TBCS - Duh Moment - Judy -Anne

I had a bit of a duh moment driving over to school this morning.
Steve and I had been talking about K yesterday in a discussion about why some of our children had moved and some had not. I mentioned a comment I had put in his report about his perfectionism getting in the way, and his ability being higher than his confidence. I had a similar discussion with Mel as she works with him too, and has noticed the same thing.
So my duh moment was thinking about similar children I have taught, J from here and a child years ago at Victory. One of the strategies we used then was to set a timer during writing time. When they got stuck on a word they had a set amount of time ( generally a minute) to make their best attempt at the word then they had to move on.
Time to try this with K!

Reflection:
Sometimes we just forget about things we used to do.
One of the advantages of being in a small school is that we talk with each other a lot, and everybody tends to know about all the children, not just the ones in their own class. It means there are lots of brains trying to come up with solutions.

Next steps:
Set the timer for K when he gets stuck on a word during writing
Continue to work on adding  sounds and words to his kete so his bank of known words continues to grow.



Discussing my practice with colleagues and being open to new ideas.- or maybe retutning to old ones!

TBCS- Word of the Year - Judy-Anne

When I first started at TBCS Lyn used to get us to choose a word for ourselves for the year. It would be interesting to go back and see if I could find some historical ones.

This year I have chosen the word Capacity. Yesterday I was thinking that I should choose a more uplifting word as well but I think this will be sufficient. Our capacity directly affects our well being and the sustainability of what we can manage to do so it’s a useful start.

Reflection:
Why Capacity?
Recently Steve and I met with Rob from Learning architects. He talked about the capacity of our team.  Obviously a smaller team means a smaller capacity, plus each member has a different capacity. It is important that we’ve don’t exceed the capacity of our team. We need to be wise about what we take on. The challenge is to know how much is too much for each member of the team I guess.

Then Daryl commented that I have a large capacity, because I put my hands up for lots off jobs at church. I did say that was related to my family situation because I don’t have as many calls on my time as someone who has young children or a partner. I also commented that my capacity is decreasing.

When two unrelated people mention the same word in connection with you it is worth listening!

I have been finding that I have a lot more ability to make plans than to carry them out!

One way capacity gets decreased is by negativity. We have taken some hits about our performance and  abilities over the last year  so that’s takes a bit of recovering from.
As I get older I am feeling more tired so also have less physical capacity.

I am hoping that Nick coming in to increase Teacher Capabvility is going to be within our capacity!

Definition of capacity:
Your capacity for something is your ability to do it, or the amount of it that you are able to do.

1 (noun)  in the sense of ability

Definition

the ability to do something

Our capacity for giving care, love and attention is limited.

Synonyms

ability 

power 

strength 

facility 

gift 

intelligence 

efficiency 

genius 

faculty 

capability 

forte 

readiness 

aptitude 

aptness 

competence or competency

Next steps:
Talks to Nic at Dovedale. How do they manage with just two of  them?
Improve health- increase fruit, vegetable  and water intake and exercise.
Learn more about everyones strengths and therefore what indicators they may demonstrate to indicate they are being overloaded.

•  Engaging in regular professional communication as appropriate. 
• Participation in professional development (PLD), both in school and through outside agencies. Working with colleagues to enact the new learning. 
• Actively listening to what is being said by others and reflecting thoughtfully on information shared. 

TBCS - Craig - Mission and Vision

I was challenged while reading how to develop Mission and Vision statements to Imagine a family moving into our community and making the decision about which school to send their children to. To use my imagination to see why they would be exploring our school, how they would find us, and what would be the result of sending their children to our school. I was challenged to write this story out and add as many details as possible and to encourage others at my school to go through the same process.

These are the stories that describe what it looks like when our school is doing their best work. We were to share our stories and keep these stories in mind as we began the process. These stories are the background of the mission statement, the context behind the actual words.

I was to make a list of what our school does and does not do. Starting with the good and not undervaluing what we provide. Schools operate within communities, alongside families, Churches, and a multitude of organizations that provide value for children but our school has a unique calling in the formation of children. I had to define what our school does for families who choose us.

“A Christian school mission statement must sell the school to prospective families and donors alike, rally the community in a multitude of different ways, and direct the overall operations.” 

