DFI through a Principal’s eyes

DFI through a Principal’s eyes (Harry’s Blog 2, 30-7-2019):

Whakatauki (Proverb)

“Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tūohu koe, me he maunga teitei”

“Seek what you value and treasure most: if you should stumble, then let it be to a lofty mountain.”

A message about determination and overcoming challenges to reach your goal.

Introduction:

Kia ora, if you are reading my blog for the first time. I wish to introduce myself. I am a Principal of a Christchurch Secondary School (Mairehau High School) in Canterbury. Today’s Blog is about sharing, my learning, reflections, and thoughts while attending a Digital Fluency Intensive (DFI) course. The following link takes you to an overview of DFI: DFI overview. The overview will provide you with the goals and actions of the programme, and importantly how the course aligns to a pedagogy of practice known as Learn, Create, and Share.

Learning:

I know that genuine personal learning is occurring when I can do things that I couldn’t do before. Having an opportunity to develop new skills and capabilities by completing the DFI course, I trust, will deepen my confidence that, in fact, real learning is occurring for me. As a lifelong learner, I am learning to use new digital tools, I am creating, and I am sharing. 

I  wish to apologise to readers that my blogs are currently being written in ‘the first person’. As a Maori, I feel very uncomfortable about that, and writing in this style is not natural for me. But, I am also uncomfortable attending DFI. I draw guidance from today’s whakatauki; let us learn and let us share.

What has worked for me since DFI One? 

Google groups: I used and created 3 different google groups: Senior Leadership, Deans, Teaching staff.

Blogging: I created and posted my first blog.

Other Google tools: I am exploring Google docs and sheets.

What hasn’t worked or made sense?

Last week, I used google groups as a platform to communicate with my staff. I had mixed reactions to my communique. My Dean’s, all indulged their principal, and somewhat reluctantly accepted my group invitation. The “Staff Teachers” group was a bit of a disaster; not many accepted the invitation, albeit I had news of the extra $1500 in their pay packet this week. I have a bit of work to do, and I want to know how to improve takeup.

I can see the potential of google groups strengthening communication, collaboration, and feedback in the school environment. I will let you know how I get on.

I am now blogging. My curiosity is allowing me to have a tutu (play) with some of the other Google tools. I don’t really know what I am doing; it’s a lot of fun. I am not entirely convinced about moving from Microsoft word/ excel to google docs/ sheets. I’m prepared to give both a go and just see what happens.

What do I need help with?

I need more help with formatting the presentation of my pages, creating links, adding images, sharing content, i.e. making my pages more dynamic, interactive, and exciting to look at. I will ask someone to show me how to link into other blogs. I wish to comment to DFI friends, colleagues, whanau and students.

DFI & Learn, create, and share:

I see DFI as a multi-level programme to support my Principal’s role, strengthening communication by using google tools within a google environment. However, more holistically, I view DFI as a pathway to support Learn, create and share teaching and learning practices, which will provide equitable learning outcomes and opportunities for our students, and the generation of students to come.

First steps:

I am most appreciative of the opportunity to participate in our DFI programme. Many Principals give so much to others without reward or acknowledgement of themselves. We walk a moral path through life, we want the best for our students, and we are often judged by others. I trust that other principals will take the opportunity to step out of their school for a short time and take the opportunity to attend DFI.

I hope to create awareness and sensibility, and use the knowledge learnt from DFI to support me in my leadership role. I trust that I will become a better principal and professional leader as a direct outcome of learning, creating and sharing.

A moment from DFI last week:

I leaned over and  looked at Lucy’s screen and said, “What are you  placing into your blog?” ‘a giphy’, Lucy replied “eh? What’s a giphy?’ I said. Lucy gave me a puzzled look and then took the time to explain to me the meaning of giphy. 

Later, Mark showed us how you could download 1000s of giphys’ from the web. I had never heard of the term. In DFI, I am not only learning about digital fluency, but I am also learning a new digital vocab. I thought of Shakespeare: I wonder what Bill would have done, in his time, with a giphy? 

“Ti’s nobler in mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune”(Hamlet). 

Today’s Learning

The learning for me today, has focussed on leadership communication and collaboration by using a suite of Google tools. I have been learning about four useful Google tools: Google- Hangouts, Keep, Gmail, and Calendar. I am familiar with Gmail and Calendar, and because of DFI, I am much more knowledgeable about these tools. The lucid DFI presentation from Tanya is appreciated by all, showing our group a range of short cuts, actions and opportunities.

Google Hangouts: A useful communication tool which enables messaging and chats.

Google Keep: This is a cool way to keep notes, which is linked to Gmail and calendar.  I especially like the phone image to text conversion; this is a time-saver, and I will show students and staff. In my view, a useful tool for students, staff and whanau.

