Western Heights School
  • Home - Kāinga
  • Enrolment - Whakauranga
    • Enrolment Zone - Whaitua
    • Cohort Entry
    • New Entrant Booklet
    • International Students
    • More Info - Pārongo
  • Information - Pārongo
    • Education Review Office Report
    • Policies Log-In Info
    • WHS Policies
    • Connections
  • Learning - Akoranga
    • Learning through Structured Play
    • Learning through Play the WHS Way
    • Creativity through Play
    • Bush Classroom
    • Learning Philosophy >
      • Four Original Languages
      • People and the Land
    • I C T
    • Kickstart with CPR
    • Learning at WHS
    • Learning @ Home
    • Where We Learn
  • News - Dates - Kawepūrongo
  • Parents - Mātua
    • Parent Info
    • Helping Your Child
    • Seesaw Digital Portfolio
    • Lunch Menu
  • Our People - Tō Tātou Iwi
    • 360º Images
    • Board of Trustees
    • Principal's Page >
      • Mr M's Bio
      • Principal's Appraisals
      • Ash's Blog
    • Deputy Principals
    • Support Staff
    • Teaching Team
    • Job Vacancies
  • Media - Hunga Pāpāho
    • NZ Champions - Rippa
    • You Tube Channel
    • Photos - Ngā Pikitia
    • Book Characters
  • Contacts - Whakapā
  • Strategic Plan - Mahere Rautaki
    • KCs and KTs >
      • Foundation Stones
      • Whakatauki
    • Financial Reports - Mahere Pūtea
  • Porotaka Pounamu
    • WHO
    • WHY
    • HOW
    • WHAT

26/7/2017

Schrödinger's Cat

0 Comments

Read Now
 
At any given time, we carry around with us thousands of views, opinions, and beliefs, and often regard them as facts. Today I was reminded of the story of Schrödinger's Cat by an Apple Distinguished Educator who wore a T Shirt declaring Schrödinger' Cat is Not Dead.
Picture
Schrödinger's Cat: 
A cat, along with a flask containing a poison and a radioactive source, is placed in a sealed box shielded against environmentally induced quantum decoherence. If an internal Geiger counter detects radiation, the flask is shattered, releasing the poison that kills the cat. The Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics implies that after a while, the cat is simultaneously alive and dead. Yet, when we look in the box, we see the cat either alive or dead, not both alive and dead.
Part of the premise, as I (barely) understand it, is that reality is influenced by us observing it. If we were not observing, what would be happening would be different.

I guess what this says to me, is it is very hard to be very certain about anything. In fact, it's quite likely that the more certain I am, the less likely it is that I am fully informed.
This sounds somewhat esoteric and confused, but the point I am taking from it is that I find it increasingly important to be open-minded.

I used to think I knew so much. I am a passionate person and tend to be strongly opinionated. I still am when it comes to many things such as the importance of equality of opportunity, the importance of valuing the whole child in the learning process, and the aesthetic beauty and operational beauty (simplicity, effectiveness and efficiency of use) of all things Apple, the importance of family, the importance of preserving our beautiful world and so on.

I am becoming increasingly aware that in reality I know so little. Schrödinger''s cat is a very small example of a whole world of understanding that is completely beyond me in terms of physics. And what of politics, religion, science, art, literature, politics? I have so many small and imperfectly formed kernels of information, and yet even with such a small reserve to draw on, I find it all too easy to make sweeping statements, hold untested opinions and claim understanding that simply has no foundation of merit.

I have changed my thinking about parochialism and realised the need to see not just our ANZAC neighbours as whanau but all nations. The selfless acts of the workers at the Fukoshima Nuclear Plant, and the Japanese USAR volunteers who came to Christchurch and showed such reverence for human life, are just two examples of why we should see our world as a whānauhood.

I have changed my mind about thinking, realising that what we refer to as what 'we think' is actually often based on too little thinking and too little information. A truer phrase might well be, "I assume".
I have spent too long assuming too much, and must become more open minded. My action goal needs to be to listen more, and assume less. As a colleague once taught me, "When you assume, you make an ass out of u and me."

Share

0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

Details
    Picture

    Author

    Greetings to all the families and friends of Western Heights school.
    I am truly excited at the prospect of coming to work at this wonderful school each day.
    Family:
    My wife Jacqualene is the Principal of Mangere Central. She has outstanding skills and talents in administration, curriculum design and integration of ICT into the teaching and learning programme.
    My son Tiaki is a bright boy, very keen on technology, a bit of a musician, and a very talented footballer and softballer. Tiaki was the youngest footballer to make it into the National Talent Centre, and was MVP at the South Island Softball Champs.
    I also have two adult children and two grandchildren - all in Australia.

