Back at School

Well arrived back at school with 500 emails in my inbox to be sorted and all those questions about staffing and money and property and furniture. ie nothing really important like learning.

It was exciting to be back at school around teachers who I admire and working with really great learners.
I shared with staff my reflections on my trip especially my thoughts around the conference. The thinking conference was great with some inspiring stuff and many great starters for me and the school. Frustrations around IT and the links that it has to thinking. Shared some of James Nottingham's presentation about modes of learning.

The most prevalent modes of learning used in schools (listening, reading) are those that have lowest retention rates, while those with the highest retention rates (explaining to others, practicing, discussing) are not done often. My challenge to the staff at Whangaparaoa college is that they do more of the high retention strategies and less of the low retention. A quiet classroom no discussing or explaining to others is a low retention learning environment.

I expect the noise to increase if nothing else.