We Will Rock You

We were greeted by this mural across the wall when the staff of HPSS walked into the

Our job was to discover the power of flexible spaces in supporting future-focused learning and to participate in collaborative problem-solving activities to broaden our understanding of what powerful learning can look like.

Our challenge was to programme a robot. Not one like this (unfortunately)

but more like the ground hugging cockroach type.

Staff responded with awe

a strong competitive focus

all-out collaboration

and approached the start line in a co-operative and collaborative manner!

But the week wasn't just rocking with fun activities. Lea has forged some strong connections with local businesses and Pete and I did the same when mountain biking at Woodhill on the weekend. I am continually surprised by the willingness of people to engage with what we are putting in plaace for our learners. They seem as excited as we are!

On Thursday night it was great to participate in Danielle's EdchatNZ on twitter as the wider on-line teaching community is grappling with the concept of student-centred learning. Danielle's leadership of this community is truly stunning and is contributing to the growth of all of us at work.

On Thursday and Friday Claire was with her Professional Learning Team at the National Library undergoing their own PL so that they can lead the promotion of digital citizenship across our school. I'm looking forward to their feedback but you don't have to wait as Georgi the Search Engine has already posted a blog on her thoughts.

Friday was spent with me burying myself too deep in budgets, a local principals' association and then dealing with urgent property and equipment issues too late into a Friday evening. I think my focus is going to have to be quite different over the next few weeks as real deadlines are stacking up like landing planes at our airfield. These things have to be done but I am going to have to search for ways to keep up with the thinking and planning of my colleagues as they bring life to our thinking about curriculum. One way to do that is to keep reading the blogposts from the team as they live out our desire to be open and share all of our thinking and ideas.

Liz has posted a great series of thoughts on the work around projects which she has been immersed in and Steve's latest post is not only valuable in the sense of the content but also in the model of presentation he followed to allow him to be in two places at once.

This week begins with a day with Julia Atkin (mainly with our new staff) and on Wednesday we will be treated to 3 days from the wonderful Margaret Thorsborne as we explore how restorative practice will be central in our school.

Our world is going to be rocked all week! Can't wait to tell you about it.