PACT training

 We explored how to make teacher judgements today using the PaCT tool. Reviewing what we have already covered reminded us that we need to remember to look at what we are taking away from each lesson.

Take aways:

1. It is important to view the illustrations provided to get a really good idea of what the big ideas really mean for each set/ signpost.

2. If you think a student(s) is displaying evidence at one signpost then read the descriptions above and below to double check the level of sophistication fits.

3. The illustrations are also really great ideas for teaching a big idea.

4. You don’t need to review each student for each set. You would group students to think about where they are to decide your deliberate acts of teaching for the next steps, one aspect at a time.

5. We will rotate our specific focus each term on reading this year as we familiarise ourselves with these learning progressions. It would be impossible to be thinking about all the aspects for R, W and M constantly!

6. As always we would use OTJ from a number of evidence sources to decide where students are.

7. The focus should be less about where students are in terms of giving them a ‘level’ and more about “What do I need to teach, and them to learn next”. 

We took a sample of students work and then looked at each aspect and used the blurb and the illustrations to help us place a student on a sign post. 

A good discussion happened at the end of the hui regarding E-asttle v's PACT tool for end of year assessments. Below are some of the things we took away from this lesson. 

We have noticed ...

...with practice I will get faster at this and more confident with making judgements

…need to change year levels of some students, classes have been set up with names to use now, look at notifications

… writing LPF is good to use. Want to use instead of asstle this year as doubling up. Maybe can for yr1-2??

...… would be really valuable to go to experts on staff to moderate with my tricky judgements

… PaCT tool - taken lots away. Talking with others about what our kids are doing at different levels, useful to collaborate

… Feel confident with it and I want to finish putting them in

… just get it in! You know more than you think you do with your first sense.  Calm the farm a bit - you can’t teach it all

… after so long thinking about it, procrastinating and not doing it. Getting stuff in has been beneficial. SO many opportunities to double check and triple check, so it’s robust and thorough. 

Distance Learning - Learning from Lockdown

Once again we found ourselves teaching from home. As a school we tweaked a few things such as only one google meet in the morning. I had the advantage (or maybe disadvantage) of having a class site up and running this time. So I was able to focus on the learning I thought I could achieve through lockdown and then present it on one page. It was good to collaborate with syndicate colleagues just prior to starting distance learning. Having two sons in two other junior classes gave me a great opportunity to see and steal good ideas, particularly as we had unit planned together and had similar themes happening.

I was particularly glad that Sarah had suggested sunshine online was a great app and this time round (even though it was a web browser and no longer an app) it did prove to be a lot easier for students to use at home and then teachers to listen to online.

It did seem that we weren't overflooded with heaps of suggestions of activities and websites to use which was a relief. It did seem though that outer education organisations realised it was still an opportunity to carry on professional development. And so I have utilised a great deal of any extra time preparing to implement the Better Start Literacy Approach. 

I took a gamble to run a parent workshop online. It helped me to understand the importance of whanau involvement in learning to read but the lack of attendance online from parents means I still will have to do a lot of other stuff to get whanau involved in our new literacy approach.

Once again, having Hannah during google meets was really good to carry on the consistency from class of having a sound of the day. Also, she had to step in to keep things going a couple of times when things popped up at home, such as screen freezing.

What will I carry on into the classroom?

I enjoyed using one class site page with links and being planned one day at a time. I had a general plan for each learning area but adapted activities based on buy in and what my own sons enjoyed doing for distance learning. So I will have a go at using this style as a daily plan.

I am hoping that some students have used sunshine online enough to be able to use and teach others how to do this independently.

Also, some of the tweaks to phonological activities I did during google meets I will continue to use in class.

I will also print out some of the NZmaths pages that were used so those students who did use them can be experts on Fun Day Friday.

LPF training

 Working with Sue Arrowsmith on learning how to break down the aspects and sets on the PACT tool. was a really informative workshop that got us preparing a mini lesson plan for reading.

Focus on WALT's and Success criteria.  and explanation as to why we are doing what we are doing. We also addressed having questions prepared prior to lessons. 

Example:

Learning Intention: Kei te ako matou ki te….

Why? TIB it helps us to understand what a text is about and to quickly see if it has the information we need to find for research or for pleasure, or to find exactly where the information is, saving us time when reading. 

Success criteria: WILF

1. I can find sentences or words that talk about things:

1. in the past

2. In the present

3. In the future

2. I can find dates that help me to work out when things happened

3. I can place events in the correct order

TASKS:

1. Round Robin  - words that give us clues to things happening in the past; present; future

2. Pairs - read and highlight 

3. Reciprocal reading (a - dates, b - past words, c - present words, d - future words)

4. Timeline (draw pics/ dates and words/ poem)

5. Individual practise

6. Peer assessment and feedback

Tulevai and the sea

Which things do you know will be happening in the future and how do you know this?

