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.

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. 

Targets and what next... Teacher Agency

Planning and next steps for target groups.

We completed an activity in teams around Effective Literacy and Numeracy practice - Big picture planning

Senior Team:

Junior Team:

We know our target students and are shaping our programmes to meet the needs of our learners. PLD for 2020 will come from what our students need. We want to lead Student Agency by modelling Teacher Agency. 

Sparking Passions for PLD Leadership: Thinking ahead to 2020

PLD 2020

PLD 2020 will look different. We want to tie all threads together by Learner Agency. This will begin with Teacher Agency. We are inviting all staff to examine purpose, inspiration and the things you are passionate about teaching and learning.

All staff will have leadership opportunities, delivering professional learning around an area of passion. Underneath the work will be a robust research project/ TAI which is likely to last for most of the year and will inform all staff around best practice or improvement in a chosen area. We are envisioning doing this in pairs/ teams.

PLD sessions will be delivered in chunks. 4- 8 sessions in succession. We are aiming to do less in more depth. Areas to consider are Reading, Writing and Maths (a given) and Positive Education, Learner Agency and Cultural Responsiveness. This is to get us thinking! Voice, choice, PURPOSE, engagement…

Today we began to generate ideas for next year. We started the meeting with a walk to appreciate our place.

The best ideas come when we aren't trying to think of them... They often come when:

-Walking
-Running
-Traveling (airplanes, airports, trains, buses)
-Falling Asleep or Waking Up
-In Conversation with Friends
-Listening to Audiobooks or Podcasts
-Showering

Flourish Model and the Hero's Journey

Ximena also led a starter about how teaching activates each area of our Wellbeing...

Here are some of our initial thoughts about leading and learning linked to our 2020 business plan and strategic goals:

PLD about PLD

Jude's Inquiry this year was around effective PLD. She investigated the different levels of PLD and how they are all connected. 

As a result of Jude's Inquiry, we have begun to track our learning on this blog. We have also identified that we need to connect beyond our place.

This is a draft copy of a visual. The intention is that staff will use this when planning their PLD. 

The 7 principles of effective PLD will also run through this.

Principles of 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( some not all is at present)

(Readings: Professional Learning in Effective Schools, BES: Teacher Professional Learning and Development)

Maths PLD, Feedback 2017 (this will inform our next steps for Maths PLD)

All teachers have made changes to their programmes based on their goals and learnings. Many staff members will be signing up to take the Stanford Jo Boaler course- How to teach Maths (for teachers). This is significant as it will create a big shift in teaching practice across the school.

Teachers were asked what they have changed in their programmes. There is wider curriculum coverage, number talks, Visual Maths, EOTC in Maths, Broad open ended problem solving, collaboration (teachers and students), Rich inquiry focus and a better understanding of formative assessment.

Many teachers found that triples were useful and affirming. It was good to set goals around these. The mini inquiries allowed for everyone to be accountable.

Teaching as inquiry has a huge impact on learners (including us as learners).

Next steps in Maths:

Staff are clearer about the Internal Evaluation process but not everyone is confident in this area.

We need to develop Number Talks as formative assessment and share these with each other.

How to teach mixed ability groups (the what).

Some questions to consider:

How do we ensure that we are stretching the higher achieving students?

Are we teaching enough strategies?

From our data, we have identified that we will need to have a focus on Writing next year.

Where to next for Writing?

We asked staff:

1. What aspects of your writing programme are you feeling good about?

2. Where do you need development and growth?

We will look at this data and make a plan for our next steps, using the visual template.