Reflecting on another year, the end of my second year and what a whirl wind. The growth that I've seen in myself and my students is phenomenal. One of my goals this year was to create a safe environment where everyone felt included, valued and heard. As a result, I believed that my class would thrive socially, academically, and holistically. When thinking about how I wanted my students to feel when they entered our class, I knew I wanted them to be focused on their learning and improving their own skills. Some major shifts have taken place this year because of the level of comfort and acceptance that we feel every day. One child in particular, who I worked very hard on in regards to his attitude towards his learning and the behaviour that prevented any learning from happening, has seen major changes. He has accelerated in all areas of Mathematics and has moved from well below his cohort to exactly where he needs to be. We noticed that once a plan was established and relationships were forming, we were able to work together to help him understand the strategies he needed to be at level 3. Another child who struggled immensely with his writing has seen incredible shift, and I believe it comes down to explicit teaching of writing skills and student agency. I provided the class with more opportunities around literacy, including opportunities to share writing daily, opportunities to select their own topics for writing, as well as opportunities to share reading! Reading for pleasure has absolutely taken off this term and my class are now more engaged in silent reading than ever! That's because we are now making regular and purposeful visits to the school library, we are sharing our reading experiences and we are making reading recommendations. I believe that by removing the stress of writing for instruction, and teaching writing skills within writing and reading for pleasure, has resulted in shifts for children like this one. He has moved from level 1 of the curriculum to level 3. I'm seeing more writing happening in the same time frame, deeper thinking is coming through and spelling and sentence structure have improved - because that's what I've taught.
Overall, it has been a successful year - academically for my students, socially for the relationships between students and between myself and the class, and holistically - we have grown our understanding around problem solving strategies and growth mindsets, and it is setting everyone up for success in the future.
Wednesday, 5 December 2018
Tuesday, 30 October 2018
Kaingaroa School Learn, Create, Share
We are contributing to our clusters visible collection through a learn, create, share google slide. My next steps for 2019 would involve more of the 'share' aspect, especially digitally sharing. My class also need more opportunity for sharing their learning on their blogs.
Monday, 22 October 2018
Saturday, 28 July 2018
Starting a new term
First week back and boy what a roller coaster!
As part of my PRT criteria it's very important to be able to differentiate the learning for my students to ensure I'm meeting each of their individual needs. I feel like my Level 2 and 3 students especially, are in motion and understand what is expected of them. We have two Level 3 groups who operate using the same must do, can do's, and we then have a Level 2 group who have their own list of must do's as well.
I'm now at a point where I'm able to change the learning while keeping each student feeling part of the class. For example, I have three students who have very high needs in literacy. I've created a new group for them, so there are 4 groups in total. They have their own set of must do's and can do's just like each other group. Because they struggle with literacy, I've added visual aspects to their must do's and sat down to explicitly teach them how to use it. I also printed a copy for each of them to paste into their new literacy books, in case they don't have access to a device. As part of their must do's, they will also practice other skills including cutting, gluing, using a device to select an image, writing, drawing and reading.
I implemented this program for my students working at Level 1 on Thursday last week and what a success! Who knew it was so easy to get reluctant boys writing! I had three boys choose a different picture each that ranged from war & tornadoes to eels. What a success! I'm feeling very good about the changes and progress within my classroom this year!
As part of my PRT criteria it's very important to be able to differentiate the learning for my students to ensure I'm meeting each of their individual needs. I feel like my Level 2 and 3 students especially, are in motion and understand what is expected of them. We have two Level 3 groups who operate using the same must do, can do's, and we then have a Level 2 group who have their own list of must do's as well.
I'm now at a point where I'm able to change the learning while keeping each student feeling part of the class. For example, I have three students who have very high needs in literacy. I've created a new group for them, so there are 4 groups in total. They have their own set of must do's and can do's just like each other group. Because they struggle with literacy, I've added visual aspects to their must do's and sat down to explicitly teach them how to use it. I also printed a copy for each of them to paste into their new literacy books, in case they don't have access to a device. As part of their must do's, they will also practice other skills including cutting, gluing, using a device to select an image, writing, drawing and reading.
I implemented this program for my students working at Level 1 on Thursday last week and what a success! Who knew it was so easy to get reluctant boys writing! I had three boys choose a different picture each that ranged from war & tornadoes to eels. What a success! I'm feeling very good about the changes and progress within my classroom this year!
Monday, 23 July 2018
Te Reo Maori PLD
We incorporated drama into our learning today and the staff presented a simple play to their audience, no longer than 2 minutes. They each chose a card with a phrase and had to be creative with their performance. Each person had to be included and participate, as well as someone saying their cards phrase.
The feedback was really positive and the staff seemed to enjoyed themselves, which was fantastic!
Thursday, 12 July 2018
New Moon Intentions
A New Moon is upon us, which means it's time to settle down and let go. Release any negativity and old emotions that are no longer serving you; allow space for what's to come. Now is the time to set new intentions for the month to come, harnessing the power of the new moon. Intentions work best when they are feelings based and specific. Being able to feel your intention with all of your senses is the key to manifestation. Being able to see what it looks like, and incorporating any textures, smells, sounds, and the like, are going to help you be as specific as possible. Ask yourself what would it feel like to lose weight? How will my body feel? How will I view myself? How will my mind feel? What steps do I need to actively take to support my intention?When making your intentions for a New Moon, remember that it's important to word your intentions positively. The New Moon is the time when the moon is growing in light, which means this is the time for attracting abundance and growth. If you are wanting to release something, it might be a good idea to save that intention for the Full Moon, which is the time for releasing.
