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Connect Week
Week 9, Term 2, 2022
27th - 30th June

Connect Week is a chance for teachers to attend a short professional development session of their choice and to connect with teachers from other schools.  Principals have agreed to limit other school meetings that week so that the PLD session should replace something else, rather than add to workload.

Registration is essential for these workshops.  You may register for as many workshops as you like. 

Monday 27th June 2022

Two sessions start at 3:30pm, please be ready 5 min prior.

Digi Tools Playground

Facilitators:

Toni Westcott - Digital Circus

https://www.digitalcircus.org.nz/our-people-1

Venue: 

Richmond Primary Room 21

This is a hands on workshop that will run from 11:00 - 3:00. Please consult with school management prior to registering.

In this session, Toni will unpack some tried and tested tools and contexts for integrating and exploring the digital technologies curriculum content with your ākonga. 

We will look at a range of tools and contexts and take a deep dive into 1 or 2 based on teacher interest in the session. We will have a play with the tool, look at contexts, examples and how it directly links to the areas of the NZ curriculum. 

 

Bring an ipad AND laptop if possible.

Project Based Learning

Facilitators:

Toni Westcott - Digital Circus

https://www.digitalcircus.org.nz/our-people-1

Venue: 

Richmond Primary Staffroom

In this session, Toni will take you through a tried and tested project-based learning model used with Year 4 - 8 students. Based on Design thinking, students will learn to solve problems, create solutions and develop empathy in an authentic context. 

We will unpack the process, stages, teacher role, and tips and tricks to manage projects and inspire students to be creative, collaborative and critical thinkers!

Managing Stress

Facilitator:

Chris Bowden

https://people.wgtn.ac.nz/Chris.Bowden

Venue:

Online Zoom Meeting

Teaching is a stressful profession, and many teachers experience periods of stress, fatigue, and burnout. While many of the psychosocial stressors and challenges teachers cope with are located in the work environment and the akonga/students they work with – there is much teachers can do that can make a positive difference to their own mental health and wellbeing.  
In the webinar Chris will share some strategies for managing stress (e.g., developing awareness, focusing/prioritizing, positive reframing, thought-stopping, using psychological flexibility, emotion regulation, adaptive coping) and improving self-care (through TLCs, refuelling, resolve, relaxing) so that teachers can be more sustainable in their practice.

Tuesday 28th June 2022

All sessions start at 3:30pm, please be ready 5 min prior.

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Tangata Tiriti - Treaty People

Facilitator:

Jenny Bennett - Cognition Education

https://www.kindmindkai.com

Venue:

Richmond Primary Staffroom

Treaty People is an education programme on Te Tiriti o Waitangi: the Treaty of Waitangi. Its key aim is to build relationships between Tangata Tiriti – people of the Treaty (non-Māori), and Tangata Whenua – people of the land (Māori).  

 

In this one and half hour workshop, Jen will guide you through a taster of this very popular workshop, developed by Dr. Ingrid Huygens and delivered nationally over many years. In addition, Jen will show you resources and activities designed by Tangata Tiriti, that can be used with tamariki and rangatahi.

 

See here for a link to a recent webinar

Te Reo Māori, Making it easy in the classroom - Part 2

Facilitators:

Rachael Williams - Impacted

https://www.impacted.co.nz/about/

Venue:

Pre-recorded Session

A link will be sent through to those registered on Tuesday 28th of June, between 3:00 and 3:30.

If you attended the first session run by Rachael and this got you thinking about your own class programme then join in to hear more about the curriculum document Te Aho Arataki Marau mō te Ako i Te Reo Māori.

 

Even if you didn't attend session 1 and you would like to delve into the curriculum document to support teaching and learning of Te Reo Māori in the mainstream class, then nau mai, haere mai! 

 

Rachael will break down the level 1 achievement objectives and talk about ways to authentic ways to teach these.

What does a Localised Curriculum look like?

Facilitators:

Keryn Hooker - Impacted

https://www.impacted.co.nz/about/

Venue:

Pre-recorded Session

A link will be sent through to those registered on Tuesday 28th of June, between 3:00 and 3:30. 

