A little bit about Rikki
Yet to leave school. Been there since I was 5!
Kids first. Is what we are doing meeting their needs? How does this balance against staff wellbeing? Does it meet national priorities and does that really matter?
Kids first.
Quickfire
I’d rather develop: Knowledge / Dispositions
Students learn best when: They do stuff / Relationships are strong
The best food for building a class culture is: Chocolate / Popcorn / What they suggest
Assessment should: Be mana enhancing / Show kids where they need to get better / Guide learning and celebrate progress
The most powerful presence in the room should be: What needs to be learned / The student's dreams / A positive ethos
Student imagination: Upends my best plans / Makes learning exciting
My #1, never-fails strategy is: Chatting with students / Smiling
The best phrase to start the school year is: I'm so pleased to see you all! / This class is about learning, not assessment / Let’s plan what we want to learn, together
Completed thoughts
School is like a park bench, it's ... only part of the park experience we call life.
When I was getting started in education, I wish ... I was stronger in knowing who I was.
I sleep well at night when ... I know I am safe .
To make learning an empowering experience, teachers should ... share a bit about themselves and give away much of their positional power.
What sticks out for Rikki is
Being told that I could not leave a school until a parent’s third child was in Year 9. This child spent every morning of her first year at school with me in my office before school as they struggled to go straight to class - our relationship was stronger than the teacher:pupil one. What did I give them? Me and my time, that’s all.
If you want to connect with Rikki, you can do so via
Email (rikki@levineast.school.nz) or text to 0276615889