Activity 5: Professional Connection Map

Choose two professional connections you have in your map. Evaluate their impact on your practice and professional community.

All of these professional connections have impacted my practice, some in obvious roles and others in social and practical engagement. Mathew Riceman is not only our new Associate Principal but also our ICT Leader within the school.  As a new BT at Waikowhai three years ago, I brought with me enthusiasm, new teacher stationery, university taught education theories, and very little technological knowledge.  Matt, with the patience of a saint, has guided me through the ever changing technologies introduced since the day I was first handed my school laptop.  I can now confidently use Google Drive, Docs, and Slides. As a school we now plan on Google Drive for all of our planning. It has been a bumpy transition from using Word.  We each have 8 iPads in our classrooms for which Matt holds weekly workshops to better our use of the apps loaded on them.  Through the Mindlab course I have learnt many new and exciting apps which I have been eager to use in my classroom. Matt has helped be refine my knowledge and share these new skills with our colleagues.  Matt has not only helped myself and other teachers with their ICT knowledge but has also run a 'Computer in Homes' programme where he has trained parents in basic computer skills, whereon completion they each got to take a computer home.  He has had a huge impact on my practice and my ICT confidence.


While the others listed on my map all impact my practice in relevant ways I am choosing to discuss the NZ Primary Teachers facebook page. This page is a closed group but has over 10,000 members. It has been set up to allow New Zealand Primary teachers to share ideas and give support and advice to others. It is even listed and linked on the TKI website as a resource.  While we are unable to access facebook on the school network I have spent many hours pouring over the resources posted on this page at home.  I find it an invaluable resource for Maths, Literacy and Inquiry ideas. Often some of the resources are brought to our staff meetings and ideas are discussed in regards to our professional practice. Connections with other schools are made, topics of Inquiry discussed, Novopay issues solved, classroom display ideas shared.  There are always naysayers for every social media account with some saying teachers are lazy asking for ideas or planning exemplars. I think it is a great way for teachers to share what works for them and others can choose to use it or not.  For example my Te Reo Classroom Commands flashcards are proudly displayed in my classroom and I now use over 15 new instructions in Maori with my class. These were posted by a teacher in Christchurch and I have shared them with my middle team.  Our school has embarked on a new ILE journey with three pod classes being built this term and another two later in the year. I am to co-teach in an ILE with another class by the end of the year. This topic of discussion, along with going digital with chromebooks next year, has been an interesting thread to follow on facebook. Teachers are happy to share their trials and tribulations when going through a similar change. This has been very interesting to read and contribute to. It has helped me make informed decisions in regards to furniture and layout of our ILE. I would conclude that the impact on my practice has been very positive.