Keep Calm and Keep Learning...

Here's what: 

This is my final reflective post of my learning journey through the 32 Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Practice (Digital and Collaborative Learning). During this programme I spend 16 weeks in a face-to-face learning environment and the other 16 weeks online.

So What:

The face-to-face learning component of this paper was a highlight for me. I really enjoyed meeting like-minded colleagues and making new and lasting connections with these amazing people.

• Criteria 1: Establish and maintain effective professional relationships focused on the learning and well-being of all ākonga.

This course has really helped me to understand and value the importance of these relationships for support, encouragement and mostly to enhance my own practise and my teaching. For me this relates really closely to Criteria 7: Promote a collaborative, inclusive, and supportive learning environment. As I have learnt that I need to understand what collaboration is before I can expect my students to be able to be able to collaborate.  With the help of the course content and further research I have learnt that collaboration is much more than people working together but rather an expression of mutual understanding, shared goals and interdependency. In allowing people to use their strengths in order to achieve a common goal.

image from http://www.spencerauthor.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/instagram-cooperation.png

Other highlights include:

• Challenging my perceptions of my leadership style
• Learning new teaching approaches
• Exploring new and exciting digital tools... Who can forget Makey-Makey week!
• Time management challenges in the busyness of school life.
• An opportunity to work the Mindlab team to create a Mindlab Promotional video !!!!! 
• An awesome article about my learning the the Taranaki Daily news!

Now What:

My Dream .... is to continue learning and growing as a teacher. I want to always have a growth mind-set and be open to learning. Hopefully I will be able to go on to do my Masters in Applied Practise in the near future. In the mean time I am planning on going to to do Google Educator Level 1 & 2.

However, most importantly I plan to continue to develop the amazing relationships that I have established through this course. To always "Demonstrate commitment to ongoing professional learning and development of professional personal practice" (Criteria 4).

References:

Ministry of Education (nd). Practising teacher Criteria and e-learning . Retrieved from http://elearning.tki.org.nz/Professional-learning/