Research Process 4 -A Story

Our names are Anna, Bridget and Arthur we are year 5 and 6 students. Today we are starting the first day of our environmental elective – this means that one day a week we come to the Living Room for our learning with Mrs Green our teacher.

Last term we started learning about sustainable communities through kai as part of our non-elective class programme. We learnt about what past students had done in the Living Room. This included a ‘wish list’ of ideas and possible projects that might still happen in the living room and the sustainable backyard.

We explored what sustainability, community and tikanga mean for us and we used thinking skills and strategies to help us. We also recorded our ideas in a journal. We also listened to stories that Mrs Green shared with us and we went through a process of deciding what to do with the apples from the tree in the sustainable backyard. Students from Room 23 wrote us letters as they had noticed the apples were on the ground and rotting. We decided to collect the apples that were still good and share them with room 23.

We realised that we needed to have a plan for the food that we grow in our garden – this includes knowing what to plant and when so that we can harvest and make good use of the produce. We have been investigating which plants are good to grow in our area. We also made notes about our favourite and not so favourite vegetables. Some of us have even tried new vegetables that we hadn’t eaten before such as courgettes.

This last term the things that have made the biggest difference are learning about sustainability. For me (Anna) Mrs Green telling us her story about her holiday to the Barrier reef has helped me to understand. It changed the way I think about sustainability. I used to think it was, well I didn’t really understand I used it but I didn’t know what it was. I feel more confident now.

I (Bridget) found the activity Sustainability – what is it? really interesting. I told Mum about what sustainability is and she got really interested.

I (Arthur) think that the ‘wish list’ is a really important thing because the good ideas from the past shouldn’t be left out just because they didn’t get done. I think it is important that ideas [from others] are kept.

Story number	001
Title	Sustainable communities and kai - Change in the Living Room
Date	10-12 April 2013
Person recording	Faye
Storyteller(s)	Anna (9), Bridget (9), Arthur (10) A large urban primary school Students have elective classes once a week in EfS
Feedback Faye	d) Developing the concept of sustainability to reality Students are articulating they have a better understanding of sustainability. While the notion of ‘caring for the environment’ is still quite strong they are starting to explore the interaction between natural processes in their immediate environment such as the vegetable garden, the hens and beehive with their social and cultural setting. I think they are beginning to experience that sustainability is less about definitive ‘solutions’ to fix ‘problems’ and more about multi-dimensional relationships that intermingle with each other. The scope for what is ‘sustainability’ at this school is broadening.
Feedback Robyn	d) Developing the concept of sustainability to reality What I see as significant in this story is the depth of learning about quite complex concepts (sustainability and community). This is helping to equip the students with a sound platform for making decisions as they move towards taking action (action learning cycle).
Feedback Wendy	d) Developing the concept of sustainability as a reality The students are drawing from a number of circumstances, relationships, and stories to create a big picture of sustainability.  The teacher’s experience, the apples being left to rot, and the wish list from years prior shows there is a depth to this learning and they are making connections.
Key ideas the project is working on – live, learn and earn in and with our communities	a)     Building community and enabling action b)     Contributing to needs in our community – healthy, affordable food, local employment, past food practices, celebrating diversity of cultures, reconnecting (land, neighbours) c)     Connection with local food projects d)    Developing the concept of sustainability as a reality e)     innovation

Research Process 3 - Feedback in MSC

Last week I outlined the steps we go through to get to be able to write a story. During our visits in June and July we will be gathering what we need to write a story or two from your place.

The writing of the story is really only the start of the process. Once it has been written a range of people comment on how the story exemplifies or shows connection to the outcomes of our project. For this trial Robyn, Wendy Barry from WWF and I completed the 'feedback' to participants via their stories.

The purpose of this feedback is two fold:

1. For the participants or 'storytellers' to reflect on how others perceive the work being done for Sustainable Communities Through Kai.
2. For you to read the stories from other schools and reflect on the ways you are working towards the project outcomes.

In the revised timeline and stages I have indicated we will be holding a collective 'feedback' day in term 3 based on the stories we will develop from the visits this term. We did not budget for this day to include teacher release and so if you would like to participate you would need to ask for school support. If you would like to be part of the feedback day please let me know it would be great to have you involved.

