I'm blogging on my phone. Unlike most of the 12 year old kids I teach I haven't yet mastered the tappity, tap, tap lightening speed typing skills they seem to posses. At this rate my goal of 28minutes of interrupted writing for today's challenge will be over with barely a paragraph written ...
A Reflection on the Day #HPSWaitangi
Hobsonville Point Schools' finished off our first week of school and headed into the long weekend on a high note with our Waitangi Celebration Day.
It's a great opportunity to have our secondary and primary kids, staff, parents and wider community together to learn about our bi-cultural history and celebrate partnerships.
Its a big day of learning. Big day of fun.
I've been involved in plenty of big school events over the years. These tend to be well oiled machines with run sheets, briefings and rigidly defined roles and responsibilities.
They've been successful in their own right but what I really enjoy about this H.P.S event is the room to move, step up, step sideways, read and respond to situations. Sharyn Afu and Sarah Wakefield do a superb job of steering the day. They do hours and hours of behind the scenes prep to set us up with support structures to create the space for us to move and ultimately step up and take responsibility.
There is a fancy name for this type of approach. It's called heterarchial organization. A good example of this is Google 20% time when employees work with whoever they wish within the company and some of their most innovative ideas and products have come
out of it.
Personally, I love a bit of structure however it can be stifling of you're not careful.
Do we not want our kids to be self managing, thinking, questioning, seeking and taking responsibility. Surely if we over structure their 'role' it limits them in that they don't have to think for themselves?
Today I experienced some freedoms and there were times when I chilled out, put my feet up and watched the kids (and Reid Walker) learning how to paddle a waka. Devoured a massive bowl of chocolate pudding. Thank you very much Lea Vellenoweth, Daniel Birch and the awesome food prep student team. I also put on my organizational hat with Amy Mccauley and learnt how to carve a pork roast plus picked up a cloth and wiped a few tables. On my drive home I passed a group of students carrying a bunch of gear between the schools to help out. How awesome. It was 7pm.
Hope everyone has a lovely Waitangi Weekend.
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