Day 6 – Enabling Access Sites

Our Google sites day was both challenging and valuable. I went into the day knowing that creating a staff hub would be useful, but I quickly realised there is quite a lot to learn when it comes to navigating the layout, tools and design features.

At times, I found it frustrating trying to get the page to look the way I imagined. Simple things like adjusting the banner, adding headings, changing fonts and arranging information took more time than expected. It reminded me that learning a new digital tool can feel messy at first, especially when you have a clear vision but are still developing the skills to bring that vision to life.

The good news is that I now have a clear plan for what I want to create. I can see how valuable this site will be for our staff once it is up and running. My aim is to build a simple, easy to use staff hub that becomes a one stop shop for key information, forms, processes and reminders.

I hope that having everything in one place will help limit confusion and make it easier for staff to find what they need, when they need it. It will also be a useful place for staff to revisit information if they need a refresher, rather than relying on emails, verbal reminders or searching through different documents.

Although I still have a lot of work to do, I can see the potential. The challenge now is to keep building my confidence with the tools, take it step by step and create something that will genuinely support our staff and strengthen our school systems.

Day 5 – Google Sites

Today’s session with Google Sites was one of those days where my head was not fully in the room.

I had every intention of getting stuck in, exploring features, and really thinking about design and purpose, but the reality was a bit different. With a sick horse at home, my mind kept drifting. I found myself going through the motions, clicking, trialing, and building without the usual level of intention or planning I like to bring to my learning. And I guess that is ok. Not every learning day is going to feel focused. Sometimes it is just about showing up, staying open and letting something quietly take shape in the background.

What did become clear, even in that distracted space, is the potential this tool has for our school.

Rather than seeing today as “not productive,” I have come away with a really practical next step: creating a dedicated Foxton Beach School Staff site.

This isn’t about being flashy, its about something useful.

A central place where any teacher stepping into our kura can access what they need, when they need it. A space that holds:

  • Our school handbook in one clear, easy to navigate place
  • Expectations for duty, supervision and day to day systems
  • Planning expectations, linked directly to our overview
  • Templates that align how we do things here
  • Assessment information connected to the NZ Curriculum

At the moment, a lot of this sits across different documents emails and systems. It works but it is not always easy to step into. A well structured site could change that.

What I like about Google Sites is it seems simple and I dont think it will over complicate things. It allows for clarity, organsisation and should be easy enough to update. Exactly what we need for something that should evolve as we refine our systems.

So while today didn’t fell like my strongest learning day, it has still moved something forward. Sometime progress doesnt come from perfectly planned sessions…

Next step: Start building…

And to any readers.. The horse outcome…We will not know until Monday. Casper will be having xrays so we can decide on our next plan. Gorgeous Casper and his cat Blue 🙂

Day 4 – Dealing with data

Today’s DFI intensive has honed my thinking around how we use data in our school, particularly through Google Sheets.

A key takeaway for me was how much more efficient and purposeful data can be when systems are set up well. Rather than manually sorting and interpreting information, I explored how formulas and conditional formatting can do a lot of that work automatically. 

What also stood out most was the ability to use notification settings in google sheets. Setting up alerts when changes are made, means I can see when data has been updated and receive a daily summary. This has real potential for maintaining oversight without needing to constantly check in, while keeping teachers accountable and supported.

Another step I will take is to apply my new learning to our PAT data. I want to align results with the new curriculum and see if we can make informed overall judgments that can determine where a student sits within the descriptors. With conditional formatting, we can instantly see where students are sitting and where attention is needed without spending hours analysing spreadsheets. This will support clearer conversations in teams, stronger moderation and more targeted teaching.

It is not about having more data, it is about making the data we have already easier to interpret and act on. If we can see patterns quickly, we can respond more effectively to our learners.

Slides – Blog Data

 

Day 3 – Media

Today’s learning felt similar to previous days, with continued opportunities to practise and consolidate skills. I spent a significant amount of time sharing my screen and moving backwards and forwards between applications. While this at times felt uncomfortable and pressured, it provided valuable practice and I noticed my confidence increasing as I navigated the tools. That said, I am not sure this was entirely positive, as it felt at times that I may have dominated the space and that others may also have needed support. Thank you, Amie, for your guidance and support throughout.

