Connections & Personalizing

Education Counts suggests that "Personalizing learning aligns with the idea that education systems must move away from an Industrial Age "one-size-fits-all" model. The idea of "personalizing learning" calls for reversing the "logic" of education systems so that the system is built around the learner, rather than the learner being required to fit with the system" https://www.educationcounts.govt.nz/publications/schooling/109306

Over the past week we have had EOTC (education outside the classroom) activities where the middle school (Y7-10) have been split into groups of 10-12, lead by two Y10s and then completed a wide range of activities from tramping, rafting, paddleboarding to evading terrorists from the North Island.  While some activities were outside some comfort zones, it has been great to see that these activities were built to provide opportunities for the learners to step up into leadership roles and try new things.  

I spent two days with the groups tramping up and down the Darts Bush Stream Track and the best part about this for me was not only relishing that my eight weeks of circuit training had paid off and I was fitter than before BUT the time I got to spend out of the classroom with the students who will be heading into my room next year.  I could chat to them about their interests and what they had done well this year.  I could ask them about what books they read, what they plan to do in the holidays, what scares them and what makes them excited.  It was a great time to learn more informally what they were wanting to study further.  So, with a combo of hunting, dystopia, geography skills and drawing coming up tops for most, I am going to start planning a Unit called the "Geography of Dystopia."  I have four different texts so the students will again be able to self select - and one of these is audio, so the struggling readers, I will encourage this option.   The covers the Literature aspect, mapping skills are key to our area, so I will find a local to support this - and it will introduce students to Y11 Geography concepts.  

While I aim to plan the bare bones of the unit, we will look at together what skills we as a class want to showcase for our portfolios.  I know they also enjoy cooking, so we might head over to the Home Economics room and plan a dystopian banquet or head towards the Science Lab and learn more about genetics and cryogenic freezing - the world is our oyster.  I plan to teach these students about the inquiry spiral and imagine this unit taking all term, including our Camp week.  

So - with only Top House and Assembly to go - it's all go and I'm very thankful for the opportunities EOTC week has not just given our students, but myself to further connect and personalize their learning.

Reflection on NZATE conference (1)

Image taken from NZATE website.

So this is where I spent the last three days of week one.  While I managed to squeeze in a bit of conference knitting in the very early AM whilst chatting to other teachers - it took a HUGE backseat to the re:generation of ideas through workshops and keynote speakers.   I have notes on three of the four keynotes (due to snow forecast and needing to get back to my babies, I left a tad early on Friday), along with notes and thoughts from five workshops attended.   There were many, many highlights, but pinnacle for me would have been making IRL connections with several from the #BFC630NZ PNL, along with making new acquaintances and looking forward to stronger connections with these.  Oh - and listening to Banqo's Son by Tania Roxbourgh on the way home.

First KeyNote:  These are in note form for now ....

Nathan Wallis 

He discussed how children spend the first 1000 days figuring out data to figure how intelligent they need to be, it is the transcript they gather.  Genes are not the highest indicator of success, environment plays a huge role.  Cultural vs research based reality.  Research shows opposite to cultural norms. (note to self, research Tedx talk first 1000 days.)

Four different brains in head. A way to remember it is that the cortex = brain dog doesn't have.  Huge leap from the animal kingdom to us. We are able to (as adults) control emotions, understand consequences of actions/behaviours, risk-taking.  But the cortex is shut for renovations for plus/minus at least three years = adolescence, regenerating.  Fully developed at 24/25, but there is new research all the time.  This doesn't account for individuality or gender.  Birth order also impacts, npsychologyogy.  Neuroscience looks at numbers. First born or not firstborn.  First born meant to be most qualified and earn most money.  Difference is said to be that the first born, can have the sole attention in first 1000 days.   More data gathered in first born.

THOUGHTS: does is matter which parent is at home, what type of ece is in the first 1000 days, how close siblings are?

No.1 brain, survival brain, 2. Movement brain cerubellem, brain 3. Limbic system, emotional brain, lizard, dog, human.   Four brain grows outside of the womb.  

Adolescence can start as early as nine.  Principles such as body mass and race, PI hit it earlier than maori and earlier than europeans.  Cortex goes through regeneration process in about three years.  Our experience as teacher/parents, is they as teens seem to go backwards.  This is about access to cortex.  We need to nuture the parts of the brain, lavish attention onto it, planning, coordination etc.  don't respond to other part.   Restorative practices nuture this part of the brain, turns on empathy etc.   seeks to grow compassion/empathy = leaving a better citizen, exercising frontal cortex.  

No point asking what were you thinking = literally thinking nothing, they are in the emotional brain.  Appropriate = what were you feeling?  All lights are on in the emotional brain, results as two year old. Anxiety and depression of 15/16, frontal cortex is brakes on emotional.  Kids need to be tied in to another adult who can be the frontal cortex for them.  10% of time adults ignore cortex to limbic system.   Feeling and thinking function = we need to understand that teens live ,emotional brain and need to respond to that emotional.  

Step one, calm the brain stem.  Need to do mindfulness with students.  (THOUGH: I wonder if the NZreadaloud helps to do this?). Calm the brainstem down, people calm down in individual ways.  Don't impose own styles, meet needs of other people.   

Step two ... Validate the emotions coming from the limbic system "you seem really angry about that."   Ensure we are listening to them, not the 10% we want to hear.  Reflect emotions back to them.  Children will do as you do not as you say.  I need to listen to their limbic system.  We do this with our besties, so why not with our kids.  We need to validate rather than give advice.  Don't go straight to problem-solvingStep three cognitive training ... Tell the kids what to do; not what not to do.  In our room we ..... Don't punish for not having a skill.  Teach behaviours you do like. We are not eliminators.  We are teachers of skills.  Give the good behaviour words and dialogue.  Need to empower the, with the way to go it.

Thing to try: 48 hrs only do steps one and two.