A great idea! (Or not)

Yesterday I was off work as my daughter, Olivia, had a hernia operation, we only found out on Tuesday night so it was all a bit whirlwind. It all went well but Olivia is pretty sore and unable to keep anything down so I am off today too. Hence I'll be working from home today, if it goes well I may just stay home every day and skype myself in. The seniors could take turns at carrying round an iPad with me skyping on it so I get to see round the classrooms, it would even work for duty.  And if you wanted to have a meeting, just come on in to my office and I'd be there smiling away on the screen. In fact, the children could do the same, just skype in from home and the teachers could have an iPad sitting at each desk with the student skyping in. The only problem I see for me is collecting lunches from the Hotel on a Friday, I'll think on it and let you know. Maybe I'll put the whole idea to the Education Review Office when they come later in the term, I bet they'd love it. As always, if you have an suggestions or just want to congratulate me on my innovative thinking with this amazing idea, just be in touch. Have a great weekend.

The staff at Christchurch Hospital were wonderful, they do an amazing job and made the whole process as easy as possible for Olivia, seen here just before being put out to it.

iPads

The staff spent time in the holidays experimenting (playing really) with the iPads as a followup to a session we attended at the end of last term. Now they are in hot demand, (the iPads, not the teachers) with everyone wanting to put in to practice what they have learnt. Over the last few days the junior classes have been taking photos and writing about them in an app called 'Story Kit', Some seniors have been making a promotional movie trailer about the school to go on the web and Piwakawaka are using them to put together presentations.
As I write this I see through the window a discussion between some students about the best place to take a photo with one of the iPads. There is an excited energy as they gather round and decide if the photo is up to scratch and if it fits the draft text they have written. It needs to be just right, as it's part of a presentation to the BOT!  It's this sort of enthusiasm that is a delight to behold and it comes not just from the technology itself but from the programmes the teachers have put in place to use the technology effectively.
This term will be an opportunity to implement what we know, learn more and continue to develop our skills with the iPads. It will form the basis of our ideas for where to next with technology in the school.
We hope to have the guidelines for BYOT (Bring your own technology) out towards the end of next week.
As with everything, if you have any ideas, feedback or concerns over the iPads and their use, please don't hesitate to be in touch.
I will put up some screen shots of the applications we have on them soon for those of you who are interested.

A daring adventure

Good to see the weather is on the improve now the holidays are over. I was discussing my up-coming end of year holiday with some staff today and we were talking about the concept of the anticipation of the holiday being almost as good as the holiday itself. It led me to thinking do we spend enough time savouring the anticipation and taking time to look forward to what is ahead or do we just rush through everything and take it as it comes? One of the favourite parts of my job is being in the classroom and watching the children so engrossed in a range of activities. I think they have mastered the art of anticipation and enjoyment. In their everyday lives they look forward to things, they enjoy them while they are happening and they reflect by sharing what they have done. It brings to mind the quote by Helen Keller "Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all". Children embody this quote, do adults? 

Term 3

Term three is under way and walking around the classes today I could see that everyone was right back in to it. Everyone is refreshed and rejuvenated and most are over their any sickness they had.
It was great to talk to you all over the course of the holidays, thank you for your time and feedback.  The only people who I didn't manage to talk to were those I couldn't get a hold of due to them holidaying in the Maldives or some other exotic location. I will endeavour to catch up with those people over the coming weeks, so feel free to call in or ring.
As I type this I'm listening to the theme from Forrest Gump and as I look out the window at the children playing during lunch time, one of the year 8s is kneeling down talking to some junior students, it's all very poignant and delightful, where else could you have a job as good as this! A great start to what I'm sure will be a great term.

Holidays

Started the holidays yesterday with a visit to Ronald McDonald's show at the Palms. It was the same show I saw two years ago at Eastgate, luckily the children never noticed.
It's a bit like school really, some things are repeated each year, and they need to be as the children don't remember doing it, let alone learning it, the first time round.

End of Term 2

And then one day we woke up and it was the end of term two.  It feels strange to be ending the week, let alone the term, after not being here for the last two days.  The course was very worthwhile and taught me so much I did not know about Maori history and just how rich the history is here in the Bay. I'm looking forward to working with the people at Rapaki Marae, together with our students, to develop this knowledge further.
As I write this we've had yet another shake to remind us of what we have been through and it leads me to think of the tremendous resilience of everyone here. Despite everything, we continue to move forward and not let it affect our resolve to become the best we can. I have just been talking to Suzanne Lewis, our ERO reviewer from Dunedin. She told me that one of the foci for our visit next term is resilience and innovation. I don't think we'll have any problems covering that area, our resilience is second to none and with it comes the innovation to do what we need to to make it.
Thank you to everyone for everything you have done this term. I think, at times, people forget to recognise just how much they are doing for the school and community. The simple act of giving your child clean clothes to wear, supplying breakfast and getting them to school in the morning is huge and as some schools who don't have this will attest, it can not be overstated how important to a school simple acts like this are. So when I say thank you to everyone I really do mean everyone.
Thank you.

Story Tellers

This morning the juniors had some story tellers from the library in to entertain them.  They had an interesting selection of books and the session was both fun and informative. When you are next at the library (hopefully that will be regularly over the holidays), take the time to talk to the staff about your needs. They are most helpful and knowledgeable and can really help you with selections that are appropriate for your child and will keep them interested.

For the next two days I am attending a course on "Achieving Success as Maori" to further develop how our school reflects the bi-cultural nature of New Zealand and how we might do better for our Maori learners.

Thank you for your time at parent interviews. If you have any questions or concerns following these, please don't hesitate to talk to me or your child's teacher.

The end of term assembly is this Friday at 2:30pm, all welcome. See you there!