Microplastics: The Tiny Menace That's Adding Up

To build on our learning and reflections from the Attenborough doco, we had Michelle from AUSMAP visit our OUED class for a presentation about microplastics. Michelle shared what some of the microplastics in Australian waterways are, some of the places these microplastics come from and the impact they are having on our environments and wildlife. The stats and images from our shores made the reality hit a little harder for the students and gave some the spark to make a difference. 

Following from Michelle's presentation, we headed to Tiranna Reserve at West Lakes. West Lakes has been proven to have a significant amount of microplastics compared to other waterways (some of the highest numbers in the country). Check out the hotspot map AUSMAP have created to show the data they have collected so far. Our job at Tiranna Reserve was obviously to remove some microplastics, but also to collect further data.

In addition to this experience, recently our faculty has been learning about key numeracy terms and topics. The aim of this learning is to increase numeracy across the school and the HPE teachers were given the task to create at least one lesson with a numeracy focus. I decided that there were so many opportunites for connections with numeracy vocabulary and skills throughout the learning and microplastics experience. Many of these connections were natural, I just hadn't been using the correct/consistent vocab! Check out my lesson plan below:

As an addition to our lesson plan, we were given a 360 degree camera to film (I ended up with 6 clips as the camera saves them as 8 minute files). A local uni is analysing our lesson plan, video and reflection from our lessons (see my reflection below). Unfortunately this process is continuing into next year so I won't get to see the results. However, watching myself back is always interesting. Several years ago I filmed myself and refelcted on the lesson. I remember being so surprised how much I missed in the moment of the lesson! Some thoughts after watching my recording back from last week:

- When kids share their ideas in a group discussion, I repeat back what they say and then add a little further information. I didn't realise how often I did this and I think it was actually useful for students! 

- I used a lot of jargon throughout the lesson. Jargon that was relevant to our excursion and our unit of learning, but there were also several numeracy terms. I made assumptions that the students would know what all of these terms are, but I should have spent a minute or two checking in with them they they understood the terms/jargon. I did this partway through the lesson but not at the beginning, so I must have reflected on this subconciously!

- I quite liked the presence that I had in the class. I was always nearby if the kids had any queries and I could overhear the conversations they were having. I knew I paced a lot, but I actually think it was a good thing. Hopefully the presence is the same in a larger class!

- There were a few moments when I said "I'm not sure about that sorry" or "I don't know the answer to that". I like how I was clearly open to learning with, alongside and from the students. We don't know everything, and the kids certainly highlighted this!

- Their results for their estimations were all so different. I knew this in the moment (and reflected below), but I definitely should have chatted with a Maths teacher prior to the lesson so their results were closer. 

The trip to the beach was incredibly eye opening as the students found so many bits of plastic (macro and micro). The discussions they had while sifting through the sand were great to listen to because there was true amazement with what they were finding. I'm glad that we managed to include this experience for the students this semester, because informal chats with the students have indicate they feel they've learnt quite a bit about our environment. I also became more confident with my trip planning and inclusion of numeracy terminology and skills. Unfortunately this whole process was incredibly time consuming, so I will need to think about how I can realistically learn and embed more numeracy within my teaching (without having to invest a tonne of time that I don't really have!).

 

TIC of A Camp - Tick!

Last week I ran my first camp (well actually 2 back to back camps because of 2 classes!). I have been on a few camps as an extra pair of hands and eyes before, but I have never been the teacher in charge. There's certainly a lot more responsibility.... and a tonne more paperwork! Preparing for these camps took a lot of admin from phone calls to bookings to rebookings to emails to RAMS forms to supermarket stops. I've always known how much was needed to prep for a camp, and I've planned a day trip before, but I don't think I've actually ever fully understood or empathised how time consuming everything is! My mind is blown that there is never additional time given for camp prep. 

Not only was there a lot of prep I needed to do behind the scenes, but I obviously needed to prepare the students in the weeks leading up to camp too. There was a lot of being one step ahead of the kids throughout because there were skills/knowledge that were new to me too! Here are some of the key things we covered in class:

Why bushwalk?

