I have to create a teacher portfolio about these seven standards...

You’re creating your portfolio for university, full registration (or proficiency), to achieve the accolade of Highly Accomplished or Lead teacher, to reflect and grow.  In front of you, is a huge document called that Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and you’re feeling a little overwhelmed. 

You know that you have to talk about these seven standards and you’re not sure where to start.

Doubts fill your mind.  Can you even meet these standards?  What do you have to do with them? What if, when you start looking at them, you realize you’ve not met them? 

Those standards are broken into 148 small bites of info, but they feel alien and oh so judgmental.

Let's shift your focus from standards to practice...

The truth is,  the reason it feels so overwhelming is that you, my friend, are focusing on the wrong things.

There’s no way you’re being asked to write about the seven standards.  If you did, you wouldn’t do very well with your portfolio…

Curious about what I mean?

Tune in to this week’s podcast to hear:

• Three reasons why starting with the standards will damage your portfolio (and your practice)
• Some tips on how to refocus your thinking so you can move from overwhelmed to confidently growing in your practice.
• A challenge (and a way) to get started with your portfolio right now.  With no judgement or overwhelm… (sounds good right?)

Show notes and freebie at edufolios.org/072

Artificial Intelligence is everywhere. Even in your classroom

Seriously, it’s there… even if you hadn’t realised and in this episode, I want to show you where you’ll find it (And more importantly) we’re going to discuss what you can do with it.

When I first saw AI assessing students and it was suggested to me that it could “reduce my workload” by it doing some of my job, I got defensive.  How could a machine possibly mark as I do?  If I don’t mark it myself, how will I be able to interpret what I’m reading and then make changes to my planning (5.4)? 

Machine Learning can give us time to increase our impact where it matters.

AI can’t be used for all things. But, when it comes to Yes/No, Black and white, closed questions it can be really useful.  Let me explain why I changed my mind.  In today’s episode, I’m going to share the work of Dr. David Kellermann, lecturer in the school of engineering at the University of New South Wales.  He has taken AI to a whole new level and really got me thinking about what that might look like in our classrooms

We’ll talk about Microsoft Forms and it’s self-marking tools.  These simple tools can be a nice introduction to assessment with AI and I’ll even introduce you to Presenter Coach in PowerPoint.

If you want to have a go with Presenter Coach, enter your email address over at edufolios.org/071 and it will wing it’s way over to you 🙂   

Every time I work with an online learning environment, I see teachers do the same thing...

It becomes a space for sharing files.  A virtual filing cabinet full of worksheets, readings, links to youtube and more.  The focus always seems to go to content.  Whether we’re using Moodle, Google Classroom or Teams.. the first thought goes to the resources we’ll be sharing. The thing is…

If I was to ask those same teachers whether teaching was all about delivering content and getting it to stick in a students mind, they’d likely be a little taken-a-a back.  Of course, teaching and learning is about so much more than that.  

Teaching and learning requires culture, routine, boundaries to test, relationship building and so much more..

and that’s why, in this week’s podcast, I’m asking you to look not just at standard two.. but also at standard four of the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers.  What, about your online learning environment, helped you with:

• Student participation (4.1)
• Managing Classroom activities (not stuff) (4.2)
• Managing Challenging Behaviour (4.3)

In this episode, we dive beyond the digital filing cabinet to explore how online learning connects to all of these touchpoints and more.

Show notes and freebie to support episode available at Edufolios.org/070

"2.6 - Information Computer Technology" - So I talk about computers right?

Focus Area 2.6 of the Australian Professional Standards for teachers, appears to be talking about all things computing.  At least when you take a first glance at the focus areas title.  

Many educators quickly respond to this focus area by providing evidence that their students are using computers in their classroom.  I often see phrases like “I frequently use the interactive screen with my students” or “We are lucky enough to have access to a class set of iPads which we use frequently in our classroom”.  On the surface, phrases like these (perhaps accompanied by a lesson plan talking about using the devices, or a photo of them in use) seem to tick the “Information Communication Technology” box. 