My list of what our school does includes…

• ·       Our school seeks to honour God and help each student know Him as Lord and Saviour.
• ·       We are here to partnership with parents to train up their children.
• ·       We prioritise knowing God’s Word, memorizing it, and putting it into practice.
• ·       We encourage the developing of character traits including Love, Obedience, Perseverance, Integrity, Courage, Respect, Servanthood.
• ·       Our school is small and family like so everyone knows everyone else.
• ·       The older students are equipped, encouraged, and given the responsibility to lead by setting a good example for the younger students and to look after them.
• ·       All students are taught and encouraged to be inclusive and to look out for others first.
• ·       We learn to work together and be part of a team.
• ·       Each student is encouraged to work to their best, and educational programmes are tailored to meet each student at their point of need and are flexible enough to allow them to continue to grow at whatever speed they can achieve.
• ·       Students become self-motivated and develop the desire to work above and beyond the limits of the lessons.
• ·       Students are encouraged to identify and use their unique God-given talents for the benefit of all.
• ·       We encourage prayer.
• ·       We develop self-discipline.
• ·       We equip students for our digital age with the use of personal devices.
• ·       We encourage physical fitness and expose students to different sporting codes.

A possible Mission Statement…

At Tasman Bay Christian School, our mission is to honour God and in partnership with parents, nurture students who know and love God, have hearts of faith and service, are self-motivated lifelong learners, and exhibit Christ-like character; bringing hope and leadership to their schools, families, churches, and communities.

“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith” Hebrews 12:2

The mission statement describes the reason for existence as well as a reference point, a reminder. Along with the core beliefs and core values, a mission statement provides the boundaries for which the school stakeholders agree to work creatively within. The work they engage in is designed to achieve a shared vision, a public declaration that schools use to describe their highest-level goals for the future. In other words, what a school hopes to achieve if they successfully fulfil the school’s mission.

Mission statements represent the intellectual and cultural memory, and the will of the local place and people. Mission statements are common statements of mutual understanding that reflect local habits, place, and legacy. Mission statements answer four key questions: Who are we? What do we do? Why do we do it? For whom do we do it?

Vision or aspiration statements are precise, adaptive and responsive. Its tenets should be reflected in curriculum, assessment, instruction, projects, and learning artifacts.

A simple analogy might be arrows and a target. One might immediately associate arrows and vision, right? The arrows, shot from the bow, are what we use to accomplish the mission. The arrows, however, represent the mission in this analogy. They are the reason the school exists and remains the same. The target represents the vision or aspiration statement. It can change and should change periodically by assessing the needs of the families and students who are choosing your school.

A possible Vision Statement

In a world where there are less absolutes and truth is fluid and self-determined, Tasman Bay Christian School aims to engage students in a biblically-based Christ-centred education that equips and challenges them to reach their unique potential spiritually, academically, socially, and physically utilizing innovative and engaging curriculum and teaching practices delivered by qualified, caring Christian staff.

“And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” Luke 2:52

Reference Centre for the Advancement of Christian Education.

TBCS - Teacher Imposter Syndrome- Judy-Anne

Reflections:

I had no idea there was actually a name for it but I know that I have spent the greater part of my teaching career waiting for somebody to walk into my class and tell me I have no idea what I am doing and no business being in the classroom. A few years ago I said something to that effect to one of our senior teachers and they said they felt the same! 

It certainly meant I had to read this article!

I am not a perfectionist by any stretch of the imagination nevertheless one of the statements that really resonanated with me was that ' Aiming to be a perfect teacher was an unattainable and pointless goal.'

One of the challenges with teaching is that there is always more we could do, or things we could do better. Sometimes we have to remember to celebrate what is going well- celebrate the small wins. Wouldn't we do that for our children?!

The other statement that I realised was me to a T was 'people with imposter syndrome explain away any success as luck, chance, or a result of something outside of their actions. I did that frequently and still catch myself doing it now. This just needs to stop.'

Celebrate the wins- no matter how small.

I had a chat with Margaret about this too because I realised that this artickle could possibly have been describing her as a beginning teacher- ie appearing capable but inside really struggling. 

Next steps:

Celebrate the small wins

Be prepared to take credit for successes rather than assuming it was luck, chance or someone else who made the difference

Ensure I check in with Margaret regularly to ensure she is doing the same!

• Undertaking PLD and further professional reading.

• Appropriate and professional communication with colleagues, ākonga and whānau.

TBCS - Compliment- Judy-Anne

It was lovely and quite encouraging to have a parent tell Steve that she really enjoyed seeing the children playing in class and wished the junior room had been like that when her boy was in there. Quite a surprise as that is not what I thought her preference would be.

It's always nice to hear that people think you are getting something right. This is a job in which it is very easy to feel that you can always do better and therefore not actually stop to think that you are actually doing well.



Next Steps:

I have joined the Happy Healthy Teacher  face book page. Lots of positive messages and encouragement there.

TBCS - Craig - Strength finders - PLD

As part of our ongoing PLD with Rod from Learning Architects, he started taking us through the Strength finders course. It started with a 45-minute online questionnaire to identify your personal strengths. Each staff member completed the assessment.

