One of the key points that stood out for me in this article was the fact that the use of raised hands in our classrooms could be hindering students ability to participate actively in quality conversation. I know in my own classroom I use this technique often as a means of control when working with a larger group or the whole class. This article has made me consider some of the issues this technique raises:
It is often the same students that answer each time.
Those who don't get chosen switch off and stop listening.
The conversation is often stilted and superficial as those with hands up are selected in turn.
The teacher controls the conversation.
In an effort to be heard students put their hands up before they have even thought properly about the question.
Students who have given adequate thought to the question are not chosen because they do not raise their hand in time.
Those with their hands up are often more focussed on getting the teachers attention rather than listening to the other contributors.
This article presented some valid alternatives to hand raising, these included:
Turning to the next person and sharing your thoughts.
Telling the children you will pick a certain number of students to share.
Thumbs up/thumbs down.
Close your eyes and think, then share with a group.
Think to yourself and share with a partner.
Jot down some of your ideas and then share your best idea.
Talk tokens
Kath Murdoch suggests that the students should sit in a circle when sharing and learning rather than in a group facing the teacher (This aligns with Gail Loane's views on teaching writing). She also mentions the importance of establishing conversation protocols so that the conversation flows more naturally and deeply. I will need to guide my students to know how to build on what others have said, how to respectfully disagree and how to justify their opinion.
I look forward to trying out some of these new techniques in my classroom.
On Friday 20th May, I embarked on camp with my class to the Aongatete Outdoor Education Centre in the Kaimai ranges. The four days were filled with activities and fun times which allowed me to see each of my students portray and live the school motto to 'Take up the Challenge'.
I am still reflecting on the events from the week and I am still trying to fathom how incredible my students were, in terms of their attitudes towards each activity, their ability to work together as a team, to show maturity and leadership.
Something that really stood out for me throughout this experience was the planning process; it was definitely a vital component in terms of being aware of the students' health concerns and social behaviours, as well as a test for me to really put forward what I knew of the students in my classroom. The planning in terms of SAP forms was a good way of being prepared for any situation, I feel that by reading through the potential risks and what to do if they were to occur really put my mind at ease. Even having completed similar forms I found it useful to make me aware of potential issues specifically related to Aongatete and the actions to take if needed.
Room 8 was very lucky to receive a number of Parent Helpers that were willing to give up their time to attend Camp. We ended up with 7 wonderful parents who each brought their own valuable skills and knowledge to the table. All round the camp would not have run as smoothly if these individuals were not involved. They were all willing to help wherever required and gave over and above what was expected of them.
I was also lucky enough to have a number of Berkley staff give their time to support me on Camp. It made me feel much more at ease knowing that I had experienced teachers who had been on this camp a countless number of times and knew all the ins and outs to take charge. This Camp would not have been possible without them and I am so thankful for all of their support.
The students as mentioned above were incredible; ones who had been noted down as anxious didn't show any signs when doing the activities - they gave everything a go! It was wonderful as their teacher to see them so confident and willing to give things a go; hopefully we can continue this within the classroom and throughout other school activities. I feel that Camp really built up the connections and relationships within my class. They all worked so well together and supported each other when and wherever was needed. I hope that this will continue back in the classroom.
This experience was definitely the best time I have had with my class so far, I am looking forward to many more like this throughout the year!
- Focus on rules rather than words and lists. Joy Alcott book? - Challenging you about spelling rules etc. shows that they are thinking so run with that.
Learning Pathways and Progressions
Gail Loane - "Every child has something to say - it is our job to believe it and have our students believe it too".
- Merge different experts ideas together, rather than just using one.
The Learning Journey - Thinking about it through the metaphor of a car journey.
- Who is in control of the learning journey? Students should be in control with the support of teachers, whanau, peers etc. - Why are we on this journey? Remember to unpack this and make this visible for students - know your learners! Make learning about them - motivating, personalised, engaging. Examples of why: - To inform - To persuade - To entertain - To describe - How do I know where to go? Use of the Literacy Progressions (What) and Effective Literacy Practice (How). - How is this journey ignited? Engagement and Motivation - Provocations. - How can we accelerate the journey? Challenge ourselves to do something different for lower learners. Progress vs. Achievement. - How will students know that they have been successful? Kid Speak Progressions. - What does the dashboard say? Give students updates and feedback. Notice and observe - Check in. - Stronger collaboration between ELC and Classroom. Could Judy come into class and observe/support to give me some tips on how to best work with my target learners?
Literacy Learning Progressions
- Complete the Literacy Learning Progressions Tracking and Monitoring Sheet for target students.
- Focus on one thread at a time.
- Be explicit in your teaching.
- Unpack a thread at a time so that you know and understand the progressions.