What are you attracting this month?
Tuesday, 10 July 2018
My reflective journey
Reflective practice
Reflective practice can help teachers to understand and be able to evaluate their practice, which in turn can lead to professional development. Looking into the codes and standards, I believe the standard I have noticed has been at the forefront of my studies with The MindLab is professional learning. The Education Council (2017) identify professional learning as using inquiry, collaborative problem solving and professional learning to improve professional capability, thus impacting on the learning and achievement of all learners.
Reflective practice can help teachers to understand and be able to evaluate their practice, which in turn can lead to professional development. Looking into the codes and standards, I believe the standard I have noticed has been at the forefront of my studies with The MindLab is professional learning. The Education Council (2017) identify professional learning as using inquiry, collaborative problem solving and professional learning to improve professional capability, thus impacting on the learning and achievement of all learners.
Evaluating the identified change
1. Problem identification:
My most immediate problem at the beginning of my reflective journey was my literacy rotation. I had changed it three times in the first two terms of school as I found it was not engaging enough for any student agency to take place. Guided reading groups were difficult with the level of behaviour that was happening among the rest of the class. Something needed to change.
2. Observation and analysis:
I noticed that when students were working together in groups, much of the work was being completed by the same students each day, the self-motivated ones. I had a hunch that if students were working on digital devices, and possibly independently, there would be more engagement. I decided to create a classroom site where students could access their tasks, and gave them one must do with follow up activities, instead of three must dos as this proved too difficult and lead to negative behaviour.
3. Abstract re-conceptualisation:
I observed a year 5 & 6 teacher during her literacy rotation and noticed that she only had two groups, one group was in a guided reading group while the other was working independently on devices. I decided to give this a try, however because my students were year 4 & 5s, I decided to reduce my four groups down to three, with the two groups not in a guided reading lesson working on the same independent activity.
4. Active experimentation:
After observations and noticing things within our current classroom practises, I began to make changes. I split 25 students into 3 groups, and my new focus became giving clear and explicit instructions. The students now had their site to access all the information, and everything was clearly spelled out for them. They now only had one task to complete, at a high level, and had to manage their time as they would also be part of a guided reading lesson at some stage. This worked great. All the students were on task and engaged in their activities, and the children were beginning to help each other on their devices instead of coming to see me. I was able to get through all three reading groups instead of only seeing two per day.
Sharing my next steps
Because of the success that the changes in literacy have had for my class, I am going to implement a similar programme for mathematics. The programme is simple and easy to follow, and the students are able to focus solely on one activity, which also allows for more in-depth thinking. I am going to have three math groups, and change them from mixed ability to ability, and differentiate the learning for each guided group, but have the whole class working on the same activity independently or in buddies during this time.
References
Ministry of Education (2017). Our code, our standards. Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/content/our-code-our-standards
1. Problem identification:
My most immediate problem at the beginning of my reflective journey was my literacy rotation. I had changed it three times in the first two terms of school as I found it was not engaging enough for any student agency to take place. Guided reading groups were difficult with the level of behaviour that was happening among the rest of the class. Something needed to change.
2. Observation and analysis:
I noticed that when students were working together in groups, much of the work was being completed by the same students each day, the self-motivated ones. I had a hunch that if students were working on digital devices, and possibly independently, there would be more engagement. I decided to create a classroom site where students could access their tasks, and gave them one must do with follow up activities, instead of three must dos as this proved too difficult and lead to negative behaviour.
3. Abstract re-conceptualisation:
I observed a year 5 & 6 teacher during her literacy rotation and noticed that she only had two groups, one group was in a guided reading group while the other was working independently on devices. I decided to give this a try, however because my students were year 4 & 5s, I decided to reduce my four groups down to three, with the two groups not in a guided reading lesson working on the same independent activity.
4. Active experimentation:
After observations and noticing things within our current classroom practises, I began to make changes. I split 25 students into 3 groups, and my new focus became giving clear and explicit instructions. The students now had their site to access all the information, and everything was clearly spelled out for them. They now only had one task to complete, at a high level, and had to manage their time as they would also be part of a guided reading lesson at some stage. This worked great. All the students were on task and engaged in their activities, and the children were beginning to help each other on their devices instead of coming to see me. I was able to get through all three reading groups instead of only seeing two per day.
Sharing my next steps
Because of the success that the changes in literacy have had for my class, I am going to implement a similar programme for mathematics. The programme is simple and easy to follow, and the students are able to focus solely on one activity, which also allows for more in-depth thinking. I am going to have three math groups, and change them from mixed ability to ability, and differentiate the learning for each guided group, but have the whole class working on the same activity independently or in buddies during this time.
