Lead Teachers Day

The Term 3 Lead Teachers' Day started with discussion on embedding the Key Competencies into the Inquiry process.
We watched Rose Hipkins video and followed up with discussion on the main points she makes.
Two important aspects were discussed -
1. Curriculum cohesion - Rose mentions this and it is a ongoing issue for many schools. Pressures of timetabling and balance make it difficult for the full inquiry process to take place often resulting in unfinished and shallow outcomes, leaving both teachers and students frustrated.
2. Assessment of Inquiry - a matter of ongoing discussion - what do we actually assess, and what does that assessment look like. What is the purpose of the assessment, and what does it mean? More questions than answers, I'm afraid.

We also watched the Yoram Harpaz series of videos on thinking. A wonderful resource and one that kept us in discussion for a long time.

The afternoon was spent looking at podcasting. We made audio files in Garageband or Audacity, and uploaded them to Podomatic. These podcasts were then able to be subscribed to through Apple Store in iTunes.

Also view our Bucklands Beach cluster wiki for more resources and information.

Sharing our Ideas

Teachers are wonderful people who happily share their work and ideas. I am always truly amazed at what teachers can do, and how they are willing to share whatever level they happen to be at.

In August, the Bucklands Beach Cluster held an afternoon where teachers from all schools showed, shared and talked about what has happening in the classroom to all cluster members.

The focus was on digital story telling, but there was a variety of work being shown including animations, power point presentations and work done in garage band.

See our wiki for some of the pd ideas we have done in these areas.

The Wave Radio Station at Bucklands Beach Intermediate

At Bucklands Beach Intermediate, in Auckland, there is great excitement. We have been working to set up a local radio station. The teacher responsible has been training our students to be DJs, interviewers etc for the new radio station 'The Wave' (we are by the beach) 88.1 (it visually looks like BBI). We have a license for limited live broadcasting and a area radius of about 5kms.

Here is an extract from a local newspaper - Howick and Pakuranga Times

'Students at Bucklands Beach Intermediate are making waves as their new radio station goes live to air each day.
Year 7 Bucklands Beach Intermediate students (names removed) know how to work the mike at the school's new radio station.
Term two saw the launch of The Wave 88.1FM, a radio station operated by student DJs and technicians.
“The DJs talk and the techies control the volume,” says technician (name removed), aged 11.
“We play a lot of music and we do jingles, narratives and stingers.”

Year 7 pupils write scripts for shows, which run 8-9am and 12-1pm daily.
“They do the top 10 music list, a comedy section and we do celebrity gossip.
“Some times we go through notices,” says technician (name removed), aged 12.
“We have different themes because there’s different people on each day, so we might have joke day or Kiwiana day.”

Teacher Mr Barrow developed the radio concept to boost student confidence.
“They pretty much run the whole thing and I just oversee it. It’s good because they do all the talking and prepare all the scripts and they bring in all the songs. I just look after all the licences,” says Mr Barrow.

The station can be received on radios up to 5km from the school.
“It all depends on if there are hills in the way,” says Mr Barrow.'

It is yet another way to engage our students and switch them onto school.

Digital Learning Centres

On Thursday, Justine Driver presented her Digital Learning Centres to our cluster members - approx 100+. Justine is AP at a school in our cluster, and she has presented at many conferences, including Tuanz and Learning at School this year.
Her Digital Learning Centres received positive comments from a ERO a few weeks ago.
Made in Powerpoint, these valuable, yet simple to make, centres can enhance and extend the learning.
Examples of Justines learning centres are available on her wiki - linked here through our cluster wiki.
Thanks Justine for sharing the knowledge and enthusiasm.

Lead Teachers Day

As this is our first year of the contract all 5 lead teachers and facilitator took a tour around the cluster schools. It was great to see the similarities and difference in the cluster and to see that all have some great ideas and systems in place.
We looked at the media broadcast at Bucklands Beach Intermediate and the radio station.


Fantastic presentations at Pigeon Mountain School included an interactive resource on snails and a presentation by the environment group on the enviro-friendly actions taken by the school.

Then on to Macleans Primary, looking at their media suite.
Mellons Bay School shared some of their thinking skills and we visited the library and the media suite.