Friday 12 September 2014

Work

It is 20 minutes until my Friday afternoon improves and I thought it a good time to tell you about what it is I am doing over here.

I have joined the ranks of the non-teachers. It is a new and unique experience for me. Keep in mind that for the past 30 years I have only known years that have school holidays, so adjusting to be a 'normal' person is unusual. Today I found that when asked what week of the term it was, I didn't know. Doesn't sound much, but, as every other teacher knows, you live your life by the week of the term. I am still in grieving for the loss of my holidays and adjusting to the fact that I have to take 'leave'. As a matter of fact, I am also having a internal paddy over how I have to take 3 days of my own personal leave over the Ministry shut down over the Christmas period. Outrageous! I feel like going in and sitting at my desk to spite them.

It is also a first, because I am sitting at a desk. In a cubicle farm. In a building that isn't a classroom. I am over the initial flush of novelty - I have my pictures of my family, postcards and other little bits and pieces where I have personalised my desk. My own little formica piece of partitioned paradise. I am adjusting to the dynamics of the cubicle farm. The overheard conversations. The wish you didn't hear conversations. The wish that some had a mute button. The failed control over my hyperactive need to be included or distracted by everything I see and hear. The horror at others musical taste.

All of these things are fairly typical of a shared, open-place office. I have already mentioned the chickens and dogs which remain a point of difference to the Ministry office. The hilarious fob English that I hear is another amusing aspect. As is the overwhelming smell of 101 variations of boil-ups that waft from the kitchen. The embarrassing toilets that need one more layer of separation form the communal area.

Here's to offices! And air freshener!

So, my official title is Learning & Teaching Advisor of Curriculum and Pedagogy. Very highfalutin! What I have come to discover however, is that the reality is much more practical.
Oh, you can make a Word document that isn't comic sans and clipart based!
Yes.
Wow. You can be a technology expert.
Okay.

No, there are exceedingly smart people in the ITC Division and I do enjoy using technology, it just illustrates how an interest and knowledge can be used in a resource scarce and personnel deprived organisation. I am doing much more than I expected and with much more potential for impact than I expected! I am beginning to realise that I was employed largely for my perspective, my experience as an outsider and I am exploring my strategic and problem solving ability more and more. I am excited by my ability to work across an education system and that is very challenging. That I can problem solve as part of my daily work flow is very gratifying. I was worried that I might be bored, but I already have too much interesting stuff I can sink my teeth into. Choice.

Currently I am working on:
 - Designing a pedagogical framework to deliver professional development for teachers
 - Building a process to help staff, students and the community to transition to a new school with a different style of teaching
 - Working on developing data strategy for the country to improve educational outcomes
 - Working on a how to deliver digital education in an internet scarce environment
 - Delivering workshops on the above
 - Playing with iPads
 - Laminating stuff (so therapeutic)

So, if the stuff above means anything to you - you  must be a boring education type. An exciting part of working on the Cooks is that this has to be delivered around the country, which means travel to the Pa Enua or outer islands. So, in a couple of weeks I will be off to Aitutaki for a week to work with schools. Nice, to get out of that office cubicle. On the down-side, I hear that Aitutaki is, aside from being one of the largest and most beautiful lagoon environments in the world - it is also home to millions of giant crab beasts who come out at dusk and terrorise everything else. Eeeek, crabby crabby! Gross.

So, it now 5 minutes past when I can slink out and I have a cold beer to drink in the warm sunset. Oh by the way, we finish at 4pm in the Cooks. Ahhhh.