Gretchen's learning

Our maths curriculum action team had the opportunity to observe some of Rob's demo lessons at Ardmore School last week. Rob modelled with a year 5/6 group how you can have 6 questions around the room, kids buddy up and move around answering as many as poss. Teachers rove listening in to chat. After 20ish mins of problem solving, students were able to select to go back to one of the problems and talk more about it with one of the teachers i.e. what was hard, what was easy, common strategies. This is an engaging and efficient way for a teacher to check in and see where kids are at and tune in to what misconceptions there may be and what next learning steps are. A way more efficient and engaging way to assess than GLoSS. We've planned to do this in Totara next week - it'll be great formative assessment. MoveNprove - this is a way to deliver a multi-choice question. It provides teachers with a quick snapshot of children's thinking in maths.  In a MoveNprove is a great '...

Fiona's slides Daily was the key here - Fiona's message is that students need to practise using their Drive everyday. This needs to be routine and is part of being a 'Cyber Smart Learner'.  For example - can you find your Drive quickly. There are three quick ways to find your Drive - it's good to know these. Some people like bookmarks, some like short cuts... We need to be planning and designing opportunities each day for students to work with Drive  - this doc is for teachers - we can check there are opportunities for children to do at least one activity similar to these each day. So for example, at writing time teachers might use the 'Weekly Writing Doc' for students daily journalling. These 'cyber smart' learning and practise activities would be a part of the learning already happening, rather than 'another thing', or something done as well as. There's lesson plans for teachers. It would be good to include something like these  Daily ...

 Te Rito Toi is a fabulous resource I have posted about previously that shows us the value in using the arts to re-engage children in learning following disasters and crisis (i.e. EQs, COVID). This conference was an opportunity to explore some of these lessons and have workshops with wonderful art practitioners. Professor Peter O'Conner  began today by sharing ' Teaspoon of Light ' -  It is an ideal lesson for first days back and may be extended upon.  Peter took us through the lesson with us as his students, which allowed us to experience how powerful every element is and that schools must prioritise  time and space for art and to connect, create and be together.  A warm up and connection activity (a drama game where we moved around space and greeted others in variety of ways) immediately made the space seem more comfortable and friendly/safe. Contributing to a cloth of dreams - chatting to others or not.   Peter talked about the power of questions, e...

  This webinar had important messages for schools that will guide us as we welcome students back. All teachers at our school have watched the webinar. We want to ensure we welcome our children back by going gently. We have permission to, and it is important that we work differently.  Professor Carol Mutch who researches the role of school in disaster and crisis settings (such as Canterbury earthquakes, the Christchurch terror attack and covid pandemic) was a on the panel as well as Professor Peter O'Connor who is one of the leads of Te Rito Toi. It was interesting to think about the fact that some families will have 'cascading trauma' - event after event (Lynn Mall Attack, West Auckland floods..) Children will return to school with different 'baggage' and need to reengage gently. We can't assume but must show awhi, aroha and inclusivity.  It's important schools acknowledge there's a lot we're trying to do and to take support offered.  From Carol...

 Thanks to Louise from Papakura Central who hosted this. It was good to have breakout rooms, polls and jam boards used in this toolkit too. Slides (There is another toolkit also available that Louise has done on Minecraft - Education Edition (M:EE).) We were encouraged to take some time to just get in there and have a play, cos apparently it's fun and you can't break it.  Keep in mind when using with our students, we'll be teaching to the experts - so they will be doing much teaching, talking, sharing etc. Minecraft is a great fit with learn, create, share. From the Minecraft EE site  you can join communities and the Minecraft Teacher Academy which offers training and badges! You can work towards becoming a Minecraft Certified Teacher. Louise recommends having a mouse as it is harder with a track pad apparently. This jamboard  from the toolkit shows learning topics/contexts and possible Minecraft tasks that could support learning. There are also pre 'built'?? lesson...

 This toolkit was hosted by Erin Connolly who teaches in Greymouth. Erin shared how she uses what she has learned about the Hikairo Schema . Her school has had impactful professional learning with authors Angus and Sonja McFarlane and she has used this resource to guide her own professional learning. Erin uses he poutama - a cultural competency framework - to track and scaffold her practice. She says it is clear and easy to follow. This gives Erin a structured approach to improve cultural compentency. She shared how she looks at these with a colleague and reflects on next steps. Erin also shares her own learning goals with her students. Her current focus is huataki (see image below) and Erin talked about how she starts her lessons and includes pepeha and music to connect with her students and also ensures her online learning easy to follow and is reflective of 'us and where we are'. I thought that was an important comment prompting teachers to consider our students' learnin...

 Rebecca Jesson ( slides ) is asking us to consider what has the greatest likelihood to work for our students. What is likely to work for a child and what is working for that child? Look closely and interrogate our practice. Refine and review.  executive function / inhibitory control - how children manage and regulate themselves. Important in reading.  making sure what you are doing is going to be successful for you. Reading with intent: 1. Purpose, 2. Learning Intentions, 3. Strategies. If we don't have purpose for reading - will we care? (affective?) Learning intention telling children what to notice. Strategy that you think is important. We think with language. background knowledge important underpinning of what we're reading. Avoid 'hodge-podge' vague collection and use connected text, layers, builds from one to another. Building unified theme.  Knowledge of learners to influence text selection 'mirrors, windows and glass sliding doors'. Opportunities to be...