A “Godfather moment”

My “Godfather moment”....

Yesterday was one hell of a day. 

Let me preface by saying I didn’t go online to pick a fight, but I ended up starting one. Why?

Cultural appropriation is real. As a Darug woman, I see it daily and I hate it. Truthfully Dr Chelsea Bond’s hashtag #AnotherDayInTheColony is so true. 

When people try to take on something that belongs to First Nations, but they aren’t First Nations themselves, it opens up a MASSIVE s**t fight, not to mention a total disregard for cultural protocols and respect. 

First Nations issues are not there to be “saved”. It’s like the missionaries have come back again if only without the Bible and the stick. Education of First Nations people belongs with us, for us and by us. We are already “behind” because all testing is from a culturally inappropriate space and for some First Nations, English is their third or fourth language. Clearly if we have children that are multilingual, one can assume Social Darwinism is DEAD. 

So how to we move past this?

We are given the stage, the funding and the time to do it our way.

 ‘If we don’t see us, we can’t be us’

Anissa Jones, 2020

My Google Innovator Project - #IndigeniseEDU - provides non First Nations with the tools to support First Nations children in the mainstream classroom. This comes from personal experience, being First Nations, working as a teacher for nearly 20 years, working with corrections and delivering the Diploma of Aboriginal Studies. 

It’s has been created with consultation with community, liaising with various First Nations people (Elders, academics, social commentators, teachers and students). 

And when I write my book this summer holidays, it will come from the heart. 

Aboriginal First Nations people aren’t the new “fad” in education. We are the oldest living culture on the planet and we have survived here for over 60, 000 years. Respect should be shown. 

Source: https://www.google.com.au/amp/s/theconversation.com/amp/fifty-years-on-from-the-1967-referendum-its-time-to-tell-the-truth-about-race-78403

Reconciliation Week

Reference: Tania Schafer @Wantima

Reconciliation Week 

It’s been a mix of ups and downs, which has caused me to think about my Innovator Project and how relevant it is today. 

Throughout Blak social media, mob are reminding us of the 400+ Aboriginal deaths since the Deaths in Custody report, the destruction of a 46,000 year old sacred site in WA by Rio Tinto and then we saw live the celebration of mob (also in WA) winning a 17 year long court battle against Twiggy Forrest and his mining company. 

Reference: Kardi Kreations

Reconciliation can be seen as both a positive and a negative for Aboriginal peoples. This year has been the worst in terms of a total disregard for our culture, lore and language. 

On the positive side, the final session for my 8 ways of Aboriginal Learning is this Tuesday. The deadly Ronnie Jordan from Culture on the Move has provided me with two weaving kits to give away to participants. See the flyer below. Contact Ronnie at cultureonthemove@gmail.com to get yourself a pack. 

Extra shout out to Kimiah at Wantok Designs for her deadly designs in the flyer and logo. 

Reference: Culture on the Move, Wantok Designs

2020 and beyond

This year! What a start....first the smoke hovering over the city, then the fires in south Canberra.....and then COVID-19. 

Who would have thought that we would have such a major impact in both our lives or our schools. Working remotely after starting a new school can cause all sorts of problems, including making connections with your students. 

Don’t get me wrong, has had it’s blessings and it’s downfalls. Teachers working above and beyond only to have changes come via the media, first responders being abused, and running, whilst black, in your own neighbourhood got you killed. 

The positives, seeing how nature has healed itself whilst we have been locked away. Truthfully I think that is the best part of this whole thing. Then there’s the people singing together in Italy or people donating what they can to people who had nothing. 

It’s been a crazy start to the year and as we are nearly finished Term 2, it makes me wonder....is COVID-19 really over? 

One thing I feel has given me the “warm and fuzzies” has been delivering PD online for GEG Canberra. Some sessions are still going and others have finished but I have really enjoyed working with teachers to support their own learning and the learning of their students. 

See below for the flyers using Smore (I ❤️ Smore). 

Reference: https://www.smore.com/3hc82

One thing to remember, we are all CHAMPIONS and we will get through this situation. If anything, we will SHINE!!

Flip flopping is fun!

Reference: https://thumbs.gfycat.com/MajorFailingAmericancurl-size_restricted.gif

This year has been the start of several new things - including a change of schools and roles. I'm teaching VET part time and Year 11-12 part time and just to add a bit more spice to the mix, working as a Research Assistant with the ANU!

My Google Innovator Project is going gang-busters (#IndigeniseEDU) and I have PD organised for Term 1, with the aim to get it 'LIVE' by the start of Term 2. You can access the link to register here or read up more on my GEG Canberra Smore newsletter here. 

When you go down the rabbit hole.....

Lots of people often find themselves going down the YouTube rabbit hole late at night, I'm guilty of being one of them, but even more so with failing to keep up with this blog. 

Reference: Artwork by Elanor Louise Anderson - Looking Down the Rabbit Hole

Moving from education to vocational education for almost 18 months is one reason why, and the learning behind that is HUGE, not to mention being rather run off my feet. 

So where am I now? I'm teaching again in education but am now in P-2. Still teaching Digital Technologies - I don't think I'll ever leave that space - and Aboriginal Culture. 

Fresh off the back of the Canberra EdTechTeam Summit, I'm in the process of updating my GEC2 and applied for the Singapore Innovator course with Google. I've spent the past 6-8 months presenting in various forums on Digital Technologies and the 8 Aboriginal ways of learning.

You can access my resources from all summits here.

I'm also moving forward with GEG Canberra and running a few presentations in 2019 - see the flyer for our next session here. The registration link is in the flyer.  

I closed my eyes and it's now Term 2!