References
Ministry of Education (2017). Our code, our standards. Retrieved from https://educationcouncil.org.nz/content/our-code-our-standards
Wednesday, 4 July 2018
My understanding of cultural responsiveness
My understanding of culturally responsive pedagogy:
From the time we are born, to the present moment, we are operating and interacting within the world and society we live. We interpret the world through our cultural lens as we interact with those around us, make assumptions, and gain new experiences. Gay (2001) says that culturally responsive pedagogy is practice that uses the cultural characteristics, experiences and perspectives of individuals to guide effective classroom teaching. Gay (2001) also says there are five elements in which culturally responsive pedagogy can be organised:
Evaluating our school wide practice in light of Unitec's Poutama framework:
Unitec's Poutama framework represents the stepping patterns of woven tukutuku that act as a metaphor for scaffolding knowledge. It shows a three-stage progression that embeds Matauranga Maori into their Living Curriculum, acknowledging each dimension of Hauora and teaching and learning elements.
In the 'Pedagogy' poutama, I believe our school sits at the first stepping pattern represented: "Learning/Teaching approaches are inclusive, reflective and responsive to student preferred pedagogy with Maori mentorship sought." The poutama identify this stage as the distribution of skills. While our teaching staff are experienced and knowledgeable, we are only just beginning to seek professional development and mentorship in te ao Maori. Our school vision is 'Growing success together today, for tomorrow', and we have recently sought mentorship and translated our vision into te reo Maori. We are branching out and making te reo Maori and tikanga Maori part of our curriculum by slowly making it a focus in our classrooms. This has been challenging yet successful so far this year. Staff have commented that there is not enough time in the day to complete everything that we would like, including physical education, inquiry, te reo maori, arts, and the like, and unfortunately literacy and numeracy continue to take precedence. However, other staff members have commented on the classroom success they've had in their student engagement and interest, as well as the continuity and focus across the school.
What I need to consider when making my next steps towards a culturally responsive practice:
When making our next steps for our school wide practice, I believe I need to consider the time frames and the expectations that I have from our staff and our students, as the Maori leader. What I aim to do next term to further develop our level of te reo Maori in the school, is provide not only resources and materials, but learning experiences and opportunities for our staff to participate in. Hopefully this will further their confidence in delivering te reo Maori.
References
Bishop, R., Berryman, M., Cavanagh, T. & Teddy, L. (2009).Te Kotahitanga: Addressing educational disparities facing Māori students in New Zealand. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(5),734–742.
Edtalks.(2012, September 23). A culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. [video file].Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/49992994
Gay,G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2),106-116.
Milne, A.(2017).Coloring in the white spaces: reclaiming cultural identity in whitestream schools. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc.
Unitec. (n.d). Learning and Teaching at Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from Booklet.http://www.unitec.ac.nz/ahimura/publications/U008817%20Learning%20and%20Teaching%20Booklet.pdf
From the time we are born, to the present moment, we are operating and interacting within the world and society we live. We interpret the world through our cultural lens as we interact with those around us, make assumptions, and gain new experiences. Gay (2001) says that culturally responsive pedagogy is practice that uses the cultural characteristics, experiences and perspectives of individuals to guide effective classroom teaching. Gay (2001) also says there are five elements in which culturally responsive pedagogy can be organised:
- knowledge about cultural diversity
- culturally integrated content in the curriculum
- development of the learning community
- ability to communicate with culturally diverse students
- culturally responsive delivery of instruction
Evaluating our school wide practice in light of Unitec's Poutama framework:
Unitec's Poutama framework represents the stepping patterns of woven tukutuku that act as a metaphor for scaffolding knowledge. It shows a three-stage progression that embeds Matauranga Maori into their Living Curriculum, acknowledging each dimension of Hauora and teaching and learning elements.
In the 'Pedagogy' poutama, I believe our school sits at the first stepping pattern represented: "Learning/Teaching approaches are inclusive, reflective and responsive to student preferred pedagogy with Maori mentorship sought." The poutama identify this stage as the distribution of skills. While our teaching staff are experienced and knowledgeable, we are only just beginning to seek professional development and mentorship in te ao Maori. Our school vision is 'Growing success together today, for tomorrow', and we have recently sought mentorship and translated our vision into te reo Maori. We are branching out and making te reo Maori and tikanga Maori part of our curriculum by slowly making it a focus in our classrooms. This has been challenging yet successful so far this year. Staff have commented that there is not enough time in the day to complete everything that we would like, including physical education, inquiry, te reo maori, arts, and the like, and unfortunately literacy and numeracy continue to take precedence. However, other staff members have commented on the classroom success they've had in their student engagement and interest, as well as the continuity and focus across the school.
What I need to consider when making my next steps towards a culturally responsive practice:
When making our next steps for our school wide practice, I believe I need to consider the time frames and the expectations that I have from our staff and our students, as the Maori leader. What I aim to do next term to further develop our level of te reo Maori in the school, is provide not only resources and materials, but learning experiences and opportunities for our staff to participate in. Hopefully this will further their confidence in delivering te reo Maori.
References
Bishop, R., Berryman, M., Cavanagh, T. & Teddy, L. (2009).Te Kotahitanga: Addressing educational disparities facing Māori students in New Zealand. Teaching and Teacher Education, 25(5),734–742.
Edtalks.(2012, September 23). A culturally responsive pedagogy of relations. [video file].Retrieved from https://vimeo.com/49992994
Gay,G. (2002). Preparing for culturally responsive teaching. Journal of Teacher Education, 53(2),106-116.
Milne, A.(2017).Coloring in the white spaces: reclaiming cultural identity in whitestream schools. New York: Peter Lang Publishing, Inc.
