Monday 16 March 2020

Triples and PLD Planning


Today we discussed triples observations. The aim of the triples is to work towards our goals. These will look slightly different this time.

We began planning in PLD teams for Literacy, Maths and Sustainability.

Reading, Writing and Maths Targets:

Increase the number of students meeting or exceeding NZ Curriculum expectations for Reading , Writing and Maths

Aspects of Reading and Writing Teachers Identified as going well -


Active demonstrating
Goal setting - kids goal setting - task oriented goals
Integrating reading and writing with Inquiry - authentic connections
Tautoru - wide range of literacy in terms of reading approaches - poems , phonics, not just reading - bits that feed into reading and writing
Shared language - Yolanda language
whole language stuff -
connections to oral language
Te Ao Maori and NZ History has been a great context for reading - fictions and non fiction
relevant
poetry is a way
Year 4 - less keen on writing poetry - Seniors are keen poem writers
Poetry there are less rules - more freedom - creativity
Using models - giving a recipe
Poetry is like a quick write
Spelling talk alouds during shared
Silly sentences for spelling patterns - different ways to write a sound
Reading together daily for pleasure. Getting excited about what books have to offer.

Hunches Reading and Writing -

In the Junior School our children have lots of ideas but lack the skills to record in writing (e.g. motor skills, letter formation, phonics/word family knowledge). (Raife, incredible ideas - outcome does show his creativity.)

Links to oral language - writing floats on a sea of talk.
We know that children who are successful in reading and writing have a solid grasp of phonetic knowledge.
If we alter our approaches to the teaching of phonics, how will this impact students who are not successful with current teaching approaches/practice? (TAI - Yolanda Soryl Programme)
Senior School - hunch questions - Do we plan to explicitly teach spelling patterns - magic e - ight, etc? How does that fit with current Yolanda and other approaches being used? What approaches exist that could be successful in our context?
Hunch - spelling is taught in amongst reading and writing and for some it needs to be explicitly focussed on.

Aspects of Maths going well -
 
Growth Mindset has been embedded
We have begun to use common language/ Number Talks
Using materials to build number sense
Multi level approach
Mixed ability, social grouping
Varied curriculum
Strand/ Number knowledge/ real context

What do our learners need in Maths? 

Talk Moves- cards for students/ student agency- one paper/ group work/ discourse
Number Sense/ Mental Maths
Number Talks planning- Big ideas, common misconceptions, strategies
Growth Mindset, resilience, accepting challenges
Formative Assessment

How????

Sustainability

People are losing social connection and becoming more socially isolated.
Studies show that we lack social resilience and community connections.
In the past the interest in trapping helped to create a community wide action and we would like to build on that.

What is going well- Sustainability -

Some kids are involved in planting.
Kids enjoyed the trapping.
Kids understand the concept of Kaitiakitanga.
Good community connections and outside agencies (Enviroschool) have been made.
Links to Te Ao Māori are clear.
Seniors positive purpose group and envirogroup.

Our learners need to -

Take the lead in sustainability and involve whānau more.
Experience the outdoors as a third teacher through science, technology, third places, etc.
Have ongoing environmental experiences
Experience positive purpose and accomplishment.

Sunday 15 March 2020

Leading PLD- Leading Student Agency by demonstrating Teacher Agency

Effective PLD:

● Links to identified student needs and learning outcomes

● Integrates knowledge and skills

● Operates within a learning community and culture of trust

● Offers sustained, multiple opportunities to learn (= TIME)

● Is collaborative, shared, collegial

● Active role taken by leaders

● Is inquiry-based

CONTEXT from Staff Business Plan 2020

The 3 big drivers for 2020 are Positive Education, Sustainability and Te Ao Māori. All 3 intersect and all 3 will receive the same time and attention. Additionally all 3 will have a team of staff driving the components, based on passion, knowledge/ expertise.

End of 2019 data in reading, writing and maths will determine TAI and help fine tune PLD.

As well as ongoing assessment for learning and tracking progress against annual targets the science curriculum will be reviewed to determine effectiveness. The science curriculum also has strong links to Sustainability and Te Ao Māori.

The PE/ Health curriculum, with it’s close relationship to Positive Education will also be timely to review.

The Wellbeing and Te Ao Māori goals link directly to the umbrella goals of the Kāhui Ako

We got into our PLD groups and started to brainstorm initial ideas.