We have been planning for self isolation and school closure over the past couple of weeks; timetables, what teaching and learning will look like across the teams and how we will connect with our tamariki have been the questions that the staff has been focusing on.
We had already decided to use Google Meet in a variety of ways: scheduled workshops, giving feedback on work that students have shared, and generally checking in.
At today's DFI session, along with some useful tips such as tab control and gmail maintenance (!) we practised using Google Meet, which now includes a record function. This practise was timely and the use of the record button will reduce some steps and will make it easier for our teachers to be able to provide rewind sessions for our students. Knowing how to use the technology confidently will reduce a lot of stress for our teachers as they prepare to provide home learning for our students. I know that I feel a lot better about supporting our teachers to use Google Meet after today. Inviting, sharing, presenting between screens and leading and contributing to discussions will be necessary skills.
Some aspects of today's 'Learn' focus resonated with me:How do we know what effective practice looks like?
Would we be able to recognise it? This does not mean throw out the old for the new, but know what effective practice looks like. If we accept that the whole point of the digital world is to be able to do things in a way that we could not do before - what does effective practise look like in a digital world? How can we use digital technologies to accelerate learning for our students?
These are the questions that we ask ourselves constantly in our Senior Leadership Team:
Do you know what Learn looks like in your school?
How do you know?
Do you have a model or shared understandings about Learn in your school?
What is happening in your school in terms of your local context?
Evening Marie, Thank you for participating in today's session. Remember the RAT all lead to E Effective Practice. It is great to hear you picked up some useful tips and tools to help make your workflow easier.
ReplyDeleteI agree - great timing for this session as we prepare to provide an online platform for our students. I Have been thinking that it would be good to have a session with staff to ensure a shared understanding of Learn - and what we think is effective practice. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteHi Marie
ReplyDeleteThanks for this synthesis - you have said some of it way better than I do so I may quote you!
I am so pleased we were able to get this session in F2F before we moved to distance learning. The things you have ben thinking through already will set your team up for success in the days ahead.
Dorothy