End of Term 3 Reflection

This term has been full on with class work, production and kapa haka. Most of all it has been a term where things are starting to fall into place, planning is becoming quicker and easier, AFL is becoming more prominent in my teaching and time management has become more effective. As a father, my priorities at home became far more important, so it was time for me to sharpen up. I am very passionate about what I am doing and did not want the time I was taking away from work for my family to affect my children's opportunity for learning etc. Knowing your children and understanding what they need, how to meet those needs and finding next steps are crucial. During this term I found myself assessing while working with kids and it set up my planning for the following week. Also having activities that can carry over multiple sessions helps and so does the use of technology (once the chn are trained).

Production was very full on and did get stressful. I relish the pressures of performance and encouraging the chn to be the best they can be through this avenue. I have seen chn shine during the production and watching those moments where chn feel 10 feet tall make my job worth while. The kids were amazing, they brought their best and as a teacher, that's all you can ask for.

Kapa Haka has been full on with production and Sepora's powhiri. I don't have a kapa haka background nor do I speak te reo but I have a passion for sharing my culture and performance. The principal likes his staff to be life long learners and I am definitely being a life long learner. This journey of learning about kapa haka has been hard, sometimes stressful but also gives me fulfillment, especially when I watch my class.

Production: Morning of the performance

Tonight is the night and I am pretty nervous. The kids are going to be fantastic and I'm not worried about them. I am worried about the backstage logistics and transitions as we had some tough encounters yesterday during the matinee. We have moved on and found a solution for the problem which is great. Now we need to put it into practice.

Now to the positives!

I have enjoyed working with another teacher and co-constructing it with the kids. It's really powerful when you can get kids to get involved and take ownership. We have seen a few kids really step up and stand out to the point where it has overflown into class room behavior and attitude. From this experience, I have found that it's really important to pull on the strengths of the kids e.g. the ones who are musical or dance or perform in some way. When you can get them to use their craft and to create something, it's really powerful for their self-belief. It's all about my belief in 'finding what you have to say'. The process that really got me excited was when chn who I knew had a gift were restricted by the fact that they were used to being told what to do. That's when you can 'create magic' and talk to them about finding 'their voice' and getting them to discover that they can actually create things themselves. After they find a move that we could incorporate the smile on their faces is very moving and make me feel as a teacher I'm really fulfilling my purpose.
 

Writing: End of Term 3

Term 3 is nearly over and I have been very proud of my progress with my writing this term. On a level 10 scale when beginning the writing focus my confidence was a 3. My confidence has leaped to an 8 and I feel like my teaching progress in this area has significantly increased.

The learning intentions I believe have been a big reason for why the chn are progressing. When writing they are very aware and clear in what they need to include in their writing. They also know how to be successful. Writing varies from child to child and there are a lot of skills etc to know and understanding when writing. I have found that taking on little bits as opposed to focusing on a range of things at the same time is more beneficial. The chn's work overall has improved and when they have practiced a single skill many times then it is retained.

Conferencing is another contributor to the success of the chn's writing. It's an opportunity for me to sit down with the chn and have more one on one time where we can talk about their writing and amend work. The chn are more appreciative of this and I know that they remember bits that we talk about as it's evident in their writing and they talk about it. It is another opportunity for me to work on things that the individual needs e.g. if one child out of the whole group uses a lower case 'i' every time they write the word instead of the capital, we can talk about it then.

My next focus is how to work with the lower level writers who are away for big periods of time. As I have found with 2 chn in my class, they have come back well below in comparison to when they left.

RTLB Meeting: Observation on Writing Program

Had meeting with RTLB today and had a very positive outcome. From her observation she could see that chn were really engaged with their writing, chn knew what they were doing and chn were achieving success with their writing. Chn were able to tell her what they were doing and some were able to explain why they share and buddy check each others work. I can see a big improvement in the chn writing and I feel a lot more confident in my ability to teach writing.

Rita Pierson: Every Kid Need a Champion

This video really aroused a feeling within me to stand out and be better! I believe that everybody needs a champion, so do our kids. Why do I turn up to work everyday?? My Kids! They give me the motivation to be better, to strive to be the best and to make a difference. Even though I am only a second year I offer something else other than expertise, a cheerleader, a sense of belief, a champion! Even though the kids don't say it, I know the chn appreciate me. The fact they are grateful when I return from PD or a sick day, the fact they leave me little notes, the fact they choose to sit with me instead of their friends and quietly play, I know I am doing my job.

Rita Pierson hit it on the head, chn won't learn from people they won't like. Even though we might not like every child, we choose to hide it and act as if everything is ok. I have found in my experience that the chn I don't like are the ones that give me the most satisfaction when the relationship is strong. You tend to work on those relationships the most which results in the most encouraging and motivating relationships to be in.

