Observation Week 7

Focus: Setting the Learning Intentions for the class and the group.

The class start out with a discussion on the differences and similarities between  discussion, recount and narrative. As they are discussing the teacher is talking about the what is included in the success criteria.

What is included in my introduction: how can I tell my audience what the story is about without telling them everything?

Yesterday they wrote the setting of their story and today they are going to write the body of their writing.
"What am I going to include in my body?" Teacher is referring back to his plan to help him write his body and using each part of his plan as separate paragraphs.

Chn are discussing what they can see in the picture. Teacher scaffolds their ideas as they were a bit unsure on how to describe what they can see.
The teacher begins writing and the children say that the sentence is boring. Now they are asked to think of a better way to the first sentence of the body.

Teacher sets the intention by asking them what he would be looking for when reading their description on what they see. The children know that they need to include nouns, and adjectives to paint a picture in their readers head.

I need to take more time with my modelling and really get the children to think about what is good and not good for our writing. For example; if we are using topic words the children can identify where I should have used topic words in my modeled sentence.

Staff Meeting: Inquiry Based Practise

Listening to all the teachers at the staff meeting last night about implementing the Inquiry pedagogy has inspired me to sit back and be a listener and a student apart of the class instead of being "the teacher"

It sounds amazing but it does come with a feeling of apprehension. I am finding it difficult to imagine it in my head but advice from Anna was to just jump in and do it, not matter the outcome.

I am not saying that I will not give it a go, but I am saying that I have my worries.

What I am excited about is the chance to let my children drive the stimulus for the learning.

WATCH THIS SPACE!

Observation Week 5

Focus: Transition time between being on the mat and moving to do their writing.

Chn are talking about Spongebob and what describing words they can use to describe Spongebob. Chn are engaged and are willing to participate.

Teacher is managing behavior using the behavior procedures and HOM.

After watching clip the teacher asks the student to summarise what is happening. What is a summary? The chn pair-share their ideas. Tch praises the contribution of the chn.

Teacher is including learning intention in his talk as they are discussing their plan. He is modelling the plan and the chn are using dialogue to contribute to the plan.

Transition time: Chn have draft writing books in a box on their desks ready to go. Groups are called out and are asked to begin straight away. Everything is organised and the chn know what to do. They are able to get to their writing straight away.

What I can use in my classroom: Before writing it is important to have books ready to go so that we don't waste time between leaving the mat and writing. I noticed this reduced noise and the chn are more focused. As I don't have individual boxes I could get all the books placed on desks by a responsible child or as we come in from morning tea we could get our books and place them out.

Observation Week 4 Term 3

How does teacher scaffold learning and expectations
 
Teacher is working with group and she is talking to them about the WALT which is WALT: use personification in my writing. The teacher has a sentence in front of them and reads it out. She first asks what the non-human thing is in the sentence. Then asks what verb makes it have a human characteristic. Then they talk about changing the verb and adjective to change the mood of the writing. There is talk around what the human characteristic looks like on the non-human object. They have worked on this before because the teacher allows for sharing on past writing.

The expectation is set as the children know they will have to share during their teaching time. There is alot of talk around what a personification is and what they mean in different contexts. The scaffolding happens as the teacher explicitly tells the group what a personification is and allows the children to discuss what they think a personification is. They look at examples and understanding is built on what the children know and understand.

What I will try in my class is the ability to allow the children to share their work that is in line with their WALT. As a group we can assess if it makes sense or not.

Observation Week 3 Term 3

What I observed: The children have their books all ready on the table and the children have sat down to start their work. The teacher is activating their prior knowledge about a time they saw speech marks. Teacher pulls out their big book and looks at the speech marks in the book. The children have white boards and they look at sentences pre-glued in the modelling book. The chn write the simple sentences on their write board and are asked to include the speech marks.

What I have learned: The resources that can be used to help with the learning at the teaching table can help all the children  to have a go at learning instead of just a few people doing it. This is explicitly teaching their target for the week. The children get sufficient practice.

What I have taken from the lesson: It is important for the children to practice what they are learning away from their writing and let them incorporate what they have learned with the teacher. Resources have been important to this lesson.

What I will do to achieve this: When writing with my group I will try to teach the target away from what they are writing and practice using white boards. Then I will let them use it in their writing away from the teacher.

Week 2 Term 3 Observation

Focus: Writing

Focus: How the teacher scaffolds writing targets.

What I saw: Teacher begins by asking what they are trying to do in their writing. They must have set expectations before as the children knew exactly what they needed to have in their writing. Chn draw their plan with teacher at the teaching table. The teacher writes with the chn the whole way through the sentence using repetition. Sounds are repeated through the process of writing each word.

What I will use: To set up expectations I will begin my lesson talking about the WALT and what I expect to see with my writing group. Questions I can use: What do we need to remember to do when we are writing? What is our focus? Have you thought about your WALT? It is important to reinforce the whole way through the teaching group.

Week 8 Observation

Writing Modeling

Teacher has a recount on the board that the children have to finish. Teacher works with one group at a table and the other the teacher works with is at the teaching table.

On the board each teaching group has a list of things they need to include in their writing. Chn demonstrate knowledge of the ICAN sheet and what they need to be successful.

Teacher sits with guided group and tells them the learning intention. The group come up with the success criteria. Chn have already done their plan and they begin to write. Teacher roams the group as they write, giving them feedback and feed forward to improve writing. Feedback is linked to the Success Criteria.

Looking at modeling books: teacher uses the books to model planning with a group, do shared writing with a group and there is a formal assessment section where the children mark whether or not they have used certain features in their writing.

Next steps:
- Write lists with each groups on what they need to include in their writing. This is explicit instruction to help the students be successful.
- carry our formal assessment where the students can tick whether or not they meet the criteria on the list.
- With the lowest group do a shared plan and a shared writing to scaffold their knowledge.