Unitec. (n.d). Learning and Teaching at Unitec Institute of Technology. Retrieved from Booklet.http://www.unitec.ac.nz/ahimura/publications/U008817%20Learning%20and%20Teaching%20Booklet.pdf
Tuesday, 26 June 2018
Addressing current and future challenges in education
What?
So What?
Because of the shift that digital technology is making currently, it has encouraged me to become more informed around the successful implementation of digital devices into my classroom practices. Originally my class was split where the Year 5's had chrome books to work from while the younger Year 4 students had to share out-of-date iPads. This proved extremely difficult as it initiated a divide among my students first and foremost, as well as making the consistency of learning difficult for both myself and the class.
New Media Consortium (2017) address the significant challenges and developments within the digital movement, suggesting a number of possible strategies for schools in order to help them be successful. Two examples of strategies include:
New Media Consortium (2017) suggest that educators can do this by providing make and create opportunities, active learning classroom environments, and the inclusion of coding and robotics in their programmes as these types of activities encourage students to create and experiment in ways that encourage complex thinking.
New Media Consortium (2017) address the significant challenges and developments within the digital movement, suggesting a number of possible strategies for schools in order to help them be successful. Two examples of strategies include:
- schools being structured to promote new ideas, providing successful and sustainable models for cultural transformation;
- and educators supporting students to be active creators.
New Media Consortium (2017) suggest that educators can do this by providing make and create opportunities, active learning classroom environments, and the inclusion of coding and robotics in their programmes as these types of activities encourage students to create and experiment in ways that encourage complex thinking.
Now What?
Becoming digitally fluent has always been a professional goal for me as I'm aware of the changes our education system are making regarding technology. The first change I made to make the use of devices more successful was removing the use of iPads completely, as it created a consistency among users. As there are not enough chrome books for the entirety of the class, I've began to organise the use of technology to specific learning tasks and follow up activities. For example, during literacy one group will be completing an individual task using their devices while the other group are in a guided reading session with the teacher. Follow this, there may be a group activity where the students are working together to research and find relevant information using one devices between them.
Educators and students need to be adaptable to the changes in technology and the new educational paradigms that are being introduced, and by allowing for consistency and having organised use of the digital devices, our classroom are seeing a lot more success than we were at the beginning of the year. From here, I will look at solidifying the knowledge my students have around the use of their devices and how they access the tools in their drive. We will also be looking at sharing and commenting on others work in order to provide feedback and assistance.
References
National Intelligence Council. (2017). Global trends: The Paradox of Progress. National Intelligence Council: US. Retrieved from https://www.dni.gov/files/images/global Trends/documents/GT-Main-Report.pdf
KPMG International. (2014). Future state 2030: the global megatrends shaping governments” [Video]. KPMG International Cooperative: USA. Retrieved from http://www.kpmg.com/Global/en/IssuesAndIns ights/ArticlesPublications/future-state-government/Documents/future-state-2030-v3.pdf
Daggett, B. (2014). Addressing Current and Future Challenges in Education. Retrieved from http://www.leadered.com/pdf/2014 MSC_AddressingCurrentandFutureChallenges.pdf
Educators and students need to be adaptable to the changes in technology and the new educational paradigms that are being introduced, and by allowing for consistency and having organised use of the digital devices, our classroom are seeing a lot more success than we were at the beginning of the year. From here, I will look at solidifying the knowledge my students have around the use of their devices and how they access the tools in their drive. We will also be looking at sharing and commenting on others work in order to provide feedback and assistance.
References
National Intelligence Council. (2017). Global trends: The Paradox of Progress. National Intelligence Council: US. Retrieved from https://www.dni.gov/files/images/global Trends/documents/GT-Main-Report.pdf
KPMG International. (2014). Future state 2030: the global megatrends shaping governments” [Video]. KPMG International Cooperative: USA. Retrieved from http://www.kpmg.com/Global/en/IssuesAndIns ights/ArticlesPublications/future-state-government/Documents/future-state-2030-v3.pdf
Daggett, B. (2014). Addressing Current and Future Challenges in Education. Retrieved from http://www.leadered.com/pdf/2014 MSC_AddressingCurrentandFutureChallenges.pdf
Saturday, 23 June 2018
How does the moon affect us?
The Moon represents powerful feminine energy. She signifies wisdom, intuition, birth, death, reincarnation and a spiritual connection. The moon also represents our deepest personal needs and we can use the knowledge and energy of the Moon’s cycle to better connect ourselves. Once we are attuned to the Moon, we can activate her innate powers.
Each phase of the Moon’s cycle has a unique visual characteristic and spiritual meaning. Her course signifies the rhythm of life within us and has a powerful influence on us as spiritual bodies.
One way to connect to this energy and influence is to use the Moon’s energy to help set our intentions and clear negativity.
New Moon | Beginning
This phase signifies new beginnings. Here we are planting seeds in a new growing cycle; we are setting our intentions.
Waxing Crescent Moon | Initiative
This phase signifies intention as our seeds begin to grow. We are holding our vision and taking action.
First Quarter Moon | Growth
This phase signifies decision making. Our plants are beginning to sprout their first leaves. We need to exert our will and make an effort towards our intentions for this cycle.