Can we learn to build good relationships or is it just 'IN YOU' to do it. Rita quotes Steven Covey and says that you need to just throw in some simple things like apologising when you get something wrong. You need to first understand before being understood. I believe that chn need to see that you are human just like them. The only way they will see is if you let them know how you're feeling like disappointment, frustration, anger, embarrassment, happiness, joy, proud etc.

To be an educator we need to remember that it's not all about academics, that success comes in different forms. Rita states that we get chn we don't like, we work with people we don't like, we listen to policy we don't like and we turn up when we don't feel like it but we turn up anyway. Relationships are much more powerful than we realise. Our jobs are difficult but nothing is impossible.

Writing so far Term 3

So far I am feeling comfortable with my writing program and I see progress in their writing. I can see that I will need to work with the Kowhai group more closely as they need some support with idea generation and linking ideas from one sentence to the next. I am getting some ideas from the Sheena Cameron book. I am happy with the spelling program and I can see it working within the chn writing. and the overall attitude to writing has changed. The chn are far more enthusiastic with their writing.

Things to focus on moving forward:
-remembering new skills that they have learned e.g. even though we are focusing on adverbs now doesn't mean we can forget about expanding on ideas or using a thesaurus and other word sources.
-appropriate noise level, this has improved but can get carried away sometimes.
-conferencing is working well but I would like to tighten it up where both chn I see can be involved with the whole process for both writers.

Maths Program

I had a chat with a DP of a school and she turned out to be a numeracy enthusiast. She talked to me about how to use the nzmaths website for maths progressions and how to use numeracy games and the Figure it Out books to reinforce the learning. I am finding that this is working as the kids are holding onto information. Also, she mentioned to incorporate marking into my teaching time. I have found this beneficial as we can look at how they got it wrong and it reinforces the learning.

RTLB Writing Beginning of Term 3

Meet with Rachel to look at how the program was going and things that are working or not working. She observed a tumble and then we discussed what she saw. One thing to develop was the self managing of the spelling program and the noise level.

The guided group were writing a persuasive piece about whether they should do homework. I'm am really enjoying using the learning intentions that are glued in their books. This helps them to focus on the skills that they should be using in their writing.

One thing that I needed more support with was the conferencing. She sat with me to look at what I was doing and found that I was doing the right thing. The only thing I need to think about is not letting the chn get confused between the genre of writing and the learning intention.

On the whole, I feel really positive about my writing program and feel there has been some improvement in the chn writing.

Writing Program Reflection Term 2

Below is a list of things that you would have seen in my writing program and what you would see now.

Before:
-See one group for 45 mins. This included teaching points, conferencing and proof-reading and editing.
-Chn would follow tumble of activities that they had to do e.g word activity, publishing, handwriting and creative table.

Now:
-I see the whole class for 15 minutes working on something genre based or a skill the whole class needs e.g. features in a cameo or how to proof-read and edit.
-I see 2 groups for about 20 minutes each.
-One of those groups is a teaching group where we a re focusing on one skill. The chn have their learning intentions in their books and their success criteria.
-The other group is a conferencing sessions where each child should be able to tell me what their learning intention is and their success criteria.
-There are actives that the chn have to do that target other skills e.g. spelling, punctuation and word work etc.

I have found the latter to be successful as the kids know what they are focusing on and the have to prove that they know what they are focusing.

Writing Program- with RTLB

Currently we have organised a tumble program, I have started a spelling program and I have a topic for Cameo writing. Things that I need to have organised; spelling words from the essentials list, putting the new tumble up and get the new writing tumble organised.

I am really excited to begin the new tumble, I am able to target skills in which the chn can practice when they write individually. I have collaborated with Rachel to come up with suitable ideas for the tumble.

Observation at Stonefields: MLE

Stonefield's had a centralised learning/teaching area with different spaces to accommodate the children s learning. We witnessed a literacy tumble where 3 teachers were teaching workshops, teach aides working with children on specific tasks and the rest were working on a literacy activity. Some were working in groups and some were working individually. Resources were out in the open and were accessible to everybody and the children had a device or working at a computer. Children looked engaged and on task and the learning looked exciting and engaging. The children had the ability to personalise their literacy time e.g. at the beginning of the day the children were told what was happening for that day and they could opt into what they wanted to do, with the exception of if the teacher wanted to work with a group for that day. Then children began the day. Instead of stopping everyone's learning the teacher hit a xylophone and the children knew that it was their time to go to reading. Some kids were working on a book cover on the computer, some were working on a KWL chart about an animal, some were in a workshop learning about language features through song, some were learning about descriptive writing through a PS3 game and some others were working on other projects. In the junior school the centralised learning area was in a room with glass doors so that you could see out and the children had the ability to walk to different areas to suit their needs.

