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.