After working as a Deputy Principal for a few years and then Acting Principal at Upper Harbour Primary School in 2014, I’ve now taken up the challenge of working with the team driving large scale changes to service for the education sector. No one comes to my office to show me their writing, and I don’t have the constant lively chatter of 27 kids to engage in, but there are 40 new people in ‘my’ office this year, and a familiar lively chatter amongst people bringing the Managed Network and Pond to New Zealand schools.
Educators deserve the kind of systems that make their days easier and their teaching more powerful. N4L is a surprisingly small, but hugely productive team of people dedicated to giving all stakeholders in the New Zealand education system what they deserve: fast internet and web security services, a collaborative platform for sharing resources, and a plain-language interpretation of where technology can take us.
As Educator Engagement Lead one of my main missions in this new role is to create a podcast on learning that lifts the great practice and risk taking of Kiwi educators into public view. Great practice is happening today, all across the country, and most of it never makes headlines. I’d like to raise the profile of great practice everywhere, and start conversations that tie together the voices of students, teachers, support staff and leaders. In addition, I’m also working on several new projects help Kiwi educators connect and collaborate using the tools and services that N4L continue to develop.
It’s exciting to be part of the bunch of educators here in the N4L team who translate the conversations between technology and education. There’s much work to be done, and this is the right place to be to make some powerful change for New Zealand education. Moreover, with the opportunity I have to visit so many schools across the country, this is an incredible chance to see how different schools work with their communities and students to make great things happen. I hope to meet you along the way.