I have had the privilege of being able to attend ULearn 15 with the majority of the Porritt staff. It was inspiring, motivating, challenging and over whelming. It was great to hear the same messages about how children best learn at the conference as what I have been learning about over the past two years. I thought I was behind in the latest thinking about education but I was familiar with the research that was behind the the MLE's, Student Agency and Transforming Learning. I feel familiar with the pedagogy which was reassuring.
It was interesting to have conversations with other staff members who still cling to some traditional ideas of education and feel that traditional structures still need to be followed. It was really reinforced to me that technology is a huge part of the modern learning environment and that, yes children were going to spend the majority of their time on devices but that it was a tool that was relevant to them and therefore engaging them. I still struggle with the seeming isolation of children working by themselves on devices but maybe that's my problem - I need more knowledge around that whether by reading or conversations.
Loved they way Hampden Street School in Nelson operated their senior block - inspiring!! Wish I was involved in a scenario like that but also am scarred that I couldn't do it justice to home life demands - I acknowledge it takes a lot of work and dedication to achieve and lots of time - years in fact. I suppose that's a challenge to face.
I would like to do some GATE stuff but again the Hampden Street school crew made me consider the implications of taking children out all the time and why are we segregating children - not sure how I feel about that as I can see both sides to the argument - typical fence sitter!
I am looking forward to the new year and seeing where to next for Porritt but am apprehensive about staff changes and the implications of that for my friends and myself.
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