Observation of Teacher

I watched a reading program but the teacher was testing so I got to walk around and talk to the children about what they were doing etc. The children were on task and knew what to do. I liked how the tasks were differentiated and were open so the children could do things at their own level.

Next week I'm going to think about how I can incorporate more differentiation with my groups e.g. the top group was rating their story and why they gave it a specific rating.

Linking Pedagogy and Space: Dr. Kenn Fisher

This document outlines the linking between educational pedagogy and space. It states that a range of pedagogies will be used according to what they are learning provided given the right platform to do so. These pedagogies require specific spatial qualities to be effective. There are 5 core activities (or modes) that support the pedagogy; delivering, applying, creating, communicating and decision making.

The modes encourage a whole range of learning such as; integrated problem and resource based learning, creativity, projects on practical problems, collaboration, peer to peer learning and even individulaised learning. In the Nair article ‘The Classroom is Obsolete: It’s time for something new’ , he talks about a need for individualised learning as opposed to efficient learning, and with a school that is designed to accommodate this I believe that spatial awareness is important. 

There are spatial settings that accommodate the different modes and Kenn Fisher believes that a multi-modal learning setting should be collected and clustered to allow students to move around the different learning areas to fit their different tasks. The different learning settings are; individual settings, group settings, activity rich settings, informal learning settings and staff settings.

1.       Individual Setting:  is a home base for students when learning. Provides a sense of ownership and builds responsibility for own learning.

2.       Group Setting: provides a platform for collaborating, team teaching, team meetings, use of technology and practice ideas. Encourages creativity, brainstorming, the opportunity to present work and team work.

3.       Activity Setting:  provides a variety of work spaces such as work surfaces, work storage spaces, access to tools and technology and specialist areas. Provides an area for critical thinking and problem solving.

4.       Informal learning setting: can be outdoors, a common area, a small work space or some place that allows for gathering away from formal activities. Provides an area for socialising, individual study and reflecting.

5.       Staff Setting: A place for staff to access resources. Encourages team teaching, P.D, integrated planning and informal discussion.

This document prepared by Kenn Fisher lines up with the key competencies of our curriculum. The special settings allow for children to think, managing themselves, to relate to others, to use symbols, text and language and it allows for children to collaborate (participating and contributing). 

Meeting with RTLB: Writing Program

Our plan is to get all the children to write a sample for assessing and do an essentials list spelling test. From here we will group them according to level and organise the tumble activities. What I would like to do is run workshops teaching specific skills and get the children to evaluate their learning against a progression. Currently we are trying to get the schools progressions to use for the children and thinking about how I can fit conferencing into the tumble.

The Classroom is Obsolete: It's time for something new -Prakash Nair

-Chn construct knowledge based on past experience. Based on research we are needing a more of a personalised education model to maximise individual student achievement. Current classrooms are based on the assumption that efficient delivery is the same as effective learning.

-Research says that students and teachers do better when they have variety, flexibility and comfort in their environment.

-We will need enclosed spaces for instruction but maybe this could be visible to a supervisable common area for team work, independent study, internet-based research, arts performance etc.

My thoughts:

The question that is quite common in the work place at the moment is 'Aren't Modern Learning Environments the same as the open learning classrooms of the 70's?' I find that this question is important because we don't want teachers to fall back into the same trap of teaching efficient learning as opposed to effective learning without the collaboration of collective knowledge.

It's interesting to see that we are now looking at a personalised model of learning. I can see that some teachers might be adversed to this as the amount of work that could potentially be put into the process could be endless. It may be an opportunity to allow children to create their own learning and teachers will have to back plan. 

As we know, not two children are the same. Some children like to work in a quite learning area and some like to be in a collaborative environment. In my estimation this would be maximising learning as the children are working in an environment that suits them best. Children who need to work on a collaborative project can do exactly that without having to set up a specific area for that to happen, children who need to research can make their way to a computer suit area or to a quite space and teachers can work with a guided group without having to monitor as much.

Writing Program thus far....

So I have had an observation from an RTLB on my writing with the chn that have been refered. It was very positive and even though we were both stuck as what to do we came up with a few things that we could do before we plan the writing program.

I am incorporating sharing of a piece of writing so that chn are encouraged to proof read and edit. The class as a whole are poor in this area, so we discussed sharing as an incentive. Also, having a whole class learning intention where the chn are focused on one thing.

The chn love sharing their work and I am finding that, along with the emphasis of the learning intention, the chn are focused on proof reading and editing. Also, the chn are becoming aware of using more interesting words.