I wasn’t able to contribute too much to our afternoon hang-group that I worked with today. I had techy issues with m microphone, kei te ahua (ah well).

I have enjoyed learning about the G-tools that I thought that I was already familiar with, e.g., Gmail and Google calendar. I have used both for many years; today, I have fine-tuned my knowledge and learning about each. 

This is my second DFI workshop, and already I feel like I have learnt much. I am applying my newly acquired knowledge to the everyday context of Principalship. It is satisfying learning new knowledge looking at opportunities that challenge my role.

At the moment, I seem to be taking, i.e. the manaiaKalani team of schools have shared an immense amount of knowledge and information. When I have successfully completed DFI, I expect to share my learning, experiences, and understanding with my students, staff, community and the world. My eyes are opening to an opportunity of possibilities. If you are a Principal or leader in your school, you must seriously consider committing to the next DFI course.

I wish to close with a favourite whakatauki, a proverb learned years ago as a Deputy Principal in Rangitikei and appropriate to Learn, Create and Share. I have made a change to the translation.

“Ko te manu, e kai ana te miro, nona te ngahere

Otira, ko te manu e kai ana te matauranga nona te ao.”

The bird that takes sustenance from the fruit of the miro, shall master the ways of the forest.

However, the bird that takes sustenance from “Learn, Create and Share”, shall master the ways of the world.

Digital Fluency Intensive (My first Blog)

Introduction:

I am reminded by the whakatauaki;

“E ki ana koe ki ahau, he aha te mea nui; maku e ki atu kia koe, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata.

Should you ask me, what is our greatest treasure? I will respond that it is people, it is people, it is people.”

I struggled as a Principal to make a decision to attend this Digital Fluency Course (DFI).

Today, with my colleagues and new friends, we began the journey together. I’ve decided to take part in the second Digital Fluency Intensive course, beginning 23 July 2019, in Christchurch. I thought about all the reasons why I shouldn’t be here, including workload, personnel, and student issues to deal with at school.

Then I thought about the reasons why I must be here, and for me, it is about people. I have asked my staff to change the world, to use digital tools, to become fluent in the use of these tools and then to share their learning with our students and others. I can rise no higher than the standards of excellence that we collectively set within our schools, although the schoolhouse and environment of modern learning practices are now at the forefront of New Zealand education. I can not expect any of my staff to do something that I must do myself. I am here learning and seeking new knowledge, amongst a group of people with similar passions, commitments and desires. We are all educators, with a broad range of experiences and expertise, we are lifelong learners, and we are people wanting to make a difference for our students. I have a degree of reservation attending this particular course, my skills and capabilities as a digitally fluent citizen are in need of support.

When I think about what I have learned today, my feelings turn to the beginning of the day, we started with karakia — an appropriate opening to new and exciting learning. Then there was mihimihi (introductions) before we can get to work with each other, it is important to share who we are and what school we are representing.

Dorothy Burt shared with us “The ManaiaKalani Story” an interesting narrative of a journey and commitment beginning from 2016 to DFI today. Thank you, Dorothy, for reminding us about ‘Why’, about sharing a passion and desire of a low socio-economic community making a difference for their learners, for giving hope to a community of struggling learners, and for bringing that hope to Christchurch. I take this opportunity to acknowledge the explorers and navigators of the ManaiaKalani story and the gift that you bring and share with other educators of Aotearoa.

Learn, Create and share is a pedagogy of practice, and it is underpinned by a successful, experienced team. It is a methodology or teaching and learning practice supported by evidenced based data. The pen has been replaced by a digital device. In our technological world, we have advanced the types of tool that we are using in the classroom, and therefore, teachers need to be upskilled in the use of these tools.

Our first lesson focused on Google groups. I had no idea that such a google package existed. I wanted to know more. I could see the potential of using the google group platform as a leadership tool. Later in the day, Kelsey helped me to create: senior leadership, deans, and senior management groups. I also plan to create a google group for my Board.

At least a couple of times during the day I got that ‘aha moment,’ i.e. when you realise you have been doing something for years and someone shows you a zap shortcut. Wow! I should have known that and it makes one feel like an idiot.

I have a goal to learn about the tools that my staff and students are using. I expect to share their frustrations, anxieties and successes. I trust that at the end of our DFI course, I will be able to master some of the digital tools that our learners are using.

Today, I will leave with new learning; I have: created a google doc, learnt a few short cuts, inserted images into a table, and I am blogging for the first time.

Most importantly, I am pleased to be here, learning new things, and sharing this learning with a group of fantastic people.

Thank you for this opportunity.

This link takes the reader to our website: Mairehau High School