Waxing Gibbous Moon | Perfection
This Moon signifies refinement. Our intentions are in need of refinement and observation. We are building momentum as our plant sprout flower buds.
Full Moon | Clarity
This phase signifies release and sealing of intention. Our plant’s flowers are beginning to blossom. Here we become aware of impact and collaboration.
Waning Gibbous Moon | Culmination
This phase signifies gratitude. Here we are celebrating and harvesting the benefits of our fruits.
Third Quarter Moon | Decline
This phase signifies forgiveness. Here are plants begin to lose their leaves and wither; this is where we release anything that doesn’t serve us.
Waning Crescent Moon | Surrender
This phase signifies surrender. Our plants are preparing their seeds for the new cycle. This is the time to rest, recuperate and reflect.
Wednesday, 20 June 2018
Casey Brown Talks
"No one will ever pay you what you're worth. They'll only ever pay you what they think you're worth, and you control their thinking. Clearly defining and communicating your value are essential to being paid well for your excellence."
This TEDTalks has struck a cord inside me. Clearly defining my value has taken many years, and was challenged again when I entered into teaching. But working for the government will always result in not being paid your value. Today I attended a NZEI Union Meeting where primary school teachers from the Far North discussed and voted on whether to accept the ministry's proposal or to take further action. The ministry were offering a 2% pay increase for the next 3 years. 2%. 2% of my fortnightly salary is $14. That's an extra $7 per week that the ministry are offering. Can you imagine how offended I felt when I did my calculations! I am worth so much more than the government are paying me, I can only imagine what experienced educators are worth!
This brings me back to the multiple times I've been upset or bothered about the number on my payslip. Someone I know is studying to receive their certificate in Early Childhood Education. They run a home-based daycare and have 3 children from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Thursday. This person gets paid more than I do. I studied for five years and received a degree, as well as a post-graduate diploma on top of that. I'm a qualified teacher who had up to 29 students last year, and 26 this year (so far). Novopay says I work 25 hours per week but any educator knows that's rubbish, and that we'd be looking towards 60 plus. The amount of stress, meetings, paper work, etc. that takes away from teaching time, makes a woman (or man) question: why? How is this worth it?
People say, "oh you shouldn't have gone into teaching if you wanted to be rich" or "oh you don't go into teaching for the money". It's not about the money, it's about matching the money to the value.
Tuesday, 19 June 2018
Professional Online Social Networks
What is social media?
- internet-based platforms
- users are able to generate content on social media
- individuals and groups are able to create user-specific profiles
- online networks are developed by connecting a profile with those of other individuals/groups.
What are the implications for using social media in my professional development?
Jay and Johnson's (2002) reflective model makes it simple for me to assess the implications that using social media has on my professional development. At the moment, I am currently using blogger to document my reflective practice and share some of my teaching ideas and strategies. This has become an online reflective journal for me as it allows me to see the progress that I am making as an educator, as well as reflect on my current practices. I've been hesitant about joining an online community due to my past experiences with online platforms, and I've limited myself to the amount of social media platforms I'm involved with.
Whitaker, Zoul & Casas (2015) shed some light on the subject for me. They use the analogy of a person running alone on their treadmill at home, and lacking motivation and enthusiasm. By joining a Sunday running group, an individual is likely to feel energised and 'jacked up', in their words. This brought me back to a conversation a colleague and I had about the exact same topic. I explained why I wasn't drawn to online networks and that I was using my blog to share my ideas, when my colleague shared her online experience with me. Being part of an online network allowed her to feel part of something greater, outside of her own school, and know that she wasn't working in isolation. She explained that educators all over the world, share their ideas and experiences with each other. This made me realise that my blog was great for my reflective purposes, however I wasn't actually interacting with anyone. There was no connection, no collaboration.
So, I then watched a short clip titled 'Connected Educators' and it completely opened my eyes to what online networks can actually mean for educators and, specially, for their professional development. Tom Whitby talks about educators collaborating in their professional practice for thousands of years, and highlights the fact that technology has simply allowed us to collaborate at a more efficient and productive level. Elana Leoni discusses the importance of being connected and says it is one of the most powerful and impactful things we can do as educators. Finally, and my favourite part of the video, was Sandy Hayes, who says that online social media networks are "collaboration and communication across not just disciplines, but philosophies". Throughout this reflective entry I've noticed my own philosophy around online platforms change. Being open-minded to the views and philosophies of others, allows educators to adapt, to change, to reflect, and to take risks; all such powerful tools in education.
References
Jay, J.K. and Johnson, K.L. (2002). Capturing complexity: a typology of reflective practice for teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 18, 73-85.
Obar, J.A. & Wildman, S. (2015). Social media definition and the governance challenge: An introduction to the special issue. Telecommunications Policy, 39(9), 745-750.
Whitaker, T., Zoul, J., & Casas, J. (2015). What connected educators do differently. New York, NY: Routledge.
Monday, 18 June 2018
S P E L L I N G
Spelling has always been an issue for our school. We haven't found a reliable way to incorporate it into our literacy programmes. Earlier this term one of my colleagues had a student teacher join her in her class and I decided to give one of her ideas a go.Our entire class did a spelling test. I marked each test and highlighted each incorrectly spelt word. Each week the students have 5 new words to learn and I select them based on their spelling test. Every Wednesday as part of their literacy contract, the students will complete a number of spelling activities in their spelling books (which I can see as it's one of their must do's). The, each Friday, during literacy I will test each of the students on their words for the week. The girls especially, are responding really well to spelling. They're able to use their colourful gel pens which they're not able to use during writing. They find it fun and creative, and most of my class are scoring 4 or 5 every week. This is much better than last year as their spelling books where barely touched!