This is the question I was expecting many students to ask, so we started with a big brainstorm and discussion around the varieties of reasons why people bushwalk. It baffles me when people have never bushwalked before, particularly when it's free and reasonably accessible - especially in Adelaide! There are HEAPS of reasons; exercise, mindfulness, able to disconnect, social time or self-care time, increase mood, environmental awareness, the opportunity to see wildlife and so much more!

Basic navigation

Navigation certainly isn't my strength, but I do find it interesting! It has been great to learn a little more about compasses and map reading (but I certainly am not super comfortable yet!). On camp the students were thrown into the deep end as they were given the task to navigate the group using their navigational skills. I was happy to see that some of the things we covered in class the students were able to apply into a real life setting. Key skills;
- How to read a compass
- Getting red in the shed
- Taking a bearing
- How to orient a map
- How to use a compass with a map

How to cook on a trangia

Before moving to Australia I had never heard the word 'trangia' before, and now it's well and truly embedded in my day to day chat! When I move back NZ I will definitely be suggesting purchasing trangias because they are easy to carry and set up (let's not talk about the cleaning though!). During class we had a practice cook to discuss nutrition, what to pack and the safety considerations. This created great discussion and reflection for the kids to think about what they were actually going to take on camp. I've created a little checklist alongside for others who may not have used a trangia before and for me to refer to in the future.

How to pack your bag

Carrying a pack with all of your food, water, clothes, sleeping bag, tent etc can be a big challenge if you haven't experienced it before (and actually every time after your first time!). I remember the first time I went on a multi-day hike and my pack (here they call it a rucksack) was about 18kg! That's a lot of extra weight to be carrying for hours of walking. I think I managed to get this down to 14kg and now I aim for about 11kg (but some people have much less than this!). To help with the comfort of carrying a full hiking bag, you need to consider how you are packing it. There are several videos and articles out there, but I liked the below one the best. I think it helps with creating an equipment list and she breaks down why she is putting each item in a particular place.

Basic knot tying

This is also an area that I don't know too well (but I am less interested in, so I guess that's why this knowledge hasn't stuck over the years!). I gave the students some rope, and videos and step by step pictures of how to do the figure 8, the clove hitch and the double fisherman's knot. Although they may not be specifically needed to bushwalk, they may be needed to create shelters, to secure a tent, to hang up washing and so on. I also knew that these knots are beneficial for students to learn for their rock climbing unit. I personally underestimate how knot tying can be useful in so many settings (which became apparent during my remote first aid course as well as camp last week). 

To practice using the knots straight away though, students got into small groups, were given ropes and a tarp and headed outside to create a little shelter. While creating this shelter they needed to think about which knots would hold, how their shelter would protect against the elements and the positioning/location of their shelter. This activity created great discussion and reminded me of a Junior Outdoor Ed unit I co-taught a few years ago.

I was feeling a little nervous about going away and being responsible for this bunch of kids, but I knew that I had dotted my i's and crossed my t's and I was excited to actually get out there! Coming off the three-day course last week and then a long weekend where I was camping with my friends probably didn't help with feeling a little frazzled, but I was grateful I had my colleague Sam come along with me for the first overnight to get my confidence up a little. Aside from a couple of aches and pains, and a LOT of rain, I feel the camps ran smoothly and majority of the students enjoyed the opportunity. The kids had a genuine experience of getting 'lost', seeing wildlife, picking and cooking wild mushrooms (the guide had incredible experience and knowledge), basic first aid, weather changes and new social interactions. The best decision I made was making this camp phone free!

To encourage the students to reflect on their experiences and surroundings, I asked students to complete this journal before, during and after camp. We even had a 20 minute silent walk where students were not allowed to speak at all! Many noticed smells, sights and sounds they hadn't previously - I think this was a powerful 20 minutes for many of them. Overall, I am looking forward to giving this a crack again next semester with a new bunch of students and to continue to learn more about EOTC! Can't wait to hopefully have a Senior class in a few years when camps are more student-led.

Planning Trips - Not Yet My Cup of Tea

Last year I attended a play called Yes, Yes, Yes. This play followed the two stories of two couples, addressing issues around consent, or lack of. There was lots of student voice included within the performance around their relationships and things they wish they knew about. I thought that this would be a great learning opportunity for my Senior Health students, to start discussions. So immediately I started planning! 