PRT Meeting Week 4 Term 2

So we looked at assessment and what we are going top focus on next week. We looked at the Schonell Spelling test and the Gloss test. Pretty straight forward.

Next week will be an observation of a maths tumble.

PRT Meeting Week 2 Term 2

We caught up in regards to assessment for Maths and Reading. We looked at how to carry out a Probe test and the IKAN test. Pretty simple.

Observation of other Teachers Writing

Chn doing the sentence of the day.

Adding and adverb and improving the verb:

'The competitor walked over the finish line'

Now they are in a circle and discussing as a class. They go around in a circle and reading their improved sentence.

Chn activities

-Teacher

-Handwriting

-Publishing

-Spelling

-Creative Writing

-Language Worksheet

-Free writing

Chn to glue in worksheet with book and pen

Using pink tickets for rewards.

Chn writing in the graphic organiser. Getting all your ideas out onto paper. It's ok to come up with new things while you write.

-When they have finished their graphic organiser they will get on with their writing.

Success Criteria:

-Sets them with the class so they know what they need to include

This Year's focus- Writing

As a whole school we are focusing on writing and how we can begin to move chn.

My first step was to talk to a literacy expert and ask questions around how I can implement an effective writing program.

Her suggestion was to have a rotation going where I see a small group and the other groups are working on independent activities. She also suggested to have wiring and reading together as a whole literacy unit.

My next step was to observe a teacher with their writing. I gained some ideas from the teachers lesson; activities, how to structure a lesson and how to use the walls for the chn to use.

Currently I have a rotation going where each group is mixed. While I am seeing 1 group the others are doing independent activities. Activities include; creative table, handwriting, editing, spelling game, creative writing and publishing.

I have found that having guided groups is more effective as the chn are more focused and I can spend more time conferencing with chn then if I did whole class writing. I have found that the writing is getting better such as; remembering full stops and capital letters, including parts of speech, remembering speech marks and exclamation marks etc.

For term 2 I am going to try having ability groups where I can teach to their level.

Writing Support from Janet

Writing with Janet

I went to see Janet to get some ideas on how to run a writing program. I have always felt it be weakest subject to teach. Below are a list of activities we talked about to put into a writing tumble. We talked about having a rotational system where groups are doing independent activities while I see a small group. 

-Crafts

-Buddy Reading

-Guided

-Spelling Activities

-Independent Writing (Pictures e.g. magazines, news papers)

-Games

-Story Setting Cards

-Adjectives and Nouns Activities

-Blog Time

-Sentence of the day

-Topic Book Reading

-Publishing picture

-Language features activities

-News report

-Weather report

-Write post cards to one another (Booster Statements)

Term 1 reflection

Term 1 has been a great experience and I am having to be flexible as the teaching and learning looks different to my previous school. I am having to be my own creative self and am enjoying that aspect of it. The chn are amazing and receptive to what is being taught. My focus for the term was to create an inclusive and independent learning environment where the chn were willing to help others and encourage others to be better than before. I am enjoying how they are taking ownership of the class room and are willing to help each other with learning and social aspects of the class. The staff are very helpful and supportive and the parents are always willing to help.

IYC comments from term 1

The IY Coarse has been useful in terms of reminding me some of the pedagogy learned at teachers collage. I have found that the classes are quite long and can be an arduous task to get through but the results with some of my kids have been awesome. I am finding that my target child is responding well and the class as a whole are beneficiaries of the program. I am finding that the chn are enjoying the positive praise aspect.

Reflection Week One

With week one done and dusted I am very proud of what I have achieved at my new school. I know every child's name and they are all responsive and know my expectations for them. I was very blown away by how the community have made me feel welcome, from the management to the teaching staff and to the parents. 

This week we focused on who we are and how we can contribute others self efficacy. The chn are willing to jump on board with the principal whakawhanaungatanga and is evident in the way they are being inclusive and using booster statements.

Grey Lynn P.D Day

Reflecting on our professional development here at Grey Lynn School I really want to take on board the school vision, mission and values. To me this means that I will fully emerge myself into the principals of what it really means to be a teacher and a learner here at school.

My goal for the first term is to become familiar with the vision, mission and values, to gain an understanding of the Grey Lynn High 5 and how it impacts the class and how I can use all of the above in my class. As I have already completed a week here at school I am trying to use 'Grey Lynn language' to familiarise myself with it all. Also, I am asking the children a lot of questions to help me gain a better understanding of how it operates in the school.

There are a couple of other things that I want to try with my class following the P.D. The first thing is to construct learning with the children as shown to us in the new P.E program Cracker Jack. Allowing the children to come up with their own rules to make fair play is an amazing idea. It will also create a sense of ownership. Also, I want to focus on having guided writing groups so that I can teach specific skills in writing.