Perrie Topia Professional Learning Blog

  Day3 The Hook I have enjoyed the day immensely! Every week my understanding of the Manaiakalani kaupapa grows. During the Create session today I found my mind thinking about how this looks in my school and what needs to be done to enhance it 500%. The Hands to Brain” idea is one that I will be using when working with students and teachers. I agree that students and adults need to also explore their creativity to become engaged. As a  BOT, whānau and staff we have set some loft strategic goals for 2021 around whānau engagement, what learning looks like through the lens of whānau and engaging whānau in learning 21st-century skills. These ideas and possibilities from this session will be of use when we develop action plans for these goals.  It is very easy to become a consumer of content and not take it to the next level and be a creator. We have been working in our school around planning units of inquiry and working using immersion centres as a starting point to see where...

  Onwards we go…….. I am really enjoying developing an in-depth understanding of the Manaiakalani kaupapa and how it has arrived at where it is today. The slide set that Dorothy shared about “Learn/AKO” was very rich and multi-layered. I totally agree with her comments that best practice and effective pedagogy is the foundation of everything we do. Further to this, breaking down the R.A.T.E (Recognise, Amplify, Turbocharger, Effective Practice) got me excited about where we could end up. I feel breaking this down even more with teachers will be essential to build capacity and experience success at my school.  The idea of rewindable learning is also an idea that we have not, in the past, been in a position to do but with technology and the support now I feel we can enhance and accelerate learning by using it. In 2021 we have started to develop some lofty goals strategically around developing not only our teachers and students digital fluency but our whānau too. Rewindable learn...

What a journey we are about to embark on. Listening to Dorothy speak about the journey which started in 2006 was inspiring and further confirmed to me, that as a school, we have made a positive choice for our tamariki, whānau, teachers and community. I am excited to think about the future learning we can engage in and learn from the facilitators and leaders within the Manaiakalani team. The WHY (equity, achievement, hope, 21st-century skills) within this kaupapa I feel sits at the heart of what our Kura has started to build towards fits with what we see in our context daily. Onwards on this journey!! Learning tricks and tips to make us better at what we do is a main benefit for me. Seeing and practising these skills will be essential to making them a habit. In reflection,  It wasn’t that I wasn't doing these things on a daily basis but with the shortcuts/workarounds we worked with today I feel I will improve my workflow, confidence and capability as a Principal. I am excited to mee...