This was the first trip I had planned before. Up until now I had helped supervise on trips, but never actually needed to complete the paperwork before. To be completely honest, I can see why many people are put off - there was soooo much admin! Between permission letters, trip approval, booking buses, budgeting, risk management forms, medical reports, play tickets, relief and chasing up kids it was certainly a learning curve. I learnt a lot along the way though, and thankfully I had months to get everything sorted.  

On June 18th I took 22 students to see the play, hosted by Auckland Live in Aotea Centre. I was very nervous I had forgotten something or that something was going to go wrong - but I was literally getting on a bus, going into a theatre and then bussing back, so of course there was little chance of anything happening (I am trying to be less paranoid!). The kids were actually incredible, so well behaved and really respectful towards me and members of the public, which made the day smooth sailing. 

We were stoked to get front row seats, which also meant we were super close to the stage! During the show, there were a few opportunities for students to stand up and speak one of the character's parts. I was really proud when two OC students volunteered first out of the 100 odd people there, and they represented us so well!

There were two 'pauses' during the show. These pauses were an opportunity for members of the audience to share how they were feeling, what they were thinking about and any questions or concerns that may be running through their minds. This was such a great way for the students to reflect on what they had seen so far, and a simple yet effective way to demonstrate that many of the audience members were feeling and thinking similar things.

Once we got back to school I debriefed with students and we had rich discussion about some of the messages that came from the play. The overall consensus was that the play was fantastic to accomodate the learning and discussions we are having in class around consent, pornography, pressure, sexuality and gender, highlighting some of the issues but being very careful and inclusive in the process. Please see alongside some of the comments the students made.

Despite the lengthy admin trail to get the students there, I am so glad that I did. It was certainly an experience some of the students have never had before and the learning they took away from the day was worth everything to get them there. Assuming the play is performed again next year, I have put into our course outline a course cost so that the play is included in the course, rather than an optional trip, so more students can have the opportunity and experience.

I look forward to finding more cool opportunities for the students, not only for their learning but also mine about trip planning!

Aquatics Unit, An Awesome Experience

Last year I queried why there wasn't an Aquatics programme at TC, especially as there is a pool 100m down the road. No one had taken the lead, so there hadn't been any opportunities for the students historically. So, I developed a water safety site and shared a short screencast showing what I had created. The purpose of the Y10 unit was to increase student confidence in, on and around the water, as opposed to a swimming unit. 

I worked alongside a representative called Mark from Drowning Prevention Auckland (formerly Water Safe Inc.) to create my programme and website. When it came time to delivering the unit late Term 3 this year, Nicky, another DPA representative supported myself and the other 10PE teacher. She was incredible. Very organised, very passionate, and really increased our confidence to teach water safety. She took the lead for the first couple of lessons, and then Doris and I took over once we felt more confident.

NICKY'S FEEDBACK

• "This opportunity that you’ve provided them may make the difference between a bad decision around water and a safer decision as through the theory you’re getting them to think critically about their behaviours and attitudes around water."
  
• "Your enthusiasm and dedication to get this programme going will make learning so much more authentic to those who did participate in the water but also those who were “non-participants” could still learn and also see that the lessons were less about ability but more about confidence and being safe in the water."
  
• "Those who didn’t get in the water but were still there, some were still engaged and helpful and were good at answering questioning – think in reflection that will be a key thing, including them more with station cards or whatever it may be so they can take responsibility for some of the learning."

WHAT I HAVE LEARNT/TAKEN AWAY

• As this was the first time I was the Teacher in Charge of an EOTC activity, it was also the first time I created RAMS forms and was responsible for Health and Safety. I was blown away how much I needed to do and know, and how many people I needed to facilitate with. However, this was a great learning experience for me, and I look forward to more EOTC events!
  
• The unit demonstrated having theoretical and practical lessons was effective for student learning. I was able to see the progression in confidence and knowledge when students were present in both students and reflected on their practical learning. Therefore, although we had some difficulties encouraging students to bring their togs and get involved in theory lessons, this unit was a great start.
  
• Following on from this, the site I created was a great teaching and learning tool within the classroom. I found there weren't enough current articles on the site though, so I would like to add a page which I can continue to add news articles to. This would ensure the readings and clips are as up to date as possible. 

