Week 32 - Key Change in Professional Practice
I will be using Rolfe et al.’s (2001) reflective model
Step 1 (What):
Wow...is this journey really nearing the end?
On Monday 26 February I went along to a MindLab pop-up class at Mana College and signed my name to
take on the challenge of doing a postgrad paper and working full time...call me crazy any day, for it has not
been an easy one but, I would do it all over again to gain the knowledge I have now.
take on the challenge of doing a postgrad paper and working full time...call me crazy any day, for it has not
been an easy one but, I would do it all over again to gain the knowledge I have now.
How has my practice changed? The change that I feel has really challenged me would be ‘Professional
Relationships - Establish and maintain professional relationships and behaviours focused on the learning
and wellbeing of each learner (Our Code, Our Standards, 2017).
Relationships - Establish and maintain professional relationships and behaviours focused on the learning
and wellbeing of each learner (Our Code, Our Standards, 2017).
Step 2 (Now what):
I will be using the Cycle of Experiential Learning model Osterman and Kottkamp (2015, p.70) to reflect on
my changes.
my changes.
Stage 1: Problem identification
I started with a new year level this year and I was determined to read up and learn as much as could to
teach my new learners. Results from their PAT test in term 1 were very low and so this is where the change
of practice occured. I set goals up so that I had a time frame to work within to test the different approaches
I was going to use in my class. Also with every start of the year a chance to build relationships with my
tamariki and find out about them. It was important to me to implement the change because I didn’t want
to continue to do the same thing over and over again and the results remained the same.
teach my new learners. Results from their PAT test in term 1 were very low and so this is where the change
of practice occured. I set goals up so that I had a time frame to work within to test the different approaches
I was going to use in my class. Also with every start of the year a chance to build relationships with my
tamariki and find out about them. It was important to me to implement the change because I didn’t want
to continue to do the same thing over and over again and the results remained the same.
Stage 2: Observation and analysis
As I mentioned above the PAT data Term 1 came back very low. For some of my tamariki it confirmed
observations I had taken and for others I thought they could have scored higher from what I had seen
in their book work and class activities. The data gave me a starting point of where my tamariki strengths
were and the support they were going to need to become successful learners. I had to also make sure
that I was critically reflecting on my teaching practices such as wait time, clear instructions, my questioning
etc.
observations I had taken and for others I thought they could have scored higher from what I had seen
in their book work and class activities. The data gave me a starting point of where my tamariki strengths
were and the support they were going to need to become successful learners. I had to also make sure
that I was critically reflecting on my teaching practices such as wait time, clear instructions, my questioning
etc.
Stage 3: Abstract re conceptualization
Durie (2003) talked about key aspects to raising student achievement which is the importance of cultural
identity with a child’s learning. I was wanting to make students feel more in control of their own learning,
making mistakes and learning from them, but before any of that could happen I had to really get to know
them. Not just them as my students in class, but also the learner they were outside of class. I had to be
willing to engage and collaborate learning-focused relationship with them, their whanau, my colleagues,
support staff and other outside agencies to support and raise achievement.
identity with a child’s learning. I was wanting to make students feel more in control of their own learning,
making mistakes and learning from them, but before any of that could happen I had to really get to know
them. Not just them as my students in class, but also the learner they were outside of class. I had to be
willing to engage and collaborate learning-focused relationship with them, their whanau, my colleagues,
support staff and other outside agencies to support and raise achievement.
Stage 4: Active experimentation
The use of digital devices has now been implemented into my classroom practice. I had to really be c
areful not to get carried away with all that a device can do, but break down my programme where the
devices were used as a tool to get to what I wanted my learners to achieve. The change has been a positive f
or all my learners but only half in bring the whanau together and celebrating the success together.
areful not to get carried away with all that a device can do, but break down my programme where the
devices were used as a tool to get to what I wanted my learners to achieve. The change has been a positive f
or all my learners but only half in bring the whanau together and celebrating the success together.
Step 3 (What next)
This was just beginning steps and I will take the wins that my learners gained through the challenges.
I will also take the hard knocks and work on why it was so difficult to bring about shifts with students
learning, staff collaborative discussions and whanau engagement, which is the area I would like to improve
more on. I know culture plays a huge part with whanau engagement and I want to break down barriers
that in some cases school put up, without even knowing it. However, this can only work if the whole staff
have the same goal and vision.
I will also take the hard knocks and work on why it was so difficult to bring about shifts with students
learning, staff collaborative discussions and whanau engagement, which is the area I would like to improve
more on. I know culture plays a huge part with whanau engagement and I want to break down barriers
that in some cases school put up, without even knowing it. However, this can only work if the whole staff
have the same goal and vision.
Fa’afetai lava MindLab and to my tutors Ben and Rochelle.
References
Durie, M (2003). Ngā Kahui Pou: Launching Māori Futures. Huia Publications.
Osterman, K. F., & Kottkamp, R. B. (2015). Reflective practice for educators : professional development
to improve student learning.(2nd ed.) New York: Skyhorse Publishing.
to improve student learning.(2nd ed.) New York: Skyhorse Publishing.
Ministry of Education (2017). Our code, our standards. Retrieved from
Ministry of Education (2017). The Code of Professional Responsibility. Retrieved from
https://educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/Code%20Guidance%20FINAL.pdf
https://educationcouncil.org.nz/sites/default/files/Code%20Guidance%20FINAL.pdf
