Understanding by Design - Part 1 (27/02/2018)

Today we had a session to help our working group develop our understanding of Understanding by Design. Here are some of my take aways from the session.

We get scatter brain and loose focus: 
In the planning process we must ensure that everything filters back to the transfer goal. EVERYTHING.  I have created this mind map as my way of understanding it. This is somewhat different than the planning template and I think better illustrates the pathways towards transfer through each understanding. It separates out all the pathways towards transfer through each understanding rather than grouping all the understanding together, essential questions together etc. You can refer to the map towards transfer and the planning template below.

Map Towards Transfer.

Planning Template

Spend HEAPS of time on the stage 1. 
The first page which requires development of the Transfer goal, Understandings, Essential Questions, and Knowledge and Skills takes a long time to develop. The more time spent on the more focused the rest of the plan gets. Basically, put in the hard yards up front and then it gets easier.

Collaboration is easy with this process: 
A group of people can do the first page and then go in quite different directions after that. The fist page will normally develop a skill/concept and then the context can vary.

Works in well with our school curriculum and the NZC.

Imogen's Artwork

One of the great joys of being a parent is displaying your 
child's art work around your house. We intend to get some of Imogen's pieces framed. Abbie led me around the house this evening and we admired some of the work Imogen currently has displayed. Here are 3 of my favourite. 





The Unicorn: 
This is one of Imogen's most recent pieces. Paint on A4 printing paper. I think it has a fabulous use of colour and bold agressive brush strokes. This picture is displayed proudly on our fridge. 

The Bug: 
In this picture, Imogen has taken quite a different tack from the usual acrylic paint on paper. She has simply used felt. The contrast of the black felt on the brown butchers paper is very striking and has a popping quality. It reminds that viewer that a bug can 'pop' out from their surrounding environment without warning. This piece works on many levels. It too is also displayed on our fridge. 

The Pig: 
This is perhaps my favourite piece. It is watercolour on A4 printing paper. The use of just two colours is a bold move and the resulting image is somewhat abstract with the outline of the pig becoming hard for the eye to follow at times. This was perhaps the artists intention. The pig seems to be taunting a possible character that we, the viewer, can't see. Is it the wolf? We will probably never know. I like to think that this little piggy is on its way to the house of brick to be with his brothers! This picture too is displayed on our fridge.

Coaching Leadership Professional Learning - Part 1

GROWTH Coaching Leadership (February 21st 2018)

This morning we were asked to place ourselves on a continuum. If we placed ourselves on the number 1 it meant that we knew nothing about GROWTH coaching. If we placed ourselves on a 10 it meant that we were experts and confident in GROWTH coaching.

I placed myself on a 4. Here are the reasons I placed myself at 4.

1. I know what the GROWTH model is
2. I have used it. 
3. I have an understanding of how to coach a colleague using this model (albeit limited at the moment). 

The idea of completing this exercise is gague the progress we made individually over the day by reflecting on whether we have moved up the scale at the PL's conclusion. 

At the conclusion of this PL I have moved up, dare I say, a couple of points. Here are my take aways from todays session. 

Knowing what coaching is

Coaching Vs Mentoring, this is what we spent much of the morning discussing. Currently, I am finding the push/pull metaphor helpful. Mentoring: you are giving someone a 'push' in the right direction, being directive. Coaching: you are 'pulling' or 'giving a hand up' but the coachee is coming up with all the solutions. I love this image that illustrates the difference between the 2 quite well.

(http://www.gtcs.org.uk/professional-update/coaching-and-mentoring.aspx)

Questioning

I love the idea of coaching being a soundboard! Questioning is the tool is which to do this. You don't want to be a coach who inserts themselves too much in the discussion. Everything works best when it comes from the coachee. The next step for me if to experiment with different ways of questioning that will allow me to naturally use the GROWTH coaching model.

Listening

This is something that I need to work on! often when I'm listening I have trouble get all of the white noise out of my head and therefore, become distracted. . . This is a side effect of working in a school. I am getting better at recognising when I'm doing this and self correcting - definitely have plenty to work on here. 

Goals

Setting a goal is the foundation of all productive GROWTH conversations. Wording an 'ISMART' Goal by using the following simple sentence starters: 

1. by, 
2. I am/have,
3. so that. 

Here is my example of an ISMART goal: By Thursday, Week 10 in Term 1, I have developed learning progressions to support our school curriculum (the dispositions under the key components of THINK, DRIVE SHARE) 

so that 

1. Teachers in the new curriculum drive group can use it to inform their UBD planning

2. students have voice and can reflect on their progress in relation to the school curriculum goals and the progressions can be reviewed with teachers/students/community.