Exploring Shapes through google drawing 
Today the Yr 9's had a wonderful experience of exploring the shapes. They were working on concrete poems they were given an option to choose a shape for their poems. But I recommended it should be related to Matariki Festival as they had the unit connected to matariki. Students were so excited they started their search for shapes. The next step was drawing, they asked how do we draw in the box provided on the doc. I told them to open google drawing and use it to draw their imagination and brainstorm some words for their shape. They were very excited to explore google drawing for their poems. I was amazed how quickly they were learning to use it and now I am anxiously waiting for them to complete their work and show it to all.

PB4L- Positive Behaviour For Learning

I was very keen to join the PB4L session. This was one of the PDs recommended for Beginning Teachers. We have sessions every fortnight. Georgia and Jo  engages us with effective strategies to deal with students in and around the classroom. Most awaiting moment for us is the selective video presented at the session, it helps us to successfully interpret and realise the possible changes we as beginning teacher should imbibe in us to get to know our students.
This very well goes with the saying in this picture

Right from the very beginning, we were taught different techniques, that we could effectively use in our classrooms. It generates teaching and learning as a friendly process for both the Teacher and the taught. I usually try to do the testing of the strategy as soon as I have learnt.

At our recent session the Seven Strategies for Classroom Engagement displayed were very  powerful and instructive. Georgia and Jo displayed these strategies by actually involving the teachers in a role play mode. I really enjoyed this session and I also tried to remember what  Jo said as we were ending the session, she asked us to,"write down one strategy that we will use in our classroom ".
Next day I intentionally remembered to incorporate movement into the lesson. This strategy actually works well, it gives you the chance to move around and see what the students are doing and if they are off task you can help them to do the right thing intended for the lesson.
It works well for me and I think it should work well for all those who are struggling to engage the students during teaching and learning process.

Digital Immersion Intensive
Intensive as the word implies is a real strenuous journey, I am glad I have survived and reached so far. It is surely an in-depth learning process. It has helped me gain enough confidence to use google forms, google docs and last week we had a successful venture into gaining confidence to create site and to explore it. Getting on and creating site was and still is a bit scary and hard process till I get over and  follow the correct procedures and learn to format, insert and layout the required information on the site. I tend to feel happy and excited when I learn and I manage to do the same things by myself, it is a big achievement for me. This achievement turns into a boon when you share your learning with your students. This pedagogy is truely and essential part of teaching and learning programme.