In reality, however, these statements fall woefully short of the actual requirements for this focus area.

It's all about the students NOT you or the tool

Listeners of this podcast know by now, that the secret to the focus area is NEVER the title.  It’s in the descriptor itself.   In this episode of the Reflective Teacher Podcast, we explore this focus area in detail.  Reflecting on the ingredients that make up its Verb, What and Why (see episode 003 for more on that little gem!).

The word technology means something that solves a problem.  So, if 2.6 isn’t about computers, iPad and interactive screens, it’s about how that tool is solving a problem for your learner.  What barrier to understanding or progress did you identify and how are the features of the app, software or technological tool, you’ve asked them to use helping them to overcome it? 

We explore this question in relation to the recent use of remote learning tools such as Teams, Google Classroom and more.  We delve into why you are most likely to have an oversupply of evidence for this focus area in your portfolio right now AND how you can make sure that when you DO write about it, you hit every single aspect of the 2.6 like a pro.

How many professional development hours do you think you clocked up, over the last few Months?

I don’t know about you, but in the last few months I have been super busy both running and learning from professional development sessions.  It feels like whole days of my life have gone into learning things really quickly and then getting them out there, working, as fast as I can

Even as an expert in things like Teams, the rate of change in features and capability of that software has had me scrambling to new knowledge for weeks! It’s been a real challenge, hasn’t it?

Are you going to leave it until the end of the year to tally it all up?

In this episode, we’re talking about a mindset shift around professional learning hours and the recording requirements we all deal with.  Whatever state or territory you are from, we all have to show that we’ve been attending learning sessions.  

What are the alternative ways of recording and creating professional learning hours? Shouldn’t it be more about what we learnt rather than what we attended?  

Let’s dive deep, as I share my story around how my mindset has shifted around PD Hours. With the help of Edufolios’ automated Professional Development log and Standards Guide, Professional Development is part of my evidence base.  Killing two proverbial birds with one stone is easier than you think.

Full show notes and links here

"Where do we go from here? The world's our oyster!"

s we prepare to go back to our brick and mortar classrooms, I wanted to start capturing the stories of Aussie educators over the past 6-8 weeks. I’m very privileged to be a part of the Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert community and when I put out the call I was flooded with offers to share. The five who took part shared stories that made me seriously shiver with excitement.

We really have grown so much over this short time.

Has what we’ve experienced created a ripple effect that will impact what we do in our classrooms in the coming weeks and months?

As the "quiet ones" begin to engage more and learning barriers are removed, increasing learning opportunity immeasurably... what can we learn?

Tune in to hear Andrew Battese, Anne Mirtschin, James Jenkins, Michelle Dennis and Peta Jorgensen as they share their experiences. From how they rolled out Teams in as little as three days, how they overcame technical issues and onboarded their teams to how much of an impact their new learning environment had on their learners, their parents and their community as a whole, this episode is full of reflection and growth. It’s’ a true moment of celebration and a reminder of how much we’ve all learnt in these difficult weeks.

Listen as we talk about:

• How pedagogies and structures (like timetabling) were impacted, effected and grew
• How the community responded and how the changes made are already impacting the way school events are held
• What this has meant for students and their ability to work independently and think critically
• How access to quality internet makes all the difference
  What their favourite apps are.
• What they’ll be continuing to do differently when things go back to “normal”

As We Emerge From this Season of Remote Learning, What Should we Take Forward?

Most states and territories have declared dates for teachers and students to return to their brick and mortar classrooms.  We are about to emerge from a time that saw unprecedented growth and learning for our entire profession.  As we do, we must take time to explore the pros and cons of the environment we’re emerging from.  We simply can not waste the lessons that have emerged for all of us.

Some educators have enjoyed the freedom to eat a proper lunch, have HOT coffee on their desk and visit the loo when ever they like.  They’ve revelled in the freedom to be creative and explore new options.

