A collective approach.

Working from home, online, has it's own set of pros and cons. Not having to spend any time on the North Western motorway in peak hour traffic everyday is a definite pro for me. I am able to focus on my core subject, mark student work without any distractions from other role as Year 11 Dean. However it is not all roses, I am finding that the challenge of implementing any intervention in response to student achievement (or lack thereof ) is beginning to surface. There is only so much one can do. The problem is, there is so much to do.

As Term 2 continues, student achievement data for students sitting NCEA Level 1, 2 and 3 is shared regularly within departments and school wide. As mentioned in a previous post, disengagement is a concern for our senior students who are working online from home. For some it is a priority, for others - they are balancing home, work, school and for the rest, the choice to work online from home has remained a choice. 

For many of our learners accessing online learning is not easily available. Associate Dean of Pasifika at the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland, Jacoba Matapo, highlights her in most recent article "Not everyone has food on the table, a steady and stable income or a physical space within the home to study uninterrupted, let alone full access to reliable devices and broadband. Therefore, we can't assume it will equitable and accessible for all." This assumption that one size fits all simply does not apply. How you approach student achievement will determine the overall experience for the teacher and their learners. 

How do we approach the student achievement at senior school? How can we make an impact online? How can we get our students to engage online? 

A timeline of teacher collaboration was discussed at a curriculum meeting earlier this year. A few takeaways I have highlighted below, have helped me in how I want to collaborate with my colleagues with student achievement (senior school). 

1) Informing

Inform the people who are involved in the process. Students who are not achieving must be informed - through all online platforms (email, individual online meetings). Teachers need to be informed. The who/what/when/where/how/why is an important part of the discussion with staff so that they can understand their place and responsibility in this process. The informing process is focused solely on the FACTS. 

2) Parallel Planning

All staff, all departments - everyone - should be encouraged to contribute to the desired outcome for the student. Everyone is involved and it is a shared journey with a shared goal, vision, outcome and action plan. This is where you organize a SEQUENCE OF ACTIONS. 

3) Co-operating 

Taking ownership of your part of the journey. What have you done to help the student? What worked? What needs improvement? What needs to be done? This is where teachers and learners WORK TOWARDS THE SAME GOAL. 

4) Co-designing 

Everyone's contribution supports and drives the desired outcome for the student. Everyone's contribution is valued. The focus is DESIGNING BY WORKING WITH OTHERS. 

5) Composing

My interpretation of this was action component of the intervention. See what is working and capitalize on that, trial and error. This is focusing on CONTRIBUTION. 

6) Collaborating

What is the outcome and what can we improve on based on what the student has done? This is focusing on WORKING WITH. 

How you approach a situation will determine how you experience it. This timeline gives light to the fact that the collective approach, the collaborative approach - can be powerful if it is lead right and everyone is on board.