Claire Amos

Over the next wee while I am keen to explore a number "future-focused education" topics. The aim of #hackyrschool is to expand on some of the topics touched in #hackyrclass plus a whole lot more. Rather than follow a linear structure or feeling we need to rush breathlessly through a topic at a time, the idea is that we can discuss, dive deep, explore, challenge, pause and ponder a range of topics over time. This may involve a Twitter chat using the hash tags, a response via your blog, video or podcast or simply sharing resources and comments via a Google Community. The discussion is aimed all educators and anyone else interested in the future of education in NZ and beyond. You might be thinking about how you could lead change in your classroom, or more strategically in your school, you may even someone who would simply like to see change in education for your children or your future employees and our future leaders.

You can join my campaign page here to keep updated First up, why am I standing for the New Zealand Teachers Council? My reasons are two-fold.  The first being that I believe I would be a great addition to the New Zealand Teachers Council. I am passionate and well informed about educational issues and am constantly seeking ways that I can both support and challenge NZ educators to be future-focused, sharing and reflective as well as being recognised by the wider community as the hardworking professionals that they are. I believe New Zealand educators desire to be both supported through ongoing professional learning and rigorous appraisal systems and challenged to be adaptive experts who are expected (and supported) to evolve their practice constantly to ensure they are meeting the needs of all of their learners. I believe that if I were to be elected to the NZTC I will be a positive and passionate voice for secondary educators.

Click here to view the clip Dealing with media is an interesting exercise, simply because you don't know how they are going to portray you. After four hours of filming in the school it was hard to grasp which direction they might take it - would it be blindly celebratory (unlikely) or would it be all about perpetuating the myth that 'we are going to hell in a handbasket' due to the use of technology in schools (more likely). Luckily it was neither, it was (I thought) a balanced piece that began as many of our colleagues and community do, questioning whether the direction we are going is a wise idea and ending with the conviction that it was indeed a necessary change for the better...even if that message was undone a little by Mike Hosking's final throw away lines. But lets be honest, that was to be expected.