STUDENT LEARNING

This Google Form was used at the start of the unit and the end of the unit. Students' answers were recorded in a Google Sheet, which I analysed to determine where students' confidence increased, and still potential gaps. My findings included;

• 4/61 students at start of unit identified importance of water safety as keeping safe around water, prevention of drowning and to keep safe. This gave a good starting basis to build from, and encouraged an emphasis safety in on and around water, as New Zealand have high drowning statistics, especially for Māori and Pacific people.
  
• 22/61 students were unsure what the red and yellow flags were at the beginning of the unit, which is also a place many of the students identified as a place they swim. So, there was an emphasis on beach safety in the second half of the unit. At the end, 8/30 students were still uncertain what the flags meant, therefore there needs to be more exploration and discussion about beach safety next year. I think this would be most effective if a day was facilitated with Surf Life Saving New Zealand as a beach day.
  
• At the beginning, majority of students identified lifejackets as a flotation device but by the end other flotation aids were identified including noodles, the HELP position and floating on your back. These are important for students to know if they were underprepared for the water, or are bystanders for others in, on and around the water. Many students were surprised how much they could do as a bystander! 

STUDENT FEEDBACK

The table alongside shows the increase in student confidence from the start of the unit to the end of the unit. Students were asked to rate their confidence from 1 to 5 (1 representing the least confident) before the unit, and again at the end. These percentages demonstrate a large increase in confidence. Of particular interest was no one rated themselves as 1 at the end, and only one person rated themselves as a 2. For future water safety programmes, I would like to aim for 75% of students to rate themselves as a 4 or 5, and the remaining 25% a 3 or higher, to have a greater impact on student safety and learning.

Some comments at the start of the unit to describe the rating they gave included;

1 - Last time when I was swimming (Probably a year ago) I almost drowned, I can only put my feet in the water now as Iam scared

2 - Because I'm confident in the pool but not the beach

3 - Because not pretty sure how to get out of rips & how to save others when in deep waters

Post unit, some of the descriptions for students' self ratings included;

3 - Because I'm confident to go in the water but then the people that make fun of others distract my confidence of the lesson.

4 - Because I now know if I was stuck in a water situation I would be able to know what to do.

4 - Because I am confident to help my self if I need help.

Therefore, the water safety unit was a great first step for a new initiative within the school. I hope the programme continues to grow, to increase student confidence further to support their safety in, on and around water. Most importantly, I hope future water safety programmes help to reduce the high statistics of drownings in New Zealand waters.

A Snowy Experience

This week we took our 11PE classes to Snowplanet, an indoor snow centre. The kids chose whether they would like to ski or board, had a lesson and then were given free time. I had so much fun being with the students in a new environment for them, and watching them learn.

For many of our students, this day was about an opportunity, an experience. Majority of the kids had never seen snow before, so had never been in a cold environment or had a snow fight. They were certainly shocked walking into -6 degrees! Last year we took our Year 12 class mountain biking and on the high ropes course. I left that day, and our Snowplanet day thinking how happy the students were after these first time experiences. They were so well behaved, incredibly respectful and so grateful for the day out. This means so much more than learning the skill itself.

A bunch of the kids enjoyed the day so much, they want to continue to ski/board. I would love to support the growth of an alpine group at TC, hopefully to take the students down to the mountain at some point - imagine the experiences the kids would have there?! I hate the stereotypes associated with low decile schools and low socio-economic communities, because anything is possible if you really want it... 

I created this short clip of our day out, and really hope to be involved in more awesome experiences in the future. Really looking forward to helping out with the Waka Ama day in a few weeks!

Crash and Burn, Take One

Week 5, done and dusted. Hallelujah!

This week has been long and exhausting, even though I was really only at school for two days!

Monday: 

High Ropes and Mountain Biking with 12PE, check out my blog here to read more about our fun day out at Woodhill Forest.

I was considerably drenched from the rain, so I spent some time warming up with a nice hot shower and soup.

Planned. A lot. Even called one of my co-teachers to plan. Plan, plan, plan.

Tuesday:

My super busy day. 6 classes back to back, then a co-teacher meeting after school.

