On Thursday I sat in a Cafe in Mount Eden waiting for a meeting with colleagues. I had caught the bus in from home. Once seated found out that there was no WIFI.

Shock and horror, now what. So I drafted this post using old school as in used a Word document and no I did not use a pen. The quiet time gave me a chance to reflect on the year and so I thought I would write this post like a rerun we might watch on Netflix.

This year has so far been an interesting year. I have been quite sick health wise. Last year I picked up a cough which is just sitting there.

Those of you who follow me know I had a wake up call from my doctor and spent a good part of this year redeveloping my fitness level.  I am getting there. Using my  Fitbit I have continued to track my steps and have managed to increase this to 12,000 per day.  I am consciously monitoring my screen time so you might not see me as ‘busy’ digitally as you have in the past. I have been consciously trying to eat clean. (Except for cheese.)

My writing has taken a bit of a back seat too so my blog is like my garden. The weeds are visible and the order is not quite as strong as it should be. However this year I believe I am getting better at being the the wind under our teachers with encouragement. With our ACCoS teachers I have been there encouraging them to make what we do visible. This year I can definitely see the work being shared both via our ACCoS Blog and via the Community of Learners Facebook Group.

So this post is to highlight some awesome teachers that I work with. I include their twitter handles so do follow them. 

From Newmarket School we had two teachers present at the Google Apps for Education conference. I give them both a shout out here so follow them on twitter. @MissSMorrison1 @MrsEReihana

Most of our teachers have completed their Mindlab Digital passport for the new Digital Curriculum that is being introduced to schools. I give a shout out here for @KishanMani2 as he has taken on board the role of leading the DC|MH at our school. With his gentle persuasion, most of our teachers completed their online learning and were able to show him their certificates. A shoutout here too for our Senior Leadership team who were interviewed by Mindlab. They were the first teachers to complete their Digital Passport from our school. @newmarketschool @ginnynz01.

Teachers who use Seesaw at Newmarket School have all achieved their Ambassadors Badge. I am really proud of then for that because it means they can problem solve any difficulties they face using Seesaw. @MissSMorrison1 @MrsEReihana @Nikki_From_NZ @JamiesonVeni @Reubinai @rushikanz @newmarketschool and @ginnynz01.

Some of our teachers have passed their Hapara Champion Certificate. I give a shout out here to @newmarketschool and @ginnynz01 our senior leadership team who took on the challenge to achieve theirs as soon as I put out the first call from Hapara for teachers to do the online course.

Earlier this year I visited Samoa for a family funeral and had the chance to catch up with extended family and meet the next generation. Another wake up call to be one of the ‘aunties’ now. Aunties as in I am now the older generation. You can read my journey here.

Coaching wise I have had a coach in a young teacher and have thoroughly enjoyed the discussions and the way she can nail me for accountability. I have enjoyed relearning how to phrase statements from her so that the onus is on me to problem solve.  I give her a shout out here so do follow her on twitter. @Nikki_From_NZ. Alongside here is @w0rdsbyshay. Just popping him in because he achieved quite a few likes with his support tweet for her.

I have been mentoring another teacher to take on the role of ESOL funding application and how to use the data as part of the process so a shout out here to @JamiesonVeni

This year I have been leading the Mathematics/Pangarau initiative for the Auckland Central Community of schools. From my school we have Belinda and Ainsley who are the ISL for Newmarket School. Here is a shout out for them.  @BelindaHitchman @AinsEliza.

Again I give @ginnynz01 a massive shout out because again she has been my mentor during the year and has continuously reigned me in when I start plucking at baubles for the team that I work with across the three schools.

I have picked up the role of Travelwise again for my sixth year and I give a shoutout for the amazing student leaders I work with who have driven the school wide events. I give a shoutout here for @AklTransport who give me Robyn and Delia who support me in the work I do and to Megan from @TrackSAFENZ who is just awesome.

Finally a huge shout out to the teachers who I work with across the three schools. These are the ones who now are on twitter. @BryceMills16  @clararosekim  @mathsdr @andyp_lawrence. There are several others who I will slowly bring them on board to connect with other Kāhui Ako on twitter. Yes check out the list here and if you are reading this and are not on the list, please tweet me. @vanschaijik. I also add @JillFarquharson our ACCoS lead principal here as she has been listening and encouraging some of what I say in regards to being visible in the work that we do.

  Members of our Mathematics/Pangarau initiative have willingly agreed to present our narrative at Ulearn this year. I am extra  proud of them. They have helped me write the reflections for our ACCoS blog which makes my task so much easier at the end of the year to create a summary of what we do.

This piece really does feel like a Television rerun and yet writing this gives me the opportunity to think of how much has taken place in our school this year. If you have been wondering then yes I have also completed my Seesaw, Hapara Digital Passport certificates too.  

Where to next for me

I am still working on my health, I have been accepted for the Hapara Trainer course, I have put my hand up to coordinate our ACCoS summary for this year and it will be in video so of course will use TeachMeetNZ format but will use my school account because I can take up to 15 in the Hangout, the team are presenting at Ulearn with me,  mum still lives with me and this year she turns 90 so a party is planned.