Whanaungatanga
During Term 1, Kereru Whanau focused on Whanaungatanga and developing our sense of self. We looked into our own family connections and created a whare with all of our whakapapa inside (obviously some students haven't finished yet). This whare model will stay here for the year to help us reconnect and remind us of the importance of our identity and where we belong in the world.
Let's Talk Stress
I feel like I've been in a constant state of stress the last two and half years. Studying full time to be a teacher for a year, so fitting a post graduate qualification into less than 12 months, and then being a first year teacher, I have never experienced stress of this level before.
I fell really ill into my first year of teaching. I had issues with my digestive system where I was unable to eat food without spitting it back up, I was constantly nauseous, and due to the fact I couldn't eat, my body wasn't functioning the way it should. Taking time off work to 'heal' seemed like a good idea at the time, but as a Taurus, I also struggled with the reality of returning to work with even more work to have completed. Later in the year, I developed psoriasis, a terrible skin disease that has no cure and is the result of stress. This was the worst as my entire body was covered in what looked like little red spots, they were incredibly itchy and dry. My students even said it looked like I had chicken pox. Finally after over a month, my skin started to heal. I wasn't sure if it was a single thing in isolation or a combination of things that helped my skin heal, but I was the most grateful I had been in a while.
I have felt relativity stressed this year, but not to the extent of my first year teaching. I doubt I will ever experience that high level of stress again. My body this year has decided to react to the stress by blessing me with beautiful white hairs in amongst my dark locks. Such a sight for 25 year old.
This journey has made me realise that although my mahi is important, so am I. And without allowing myself the time and energy to reset, heal, reground, I won't be able to be my best possible self. So this year I am focusing on healing, calmness, and increasing my vibrations to be my higher self.
Law of Attraction
Everything is made up of vibrations. Everything is in a constant state of vibrations where the energies and atoms are either positive or negative, and what we give off, the Universe matches.
"What you give out, you attract."
Webinar
Saturday, 16 June 2018
Observing another educator
11.06.18
I have recently visited Paparore School and observed a Year 5 -6 teacher during literacy. I have since changed my literacy programme to best suit the needs of my students. My groups now consist of a Level 2 group, and two Level 3 groups. My goal is to scaffold and teach the students at the level they need to be at for their year. I differentiate the learning for each group, based on the learning needs of my students. For example, Level 2 reading: the goal for this group is focusing on vocabulary and summarising - a skill they have not mastered. I have two Level 3 reading groups, one group is highly scaffolded and focuses on vocabulary, making connections and summarising, while the other Level 3 group is focusing on inferring and evaluating. While I am using the same Level 3 text for both groups, the needs of the groups are different and therefore the teaching and learning differentiates.
As we are part of the Manaiakalani cluster, I have created a site for our class. The students are able to access previous learning via their devices and this minimises teacher dependency and increases student agency. Models are provided and students have access to some learning tools online. This has made for an increase in engagement in my classroom, particularly during literacy.
Parent communications
11.06.18
I have built positive relationships with most of my parents so far this year. I communicate with majority of them via text as it is easy, fast and casual. Often I see parents at sporting events, for example parent C, student C’s Mum is often at the netball courts on Thursday evenings supporting her oldest daughter. I’ve been in contact with student D’s parents regarding his learning, as well as parent A, student A’s Mum, to keep the communication open between us throughout the year.
I recently contacted parent E, student E’s Dad, regarding his medication as he will be staying overnight on Thursday for our kapa haka wananga. parent E seemed happy to have a conversation over the phone and discuss a plan for student E.
I decided to give my cell phone number out to parents and caregivers and it has made a positive impact as I’m able to contact family quickly and casually.
13.03.2018
I have began to make contact with the caregivers of students in my class to build and maintain positive relationships at the start of the school year. I have been in contact with parent A, student A’s Mum, 3 times this term (we’re now in week 7). I have done this twice via text message and one face-to-face encounter - all 3 exchanges have been focused on student A’s positive behaviour in the classroom and his motivation towards his learning goals. I am making these connections to encourage this behaviour as the behaviour I expect in class, as well as continuing to build that relationship with student A and his whanau.
I have also been in contact with parent B, student B’s Mum, as he had some learning difficulties last year. We have discussed the medication student B is currently taking and the changes I have seen in the classroom. The focus of our conversations is often based on student B’s hard work with his writing - he has shifted from a 1P last year to a 2B this year - as well as his improved confidence during swimming.
I met casually with a number of parents during the junior school camp in order to reintroduce myself and make that initial connection.
I met casually with a number of parents during the junior school camp in order to reintroduce myself and make that initial connection.
Using IYT strategies
13.03.2018
A colleague and I have recently completed an inquiry that focused on the development of student agency through the implementation of collaborative and digital technology in the classroom, as part of our study through MindLab. Through this inquiry we had to quickly change our mindset and understanding of digital technology and its clear use as a tool for learning. We collaborated throughout the inquiry as we met many barriers, including:
- not enough devices creating an unfair and competitive classroom environment, and
- the decision to stop using google classroom and literacy contracts part way through the initiative.