In this pre-recorded session, Keryn explains what a Localised Curriculum looks like and how it could look for your school. This is an excellent opportunity for schools that are looking into this concept. 

Keryn will show you how a local curriculum brings the NZ Curriculum framework to life and reflects your school's language, culture, identity, needs, interests and strengths. 

 

Click here to see a link to what Kerryn will be talking about.

Wednesday 29th of June 2022

All sessions start at 3:30pm, please be ready 5 min prior.

Learn how to engage Generation Z students - in particular Māori students and whanau - in future focussed education.  Janelle will share what works, based on relevant research and also through the story of her own son in the NZ education system.

Computational Thinking is becoming an increasingly important skill in our increasingly digital world.  At school computational thinking plays a part in the NZC in both Digital Technologies and Mathematics.

This workshop will give an overview of computational thinking in the Digital Technologies curriculum and how this integrates with Mathematics.

Teachers of all levels welcome.  Classroom based content will be most useful for teachers over transition points  of Years 5-10.

Curriculum Refresh Update

Facilitator:

Janine Higgins

Curriculum Lead with the Ministry of Education

Venue:

Pre-recorded video

A link will be sent through to those registered on Wednesday 29th of June, between 3:00 and 3:30. 

All eight areas of the New Zealand Curriculum are being refreshed between now and 2026. Find out what is changing and why in this 30 minute pre-recorded presentation.

Understanding Matauranga Maori

Facilitators:

Savina Jacobs

Venue:

Waimea Intermediate Staffroom

If any of these statements from teachers resonate with you come and share in the korero:

 

“Matauranga is sacred, traditional stuff that is hard to relate to todays’ context; ‘I don’t really understand what it is; ‘it’s not my place or I don’t feel comfortable using it; ‘we already do pōwhiri and kapahaka at school; ‘if its not important to Māori students and their whānau why should I bother with it?”

 

The focus of this session will be establishing our collective understanding of Matuaranga Maori and its importance in the refreshed curriculum.

Thursday 30th June 2022

All sessions start at 3:30pm, please be ready 5 min prior.

ANZH Curriculum Development

Facilitator:

Paula Campbell

Venue:

Waimea College Staffroom

Continuing our understanding of the ANZH, the focus this term will be on developing the local elements of our curriculum. In particular, our use of rohe pūrākau (local iwi stories) and how we can build teaching and learning resources together.

E-Sports with Minecraft in Education

Facilitator:

Wilj Dekker - Impacted

https://www.impacted.co.nz/about/

Venue:

Pre-recorded video

A link will be sent through to those registered on Thursday 30th of June, between 3:00 and 3:30. 

In this pre-recorded session, Wilj shares what is eSports and how that looks through the Minecraft in Education platform. This session includes:

- Esports background in NZ
- Difference between Minecraft esports in education
- Different categories of MC:EE esports
- Link to Sir Ian Taylors' Mātauranga, land of voyagers resource.
- How to set up all three different categories in your class
- Some classroom management considerations

This concept has been introduced at Richmond Primary and looks at how you can develop the Key Competencies and incorporate the school values. 

This concept is relevant for all ages and is a great application tool for learning. 

Hauora | Wellbeing

Facilitator:

Anne Kenneally -Core Education

Anne Kenneally | CORE Education (core-ed.org)

Gae Thawley - Core Education

Gae Thawley | CORE Education (core-ed.org)

Venue:

Online Zoom Meeting

Identifying and using strengths has been shown to support individuals, to be flourishing members of communities, as well as supporting creative problem solving, engagement and productivity in workplaces.

 

Identifying and using/developing our strengths can help us by enhancing and growing:

  • Sense of self / greater self awareness

  • Self-efficacy / sense of mastery

  • Wellbeing - including positive affect and life satisfaction

  • Engagement for learning in the classroom

 

"Working adults report those who know their strengths are nine times as likely to be psychologically flourishing, as opposed to those who are not aware of their strengths... and nineteen times more likely to be flourishing if they are using their strengths.” (Hone et al., 2015)

 

Together we will explore strengths, and identify our personal strengths. 

 

We will explore options for embedding a strengths-focus in our learning settings to create sustainable culture change. 

 

We will add to a growing wellbeing resource. 

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