What other professional communities intersect with or lie at the borders of your own profession? What impact do these communities have on your practice and professional community?
When I started my professional connections map, I thought that it would be simple. Oh how wrong I was! As I continued to build my map I realised that there are multiple layers and various types of connections, with many going two ways and linking to other connections.
The green and blue indicates regular connections (with blue being broken into more specific connections). These connections are strong and are engaged with frequently through face-to-face interactions, discussions, collaboration, emails and meetings.
The purple connections indicate current connections, however they could be better utilised through a stronger relationship. In particular, I would like to engage and strengthen the relationship with the whanau / parents / aiga with the students at my school. I believe that these people are an excellent untapped resource and that I need to build a mutual relationship (ideally through their children) so that they are more likely to attend student conferences, accompany us on trips and volunteer to take specialised groups such as sports or cultural groups.
The red connections indicate potential professional connections that I would like to explore further in order to extend my capacity as an educator. Some of these connections I would like to establish through face-to-face contact, particularly with staff from those schools who form part of the Ako Hiko Cluster. I know from informal discussions with colleagues at my own school that there are skilled digital teachers that I could liaise with and receive professional development from. With the use of technology such as skype, twitter, facebooks and blogging I can extend these professional connections on a global scale, not only to benefit my own teaching practice, but to also maximise the learning opportunities for my students. Doing so would help to strengthen ties for students with their “home countries”, which would in turn support relationships with whanau.
What are or what would be the benefits and challenges of working in a more interdisciplinary environment?
Interdisciplinary can be defined as “bringing together two or more things under one roof… in a conscious manner” (Mathison & Freeman, 1997, p.11). In a primary setting, this could mean integrating two subjects together, regardless of the methods, processes, points of view or skills taught. Mathison & Freeman (1997) summarise the interdisciplinary approach as “always consciously (combining) two or more disciples and keeps them distinct and in focus.” The approach is largely teacher directed, with clear objectives and a focus on inquiry skills.
The benefits of working in a more interdisciplinary environment would be that I could utilise human resources that are not necessarily teacher related. For example, using digital experts to show me/ trial new things in my classroom. This type of relationship would not only allow new experiences for my students, but would also allow me to step out of my comfort zone by upskilling and making professional connections.
Social media has played a large part in helping to establish and maintain professional connections. It is the easiest way with individuals being so busy. Online discussions have allowed me to spark off the ideas of others, and the collaborative approach benefits everyone.
The major challenge is time. In a profession where the job never ends, there is never enough time to develop connections, particularly face-to-face connections. Technology has proved advantageous as things can be organised via email which can be responded to when parties are free.
Another challenge is remembering to utilise the current resources available, whether that be a staff member, or someone in the local community. More often than not, there is someone willing to help, and that information usually arises from informal conversations, hence the need for face-to-face discussions. Tapping into other outside agencies and business that can come into the school (for example: Bunnings who came to help build our worm farm) is another excellent resource. Again, the time is the major barrier when setting up these relationships.
I believe, that as we move away from the traditional forms of teaching, an interdisciplinary approach is needed in order to foster citizens who are ready to participate in a global environment.
References:
Mathison, S. & Freeman, M. (1997). The Logic of Interdisciplinary Studies. National Research Center on English Learning & Achievement.
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