Research Process 2 - Data gathering for MSC

The following covers the key actions that will happen with respect to the visits for this term:

1. Visit from Faye and Facilitator in either week 6 or week 9 Term 2.
2. Meet with two groups of 2-3 students and the lead teacher for between 30-40 minutes each group (i.e. 3 x 40 minute discussions).
3. Prior to meeting with students Faye and Facilitator meets with the lead teacher for a ‘background catch-up’ and then has a more formal discussion/interview after speaking with the students.
4. Faye and/or the Facilitator drafts a ‘story’ generated from the three separate discussions.
5. Draft story is emailed back to lead teacher for accuracy check – during term 2 holidays.
6. All stories are reviewed and discussed – week 2 of Term 3 to consider most significant change.
7. If you would like to be part of this process please discuss with Faye during the visit in term 2.
8. Reviewed stories are emailed back to teachers and students (after week 2 of term 3 hopefully around week 4).
9. Faye analyses and comments on findings across all stories (during remainder of term 3 looking to report to the Tindall Foundation, WWF and Enviroschools Foundation by mid August).
10. If all participants agree stories posted on the blog (pseudonym’s are used).
11. Facilitators gather a further story during term 3 with their school.
12. Week 2 Term 4 final hui for the project.

Global Radar and Local Food

I don't know if any of you saw the episode from Global Radar on Local Food - it is great and fits so well with our kaupapa. I found the visit to Peru to follow potatoes a real eye opener, has anyone grown the Maori potatoes? Have students enjoyed them?

Some of the concepts and language aren't that tailored to our younger students but I think with some scaffolding you could end up having some very interesting discussions! The Guinea Pig Ranch and the systems they are using that ensure everything is local gives a great example of true recycling where one product is turned into another and the cycle continues rather than whatever is produced eventually ending up in landfill.

See http://tvnz.co.nz/global-radar/s2-ep5-video-5386668

Research Process 1 - Most Significant Change Technique (MSC)

I'm planning to 'drip feed' the trial research process and findings from term 1 over the next few days so that there isn't too much going on all at once.

The process we trialled last term is called Most Significant Change Technique. Simply put we are asking what the most significant change is that you have noticed from the start of the project. With students we have worked out a reasonably straight forward series of questions that enable us to get good information without prompting unneccessarily. We collate what you and the students tell us, we share it with facilitators and project sponsors to provide feedback and then we share it back with you. 

Sounds a simple enough process but there are a few ins and outs and that is what we have been working on. We have now completed the first trial phase. I have emailed the final stories back to the trial schools today and as they give permission we will share more of the stories and processes with you via the blog.

Please make some comments and ask questions! Thanks.

Revised Timeline for Term 2, 3 and 4

Initially we discussed that my timeframe into the project would be mid-year. I have clarified with The Enviroschools Foundation that the cut off of the 30^th June 2013 is not so entrenched as we thought. Based on working in partnership with the Waikato Enviroschools Team and the National Foundation we are looking to a time frame and targets something like this:

Time	Action	Personnel
Term 2 Weeks 1-5	Teaching and learning in project schools Facilitator visits (check with your facilitator) Viewing and commenting on BLOG!! Visit schedule sent to schools	Teachers students Facilitators Everyone Project Manager
Week 6	Visit to some schools	Project Manager and Facilitators
Week 7-8	Teaching and learning in project schools Facilitator visits (check with your facilitator) Viewing and commenting on BLOG!! Draft stories being written from week 6 visits	Teachers students Facilitators Every one Project Manager
Week 9	Visit to some schools	Project Manager and Facilitators
Week 10	Teaching and learning in project schools Facilitator visits (check with your facilitator) Viewing and commenting on BLOG!! Draft stories being written from week 6 and 9 visits	Teachers Facilitators Everyone Project Manager
Term 2 Holidays	Draft stories emailed to lead teachers	Project Manager
Term 3 Week 1	Draft stories details confirmed to Project Manager	Lead Teachers
Week 2	Review and feedback hui on draft stories – considering most significant change	Facilitators, Project Sponsors, Project Manager and any teachers interested
Week 3 - 9	Teaching and learning in project schools Facilitator visits to include gathering information for another story Viewing and commenting on BLOG!! Analysing and summarising findings from Review hui Report to Tindal Foundation, Enviroschools Foundation and WWF	Teachers students Facilitators, teachers and students Everyone Project Manager Project Manager
Term 4 Week 2	Final Hui for the project	Teachers, Facilitators, Project Manager, Project Sponsors