Sunday 7 July 2013

Introductions

Tēnā koutou! 

I am Megan and I am a teaching principal on the West Coast of New Zealand. When I am not teaching or learning, I enjoy travelling around NZ, and the world, with my family.

My school, Kokatahi-Kowhitirangi School is a small rural school.  I teach year 3, 4, 5, and 6 students (7 to 11 year olds).  This is a great challenge as I have to cater to students working at curriculum level one through to level three. 

I have used blogs previously in my classroom for recording learning, sharing some learning tasks and as a way to share classroom events with parents.  This however, has not been consistent.  Our school also uses a blog as an information portal for parents.  This blog includes notices, summaries of recent events, reminders and links to the latest newsletters. 

This blog is being developed to support and record my learning from EDEM630 - Change with Digital Technologies in Education. I would like to use my learning from this course to build my e-learning skills so that I can develop online learning support and extensions for my students.  I also aim to share new understandings with colleagues with my school and cluster.


Starting this blog was fairly simple as I created and maintain the school blog as well as my class blog.  I try to keep things simple and build and develop the blog as it progresses.  When I started my first blog I used the many  tutorials available on Youtube to help me. Here's an up to date one if you are struggling to get started. This link will take you to instructions on how to change your time zone - an important one to make sure you meet deadlines for this course!

Sunset on Hokitika Beach - taken by me :)


I am looking forward to meeting you all and sharing this learning journey with you.


Ka kite anō.

Megan.

6 comments:

  1. Hi Megan,
    I have read your blog. I especially like your photos - is the top one of Lake Wanaka?

    It would be great to see a photo of your school or the kids working in the classroom environment.

    Keep up the good work!
    Chris

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    1. Thanks Chris - and yes the top photo was from a wonderful trip on Lake Wanaka. I'm sure my class will creep in here somewhere, they are the reason I'm here - so I can keep challenging them :)

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  2. Hi Megan,

    Lovely photos - -I assume from your local travels?

    I like they way you are using blogs at the school to keep parents up to date. Nice one!

    Appreciate your sharing of resources you've found useful -- and yes ensuring the correct time zone is good advice!

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    1. Hi Wayne,
      Yes, so far only local travel pictures. Hopefully I'll have an excuse to put some of my upcoming trip to Fiji in a later post!
      The parents do use the blog to check when things are coming up which saves a lot of repetitive questions on the phone.
      Looking forward to learning with you :)

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  3. Hi Megan
    I love the diversity there can be in a principal's role. I certainly don't have those types of views from my office window! I think I could quite get used to that.
    Wayne

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    1. Hi Wayne - it is great fun being a principal with all the different aspects of education you don't have to consider as 'just' a teacher. I think I am the luckiest, being a teaching principal I get to have fun on both sides of the fence. And the view is fantastic!

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