- Writing, including using national geographic for images and information, online dictionary and thesaurus applications, and comments through google docs as a way of collaborating and receiving feedback
- Inquiry-focused research, creation, and sharing,
- Te reo maori - the use of google slides to record (new) information such as our whakapapa and any new learning we acquire.
One of the strategies I have begun to implement is speaking in a positive way in order to encourage the behaviour I want to see. For example - walk with your chromebook closed, instead of don’t walk with your chromebook open - being specific in the behaviour I want to see.
Another strategy I am implementing is giving clear instructions. It’s important to make sure I have everyone’s attention before I start to give instructions. I’m beginning to speak clearly so that everyone has the opportunity to hear me. I’m offering wait time for students to process the information I have given them, and I’m limiting my instructions to 3 commands so they are achievable for students to recall.
Friday, 15 June 2018
Whanaungatanga in Kereru Whanau
13.03.2018
Our focus for Te Reo Maori in Term 1 is Whanaungatanga. We have been thinking about and discussing the overarching questions:
WIthin our lessons, we are focusing on kupu/vocabulary. I noticed most of the students didn’t know what a maunga or Aotearoa meant, so this has given us a focal point for discussion. We have looked at multiple Maui myths and legends - a student brought his book in from home and we did a ‘read to’ activity. We discussed the Maori words as they appeared - which we have also done as we move through our whakapapa learning.
We start every morning with karakia timatanga - a student will start our morning by saying the following:
‘E tu mo te karakia, tangohia o potae, me timata tatou.’ - Stand for karakia, take your hats off, let us begin.
We have two karakia timatanga that students choose from, the most popular being He Honore which they sing, the second being Whakataka te hau.
We end every day with karakia whakamutunga - Kia tau.
We say karakia before every food break - Whakapaingia enei kai.
Throughout the day I will deliver instructions and ask questions in Maori, these are simple and may include:
E rua ngā rārangi ki waho - Two lines outside (before swimming for example)
Kape te kuaha koa - close the door please
Kei he to pukapuka? Where’s your book?
Haere mai kei konei - Come here (to me)
Āta haere - Walk or go slowly
Āta marie - Good morning
Ka kite apopo - I’ll see you tomorrow
He aha te kupu pakeha/maori mo _____ ? What’s the english/maori word for _____ ?
Our focus for Te Reo Maori in Term 1 is Whanaungatanga. We have been thinking about and discussing the overarching questions:
- Who am I?
- Where do I come from?
WIthin our lessons, we are focusing on kupu/vocabulary. I noticed most of the students didn’t know what a maunga or Aotearoa meant, so this has given us a focal point for discussion. We have looked at multiple Maui myths and legends - a student brought his book in from home and we did a ‘read to’ activity. We discussed the Maori words as they appeared - which we have also done as we move through our whakapapa learning.
We start every morning with karakia timatanga - a student will start our morning by saying the following:
‘E tu mo te karakia, tangohia o potae, me timata tatou.’ - Stand for karakia, take your hats off, let us begin.
We have two karakia timatanga that students choose from, the most popular being He Honore which they sing, the second being Whakataka te hau.
We end every day with karakia whakamutunga - Kia tau.
We say karakia before every food break - Whakapaingia enei kai.
Throughout the day I will deliver instructions and ask questions in Maori, these are simple and may include:
E rua ngā rārangi ki waho - Two lines outside (before swimming for example)
Kape te kuaha koa - close the door please
Kei he to pukapuka? Where’s your book?
Haere mai kei konei - Come here (to me)
Āta haere - Walk or go slowly
Āta marie - Good morning
Ka kite apopo - I’ll see you tomorrow
He aha te kupu pakeha/maori mo _____ ? What’s the english/maori word for _____ ?
Matariki Celebration 2018
Matariki 2018 saw us celebrating at Kaingaroa School. What an incredible day! We started our day with a small whakatau where two of my students shared their whakapapa with the whole school and opened our day. We split the entire school into six groups, named after the Matariki cluster, where they rotated around different activities. It was so great having all the staff on board. Some classes made fried bread, while others had string games, making 3D stars and origami, playing ki-o-rahi and tapu ae.We had the most amazing shared lunch and fed the entire school, whanau and staff, with left overs! Everyone was well fed and enjoyed a small break, where we then broke off into our classrooms and participated in inter-house activities, including basketball shooting, obstacle courses, relay races and hoola hoop competitions.
We had such an incredible day, and I even had a parent come and say thank you for all of my efforts. She said that she can see the changes our school are making towards tikanga and that her children are coming home absolutely glowing. She acknowledged and thanked me for doing this for our tamariki. I was absolutely blown away and really appreciated her telling me that. It was one of the highlights of my day!
Modelling book fun
We've started using a lot more colour during our guided Maths lessons and the children are loving it! They like the post-it notes and colouring in their graphs with coloured pencils and highlighters.
Pre-loading the same lesson for my ALiM group seems to be meeting my overarching goal: to build the confidence among my learners so they have the ability to participate in problem-solving groups.
Maths Learning Goals 2018
Students can easily identify where they currently are, as well as where they need to be for their year level. I saw a similar display when I observed an amazing teacher at Paparore School and decided I would replicate it in our classroom. The students have responded well and seem to be more focused on their learning goals so they can move up to where they need to be.