- Get students to pick out and be aware of what is expected in the progressions - Take one specific thread and get them to unpack it. Age + 3 - This is how long children can focus for.
John Hattie
- Importance of peer interaction
- Make the success criteria clear
- Small parts at a time
- Co-construct the success criteria
Building a Success Criteria
Using Exemplars - What do you notice across the three texts?
To write a Narrative:
- Who, what, where, when (orientation)
- Started with a problem
- Past tense
- Characters
- Paragraphs
- Grammar
- Punctuation (.,"")
- Sequence of events that each paragraph follows
- Climax
- Simple, compound, complex sentences
- Put what they say on the success criteria and the technical term in brackets - honour what they are saying.
Guided Writing Session
- Formative Assessment - Exit Pass - What did you learn today and why?
- To extend this lesson move onto complex sentences starting with a simile.
More Information about Guided Writing - Effective Literacy Practice pg. 111 - Chapter 5: Engaging Learners with Texts
Rotation - 10-12 minutes per group
- Teacher - Guided
- Follow-Up
- Editing/Publishing
- Independent (Use of Writer's Journal here?)
- Writing Table (Variety of pens, paper, photos, pictures, Ipads/Laptops)
Tips for Grouping
- Use of visuals for your Target Group that they can take with them to their Follow-Up Activity.
- Make reluctant learners the expert and create a shared piece of writing.
- Follow-Up Activity is a time for them to put their learning from the guided session into practice in an independent piece of writing.
Once ability groups are set up you can bring in more choice and workshops.
Possible Paragraph Lesson:
- Chop up exemplar or own writing into pieces and get students to group like ideas into paragraphs.
- Use one students work as an example and get the class to rework it.
Compound Sentences - Explicit Group Teaching
Mini Lessons can be found on YouTube - No Frills Writing
Austin's Butterfly - Feedback and Feedforward
- Be specific with feedback and feedforward.
- Keep making improvements.
- 'yet' rather than 'but'.
- 'good start' and 'draft' - students need to know that author's rework and recraft many times.
- Use of honeycombs/hexagons for goals - 6 times for evidence (sides with dates), highlighted what they are working on and what they have achieved. Link to LLP Tracking and Monitoring Sheet.
- Write two students on weekly planner each week that are your focus students (Greet them in the morning, check in with them etc.). This will help to ensure that students don't slip through the cracks.
- What does the Learner Profile look like in Room 8? - Could this link to my Super Learners? Could students give examples of others using the Learner Profile inside and outside the classroom? Could there be a wall where students post these examples to highlight/celebrate students? - Use of reflective journals/self-reflection is highly important. - Could I use the Learner Profile in my own teaching reflections? - Reflect throughout the UOI to support the end of unit reflection. - Use of Visible Thinking Tools e.g. Quadrant Brainstorm. - Use of Jigsaw for Reading. Summative Task - - Not about a end point, it is about demonstrating understanding. Can be presented in any form. - Assessing where their understanding began and where it is now. - Formative assessment is more critical. Thursday 28th April 2016 - Which geographical feature best represents where you are at the moment on your PYP journey? - Use of images for reflection. - Planning conceptually. - Allowing the students the freedom to discover and inquire into something that they feel strongly about. - Teacher as the facilitator of learning. - Inquiry using artifacts - looking at the artifact through the lens of a concept (e.g. connection). Artifacts as a form of provacation (not suitable for every lesson/inquiry).
Finally made it to the end of my first term at Berkley!
Looking back now this term has flown by and I cannot believe how much I have learnt and achieved in the eleven weeks. None of it would have been possible without my wonderful team and super organised tutor teacher, so a huge thank you to them!!
My classroom program is beginning to come together and I feel that the students are a lot more settled than they were in the middle of the term. They are now seem to listen to what is expected of them and are taking it onboard. I am looking forward to putting my literacy rotation into practice next term and seeing how the students go working in their groups. It is great to have an idea of what term two will be like so that I am able to spend some time over the break doing some planning and hopefully setting myself up for a good start.
I attended my first after work outing with the staff on Friday. It was fantastic to get to know everyone a bit better and to debrief with them about term one. I think one of my personal goals for term two will be to make more time within school to go over to the staffroom during break and lunchtimes and spend time with some of my colleagues - it is so easy to get caught up in work and forget to make the effort to build these relationships!
I am looking forward to the Making The PYP Happen course that I am attending in the holidays. This will be a great opportunity for me to get my head around more of how IB and the PYP works. It will also give me the opportunity to catchup with some of the other staff that are new to Berkley.
Looking ahead to next term - setting more established routines, performing our first ever focus and going on camp! There is already so much to think about - But for now I shall enjoy the break.