On page 4 what word tells you that the sea wants to do something to Tulevai in the future?

On page 12 how many words are there that show things happening in the past?

Maths Walk through 11.08.21

 This week is maths week and I was very excited that planning was all done for me and I was going to change up maths to tie in with maths week. However, when I followed the lesson on Monday, with what I considered quite easy maths for my students, it was a very long and laboured lesson. I think the activity would have been sensational for my group of students last year. This year though, another story. So I decided to can those lessons and continue with my normal maths routine that allows students to work on a few knowledge goals with a buddy and then with me on add/sub strategy. Good choice I think and so a walk through on Wednesday showed this.

At the beginning of the term, when I had three new students, I buddied them up with an experienced student to let them explain the ropes of our maths routine. I was rewarded from the hard work of establishing routines by watching how well buddies showed their partner how to work their way through the maths goals. Being able to work one-on-one with most students each day has been terrific for building each student's maths knowledge, strategy ability, relationship with me and also reading. I recognise that at the moment students are not really interacting with each other to establish their mathematical problem solving so that will be my next step. I do feel one major benefit is really knowing my learners and being able to give them next steps very quickly. 

Another benefit has been managing behavioural issues. Knowing the level of each student and giving them each time to be successful at their current working level is terrific as well as pairing students up with who they work well with.

BSLA

On Tuesday 4 May I went to Whangarei with another new entrant teacher for further information on the Better Start to Literacy Approach being offered as Professional Development for the new Ready to Ready Phonics Plus books. To our delight other Year 1 teachers from the Far North were there eagerly hoping we can be included in the next intake. We have been fortunate to find a mentor willing to be our lead teacher and undertake the training to support us at Oruaiti School and Mangonui School. 

 The Better Start to Literacy Approach has had fantastic results with a growing number of children in Aotearoa who are coming to school with less developed oral language. This year particularly I have had an intake of students with a noticeable difference in literacy skills and phonological awareness beginning school. It has been a real challenge to 'get them started' with the whole language approach that has worked quicker for me in the past. Also, we have been using a phonics programme across our junior school which has made me notice how students acquire letter sound knowledge. In my guided reading time I have spent time blending a few letters that I feel certain the students already are sure of. e.g. p - a - t. It is amazing how the students who are really struggling to point to words as they read across the page are actually able to blend these sounds. I haven't as yet trialled the new decodable readers but I am keen to see how these will work. 

 The other difference to my teaching practice is that I am really trying to sound out words to students as they write. I might not expect them to write the vowel sounds yet but I am modelling how I say the sound and blending and segmenting it for them as they write and I support that writing. 

What is the Better Start to Literacy Approach?

BSLA Guidance for schools

Tier 2 training - PB4L

At the Kerikeri Ministry of Education office we have begun our Tier 2 training for PB4L. We need to examine as a school if we are ready for Tier 2. We can also be looking at Tier 1 and see if it is working well. Reflection Square - One thing that 'squares" with your beliefs That we can streamline Tier 2 students/behaviours so it is not all falling on one or two members of staff, e.g. SENCO Triangle - Three points you want to remember or share Forming the team Help new teachers with Tier 1 Make a PB4L board Circle - A question that keeps rolling around in your head What is our data looking like? When will we meet? Or can we start using a nominations form? From here I will be talking to other staff to form a team and also undertake a TFI with Mel. Also, a bit of homework reading of the Tier 2 handbook.

Activities Week

We have just enjoyed three terrific days of Outdoor Education in our custom designed Junior School Activities week. Before school began the Junior teachers decided that it would be great to have some fun camp style activities without staying over at school. We also incorporated our inquiry learning into our day trip planning. Whakawhanaungatanga was our beginning of term focus which led nicely to incorporate a visit to Kerikeri to the Stone Store, Kemp House, walk to the pa site and visit Te Ahurea. We were able to take a glimpse back in history to see how Maori and European people could live within close physical location many years ago. For the rest of this term and all of Term 2 we will be exploring sustainability through the context of the ocean. To kickstart this unit we planned a trip to the rocky shore at Chuck's Cove. This location is right on our doorstep and some children have spent many hours there and some had never been before. Many parents had a greater understanding of the marine life in our rocky shores than I do and the day was fantastic thanks to the easy learning atmosphere our parents created at Chuck's Cove. Our first day was based on experiences that we knew our junior children have previously enjoyed at school, such as making huts in the manuka trees at the top of our hill (normally out of bounds). We also enjoyed borrowing Paparore's recently purchased second hand bouncy castles. This was a fabulous fun time with no agenda. The three junior teachers were able to observe students in their outdoor play, gaining further insight into their interests and learning behaviours. We were able to have lots of fun building relationships with our tamariki. Reflecting back over the week I do think this worked well for our traditional camp week. We had lots of fun and formed closer relationships with tamariki and whanau. This is normally what we would expect from camp week, but the added benefit was we incorporated our inquiry learning which made planning a lot easier than planning another day trip later on to match our learning. Overall, a top week!

