BYOD. It was a rip-roarer and I got so much out of the conversation stream I was on. made me feel that it was definitely different strokes for different folks. We also looked at how best to bring our less confident teachers on board. A great sharing of ideas!

Thanks to Anne Robertson who talked about the power of this chat in her blog post :
 "The overwhelming theme that came through for me was the emphasis and focus on LEARNING.  We are all starting to get the message that PEDAGOGY has to drive the tools we use and not the other way round."

Anne used tagsexplorer to map the way the conversations moved; I had to laugh! I really get into it!

http://hawksey.info/tagsexplorer/?key=0AjEo0tIl0W-MdHoxRzhZbTBUaUtRUWMtQXU0clMwV3c&sheet=oaw

Thanks too to @MissDSciTeacher - Danielle Myburgh - who started this chat time going. It's become a feature of the NZ PLN.  

Here's my Storify - I still need to go back and mull over the ideas.