My top 5 of the 34 were Responsibility, Relator, Belief, Connectedness, Strategic.

Each strength was then analysed with how you can use the particular strength to thrive, actions you can take to maximise your potential, and what blind spots you need to watch out for.

It was interesting seeing yourself laid out in a chart and noting how each staff member was quite different. The process took about half a day.

Reflection.

I could see myself in most of what I read, and I was most interested in the blind spots to look out for. One is not being good at saying no. Another is being seen as critical.
The real strength of what we did lay in analysing others and their reports. I was helpful and rewarding looking at each other's strengths and seeing how we all fitted in as a team.

Where to from here.

1.  Visit the Gallop site regularly.
2.  Read up and get to know what each of the strengths include and identify how I am using them and how I could do better.
3.  Get to know other staff's strengths to work better together and have more job satisfaction.
4.  Once I know the strengths well, analise my students and how I can empower them to gain more satisfaction from the learning process and take more ownership for their learning.

The process will be ongoing

TBCS - Building Relationships that Transform - Judy-Anne

Building Relationships that Transform

The 7 A's
Affirmation
Acceptance
Appreciation
Availability
Affection
Approach
Accountability

A day or two later something came up in my feed that corresponded beautifully to the concept of Affirmation.

It occurred to Pooh and Piglet that they hadn't heard from Eeyore for several days, so they put on their hats and coats and trotted across the Hundred Acre Wood to Eeyore's stick house. Inside the house was Eeyore.

"Hello Eeyore," said Pooh.

"Hello Pooh. Hello Piglet," said Eeyore, in a Glum Sounding Voice.

"We just thought we'd check in on you," said Piglet, "because we hadn't heard from you, and so we wanted to know if you were okay."

Eeyore was silent for a moment. "Am I okay?" he asked, eventually. "Well, I don't know, to be honest. Are any of us really okay? That's what I ask myself. All I can tell you, Pooh and Piglet, is that right now I feel really rather Sad, and Alone, and Not Much Fun To Be Around At All. Which is why I haven't bothered you. Because you wouldn't want to waste your time hanging out with someone who is Sad, and Alone, and Not Much Fun To Be Around At All, would you now."

Pooh looked and Piglet, and Piglet looked at Pooh, and they both sat down, one on either side of Eeyore in his stick house.

Eeyore looked at them in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"We're sitting here with you," said Pooh, "because we are your friends. And true friends don't care if someone is feeling Sad, or Alone, or Not Much Fun To Be Around At All. True friends are there for you anyway. And so here we are."

"Oh," said Eeyore. "Oh." And the three of them sat there in silence, and while Pooh and Piglet said nothing at all; somehow, almost imperceptibly, Eeyore started to feel a very tiny little bit better.

Because Pooh and Piglet were There. No more; no less.

Romans 12:15 - "Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep."

Reflections:
It's amazing how some messages keep getting repeated. In this case it was affirmation, I have often had 'rest' and lately it has also been 'take it slower' and 'relationship.'

Next steps:

Slow down and remember these things!
Important for family and friends and not just work mates too.

Links to Teacher Standards:

• Making time to have professional discussions with colleagues.
• Attending and contributing to PLD opportunities within and beyond my school
• Undertaking PLD and further professional reading.

TBCS - Margaret - Conference - Building Relationships that Thrive

Josh McDowell Power Point 

Website 

Josh McDowell –

Personal Notes from Course

Displine is worthless without relationship

Truth is worthless without relationship

Discipline without relationship leads to rebellion

Affirmation – affirm their feelings

Rejoice with those who rejoice.  Weep with those who weep Romans 12:15

Share in their sorrow, rejoice in their happiness

(Blame, suck it up, quote scripture) identify in their hurt

Finding out what is wrong – what are you feeling.  Feeling questions not thinking questions

Share in your kids sorrow and happiness

Acceptance

Romans 15:7 Therefore accept each other just as Christ accepted you so that God will be given glory

Your child will rise to the level of your opinion of them.

Appreciation

Give them a sense of significance – done or said something worthwhile

Matthew 3:7  This is my son and Im well pleased in him

The sweetest sound is praise – XENOPHON

Availability

A sense of importance

TIME  Matthew 19:14  But Jesus said “Let the children come to me

Spend time with your kids otherwise they wont come home

Affection

Give them a sense of them a sense of their lovability

John 15:12 Love each other as I have loved you

Verbally, express appropriate physical affection

Approach

Sense of connection – connect with what what they are interested in

Give them a sense of What Im interested in Mum is interested in

Accountability

Responsibility  give limits and boundaries (with relationship) without leads to rebellion

Wifi protection

So the next generation will know - book