My Teaching Inquiry Focus - Post 1 - Setting the Goal

 This year I would like my teaching inquiry focus to be on maths. Since I have been in the Year 1 classroom I have not felt I have been effectively teaching a successful mathematics programme. It was interesting to discuss this with Su, our school coach, and work out some goals. It was confirmed to me that it should be my focus after hearing that one of our target groups is the Year 3 students for maths. I feel this reflects that they could have had a better start when I was their teacher. Meg, the Year 3 teacher is also having a maths teaching focus as this target group is in her classroom. So it will be great to collaborate to improve maths teaching in the Junior Syndicate. 

My first move was to commit to teaching maths in the first block. So I timetable maths straight after fitness or assembly. I am keen to use what has worked well for me in the past but also incorporate new teaching pedagogy such as mixed ability grouping, patterns based learning and problem solving effectively.

My goals after coaching: 

 1. See more achievement in maths.

More specifically: Everyone is stage three or higher after one year at school - e.g. counting materials by imaging and with Stage 3 knowledge. Including my target students.

2. Pedagogy around maths problem solving - students have an intrinsic desire to be a mathematician.

More specifically: My planning reflects tried and true methods to acquire number knowledge with a problem solving, pattern based, strand integrated focus as well. The students are excited to do maths because it is fun, challenging and rewarding.

I will achieve these by:

• Integrating unit plans with my trusty SPRING planning (numeracy project based). Begin any strand learning on Fun day Friday and send a seesaw video home to encourage practice at home.
• Use slides via Kowhai class site to stick to the daily plan, visually see Learning Intentions and Success Criteria
• Use EE as a digital modelling book.
• Regularly assess four target students with JAM, PACT, formative assessment recorded into digital modelling book and photos on Seesaw.

Target students: RS, AM, LM, CT

Initial JAM results

Phonics

This year the Junior School has implemented the Yolanda Soryl phonics programme. We have decided to cross-group our students so we have a range of stages being taught and students can work at a level appropriate for them. The leadership team has been terrific at supporting our need to timetable this slot in and keep it regular. We also have the support of two fantastic teacher aides so we can have smaller groups.

Currently we have two stage 1 & 2 groups, one stage 2 group (who we think will move soon to stage 3), a stage 4 group and a stage 5 group. It is early days yet, but I believe it is working well.

I have felt for some time that regular time spent teaching specific phonics reading and writing skills has great benefits. My two big challenges were not consistently keeping it in my day and students being at different levels. This scheduled time has fixed both of those challenges.

I am very grateful that the new Junior School team has embraced this programme. It is also terrific to have our two experienced teacher aides use their knowledge and skills to lead their own groups.

Some of the websites that I visited last year concerning phonics:

Yolanda Soryl Literacy

Better Start to Literacy approach - After reading articles about Gail Gillon's phonological programme for students in Christchurch.

Bright Kids

Many articles have drawn my attention regarding phonics from New Zealand and Australia.

Beginning of the Year Classroom Set Up

It is always busy at the beginning of the year getting to know new students and take yourself back to setting up routines for new learners. I have a brand new group of students and have been surprised at the literacy skills they have arrived at school with. In Term 4 of last year I had an intake of 10 new entrants and 7 of whom were ready to move to red readers after 2 - 4 weeks at school. This year I have had 2 out of 9 students ready in the same way. Hence, I have slowed down my process and am not rushing in to writing as quickly as I might have previously.

My principal has recognised that I have chosen this path and raised a good question during my walk through observation: What changes will need to be made when more students become ‘ready’ for a more structured learning programme?

So far this is what I have established:

            - Modelling and guiding students through independent learning activities that will be slowly introduced into the mahi list. (I had planned on having my independent activities 'mahi list' established in the first week).

            - Most students are still learning to write their name. Therefore, too many students would have needed 'mirror writing' and so their learning goals for writing are to 1) write their name with correct letters and 2) learn to correctly write 26 letter/sounds

            - I am trying to prioritise the Early Words programme in my day. I feel 7 out of 9 students will benefit from this approach immensely. This is difficult to do and I am hoping students in Rimu will finish soon so students in Kowhai can get teacher aide support.

            - Trying my best to talk regularly to parents about their child's good progress in class and encourage the mahi they are doing at home. Four parents are coming to the Reading Together Programme which is really encouraging.

            - Choosing achievable activities for our phonics sessions. 

My next steps are:

            - To personalise the individual learning videos that students will begin to complete in their 'mahi list'. Currently we are doing this together during writing time.

            - To add a time of drawing so students gain confidence for drawing a plan in their writing.

            - Ensure I am modelling writing before guided writing and having a time of shared writing with our class blog on Friday.