Digital Fluency in Kereru Whanau 2018
We are beginning to use our site more and more. It is incredible for student engagement, as well as providing electronic resources easily to the entire class. The great thing about the site is that students can share a device and access the same information. They can see what text they're reading, or they can view a power point that will remind them how to write complex sentences at level 3 of the curriculum. I'm also able to share slides and videos for students to watch and view to help them with their comprehension - I've specifically used slides and videos to share information surrounding maori myths and legends with my class. They found it quite difficult to understand that they're not true or false, they're just what some people believe. It was quite black and white, either it's true or it's not. We looked at Matariki and the many stories surrounding the arrival of the Matariki cluster, in order to challenge our thinking around myths, beliefs and legends.
Evaluating other inquiry models
Inquiry models suggested by MindLab.
This week we worked in groups to evaluate the effectiveness of different inquiry models. We decided to compare it to our school's current inquiry model, which is new as of 2017. Our group concluded that these inquiry models were excellent and thorough, however they didn't provide enough opportunity for the students to deepen their own inquiry. We only got to the second section before we realised this.
Hui at Haiti-Tai-Marangai Marae 2018
Earlier this term, Rachelle & I decided to take our kapa haka group to the marae. We had two main goals in mind during the trip: we wanted our tamariki to experience a powhiri in a local, marae setting, and we also wanted whanau engagement and input into our future plans for the kapa haka group.
We were a little disappointed with the outcome, only a few parents came along, however we were also realistic in understanding that majority of our parents work or have prior commitments. The feedback we got from the whanau we did have was fantastic, and supportive of our whakaaro which was great. The students had so much fun! We set up the junior school with another one of our colleagues and her year 7 & 8 class, where they participated in interactive activities for the afternoon. While the seniors were involved in our hui, we also got to witness the benefits of play-based learning - a paper I'm currently working towards in completing my post-grad in digital technology. It was amazing! We divided the students and whanau up into four small groups where they rotated around, much like a bus stop activity. In between each stop however, I provided materials and simply instructed the students and whanau to 'play'. Our first activity was tititorea, followed by waiata, strong games, and pukana. The levels of engagement and contributions, from the students and the parents, continued to grow and improve after each 'play' activity. I got so excited to be watching something I had been studying for the last few weeks, in action and a success! The kids had so much fun, and so did the adults! Such a valuable experience that I can't wait to do again!
Year 5 & 6 Camp 2018
This year we have changed the way we do whole-school camp. Last year the entire primary school, so years 1 - 6, stayed at Coopers Beach Camp for two nights and the intermediate school, years 7 - 8, had a separate camp. The senior school had their own camp as usual, however my class was split in half: the year 4s joined the junior school at Coopers Beach and the year 5s, along with the year 5 & 6s in Tui Whanau, had their own camp at Te Aroha Island.
What an experience!
I have never felt such excited, joy, connection, fear, and pain all at the same time. Our camp was fantastic! We enjoyed the beautiful view of the ocean right at our feet, we had plenty of parent support, and two awesome teachers. We drove to Te Aroha Island and up our tents. We had two visitors join us and teach us about the Kiwi on the island while we explored through the bush looking for signs of Kiwi life. Later that night we went on a Kiwi hunt with our torches, trying to be as quiet as possible. On our second day we drove over to a beautiful bay where all the boats come into harbour, and we learned how to paddle board. I will never forget the fear I felt. As my mentor teacher had a group out paddle boarding I was watching the swimmers from the bank so I had a good view, as well as the small amount of children playing on land. I heard a crack, then a bang, and my heart began to race. One of my students had fallen from the tree. I sprinted across the bank to reach him, and just as fast as I got to him, one of the parents heard from the water and almost beat me to him. He was in shock, and so was I. My fifth term of teaching and one of my most beautiful kids had just hurt himself, bad. He was taken to Whangarei hospital in an ambulance and my mentor teacher went with him.
I was left with a group of parents to manage the large amount of students who watched their friend and classmate be taken away, on a stretcher and in an ambulance. We packed up and went back to camp. I was a mess. I felt like my own child had fallen from a tree and I wasn't there with him. The kids were very understanding and gave me a lot of time and space to organise the rest of our day and reset. My parent help stepped up and organised dinner and we carried on for another night. On our third day we packed our gear and headed back to school. Everyone was exhausted and had the most amazing (somewhat) time away. When my boy returned to school later the next week I'll never forget what he said to me as he walked in the door: "Miss, it was so cool in the ambulance, I got to see my own heart-beat!"
End of year class trip 2017
The end of my first year teaching and we have had the most amazing celebration! Our class trip involved a bus ride to Maitai Bay, where one of our locals gave a korero about the rahui that will be put in place on December the 20th. Our class sung a waiata to thank him for coming to share his knowledge and expertise with us, followed by a shared kai.
We then had copious amounts of sun and physical activities! The class separated into groups and we rotated around the different stations. Some participated in relay races, others swam and the rest learned how to paddle board. What an amazing way to end the year together!
We then had copious amounts of sun and physical activities! The class separated into groups and we rotated around the different stations. Some participated in relay races, others swam and the rest learned how to paddle board. What an amazing way to end the year together!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)