Change is in the air

Since my last blog post there have been many changes to my situation. I have resigned from my position as Head Teacher at Manaia Kindergaten. It was time!  I had been at Manaia for 10years. I continue to love the kindergarten, its community and the teaching team, but it was time to refresh my batteries and experience new adventures.

 I am currently working as a relieving teacher for the Northland Kindergarten Association. It has been the best professional development I could have hoped for and I highly recommend that others do the same. If you have a teaching job and just want to explore other ece's - talk to your management about a few days of professional development to visit other kindergartens or centres. Don't pop in for a few hours - take 3 days and visit 3 different centres. At the very least, do that.

As I move from kindergarten to kindergarten I am being asked to provide some ICT support - which of course I am happy to do in the context of the day. I am amazed how much ICT comes up in my practice - particularly trying to capture children's voice. I don't need to encourage children to share their stories, children I am new to are eager to tell me their stories. I video, take photos and type their words onto the photos when appropriate. Wherever possible I try to use the kindergarten's cameras, iPods and iPads. I have been surprised at the technology kindergartens have and how they are using it.

My interest has been spiked. What 'latest' technologies do early childhood centres have in new zealand and around the world? And how are they using their technologies?

How about you and your ece?
What do you have in the way of digital technology and how confident do you feel you are using it?
Are the digital technologies offering you and the children the extended learning opportunities you had hoped for?

Please be honest and if you want to remain anonymous you do have that option when posting a comment.




 PS: Another change in the air - its election year. Lets make that count!! More on that later.

Above the standard - intrinsic motivation.

Currently in New Zealand the National Government is encouraging schools to run more like businesses. They have introduced standard tests and they rate schools according to 'best standard performance'. These standards supposedly hold schools and teachers accountable for the work they achieve. The National Stardard tests and ratings supposedly show families which schools are the best schools.

The push to conform to standards is a rising tide that is drowning teacher's passions and squashing student's intrinsic motivation. Learning to a formula and rewarded with 'carrots' and gold stars will only create robots.

I think the National Government and 'Big' Business has it wrong.

What if the current business model (in big business and now in schools) strips people of their intrinsic motivation, and productivity decreases to a standard level? Dan Pink's TED talk makes a case against the standard business model.

What if the model changed to something more in tune with people's intrinsic motivation and passions - because we can't go on doing the same standard things for 'carrots' and gold stars.

So what are your children learning in school?
Why are your children learning the things they are learn in school? Is it enough?
Who is their motivator?

What is motivating them to learn more and rise above the standard?

 

Buying an iPad for Education?

Technology fundamentals for Educators


I was recently providing ICT professional development to a cluster of kindergartens. I was inspired by their desire and passion to learn, and to approach technology in early childhood education in a new way. As a final summary we concluded the following:

1. ICT is a tool. Use it to engage children with yourselves, each other and learning opportunities.

2. Technology for a purpose. ICT should be used throughout the curriculum. Scatter technology (computers, laptops, cameras, ipads) where it will be used for a purpose - digital microscope near a collection of bugs, natural resources, science specimens or close to the outdoors. Laptops with typing programmes in an area promoting literacy, cameras where children can easily access, take a photo of their name, and download photos when returned.

3. Start with one thing and do it well. The latest technology on the block can be cool, exciting, trendy to start with (like the ipad) - consider its long term appeal. Choose the thing that you think you can move forward on and commit to it. Make sure its achieveable.

4. Technology is not a babysitter - its a tool that should encourage collaborative learning and teaching. Engage in technology WITH the children.

5. Encourage children/students to be the teacher. You can learn a lot from them. Technology shouldn't be stored until YOU have mastered it - open it with the children and learn together. Encourage children to push buttons. Its unlikely to blow up. Learn from their desire to explore.

Aspirations for children

What is the most important thing you want your children to learn before going to school?
What skills and knowledge do you want them to gain through the school system?
What do you hope they will become when they are adults?

I'm sure you have thought of this many times. Watching desperately, making sure they don't fall behind their age group, that they pass their assignments, test and exams.

What do you want for your children?

You may wish for your child to graduate from high school, go to university, gain an impressive qualification and enter a well paying job - to be a doctor, a lawyer, an architect.

What do YOU want for your children?
IF they achieve the above -

Do you want them to love what they are doing?
Do you want them to be able to communicate well with bosses, colleagues, employees?
Do you want them to have friends?
Do you want them to be kind hearted?
Do you want them to be generous?
Do you want them to like themselves? To be fit and healthy?
Do you want them to continue to explore new ideas and initiatives?
Do you want them to be happy?

Taking care of ourselves. Having friends and good relationships with colleagues. Confidently contributing and communicating our ideas. Researching and learning, exploring new concepts and ways of doing things.

THESE are the building blocks of a great citizen, a confident healthy happy person.
THESE are the people we want to work and play with.
THESE are the skills that children FIRST need to learn. Without them 'academic achievement is a long hard lonely slog. With these skills children develop a passion for learning, communicating, sharing ideas.

The building blocks begin in our young children - fit and healthy, surrounded by friends, variety of communication skills, ability to contribute, and a desire and passion to explore and continue learning. These are the goals of the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum.

I suggest they be YOUR goals for your children.

We remind ourselves of these things for ourselves through romantic, heartwarming youtube videos. Watch this one, and remember to nurture these things for children too.



Santé et beauté pour tous!! The Meaning of Life !!

Making the Virtual - Real!! The iPad2

One day - mark my words - One day it'll be true.

I have a Goal - I want to write ipad apps

Ok - I thought I should just put this out there and see where it takes me.

I would like to write educational apps for young children.

I would like those apps to fit my teaching style and philosophy - so I figure, I should probably just write them. I have some programming skills. They are fairly old school programming skills, but I believe my skills are upgradable.

Where do I go to learn to write apps? Any advice welcome.