I then completed some admin for my tutor class and had a bite to eat before I pottered off to bootcamp. Yes, I go to a bootcamp. I decided to do so, because I have no time to think about my own training programmes. Therefore, a bootcamp keeps me active without having to think about what I am doing. If I am not active, my body gives up and my overall wellbeing (Hauora) crashes.

Post bootcamp and grass/mud removal, I worked through some of my PE 'to dos' such as planning volleyball lessons with a TGFU approach. Teaching Games for Understanding, is a model developed by Bunker and Thorpe in 1982, to teach skills and technique of games through modified, competitive situations (instead of standing and passing for example).

Diagram found here.

Wednesday:

In the pool for a short 1km swim at 5:45am to stretch out and invigorate the body a little.

Awesome day at school. Busy, but awesome. The kids are finally starting to warm to me, and open up, which makes a huge difference to our classroom vibe and overall learning environment.

Our first lecture! MDTA begun our Honours course this afternoon, with a basic intro discussion about critical thinking and how important it is to implement into our classrooms. I am definitely a critical thinker myself, and I do try my best to encourage my students to think critically at present - so I am really excited about what this course has to bring.

Tonight, I completed no work at all. Two friends from England landed this evening and I took them out for dinner in the Viaduct. I really enjoyed spending time with friends, this really boosted my overall wellbeing and Hauora. However, my throat was a little niggly...

Thursday:

Uhoh. I am sick. I woke up this morning feeling terrible. I think I have finally crashed, which was bound to happen eventually!

I am unsure whether it is a good thing or a bad thing that I wasn't at school teaching today. I was out with the Year 12s again, but this time we were kayaking. I really enjoy kayaking, so I tried my best to be involved and be positive even though under the surface smile I was feeling awful. Teaching involves acting!

After a power nap, I went to my sign language course. Ironically we were learning how to sign words related to Health and wellbeing, so I could explain all of my symptoms by the end of the night.

Friday:

MDTA digital immersion day. Boy, it was tough to stay mentally involved today. I really wasn't 100% there, but I tried to be.

Today we jumped into Google Sites and how we can best organise and present our sites both for our learning, and our students' learning. I was thankful I had already spent some time with a Google Educator learning about sites, so today was revision with the odd new piece of information thrown in. This screenshot shows the site I played with, creating a basic lesson about Little Red Riding Hood. Although it (clearly) needs some 'blinging' up, as it is ugly currently, I now know how to embed various photos, videos and Google products into my Sites.

Being sick and trying to learn is so difficult, I really just wanted to go to bed! This demonstrates the concept of Hauora wholeheartedly if one wall crashes, so does the whare.

However, my favourite part of today was playing around with HTML code. I remember writing HTML code in highschool and I really enjoyed it, so I can't wait to play around a little more and see what I can create in the future.

As this week as been a rollercoaster of emotions and hurdles, I think it is important to remind myself what I am doing here. Why I am putting myself through this organised mess. For the students. As cliche as it is, I want to make a difference. Not a teacher? Check out some ways others have made a difference.

Our Leap Day Leap of Faith

As much as I love and am passionate about Health, I studied Health and PE for a reason - I am also passionate about physical activity and the outdoors.

Today as part of their assessment, we took 12PE out to Woodhill Forest today, to experience a High Ropes course and mountain biking. Some of the students are petrified of heights, and some had never really ridden a bike before - but even though the activities were challenging, they were so engaged. 

The staff were blown away how positively they participated.

For majority of the students, today was once in a lifetime opportunity, and I am so glad I could be a part of that. The activities aren't cheap and they are located over an hour away from school, which for some families is way too unrealistic as a weekend hangout. 

I have always appreciated what I have, but these kids have provided me with a newfound love and appreciation for everything in my life, as some of them have nothing.

The kids were buzzing at the end of the day, with only a couple of complaints about the bucketing down rain!

What a sweet day at the office. 

Need some convincing as to why outdoor education is important? Dillon et al., will help you to clarify.

(Dillon, J., Rickinson, M., Teamey, K., Morris, M., Young Choi, M., Sanders, D., & Benefield, P. (2006). The value of outdoor learning: evidence from research in the UK and elsewhere. School Science Review, 87(320), 107-111)