Transforming Pedagogy withProfessor Alma FleetThe Transforming Pedagogy Project with Professor Alma Fleet launched on March 22 with 31 local educators participating from a range of sites including the Roxby Downs Area School, Andamooka Primary and Rural Children's Centre, Roxby Downs Kindergarten, St Barb's Parish School, Roxby Early Learning Community Group and the Roxby Downs Child Care Centre. Participants also included teachers currently on maternity leave, relief teachers as well as home school educators. This made for a passionate group of educators forming a professional learning community that was richly diverse in experience, expertise and passions. After identifying something they wanted to investigate, participants began to define and refine their practitioner enquiry questions through a positive lens. By re-framing their 'niggle' into a research question that is strengths-focused, educators are positioning themselves as researchers working to discover what/how/why/when things work well. Educators gathered data from their classrooms or education settings and as they engaged in a process of critical reflection, analysis, research and professional conversations, they began to make changes and bring transformative practices to their teaching. Some of the practitioner enquiry questions being pursued this year included the following:
Mining Minds would like to congratulate all participants on their enquiry projects this year and thank them for contributing to this enthusiastic and supportive professional learning community. Coaching Clinic withLorraine MaddenThe Coaching Clinic launched with two back to back evening sessions on April 9 and 10 with qualified coach and experienced educator Lorraine Madden of Semann & Slattery. Twenty five participants from education and community are participating in this intensive to learn coaching theories, leadership skills and practice coaching strategies in a very practical workshop experience. The first session defined coaching and explored models of change and determine readiness for change. Participants practiced active listening skills and rapport building, identified and discussed their own strengths and how to work with someone's strengths, having completed the VIA character strength assessments on themselves online. The second session covered goal setting, using a solution focused approach, practicing key skills and an introduction to the core coaching skill of asking powerful questions. Sessions three and four were held in June and were also very practical workshops with participants engaging in several role-play scenarios giving them opportunities to practice identifying goals and strengths and using coaching language. All sessions were held in the Community Hub on weeknights from 4pm-8pm with dinner and a free creche provided. Participants have been offered the opportunity to experience coaching for themselves with professional coaches Lorraine Madden and Colin Slattery. Those who take up this opportunity will be given 2 x 1 hour coaching sessions as an opportunity to experience how professional coaching feels and sounds. They will be supported locally by the Mining Minds team to continue applying the skills and theories they are learning in their workplace, and no doubt they will be practicing on their family and friends! Student Leadership Summit& school-based student wellbeing projectsThe first Student Leadership Summit launched in Term 1 with students exploring what wellbeing means to them. They discussed emotional intelligence, resilience, growth mindset and ways to care for each other and themselves. They learned about Hedonistic vs Eudemonic wellbeing, and explored the PERMA wellbeing model. Students learned about appreciative enquiry as a process through which they could approach projects aimed at improving the wellbeing of students in their school communities. In week 2 of term 2 the second Student Leadership Summit was held, with students from St Barbs, Roxby Downs Area School and Andamooka Primary all in attendance. With 20 students participating, they were able to report back on what their schools want through a process of consultation, with some schools still in the dreaming phase and some closer to designing their projects. With students ranging from Yr4 to Yr12, it was wonderful to see the inter-school collaboration as well as the development of young leaders working together to improve the wellbeing of their peers. Each school group was given some strengths cards to help the to identify their own strengths and the strengths they see in each other, so that they can acknowledge and utilise their strengths as they move forward with their projects. Angela Thompson and Hayley Scrivens conducted grant writing workshops with students at their sites for the participating schools. During the third and final session students collaborated in groups on their site-based wellbeing projects and continued to work on their grant applications. Students also created posters to communicate the key take-away messages they gained from all 3 sessions. Mining Minds would like to thank all of the students who attended and the teachers who have supported them in the design and implementation of their wellbeing projects. Grant applications have now closed and we continue to see the effects of this project being implemented. Leadership in Education Projectwith Colin SlatteryThis year our Leadership Project was led by Semann & Slattery co-founder Colin Slattery. Session 1 was titled 'Developing Self' with the aim of the module being to develop school leader's personal capacity for sustained, impactful leadership through increased self-awareness. During this session Colin showed Professor Brene Brown's talk 'The Anatomy of Trust' and introduced participants to the Johari Window of self awareness. Participants undertook an online survey prior to session 1 and were presented with a comprehensive DISC behavioural analysis report detailing their communication and behavioural style in the workplace using the Disc Advanced framework. Sites were then offered the opportunity to book a team DISC session with Colin for invaluable insights. Session 2 entitled 'Developing People' aimed to build the capacity of school leaders to develop a strong positive, professional culture that fosters ongoing learning and development. This session focused on teams and teamwork, defining healthy teams and identifying the elements of culture and dynamics that make for a successful team and enable employees to thrive. Colin talked about enhancing a culture of accountability and feedback and how to set healthy boundaries and expectations within a workplace. The final session entitled 'Developing Relationships' included a relationship mapping exercise where participants were able to identify the health of their existing professional relationships and see where they need to focus on cultivating or improving healthy working relationships. Participants discussed the factors which contribute to unhealthy workplace relationships and how they might address these. This session also took a look at 'open to learn conversations', at the heart of which is trusting relationships. They looked at how leaders can develop trusting relationships while facing up to difficulties in their organisations and helping their team to do the same. E.I Book ClubThe E.I Book Club meet Mondays 11am @ the Community Hub to read stories that support the development of emotional literacy with Hayley Scrivens. E.I Parent Enquiry Group PilotIn May this year Mining Minds launched a pilot group that meets weekly to discuss parenting with emotional intelligence. This parent-led discussion group is facilitated by Hayley Scrivens who connects parents with relevant research and information based on each week's discussions and emerging questions after they meet through a private facebook page. Whilst we intend to keep these groups small and where possible gather parents with like-aged children, we will be launching more groups next year. Please contact Hayley Scrivens if you or someone you know might be interested in joining one in 2019. Pedagogy + MagazinePedagogy + is designed to foster critical thinking and stimulate conversations to advance the theory and practice of pedagogy in early education settings. The design, an in-house production, brings together the thinking of highly respected and knowledgeable education experts in an accessible and sophisticated magazine. Community HubThe Hub hosts an average of over 120 locals weekly accessing programs, meeting with project officers or simply gathering to connect. Regular groups include: Monday's E.I Book Club @ 11am with Mining Minds Wednesday's Craft Group 1pm-3:30pm with the Children's Centre's Community Development Coordinator Thursday's Coffee morning 10am-11:30am with Strengthening Our Families and Time for Wellbeing Friday's Hub Mums & Bubs 10am-12pm with the Children's Centre's Community Development Coordinator. Drop-in times are 10am-2pm weekdays. We are located in Shop 8, Roxby Central, Richardson Place. Pick A Lane! Newsletter by Semann & SlatteryPick A Lane! is a free early childhood newsletter produced by Semann & Slattery with short, thought provoking articles for early childhood educators. You can subscribe by entering your contact details at the bottom of the landing page of semannslattery.com
Study GroupThis year Mining Minds launched an evening study group at the Community Hub from 6pm-8pm Thursdays during school terms offering free Wifi and coffee to locals studying online. Participants have included people studying early childhood education, environmental science, youth work and SACE. Mining Minds 2018 Project TeamProject Manager: Angela Thompson Email: angela@semannslattery.com Administration: Hayley Scrivens Email: hayley@semannslattery.com Mining Minds is located in the Community Hub, shop 8 Roxby Central, Richardson Place, Roxby Downs. Ph: 8671 2461 |