"Understandably there is considerable debate over the definition of learning communities...I shall simply define them as groups of people engaged in intellectual interaction for the purpose of learning."
-- Cross, "Why Learning Communities? Why Now?" About Campus, 1998, p. 4
So before I answer the questions below - I need to start by defining what my professional community is. To me it's the people I work with - from the big man at the top and the other senior managers, to the teachers and outside agencies that help us. But also outside of that - it's everybody that influences me in how and what I teach..it's huge!1) Who are the stakeholders of your professional community? In what ways do they influence your practice?
In education, the term stakeholder typically refers to anyone who is invested in the welfare and success of a school and its students (Hidden Glossary of Educational Reform, 2014).
Principal and senior managers: they oversee everything. I am responsible for reporting to them. They are responsible for providing me with what I need to do my job. They see the worth and value in me and allow me to do what I need to do.
Teachers: they are the people I speak with every day, share my knowledge, and they share back We work together to create a great environment.
Students: I don't necessarily share pedagogical knowledge and seek advice from them - but they are why I do what I do. They are why I consult with others, research, and spend countless hours planning hopefully awesome and relevant lessons.
2) What are the current issues in your community? How would you or your community address them?
I wish my community was one where harmony reigned and teaching and learning were the most important issues of the day. Sadly, this is not the case.
* a new principal, a new outlook for the school. We are moving away from our google docs planning format and having a future outlook to a place where the black teaching folders are returning and we have to tick off our checklists and hand in our paper planning. Seems we are heading back to last century with the sit down and listen mentality, and it makes me sad. I'm not sure how we are going to address this one...
4) What are the core values that underpin your profession and how?
Professional conduct: we are professionals. We have the future in our hands. We must abide by that.
Pride and Respect: respect for ourselves, respect for our children, respect for colleagues, respect for our job, respect for our community, respect for the cultures we teach. It's an important world wide value.
Persistence and determination: I find this so important in my school (and in my own life). The value of following through with something and not giving up because it's hard is something I talk about each day.
Empathy: this is a really relevant for where I teach. So many people are empathetic to the children I teach, but they don't understand that or know how to care for others or their feelings. But it's so important!
5) What is your specialist area of practice? How does your specialist area of practice relate to the broader professional context?
My specialist area of practice is using digital technology and integrating that into the classroom and learning. It is something I am passionate about and use in all facets of my life.
I have the senior future focused classroom at our school and the leadership in that will bring people seeking advice and expertise. In the broader sense of my professional world, colleagues (mainly other classroom teachers) will request my help in integrating technology, or just a general question, and I am more than happy to do that.
7) What are the challenges that you face in your practice?
My challenges in my practice are really related to the area in which I teach. We are a Decile 1A school in Manurewa, South Auckland. There is a 55% Pacific Islanders, 35% Maori and 10% Asian/Indian and European split in the school. There is a high percentage of non english speakers. We are a milk in school, fruit in school, KidsCan, Feed the Need (hot lunches), free breakfast school. Some of the children I teach struggle to survive on a day to day basis and here I am trying to teach them to read and write, and have an outlook that takes them beyond where they are now. It's quite soul destroying some days. But it is what I want to do, it's where I want to be - making the differences I can. I can't change their home lives, but for the few hours a day I have my 35 children, I can make a difference for them. My dream is to have moving to a 21st century learning model, or be better inquirers as my challenge...one day!
References:
Cross, "Why Learning Communities? Why Now?" About Campus, 1998, p. 4
Hidden curriculum (2014, August 26). In S. Abbott (Ed.), The glossary of education reform. Retrieved from http://edglossary.org/hidden-curriculum
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