A busy end to the school year with

• A Makerspace Workshop delivered to 25 teachers from across the North Island. Teachers were interested in hearing about my experiences facilitating a Makerspace and even though we don't have a current physical space many are preparing to set up in 2018. Both the Makerspace blog and my facebook page have provoked interest in my current teaching pratices and how this is impacting on student achievement. I contue to post on Twitter regularly and find twitter my go to for personal Pd and connections.
• This month a group of our teachers visited Richmond School (another ADS) to build and strengthen relationships. Two weeks later teachers from Richmond then visited us. I was part of a Q&A panel to answer their wonderings and help support them on their jouney. I am looking forward to the possibilities that this union will bring. 
• I have began another multitouch book which I hope to publish over the holiday period. Our teachers were looking for a Ko Au (all about me) multi touch book that could be infused in both our oral languge and writing programmes at the beginning of the year especially as young learners make the transition to school. This was also a timely reminder for me to make sure the 'content creation' team which I started this year continue to upskill and produce high quality resources. This term the group I have produced "Angles around Us" by Dorothea Collier then Doro supported her students to produce, "Learn Te Reo Maori" - Feelings and Emotions, Trudi Fausett produced "Six Sensational Stroy Starters"then Trudi supported her class to produce this book 'Best Parts of Me' - which is simply stunning and such an authentic and rich way of producing and sharing a writing and photography unit. Both Richard and Jo have finished their books and aim to publish them in the next couple of weeks.

This month saw the national awards ceremony for the MADE Awards (Movie and Digital Excellence), being the chairperson of this event is full on but so rewarding. We had well over 400 entries across all categories and the quality just gets better and better. To see Apple technologies supporting students to produce such amazing digital learning objects is so affirming. Te Akau ki Papamoa were a shining light on the night and gained many first, second and third place awards, as well as winning the 'Most Creative' award. You can view winning entries on the MADE Website on the Gallery Page.

I continue to build teacher capacity within our school and are now also supporting our teacher trainees to become Apple Teachers (it is a prerequisite at our school that all teachers current or applying for future positions are Apple Teacher Accredited).

I am also continuing to complete future postgraduate study and are linking this to my ADE experiences and while completing a recent leadership assignment was able to reflect on the 'Leading Change' workshop delivered by Meredith Bean and Linda Pitt at the Melbourne ADE Summit. This learning has been far reaching for me, especially when considering my areas of responsiblity and what I can effect (Category 1, 2 or 3).

With the Makerspace temporarily out of action in our dedicated (temporary) space I am working alongside teachers to support them creating 'pop-up' spaces in their own classroom environments. By sharing photos like these and reflecting on these learning opportunities I hope to inspire teachers to support and value the Maker Movement.

I presented two workshops at Ulearn in Hamilton this year, "Developing a Makerspace in a Primary Environment" and "iPad in the Early Years". The Makerspace workshop had a very large group (in a very challenging space!) and many schools have said they would like to visit us in the future. I also supported fellow ADE's and our Principal and DP who also presented. 

I attended an ADE dinner at Ulearn hosted by Meredith Bean (DE) and Jeff Vardy and enjoyed the opportunity to have rigorous discussions with likeminded colleagues.

The beginning of August saw the first day get together of our newly formed 'Content Creation Team'. This team consists of ADE's, myself, Doro Collier, Trudi Fausett and prospective future ADE's Richard Williams and Joanna Weldon. Our purpose is to create and publish  content both multi touch books and iTunes U Courses. this content may be teacher directed or student focused. My role within the team initally  is to build teacher capacity and foster sustainability moving forward.

We plan to meet once a term, this first get together was purely professional development focused with me taking teachers through the design process and principals of creating a Multi touchbook. I shared content created by other ADE's, Cathy Hunt, Craig Smith and Steve Papp. I hope to have everyone publishing their first book by the end of the year. In November we will meet to strategically plan for 2018.

This process was hugely reflective for me as I realised just how much I had learnt and far I had come in my authorship. I had certainly learnt the hard way and throughly enjoyed sharing some tips, tricks, tools and online assets (e.g. Flat icon, Noun Project, Status Barred) with my colleagues to make their journey not only faster but certainly less stressful.

In August we also had a group of educators from Seatoun Primary School in Wellington visit us. I had previously been a keynote speaker at an Apple Leadership conference and had shared the stage with their Principal John Western. One of TAKP's ADE's currently contracted to Apple (Glen Storey) is working with this school and accompanied them on their visit. It is always useful to share, reflect on and challenge your own school wide practises to better inform and impact on next steps. 

Wow, what an exciting month!

I was extremely privileged to be selected to attend the Apple Distinguished Educators Academy in Melbourne as Alumni along with our two new ADE's (Trudi Fausett and Dorothea Collier). New Zealand was extremely well represented with 5 new ADE's for the class of 2017.

In June we had a group of 12 Principals from across the Cambridge Principals Association visit our school and the Makerspace. 

Preparation for the MADE Awards (Movie and Digital Excellence) continues with me chairing our first big meeting for this Year. It's such a wonderful opportunity to be able to offer NZ Year 0-8 students the chance to share their learning and to celebrate their talents. This years event promises to be even bigger and better than before!

I continue to work alongside our Senior Leadership Team to guide and support our teachers working in ILE (Innovative Learning Environments). This involves guiding and mentoring teachers through the 'Open to Learning Conversation' process and challenging them to 'Lead their own learning' alongside their students. Change can be an unsettling process and several teachers are currently 'in the pit' (James Nottingham).

During the month of May I have had two groups of educators from schools across the country visit the Makerspace. Sharing our journey of discovery in this space has been rewarding as I reflect on what has worked and what needs refining. I love the fact that I have never actually visited a Makerspace in action so wasn't strongly influenced by other peoples choices. I researched over a period of 2 years and connected via Twitter and the ADE community with those already immersing themselves in this 'movement' and had rich and informative conversations. I took from each connection or reading what I felt best fitter our Kura (school) and the needs of our tamariki (children). Even though I am obviously technology passionate my love for books and all things literacy drove my decision to base lessons in our Makerspace around a picture book, I stand by this decision 100%.

During May I was asked to Keynote at an Apple Leadership Conference in Auckland. I was one of three presenters, joined by Maurice Rehu (Principal of Richmond Primary in Napier) and John Western (Principal of Seatoun School in Wellington). Once again this event proved to be a wonderful opportunity to make new connections and to share our school journey with another group of Educational Leaders from across Aotearoa.  

April was such an exciting term with a very busy presenting calendar. I was asked to Keynote at a series of Apple events catering for teachers in the Early Years (in Perth and Sydney). I presented alongside fellow ADE Jenny Jongste and formed a strong connection and lifelong friendship. Jenny is involved in the pre-service side of teacher professional development and I found her Keynote very inspiring and was left wishing New Zealand did something similar - all too often beginning teachers are coming out with very little if any digital technology experiences. When more and more schools are becoming well resourced ALL teachers need to ensure they are able to meet the needs of today's digital savvy students. I was also lucky enough to visit two Apple Distinguished Schools while I was in Australia and found this very humbling when I was approached as 'the author of the Oral language book'......I found it interesting to hear that so many teachers were using this resource.....I wonder if this is the same in my own country?