Mathis Obversation/Apprasial

Maths Observation 

On 21 August Tristan Observed the class engaged in maths.
During this time I worked with two math groups.
One learning to subtract by counting back from the biggest number and the other group learning to use multiplicative stratiges to solve multiplication

See the link for the observation notes.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1r_2A_8An7bN0c_CyXGp7g6DgaFWoT7ov8M-0fGJ-gsA/edit?ts=5b7b606c#heading=h.ngjw5t2wjbxr

Where to next from here

Teacher Reflection:

Continue with building mathematical language so the children can more clearly express their thinking and reasons why they agree or disagree. With the maths workshops it would be good to get some student voice and ask them what they would like to learn in the maths workshops?

Also interesting to note the children did not see choosing their independent math goal as a choice.

I guess it is not a pure choice as they all need to be working towards achieving an independent knowledge goal.

Connections - Key Competencies, Ready Willing and Able - Making Sense of Play learning

GUY Claxton Book Summary
https://www.buildinglearningpower.com/2015/09/whats-the-point-of-school/






https://www.buildinglearningpower.com/2018/06/putting-it-all-together-how-perseverance-might-grow-when-we-nurture-it/

Reading Inquiry 2018

“Inquiry is a stance. It’s a way of professional being, it’s not a thing. We don’t ‘do’ inquiry. We’re just always asking ourselves and seeking for the evidence that we are making enough of a difference.”

Reading Inquiry - Aksel
Throughout the year I have tried many variations in my teaching to move Aksel on. I initially focused on building his phonics knowledge and then building his recognition of sight words however he could recognize most of the early words in set 1. Running records showed he noticed errors and was able to reread and he can make self corrections. However as he has progressed he has become stuck at green. I have struggled to effectively progress Aksel. His processing can be slow and he lacked fluency, I worked on fluency and motivation through the use of plays. Aksel is reading level 9-11 texts with lovely fluency and often on the second read his fluency is astonishing.
For this inquiry I have been lucky enough to work closely with Kate Roundtree the Resource Teacher of Literacy as the student I am inquiring into has received Reading Recovery and has not made the progress expected. I have had a hunch that there is a puzzle piece missing and if I could just figure out what piece it is then things might fall into place for Aksel. This has not been easy for me to pinpoint.
Link to the inquiry Document

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xiZHsVh34M59GI2Vyo08lH1tlBPoqE-ussHgnYVKMTY/edit

Graduate profile - Super learning Powers

Super Learning Powers Term Two

Arranging for explicit acts of teaching and learning -
Developing understanding the key comp entices AKA Graduate profile
These are woven throughout the day. For the purposes of this blog my focus is on the children articulating what makes a great learner. The Key comp and the dispositions from the graduate profile have been linked to super learning powers as we have a poster display in this genere and the children relate to this idea.

Now - Keep expanding on the children's understanding and highlight the dispositions in action as well as supporting the children to set goals and evaluate hoe well they are going with the dispositions on the graduate profile

Science with Mike A Play based learning theme

Term Three  - Week One
31 July
Mike is taking the class for three science based sessions with play learning integrated.
This is challenging my current practices and provoking a lot of thought about play learning and comparison with established teaching practices.

Children have designed a fitness circuit to make their legs stronger for cross country. The board shows the curriculum documents as I make links and post photos of the children to see saw to share with their fmilies

My BIG QUESTION
Is it really better?  What is it better for?
This afternoon it was great to have the opportunity to really look at the entire curriculum displayed on a white board and reflect on what exactly the children were doing.
Benefits of play based learning I found  so far....

• Great opportunity to stand back and really observe the children
• Good space for Key Competences to be observed and for the children to put them into action in a natural way as they related with each other, negotiated and compromised. 
• It is a fairly uncontrived environment and the children really got to use their agency and their good judgement
• The children have the opportunity to be creative and use their thinking and imagination to play

As I became more aware of the opportunities to see the Curriculum in ACTION- I noticed that the children were working in many curriculum areas simultaneously, Dramatic play-ARTS, Measuring and Estimating, MATH, Writing and creating words, ENGLISH, Health and PE as they managed risk.

It was also interesting to note much of what they were doing I would not notice within the regular class programme.

It was very challenging for me to see this as good enough to make a post and to send to the child's parents on see saw. Would they see value in this (as real learning) or view it as trival?

Next Steps -  Develop greater familiarity with the curriculum
                   - Continue to do schedule regular slots for play based learning for my class and develop my own thinking and level of comfort with how it fits into my concept of 'real learning".

Dyslexia professional development

On Tuesday the 31 July, Jodie Hunter ran a work shop to clarify our understanding of what Dyslexia is and how we can best identify and support children with Dyslexia.
Always good to keep in mind what works for children with Dyslexia is good practice for all children.
Jodie was accompanied by Karen Briton who also spoke about her experiences with her son who has Dyslexia. The presentation was thought provoking and clarified my understanding of Dyslexia and enabled me to clearly pin point which children in my room may be on the Dyslexia Spectrum.
It also provided clear direction about how to support these children.
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1IaNXhUT3KFgkqNN5jiYtUKm0wLq05luvx4t68Z-lF4g/edit#slide=id.p
Key Messages - It is a neurological problem
Indicators
Early warning-poor speech
Not saying sounds in sequence or unable to pronounce multi syllable words

• Poor letter sound knowledge and poor retention of this
• Difficulty organ sing written and spoken language
• Trouble recalling number facts instantly and remembering these - due to slow processing
• Slow reading-poor comp
• Spelling dosent match reading and speech
• Difficulty generating rhyming words
• Poor recall of words that start with the same sound
• Difficulty with word retrieval
• Difficulty with spoken directions
• Difficulty with remembering and saying names and places - poor recall-retrieval
• May miss pronounce words esp multi syllable words

Support with..
Targeted phonological awareness

• Develop phonemic awareness
• Just target their specific gaps
• Lots of segmenting and blending words (making and breaking)
• Marie clay sound boxes are good - good to use a block or counter as in Marie clay methor from RR to represent each sound(phoneme)
• Need to explicitly transfer this knowledge to writing
• Explicitly teach to generalize sounds and spelling rules

Reccemonded -PHONOLOGICAL AWARENESS PROGRAMME - 

Refer to Gail Gillon - University of canterbury

https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/education/research/phonological-awareness-resources/
What next for me - Look at linking this information to my reading target inquiry
                               - Focus more on Phonological awareness of the children not making progress and clearly identify their gaps and explicit teach to these during reading and writing
Really slow down the segmenting of words and use a visual prompt e.g. sound boxes
                               - Meet with Andrea  to view the Gillon phonics kit and make one up to support targeting the gaps of my target children