Our Fortnightly Sleepover

Kata and I have scheduled a sleepover once a fortnight to work on our lesson planning, as we teach Year 12 Health and Year 9 Health together. Because we are both beginning teachers, we knew co-teaching was going to be a challenge for both of us. However, we are both so thankful we have developed a beautiful relationship not only as colleagues, but also as friends.

Health is a subject we are both not only passionate about, but also really enjoy teaching. To be up all hours of the night, calling each other every few days and continually questioning what and why we are teaching, does not phase us. We are both wanting to increase student achievement at Tamaki, as well as increase student knowledge and interest in Health. Prior to our (mostly Kata's) arrival, Health did not seem to be taught to the best of it's potential, so I am so grateful we have been gifted with the opportunity to create new units such as the draft we completed on Padlet tonight (below).

I cannot wait to see where Health at Tamaki College will be in two years time, and to see how are professional learning journeys as individuals and as co-teachers have developed. To determine progress and improvement throughout our careers, we value feedback, feedforward and reflection of our teaching, learning and planning both collaboratively and individually in order to grow. Many struggle to discuss feedback/feedforward suggestions, but, as Sheila Heen discusses in this TED Talk, there are many effective ways to provide and receive feedback, which are beneficial for teachers and their learners.