I engaged with new tools and tips, particularly around YouTube, which were clearly explained and practical. This prompted me to think about how YouTube could be used meaningfully within our school context. I can see potential for recording and sharing assembly music, professional recordings, leadership podcasts, and possibly collaborative material aligned with the refreshed New Zealand Curriculum. There could also be value in capturing and sharing examples of effective practice, such as structured literacy and structured mathematics lessons, to support teachers and support staff through professional learning across the school.

I worked in Google Slides to create my visual pepeha. This work reinforced the value of digital tools to add a way to further connect with your audience.It has provided a strong starting point that I can continue to refine and extend, particularly for use in mihi whakatau and pōwhiri at the beginning of each term.

I will continue to practise and revisit the tools I have explored so far. To support this, I intend to block out dedicated time in my calendar to practise and apply what I have learned. This will be important in consolidating my learning and ensuring it is not lost between now and April.

Day 2 – Workflow

A key takeaway for me today was the discussion led by Dorothy around the Learn, Create, Share pedagogy and the question: What does effective learning actually look like? This is a particularly pertinent focus for me at present, as I am spending significant time analysing our school data and reflecting on how well it captures the learning that is occurring.

The discussion around effective learning challenged my current thinking and prompted deeper reflection on what our school genuinely believes effective learning looks like in practice. While we have data sets that provide some insight, they are not currently telling a strong or coherent story of progress or impact. This raises important questions about how we define effectiveness, what actions we are taking as a school, and how we know whether those actions are making a difference.

This reflection extends beyond data alone. It requires us to unpack the role of the teacher, the observable practices that support learning, and the conditions that allow learning to be recognised, amplified, and sustained. It also raises questions about how we track learning that may not immediately show up in traditional data measures, and what we do when data shows limited or no improvement. These are critical considerations as we work to ensure our practice is purposeful, aligned, and genuinely impactful

Alongside this, I engaged with a range of digital tools introduced during the day. I found it valuable to have time to explore  alongside a partner,  recording a Google Meet and experimenting with tools in that space. Again it has been reinforced for me the need to revisit content independently after the sessions.

My next steps will be to spend time revisiting the tools introduced during the session and practising them at my own pace, particularly those that support organisation and workflow. This includes archiving emails and using features such as automated contents pages to streamline agendas and shared documents. I can also see real value in further exploring Google Keep, especially the ability to convert notes from images into text. As we frequently use Post-it notes during staff meetings, this function has the potential to significantly reduce the time I currently spend manually recording and transcribing these ideas.

I intend to revisit the agendas and slides from Days 1–3, as I am aware that when engaging with one tool it is easy to miss the next. Setting aside deliberate time to revisit and practise this learning will be important. In addition, I plan to attend the local pop-up session with Stacey and Michelle to seek support with administrative and system set-up tasks. Ensuring these foundational systems are in place is critical, as a lack of readiness is likely to lead to frustration for other teachers completing the DFI and may negatively impact their motivation and engagement with new learning.

Core Business -DFI-Day 1

Today’s learning felt manageable, largely because I came to the session with some prior knowledge and familiarity with the terminology and had already spent time working independently in Google Drive using Google Docs. This background knowledge helped me to engage with the content at a surface level and reduced some of the initial cognitive load. 

However, when new tools, shortcuts and strategies were introduced, the pace of the demonstrations felt very fast. I found it difficult at times to keep up while also trying to process what was being shown. The rapid movement between steps meant that I lost track of where I was or what function was being demonstrated, particularly when multiple actions were modelled quickly in quick succession.

One key observation for me was how easily this experience mirrors what students may feel in the classroom. Even as an adult learner with some existing knowledge, I found myself needing more time to practise and consolidate learning before moving on. This highlighted how important it is to carefully pace instruction, especially when introducing new digital tools.This session also reinforced the importance of hands on learning. Being able to physically engage with the keyboard and actively move and try was essential for my understanding. Watching alone was not enough. Amie was very supportive in her coaching approach and created opportunities for us to pause, explore the tools independently and experiment without pressure. This space to practise was a valuable part of my learning experience.

My next steps will be to further explore how group emails can be used to support clear structures and processes within my role. I also intend on revisiting the content from the session and spend time practising the tools that were new to me so I can become fluent in their use. In particular, I will focus on learning how to remove backgrounds from images, as this is a practical skill I believe I will use. Taking time to revisit the learning at my own pace will be important so I do not fall behind and can apply these tools effectively.

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