What does the soil in a sustainable farm have to do with education?

Everyone who I know that has listened to this person loves him. The world we live in is going through some tough times. In this talk, Ken discusses how Covid 19 is making us stop and reconsider how we do things in education. He states that change needs to come from the bottom up - now is the time.

Ken is very good at comparing education to the environment. Take farming, industrial farming is focused on outputs and has had amazing results short term. However, it has come at a price in terms on depletion of nutrients in the soil, mass extinctions of insects etc. Education follows a similar model that is focussed on outputs: test results, degrees, standardisation etc. . . Think of the recently shelved National Standards.

There is a movement in food production: Sustainable farming. This is an approach that focuses on creating the right conditions for food to thrive. It embraces diversity and focuses on the soil that our food is grown in. This is the metaphor that we need for education. We need to focus on our soil for our akonga to thrive. In this case our soil is culture.

How can we fundamentally change school that will enable a culture to thrive that supports learners to pursue their dreams?

It's a good question. . .

Communication Plan - a simple yet, effective tool.

A communication plan

WHO - do we need to communicate with (Staff, BOT, Parents, Learners)?

WHY - are we  communicating (Purpose of the message)?

HOW OFTEN -  do we need to communicate for this reason?

WHAT TOOL/PLATFORM -  is MOST effective to use for this purpose?
WHO in our school is best to communicate this?

WHO	WHY (Purpose)	HOW OFTEN?	WHAT platform/tool?	Who is the communicator?

I have been shared this recently to help us with the current lockdown/Covid 19 situation. I love how simple and visual it is.  We often underestimate the importance of communication and having a tool like this brings communication to the fore and helps a leadership team think about  communication purposes, frequency, and avenues - hopefully leaving no stone unturned. 

Professional Reading: Leadership and Self-Deception by The Arbinger Institute

During the lockdown I've engaged with the book Leadership and Self-Deception.

Key ideas in the text: Self-Deception (being in the box) and Self-betrayal

What is Self-Deception? 
Self-deception or "being in the box" as it's referred to in the book is not being able to see when you are the problem. This often comes from seeing others as objects rather than people with their own goals, aims, feelings, aspirations and so on. In our interactions with others we often to to mask our attitudes towards certain colleagues with a veneer of politeness or professionalism. However, as the video below makes clear, people often respond to how we feel about them on the inside  -  our feelings, no matter how hard we try, betray us in the end.

What is Self Betrayal?
Self betrayal is acting contrary to what we think we should do. It leads to the very behaviour that thrives when we are in the box. An example could be, not saying this is true but . . .

one of my children are calling out for help with a game downstairs.

My sense is: "I should go and help them" but
I betray it and and I don't go downstairs to help - I continue working.

I begin to justify it by inflating my own virtues, "I have loads of work to do, I'm a good husband, I do loads of other things to support."

I then inflate the faults of my partner, "I have far more work to do than her, does she not appreciate how busy I am?"

This leads to me being in the box - I see my world in a self- justifying way. My virtues inflated. . .

How does Self-Betrayal connect to Self-Deception? 

Below is from the text.

1. An act contrary to what I feel I should do for another is called an act of "self-betrayal." 
2. When I betray myself, I begin to see the world in a way that justifies my self-betrayal. 
3. When I see the world in a self-justifying way, my view of reality becomes distorted. 
4. So-when I betray myself, I enter the box.
5. Over time, certain boxes become characteristic of me, and I carry them with me. 
6. By being in the box, I provoke others to be in the box. 
7. In the box, we invite mutual mistreatment and obtain mutual justification. We collude in giving each other reason to stay in the box

How do we get out of the box? 

1. Seeing others as people with goals, aims, aspirations equal to that of our own. 
2. Know that I'm in the box - awareness. 

Useful pdf from the The Arbinger Institute: https://arbingerinstitute.com/Download/Leadership%20and%20Self-Deception%20-%20Diagrams%20-%2020181023.pdf

Understanding the Treaty of Waitangi.

Below are the handouts and notes from the professional learning about the Treaty of Waitangi:
This was an exceptional PL and helped build my understanding of the treaty. We can't understand it today unless we understand the history!

The Treaty is the wave:

Context for Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Below):


Whakapapa o Te Tiriti o Waitangi:




Declaration of Independence of New Zealand:



Main Points About the Treaty:



Recent Government Activity:


Treaty Principles:


Terms (Treaty of Waitangi)


Reccommendations that came out of this PL:

Watch this doc on Ruapekapeka.

NZ WARS - The Stories of Ruapekapeka from RNZ on Vimeo.

Visit Ruapekapeka.


Watch: Bastian Point Documentary:



Read: https://g.co/kgs/S3xUpU - Moriori by Michael King


Read: Ngaphi Speaks https://goo.gl/images/VdGD3F

The invasion of Parihaka - https://nzhistory.govt.nz/occupation-pacifist-settlement-at-parihaka

Watch: Te Whare - https://www.imdb.com/videoplayer/vi2360673561

1852, NZ Constitution Act - https://teara.govt.nz/en/self-government-and-independence/page-2

The Articles of the Treaty of Waitangi - https://teara.govt.nz/en/document/4216/the-three-articles-of-the-treaty-of-waitangi

Go to TRC.org.nz for more information.

Article: Rethinking Classroom Observation

Rethinking Classroom Observation 

My takeaways from this article: 

1. Observations are based on an observees questions about their OWN practice. 
2. Observation make use of the following data: Scripting, counting, tracking. 
3. best case scenarios involve more than one observer using a combination of the data gathering methods. 
4. Observations should be teacher driven. The observee is in control. 

Ted Talk: Increase your self-awareness with one simple fix.

The principal at my school shared this video with me. It's excellent and I agree with the speaker Tasha Eurich.

My take away from watching this video:
When self examining/reflecting, change the word 'why' with 'what.' This has one effective impact, it changes the nature of the reflection from being supremely internal to external.

With the internal downward spiral:

1. We wrestle with our invisible selves. 
2. We find answers the 'seem right' but may not be, 
3. We go into a mode of potential self destruction, 
4. We make it all about us. 

as Tasha in the video says: 

1. Thinking about ourselves isn't knowing ourselves,
2. No matter how hard we try, we can't excavate our unconscious selves.
3. It leads us away from our true nature,

With the external upward spiral: 

1. Find real tangible solutions, 
2. Our problem solving becomes pragmatic. 
3. It helps the reflector glean insights that are actionable. 

Growth Coaching: Pre-Observation, Observation and Post Observation Conversation.

Session time: 3:00 - 5:00 on Wednesday  1st August. 

Our challenge at the moment is integrating Growth Coaching with Teaching as Inquiry. In this post I will particularly be looking at how we can use teacher observations (in the context of Growth Coaching) as a tool to support teachers in moving forward with their inquiry. Something that is a particular challenge for me is perfecting the art of designing an observation that will best meet the needs of the teacher to help them move forward in their individual inquiry. There! I said it!

The following is my current understanding: 

Pre-Observation Conversation: 

Purpose: To get the focus of the observation, to determine the time of the observation and establish the role of the observer and teacher in the observation.

Observation: 

Gather data: By scripting, counting, tracking.

Post Observation Conversation:

This should lead into a growth coaching conversation at its conclusion. Remember to have a coach/coachee talking ratio at 20:80. This last one of these I did was 40:60. I'm getting better but I'm still not good enough. The coach must not 'feedback' but rather invite the coachee to reflect, examine the data and develop next steps. 

Please refer to image: