Digital Fluency Intensive Week 4

Due to the NZEI nation wide strike on the 15th August I did not attend this weeks DFI session. I found the whole strike-action experience positive in the Kaitaia area. The support from the community was wonderful. Parents and families joined us on our hikoi from Kaitaia Intermediate School,  car horns honked, people waved, students yelled out "we love teachers,"  business owners stood at their entrance ways with cheers and friendly affirmation and there was an overwhelming sense of unity among the teachers as they gathered together from different schools. The seriousness of the matter was not lost as we waved the placards and stood firm together declaring, "Kua te wa! It's time!"

And it is time for a change as teachers and principals struggle with a never ending succession of demands to meet student needs and M.o.E. requirements with inadequate resourcing.
We are currently stretched to our physical and mental limits. It is just too much!.

I for one love working with my students and work hard to provide the very best for them . . . and, every teacher I know has exactly the same attitude. What teachers want is for the profession to be respected, which includes an increase in salary that reflects the qualification and the workload/hours that are involved. Good teachers are leaving! Less teachers are training! If nothing happens soon, students will be in overcrowded classrooms with an increasing number of children who have a range of severe learning and behavioural issues for whom there is little or no support.



Before the Paparore School team joined forces with the other teachers at KIS, they picketed at Awanui. We had the same support as mentioned above. I must also mention that the local Bakerman Cafe served us delicious date scones, free of charge. The lovely gesture was accompanied with a, "thank you . . . we support you!"

Some of the Team joining forces with the teachers across New Zealand -  Thanks Donna Brydon [also part of the team] for the fantastic photo.  The rest of the team, Principal John Windleborn, Angela Windleborn and Venessa Davan, were supporting the cause on the opposite corner. Please note the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow 😉.

Although I was absent from this session I did work with Google sheets. If you would like an editable copy of the following Google Sheet email me.
Whole School Progress and Achievement Data