Nate Sextus's Portfolio

Kahoot: An engaging digital game that helps retain and show students learning.  There are two main students that I am focusing on in my TKI. They are in the Tahuna Class and have been challenging for other teachers in the tech department. The purpose is to track their engagement in class during 'sitting down and thinking time'. Often this is where they wander off and distract the whole class. Often in a Woodwork room, it is pencil and paper, but by introducing this is has covered the UDL, 'Universal Design for Learning' it has opened up an opportunity for reluctant learners to engage in the debriefing process. Going through learning for the session digitally helps those who are discouraged from pen and paper to engage in the discussion and learning of what we are learning and making. Ongoing Positives that I have seen in practice having this option for learners during their 8-week rotation on a Monday. - 'A dangled Carrot', it's an incentive ...

Please click link to see:  Self Assessment for PB4L

What: Over the last month I have been exploring a new add-on on chrome called 'Screen Castify'. It captures the current action either I or the student is doing. So what: It is a good platform that gets students from the 'user' stage, to the 'creator' stage. Plus it captures what students have learned. Moreover, it helps students grow their communication skills, by having to keep their oral speech engaging. Now what: My goal is to share this with the staff a resource tool for them to use in their classroom. Additionally, I will be using this in my Wednesday group so that students can have a play and build their skills.   

Over the last few months, I have been doing an online programme with Mindlab. Mindlab seems to be the front-runners in the new DT NZC, with much funding coming from the government and other organizations.  However, the course has guided me through the two main strands of what the DT curriculum is about: Creating digital outcomes Computational Thinking It's given me an insight on how this curriculum may play out in the years to come and also an understanding of things should be learning. eg: Creating digital outcomes (user input, to change output)  - Editing images, text, files.  - 3d design -3d printing - Visual art through computers Computational thinking -Transactional writing in a computer context. A series of instructions to input into the computer. - Early code using 'Scratch' - Binary in a Maths context 1001110 etc. Ultimately the point of the curriculum is to prepare students for industries that will be there when they leave...

During our staff meeting, we went through this ladderr. It's a procress in our minds that then creates outcomes, either good or not so good. 

Reading: The importance of the teacher/student relationship for Maori... (2002) Hawk, Cowley, Hill, & Sutherland. What: In our staff meeting we were asked to do the above reading in the context of how to culturally relate to our students, whom we have 64% Maori or Pacific at Monrad. In the reading, it talks about it's not an explicit set of strategies but behaviors and attitudes when interacting with students.  So what: From the reading, we need to create an assessment tool of what could be used to mark us on being culturally responsive. Attitudes in class  Working to pronounce the name. Am I working with the student to pronounce their name right, or do I called him by his nickname?  Responding with feeling. Do I share balanced feelings when it comes to them doing well, or when they don't.  For example, when you used that tool that way, that was treating the equipment with respect. Do you think you should be doing that?...

What is it? As my desire to increase in professional leadership has grown, so has the opportunity to help staff. Gordon Moore said, " Leadership is empowering people to do what they have been called to do". So what I've seen that I could do to empower people is to share my knowledge and experience in digital technologies. This was my second time running a small workshop with colleagues, where I showed them how to use 'New Google Sites".  So what? As part of our new digital curriculum, one of the two aspects is;  “ Designing and developing digital outcomes. It  is about understanding that digital systems and applications are created for humans by humans, and developing knowledge and skills in using different digital technologies to create digital content across a range of digital media. This part of the curriculum also includes learning about the electronic components and techniques used to design digital devices." Nikki Kaye, June 2017   Goog...