Here in NZ we are almost at the end of the school year with just over 6 weeks of teaching left before our senior students go on exam leave so my goals in no particular order are to:-
- stay sane for a little over 6 weeks knowing that each day will not be quite long enough to complete everything necessary
- teach with intent to ensure that every conversation with every student is helping, or deepening, their learning so they can experience their best success.
- doing the above and keeping it authentic whilst working within the specific assessment criteria of Achievement Standards.
- positively encourage students to complete their external assessment reports by ensuring the content is engaging (writing about own experiences and practice where possible). By this time of year students seem to be calculating how many credits they need for their own particular success which for some might be to just scrape through their year level with minimal input and for others it will be excellence endorsement across every subject. Which raises the question 'what are we actually assessing?' Learning or the ability to remember content?
- get the Level 1 product design graphics website up and running (currently in template form). Inventing a time making machine may help with this one. Alternatively, I'll enlist a willing student once exams are over.......
- tidy up and re-organise the store cupboards. Another task for after the students are on study leave
- get to grips with the new 3D printer which mindkits will deliver and help build on Wednesday. One of the students I mentor on Impact Project day is overseeing this. I'm happy for him to be the expert but I do need some knowledge.....
- tidy up all my files on my laptop. A mammoth task!
- remember to wear waterproof mascara on the day I farewell my Year 13 students and my tutor group students that are leaving school. Meeting with them for 100 minutes twice a week over 3 years means that really strong relationships are formed. It's great to know they are about to embark on a new exciting chapter of their life but it's also sad to see them go.
- collaborate, collaborate, collaborate........teacher to teacher (here, there, anywhere), student to teacher, student to student
- ensure learning is active. There is ALWAYS a way to make learning more active.
- use digital media as much as possible to record what is taking place (learning hopefully) in the learning space
- read the pile of awesome educational books (bit of a geek this way) that have appeared in my mailbox via the book depository
- get plenty of sleep where possible
and finally........remember that 4.30pm on Friday is wine o'clock!!!
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