Others have struggled with the lack of routine, finding themselves working more hours than they ever did in their face to face environments.

However, we have responded it’s time to stop learning for a moment and breathe.

What have we learnt About Ourselves?

There is no new content from me this week.  Instead, this week’s podcast is all about questions.

I encourage you to take the time to pause before diving back into your “normal” classroom routines.  To be honest, I’m not sure that “normal” will ever be the same now.  It’s time to take stock.  It’s time to stop, listen and grow even more.

We’ve gone through a massive period of growth and change.  Let’s reflect on what’s happened and how it has affected our relationship with our school community, our students and our profession 

Got questions and concerns about safeguarding kids online?

Standard four of the Australian Professional Standards talks about “Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments”. We’re all used to doing that in our traditional, face to face, learning communities.

As we experiment and work (at lightning speed) to get to grips with online learning, keeping students safe is something that deserves our attention. It’s super important that we safeguard the safety of the students (and the teachers) as we work together in this new way.

We’ve spent a lot of time focusing on what we’re going to teach and how we’re going to deliver it. In this week’s episode, I want to talk about the spaces students need to exercise their connections with each other.

Safeguarding doesn't necessarily mean "Turn it off"

Let’s remember that our students are also required to learn some skills around community engagement. They too, must be able to demonstrate that they can use ICT safely, ethically and Responsibly. It’s all there in the ICT general capability.

In this episode, we touch on copyright and sharing IP as well as the work that needs to be done to give our students the space to have a community in which they can continue to grow their relationships with one another and stay truly connected.

We discuss the boundaries and expectations that need to be in place and check-in with what’s actually happening when we turn off these features.

It's the start of a very strange Term. Things are crazy. Should you be making time for reflecting and collecting evidence of practice?

I get it, right now the idea of stopping and taking time to reflect and (maybe) collect some evidence of practice may well feel like the straw that broke the donkey’s back.

There is a LOT going on in Term 2 of 2020 and, as we’ve already talked about, there’s a lot to reflect on too.

For some of us (me included if I’m honest), this is a time to finally be able to experiment with all of the technologies and tools you’ve dreamed of using and for others, it’s a complete nightmare.  

Whatever emotional response you’re having to the workload, the safety, the new environments, the uncertainty and the school community, there has never been a better time to stop and reflect

Reflection helps us to connect with the why behind all of this work.

I’ve said that before and I’ll say it a million times more.

The more overwhelmed you get, the more tired, the more excited, the more emotional you get, the more you NEED to stop and reflect.

We know that reflection helps us to connect with what we’re doing, to get rid of the things that stand in our way and to make a real difference in our classrooms

It’s especially important when we’re trying something new and taking risks.

That’s why, in this episode,  we walk you through 5 things to consider right now.  We’ve even created a handy dandy workbook to support you through the process.

Whether you’re reflecting for connection, peace of mind or to gather evidence, this week’s episode and that awesome workbook will help you to use the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers to make sense of what’s happening and (most importantly) what it means for you and your students.

Full shows notes (And that awesome freebie) at edufolios.org/064

What strategies do you currently use to build relationships with students?

How can you use (or adapt) these to work online too?

We all know that successful classrooms are built on relationships.   How do you feel about working with those relationships when you’re working in a predominantly online environment?

I’ve heard many times that online learning could never replace face to face learning.  I know that it’s NOT the same.  We shouldn’t even pretend it is. 

Surely though, there are some ways in which we can build and foster great classroom relationships using the tools and features of the platforms we’ve chosen to work with?
Let me share my top three online features for maintaining your class relationships

In this podcast, I explore a number of handy (and easy to implement) strategies for building and maintaining those precious classroom relationships.

The whole conversation is wrapped neatly into an article from John Hattie (linked to below) and involves having some fun with social features, chat and polls.

Tune in to hear some of my top tips and to discover what really matters when it comes to relationships and online learning.