So much has happened in the past 12 weeks. My students have been smashing it out of the park with their work in the Digital Technologies space and some were able to participate in the University of Melbourne coding challenge.

The first term of our new Digital Technologies curriculum has come and gone, with plenty to reflect on, improve and adapt. So far, so good. And once our STEM centre is built (watch this space), oh the possibilities!

So what have I been up to? I did present at the Canberra Summit in mid April. You can find a copy of my resources here.

What I took away from the summit was the great vibe that came from it. I mean, teachers giving up their time to learn?? Who'd have thought? But seriously, it was a great summit and had some amazing presenters. I highly recommend to everyone that they should attend at least one summit in their career and look at others like uLearn and EduTech (this year it is in Sydney).

In August I will be jet setting off to New York City for the EdTechTeam Masterclass, and hopefully the Google Certified Innovators Program in Washington. There will be plenty of photos, shopping and learning, not necessarily in that order. The nerd in me will be paying a visit to Best Buy to get a few things - Ozobots, Arduinos, MakeyMakeys etc.Even with the conversion rate, they're still way cheaper than in Australia.

 Well I hope you all had a great Easter Break.

Back to school

This week was the first week back for ACT students. Horrible weather (too hot), but they were eager to learn. 

I'm teaching Digital Technologies to Years 3-10 and a Year 10 SOSE class (aka HSIE). So far I've spent the week teaching Digital Citizenship to Years 5, 6 & 8, and started up digital portfolios with Years 8-10. 

  

Next week is my busier week, with two Year 4 classes, a Year 5 and a Year 3 on the Junior Campus and then my Year 6-10 on the Senior Campus. But I have to say I'm loving it.

The best thing this week was spending some time with the Unit - our Learning Support and Autism Unit - for our fortnightly coding and DigiTech lesson. 

Our new LegoMindstorms were a real hit as you can see below. 

   

 

Google Edu on Air

This past weekend I had the great honour to be a presenter on the ANZ section of #GoogleEduOnAir. Thank you to all the presenters and the viewers for making this an awesome experience. 

The link to view the presentation is below. 

Navigating G Suite

As stated in my presentation I have written a Year 6-10 Digital Tech curriculum and I will happily share it on here in the next few weeks. Just waiting for approval to run it in my classes. 

Hitting the ground running

We are almost half way through Term 4 and lots has been happening in the Digital Technologies class, not to mention the usual teaching moments as we near the end of the school year.

The program keeps growing and hopefully I will have the curriculum documents finalised by Week 10. 

Making Drawbots

  

Makey Makeys with Play Doh

Later this term I will be presenting at Google Education on Air. I'm so excited to be representing both my school and GEG Canberra. It truly is an honour to be the only teacher in Canberra presenting. 

 

 

Final trip for the year

This evening I returned home from Queensland. I was there to judge the Australasian Pacific Finals of Tournament of the Minds. 

For me, the best part of ToMs is seeing how our future leaders problem solve, work as a team and perform. Over 500 children from all states and territories in Australia, New Zealand and Thailand made it to the Gold Coast for the event. 

Sadly my home territory did not take home any honours or win their discipline but the memories they have gained will be life long. 

I look forward to ToMs 2017 and the opportunity to judge again at the APFs in Adelaide. 

 

Team ACT at the Opening Ceremony of the APFs 

(Outback Spectacular, Gold Coast)

So what did I take away from #uLearn16?

In a nutshell, lots. 

I learned that what I want to teach and what I need to teach are close but still not close enough to the DigitTech curriculum. It has given me perspective and pushed me into the right direction.

It's even got me planning what to do on for my Term 4 GEG Workshop in Canberra - a forum to share and discuss ideas for 2017.

So my first few days back at work have been filled with ideas and planning for 2017, but also focussing on what I need to do this term. 

And today I learned that from 2017 I will go from 1 class of ICT to 3, across Years 6-10. Add to that some work with Year 5 and it will be a busy year filled with great experiences. 

What can I say? I love my job. 

  

Examples of work - Makey Makeys, Drawbots and CargoBot coding

Day 1 #uLearn16

Entry into the Energy Events Centre, Rotorua

Today is the first day of #uLearn16 and I have already been blown away by the respect for culture. Students from Selwyn Primary School, Rotorua performed tradition songs for us, the opening was in Maori and we. all participants, got to sing as well.

As a Darug woman, with little to no language due to the arrival of the British in 1770, I was moved to tears by the respect - how language and culture is taught without question to all students.

My goal for today is to network and learn about innovation in the classroom. Going to a conference in another country can be daunting, but the plus is that it is close to home. And the first time I haven't had to purchase an electric plug adaptor! It's the little things that count.

So Rotorua, I am here. Ready and willing to learn.

Getting started with blogging

I thought I'd bite the bullet and start blogging. 

I got started because my friend Amanda is presenting her blogging adventures at the Adelaide GAFE Summit in a few weeks. I saw what she had accomplished and thought "I need to do that too". 

So what's this blog about? Basically it is my journey in implementing GAFE and Digital Technologies in my school. 

Teaching ICT doesn't have to be scary or boring, in fact my motto has, and always will be, "If it's not fun, we don't do it". 

I love to learn. So much so that next week I will find myself in Rotorua at the #uLearn2016 Conference. It will be my seventh conference since March 2015, and my second international one. I was put onto this conference by the lovely Fiona Grant, one of the GEG NZ Leaders. 

Curriculum wise, there is still so much to do but I am trialling new things with students each week. Some of the work I've done with the kids can be seen below. 

I'm a big advocate on playing to learn. Throw in some questions and there you have it - computational thinking in action! 

Nis x

 

Makey Makeys and Spheros/Ollies