Naketa’s Blog

Manukau Light Night

On Friday 30th May, Manukau Square hosted the Manukau Light Night with a series of wonderful photos projected on to Kotuku House and the Civic Buildings. The weather would have put a few people off but for those that attended got a good taste of the wonderful photos and different genres. One of my favourite photographers Glen Jowitt had several of his images displayed as well. Check out our quick Animoto slideshow below.

Auckland Photo Day

What a great opportunity to share the fantastic skills of the chidlren in our early childhood centres. I urge centres in the ECE ICT PL Programme (Auckland 1 & 2 Clusters) to encourage their chidlren and families to submit the photos of their Auckland to the Auckland Festival of Photography website.

To read more about the competition please visit the information page here

Or to see last years winners visit here

Madness @ Manaia

On Saturday 24th May 2008, those crazy teachers at Manaia Kindergarten invited teachers from the ECE ICT PL Programme Auckland 1 & 2 Clusters to join them at their centre. The morning started with a wonderful morning tea made by Eleanor, then a walk down at the beach. We followed the wonderful views, walks and discussions with lunch at the centre and a presentation by Bev and Tania on their “Blogging Ripple” journey.

Thanks to the children, teachers and families at Manaia Kindergarten for sharing their centre with us and to those teachers who took the time out to travel from Auckland to Whangarei on a Saturday.

Next Generation at the ECC Conference

Check out the view from the plane on Sunday morning. I flew into Wellington early Sunday morning to tautoko (support) Next Generation Childcare in their presentation at the Early Childhood Council (ECC) Conference.. They presented the following workshop:

A few key points that I particularly noted were:

• Emphasis teachers as the most valuable resource
• Whole team approach is most effective
• Clear and specific examples of shifts in thinking for teachers by being involved in professional learning.
• Identifying issues of sustainability and how strategic planning can ensure the effectiveness of this. Thus demonstrating the committment to ongoing and continual development and not just ’stopping’ at the end of the ECE ICT PL Programme.
• There is no arrival point and the acknowledgment that professional learning is an ongoing process.
• The ‘hard data’ to support the increased communication of parents and families.

Once again, a huge congratulations to the teachers, children and families at Next Generation.

The Ripple Effect…

Today I re-read Tony Ryan’s book “The Ripple Effect”. If you get a chance I highly recommend giving this book a read, its easy to get through yet has the most powerful messages you’ll read in a lifetime.

I particularly enjoy how Tony has complemented his findings/thoughts/musings with very appropriate quotes. I have found it very useful for affirming some of my own current thinking, especially after attending Joan and Davids week long “Art of Facilitation” course last week. It’s been a humbling week for me with a great deal of personal and professional reflection. One of the key messages/quotes that popped out of Tony’s book for me include:

“so that you can determine how the ripple effect has operated in your own life, begin with some key aspect of your life at present, and thus work backwards until you remember perhaps a single action that set the ripples moving” p.31

I recall one event that I believe truly had an impact on my life and influenced heavily on where I am now… When I was 17 I was ‘failing’ at school and was sitting School Certificate papers for the 2nd time round. At the time I was working at a supermarket for $5.50 an hour. The careers adviser asked me if I would be keen in interviewing for a cleaners job at a local early childhood centre. The only appealing thing about this job was the fact that they were offering me $7.25 an hour. Obviously, it didnt take much to convince me that it was a better option. The owner at the time employed me because the other interviewee hadn’t turned up. Its moments like these where you realise the impact of such a small action. I cleaned after school and worked during the school holidays, my employer saw potential in me and encouraged me to study towards a Family Day Care certificate through the Open Polytechnic, she then encouraged me to engage in a Bachelor of Education (Teaching) ECE and soon after I continued my studies and completed a Masters of Education. Tony’s book discusses the importance of making every action count. I currently volunteer with a youth organisation as a way of ‘making my actions count’, my hope is that I can make a difference for at least one other person in this world just as my former employer did for me. If I could make a difference for just two then even better…

So many more reflections and interesting points raised and highlighted for me throughout the book, might save these for another day. Remember ‘make every action count’….