2017 has arrived - What does it have in store for us?

When reflecting on 2016 in order to prepare for 2017, there were some really common threads coming through.

2017 is a huge year for the Gilberthorpe school community in so many different ways. We have been on a fantastic journey and this year will see us walk further on this pathway together.

2016 highlights noted at our staff development day.

• Staff relationships
• Collaboration
• Building project
• Student achievement information
• Use of the online world
• Our library
• Use of technology
• The freedom to experiment, try things out and review and reflect :-)
• Our systems and many new and improved documents

2017 Goals and targets

• Developing our school gardens and enviro school concept
• Having the junior school and senior school hangout together more
• Embed key systems and structures
• Establish a school leadership group similar to a council
• Connect with our whanau even more, develop strong learner centred relationships
• Use the information we know about our learners to improve outcomes for students
• Timetable well so our priority areas are protected

Some final wonderings around some big ticket items...

1) Time to embed
We were very happy and proud of many systems and structures that were put in place last year and this year is all about embedding those.  These allow us to know exactly where are students are at and where they are heading.  These documents are regularly reflected on, with action taken to ensure we are meeting the needs of each individual child. We really do know our learners, now what will we do with the information?

2) Learn Create Share - Manaiakalani Outreach
Our work with this amazing programme continues and 2017 will look to make bring the learn, create and share model to the fore.  What does it look like @ Gilberthorpe school? What would you see?  How are we ensuring that the research is informing our practice?  We are receiving high quality feedback from the Woolf Fischer research team about what is making a difference, it is vital that we do something with the information we are getting. How else will we move students forward?

There are 5 key areas to delve into :
Engagement - More time on task, student choice, interesting and purposeful activities.

Powerful teaching conversations-  More time for interactions- digital and face to face, greater knowledge of "where to next" for each student.

Complex tasks- accessing scaffolds, multiple text types, multi modal - so things can re presented and of course the ability to share their learning.  Using students as experts of new knowledge!

Increased collaboration- Use of google sites to scaffold, collaboration to support learning.

Visibility- A genuine audience, use of blogs.  This informs us and others and obtains other points of view.  Visible teaching and learning.

This link takes you to a fantastic summary of the progress being made within Manaiakalani and a great statistic shown about the impact of "Manaiakalani medicine"  The bottom line being that students who stay within the programme- at the same school make accelerated progress, which is absolutely vital in order for students who begin school behind the eight ball if they are going to catch up and work in line with their age expectation.
http://manaiakalani.blogspot.co.nz/2016/11/digital-pedagogy.html

We look forward to making this work at our place!


3) Our rebuild.
Happening right in front of our eyes is our rebuild, which will allow us to work in much more purpose built spaces.  We look forward to working in these at the end of this year.