    Western Heights school is a wonderful school, staffed with exceptional teachers and support staff; led by an outstanding Board; and supported by an enthusiastic and committed parent community.

    Career:
    I began teaching aged 19, some 41 years ago, and began my 20th year as a principal at this wonderful school in 2014.

    Principal of Tareha School                              - Napier 2 years
    Deputy Principal Prospect School                  - west Auckland 7 years
    Principal Pomaria School                               - west Auckland 7 years
    Principal Te Akau ki Papamoa School           - Bay of Plenty 3 years
    Principal Kaiapoi Borough School                 - Canterbury 8 years

    President of Waitakere Area Principals Association 2003 - 92 schools 
    Apple Distinguished Educator Award - 2009. Sponsored to Apple Headquarters in Cupertino, USA.
    Secretary Auckland Computers in Education Society
    Primary Principals’ Representative - Primary Sector Education Advisory Committee
    Waitakere City Council - Award for Outstanding Contribution to Education, 2003.
    Presenter at UNESCO Conference on Values in Education, 2002.
    Guest speaker - International Principal's Federation Conference, Auckland 2002.
    Ministry contracted trainer - Implementation of New National Administration Guidelines
    First Time Principals’ Mentor for Ministry of Education in Auckland and Christchurch.
    Mentored new principals of four Canterbury schools.
    University of Canterbury School Curriculum Development Facilitator - e- Learning, ICT in 2011 and 2012. Worked with 70 schools.
    Post Grad Studies at Mindlab 2016

    Personal Achievements
    Sportsman of Year - Christchurch College of Education 1978 
    Canterbury Colts Softball representative
    National League football with Woolston FC
    Waimakariri Football Club Junior Coach of the Year - 2011, 2012, 2013

    Philosophy
    I believe passionately in all learners becoming independent.
    My Vision has always been of “Growing Great Kids” who are self managing, self motivating, self moderating, independent leaders of their own learning.
    This has been achieved through “Dream. Grow. Shine. Reflect.” 
         Children choose appropriate goals. 
         They develop an effective action plan to achieve those goals. 
         They identify success criteria - what we can expect to see when success is achieved. 
         They reflect on their goals, their plan and their outcomes and make decisions in light of this.

    We know that positive relationships are the key to success, not just in learning but in all aspects of life. Positive relationships are built on trust, honesty, respect, and genuine concern, and nurtured through active listening and time spent together.
    Whanau (Family) Relationships are the basis for all I do and the way I teach, coach and lead. For this reason, I set great store in being open to and available to children, staff and community.
    As examples of this, we now have a presence on Facebook, a Twitter account, a revamped web site, an Open Door policy for access to me, and my personal email and cell phone number available to you all.

    My door is open, my cell phone switched on and email launched - feel free to contact me any time.

    Archives

    May 2018
    July 2017

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Location

126 STURGES ROAD  
HENDERSON
​AUCKLAND 0612

Contact Us - Whakapā Mai

Principal's Cell             Principal's eMail
 021779 009                                               [email protected]​         

                                                                                                       
Absences - use our HERO app
search the App Store or Google Play by typing in Linc-Ed       

​                                      
School Landline                   
​ 09 836 1213                                

  • Home - Kāinga
  • Enrolment - Whakauranga
    • Enrolment Zone - Whaitua
    • Cohort Entry
    • New Entrant Booklet
    • International Students
    • More Info - Pārongo
  • Information - Pārongo
    • Education Review Office Report
    • Policies Log-In Info
    • WHS Policies
    • Connections
  • Learning - Akoranga
    • Learning through Structured Play
    • Learning through Play the WHS Way
    • Creativity through Play
    • Bush Classroom
    • Learning Philosophy >
      • Four Original Languages
      • People and the Land
    • I C T
    • Kickstart with CPR
    • Learning at WHS
    • Learning @ Home
    • Where We Learn
  • News - Dates - Kawepūrongo
  • Parents - Mātua
    • Parent Info
    • Helping Your Child
    • Seesaw Digital Portfolio
    • Lunch Menu
  • Our People - Tō Tātou Iwi
    • 360º Images
    • Board of Trustees
    • Principal's Page >
      • Mr M's Bio
      • Principal's Appraisals
      • Ash's Blog
    • Deputy Principals
    • Support Staff
    • Teaching Team
    • Job Vacancies
  • Media - Hunga Pāpāho
    • NZ Champions - Rippa
    • You Tube Channel
    • Photos - Ngā Pikitia
    • Book Characters
  • Contacts - Whakapā
  • Strategic Plan - Mahere Rautaki
    • KCs and KTs >
      • Foundation Stones
      • Whakatauki
    • Financial Reports - Mahere Pūtea
  • Porotaka Pounamu
    • WHO
    • WHY
    • HOW
    • WHAT