NZ RTLB Professional Learning Network Term 4 Newsletter |
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Whakawhanaungatanga ~ Whakaohooho ~ Whakamana Connect ~ Inspire ~ Uplift |
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Our mission is to establish a Professional Learning Network that is innovative and sustainable using peer-to-peer connections, collaboration and shares good practice. |
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Whakawhanaungatanga Connect |
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Kia ora koutou, We hope you are well and have had a refreshing (and well-deserved) break. In this, our third Pānui, we update you on the work of the NZ RTLB PLN and let you know about some opportunities coming up this term. At our planning hui in the second week of the term break we really valued the opportunity to connect with Deb Thompson (C1 and a member of the NZRTLB PLN) and Sharman Robin (C30) as representatives of Ngā Pouwhirinaki o Aotearoa. We identified a number of key focus areas moving forward, and established leads for this mahi. We all came away from the two days feeling connected, inspired and uplifted and through our projects look forward to supporting you all in your mahi.
We welcome content so if you have a great story or resource to share don't hesitate to get in touch.
Ngā mihi nui, Sue, Fi and Cathy |
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While we were in Auckland we took the opportunity to celebrate the launch of our website with our awesome website developer, Micaela Bonnar. From left: Michelle Wishart (C5), V Grant-Lawlor (C29), Louise Woodhead (C16), Deb Thompson (C1) and adorable Kahutia (he's very busy on the whiteboard), Anthony Sandford (C33), Micaela Bonnar (Website), Fiona Harkness (C2), Cathy Pole (C4), Sharman Robin (C30), Leonie Philburn (C17). Other members of the PLN not shown are Tracey Richardson (C8) and Corrinne Devitt (C18). The fabulous Sue McIntosh (C33) took the pic. |
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Professional Learning Groups (PLGs) Earlier last term we asked Clusters to tell us about their PLGs and really appreciate colleagues taking the time to complete the survey for us. As a thank you we offered a prize draw and would like to congratulate Clusters 7, 17, 25, 31 and 40 who won the draw and were invited to select five titles for their cluster from our book list. PLGs offer a powerful means for RTLBs to promote school wide systems change. By offering a structured approach to professional development and fostering a culture of continual improvement, PLGs can significantly enhance teaching practices, raise student achievement, and ensure the success of all students in the school. If you have an interest in learning more about effective PLG development head to our site which has a comprehensive section on establishing PLGs. ➡️https://www.nzrtlb.net.nz/plg |
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Upcoming Friday 27 October: Practice Leader Zoom Hui at 8:30 a.m. |
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Website Launch Our most exciting news in Term 3 was the launch of the NZRTLB PLN website. Hopefully you have had a chance to have a look around the site ➡️ https://www.nzrtlb.net.nz/ This is just the beginning of content for this space. This is your site so if you have any ideas or any resources that you would like added, please let us know. |
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UDL The UDL Rōpū were very pleased to able to host Jon Mundorf for a Q and A session with Cathy Pole at 8:30 a.m. on Friday 6th October. If you didn’t get a chance to join us, you can view the recorded session on our Facebook page. We are uploading the edited versions of Jon’s earlier webinars onto our website shortly. |
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Podcasts The Podcast Rōpū are developing short podcasts relevant to our mahi called the RTLB Realities Podcast. This will be a place where we Connect, Inspire and Uplift, one episode at a time. Our goal is that following each episode listeners will have something to action, prompt a conversation, or support their own practice. To start the series we were very fortunate to meet up with Kathryn Berkett and Jase Williams at the Auckland “Understanding Trauma” Conference. They very generously gave their time to record our first two podcasts which will be released shortly. Further podcasts are lined up to be recorded soon. Let us know if you have any topics you would like covered or any contacts with people you think would be great to interview. |
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Trauma-Informed Practice (TIP) The TIP Rōpū have been working on a research project with Dr. Heidi Leeson to investigate the critical elements that contribute to establishing effective trauma-informed schools. This focus was established as result of the feedback from our survey where a key finding was that RTLB are looking for support to establish trauma informed education practices and overcome the barriers to engagement. Pictured here is some of the PLN team last week brainstorming key focus areas for our mahi. From left: Michelle Wishart (C5), Anthony Sandford (C33), Fiona Harkness (C2), V Grant-Lawlor (C29), Leonie Philburn (C17), Sharman Robin (C30) Louise Woodhead (C16) and Cathy Pole (C4). |
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Practice Leaders and CMs A huge mihi to all the Practice Leaders who completed the PL survey. A special congratulations to Silvia Magerl (C33), Jeanette Todd (C35), Mandy Ann Bollard (C6), Nicola Talbot (C23) and Anne White (C22) who won our book prize draw for completing the survey. Results from the survey show that hui opportunities, leadership support, sharing good practice and peer supervision are valued by PLs. This provides a good platform for our next steps. We would like to kick off the PL Rōpū with a Zoom session to connect us all and share coaching/supervision ideas. Pop Friday 27th October 8:30am in your diaries. We’ll send an invite and Zoom link out soon to PLs who have connected with us through completing the survey. If you haven't responded yet, and would like to be involved, here's the link ➡️ PL Survey It was great to meet with Cluster Managers at the CM forum in August. We collected great data to help put the main folders together in the CM Google Drive linked on our website. Please start adding templates, examples etc. |
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Facebook Congratulations, and a big thank you, to Donna Parker (C38), our 400th FB member and to Jane Williamson Drennan who nominated Donna. Book prizes are on the way to them. We now have 440 members! Congratulations also, and ngā mihi nui, to top contributors Gwyneth Nuttall (C34), Carol Ashton (C2), Sally Gray (C33), Kerren Crawford (C39) and Tina Cooper (C2), we really value the support and encouragement they have provided to their colleagues. They will also be choosing a text from our pretty cool book list. Keep on liking, commenting and contributing to this page and most importantly sharing with RTLB colleagues. Please note that the FB page is for RTLB only therefore it is essential that both questions regarding your cluster and length of time as an RTLB are answered when joining (or we are not able to let you in). This is our main vehicle for updating you on new information, opportunities for kōrero and for sharing resources. |
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