Spring Into Maths...

Yesterday I had the opportunity to observe Karen, one of our amazing teacher aides, taking a Spring Into Maths session with three of my students who are part of her withdrawal group. What stuck with me the most was the atmosphere in the room. My students were smiling throughout and confidently offering answers to questions, even when they weren't sure of the answer. The latter is something I see happening in the classroom only when they are confident their response is correct. The self efficacy I saw is something I really hope can be transferred back to the classroom.

Spring Into Maths is an intervention program used to provide extra support in number knowledge and strategies for students with knowledge gaps in maths. It is not new to me as I have incorporated this programme into my maths lessons on numerous occasions over the years, however is not something I have been running formally in my maths programme this year. I asked these students what they liked the most about being part of this maths group. Here are their responses:

• JA -  'The games Miss because we can challenge each other in a fun way.'
• AK - 'I like the number challenges because we can try and get a better score than what we got last time. It shows that we know stuff.'
• SB - 'I like being able to say my answer and I don't feel shy because there's only three of us and I really like the games.'

Going forward I am going to rework my maths programme to incorporate the hands on elements of Spring Into Maths into our maths sessions. I saw first hand how powerful being able to manipulate materials is, and see this as another way stronger connections can be made to the knowledge my learners need to be able to operate confidently in a mathematical capacity. 

I began this morning's lesson by explaining the changes I wanted to make to our maths learning time, and as I wanted buy-in from everyone we spent today's session playing the huge amount of number knowledge games that had been most definitely underused in my class this year. The buzz of noise meant this was most definitely not a quiet lesson, and like yesterday all I saw were smiling faces, engaged learners and some outstanding collaboration as they negotiated their answers. 

I'm looking forward to see if this change can help all my students see that they can recall and use their number knowledge skills confidently at speed.

Looking for micro-shifts...

With my class having recently completed the Individual Knowledge Assessment of Number (IKAN) assessment for the second time this year I had an opportunity to take a closer look at the shifts in data. When I compared the overall achievement stage from time one with the overall achievement stage from the time two data I was left quite underwhelmed. Whilst there had been no backwards slide, sadly there had been no gains in this section of the data either. My target student's data appears to have flatlined which doesn't in any way align with what I have seen happening in the classroom. This assessment does not show the huge increase in the confidence levels, the huge increase in work output levels and the huge change in engagement during learning time.

Rather than basing my evaluation of student and teacher success on this one section I dug a little deeper and looked for the micro-shifts in the other four sections. Refer to graphs below. This painted a picture that aligned more closely to what I see happening in the classroom. 

I can see from the data where stronger connections to the learning are being made. In this case fractions and basic facts. A possible reason for this is that fractions has been our most recent focus, and basic facts because of the number knowledge games we play to make sure these are being used and recalled at speed. Each lesson also includes 15 minutes on the self pacing e-Ako maths programme, 10 minutes of times table challenges and 10 minutes of levelled basic facts challenges. These three activities were introduced to help develop confidence and number knowledge when working with the basic facts and multiplication tables that are needed to be recalled and used when working with larger numbers.

The place value questions in banks 1 and 2 of the IKAN test ask how many tens are in a given number and how many groups of 10 make a number. All these students were able to do this with confidence when the numbers they were working with 2 digit numbers, however when the numbers increased to 3 digit numbers they were not able to apply the same knowledge to find the answer. I wanted to understand why this was so I had a 1:1 follow up chat with each of my focus group. When I asked them the place value questions again, I noticed that 8/8 students quickly answered the questions involving the 2 digit numbers. However when I asked the same type of questions using the larger numbers, no one was able to make the connection between 'groups of' and the times tables. I know that I am constantly modelling and recording on the board the fact that 'times' is the same as saying 'groups of' but I think I need to make this more visible by creating a permanent scaffold for the wall. Looking at my own practice I see that I need to increase the pace I move at with regards to using larger number denominations in the classroom. This should help my learners approach these questions with increased confidence. 

The number word sequence questions were all answered correctly when the numbers they were being asked to find remained under 1000. Once these moved to 6 digit numbers only the question that asked for the number 'after' was answered correctly. Again this is an area that I need to increase the pace in. I can see it is not ok to play safe by only using numbers my learners gain success from.

This snapshot of achievement shows me where our hotspots and knowledge gaps are in these four areas. My challenges are now are to find fun ways of helping my learners make the connections they need to be able to work successfully with larger numbers, and remind myself to stop using only 'safe' numbers to help my learners find success.

Digital Fluency Intensive... Day # 9

Ubiquitous

Our final session began with a reminder about how important the ubiquitous learning opportunities of being able to learn Anytime, Anywhere, Any pace from Anyone are. 

• Enables learning to happen outside of 9 - 3 for everyone
• Summer drop impacts acceleration made throughout the year - this is where the SLJ has harnessed the power of digital learning to continue learning outside of school hours/year
• Research from the SLJ is a great example ubiquitous learning

• Technology makes a huge difference if used well and not just as a tool
• Rewindable learning - capturing the main points that our students need to know to strengthen their learning process - students need to be able to locate and use this content at own pace - Students don’t have to learn at the pace of the fastest student in the class - allows learning to be embedded and deep connections to be made. ‘If it’s worth teaching it’s worth capturing!... If it’s worth learning it’s worth capturing!’

Today was our last DFI session. I have absolutely loved being part of this group of awesome educators and want to say a huge thank you to both Dorothy and Gerhard for empowering us both as teachers and as learners. We ended the session by sitting the Level 1 Google Certification and I passed! The Level 2 exam is my next goal.

Digital Fluency Intensive... Day # 8

Cybersmart not Cybersafety!

Empowering our learners as connected and confident decision makers. All our students have had Internet in their lives since birth so they are at home in a digital world and if not we need to make sure they are. By promoting the positive, Cybersmart becomes the fence at the top and not the ambulance at the bottom.

How we implement Cybersmart:

• Cybersmart training is a whole school focus
• Planned and deliberate teaching, relevant and real scenarios as part of the existing programme of learning.

• Term 1 Smart learners (LEARN) - are our stdnts effective and prepared users of digital
• Term 2: Digital footprint (CREATE) - understanding what info we should share and what we should keep to ourselves - making these decisions is important
• Term 3 Smart relationships (SHARE) - how we comment effectively on blogs, how can we invite an audience to engage with us - how to we equip our learners to be capable and positive contributors to a global society

• Empowering confident connected actively involved lifelong learners
• Ubiquitous when learning is accessible A4 (anyone, anywhere, any time any place)
• Connected empower our young people to engage online behaviour and thinking that elevates positive actions (eg: Tuhi Mai Tuhi Atu as Blogger allows us to take our students online in a safe environment as we can monitor the content and comments)
• Kawa of Care - empowers parents and caregivers to confidently connect with their children’s learning
• Cybersmart allows for increased opportunities for learners to engage in cybersmart conversations and decision making with peers, whanau and teachers.

Hapara

• Dashboard helps make learning visible
• Enables quick access to student work
• All Classes - enables access to all school drives
• Work must be in folders to be visible - open XXX folder then create a doc avoids trying to access unshared work
• Drag whole Screencastify folder into media folder so its visible to teacher
• Set up groups on my dashboard won’t affect a co-teacher
• Reset folders: Will reinstate ‘lost folders’

Manaiakalani 1:1 Journey
Partnership

• Ako is a whānau or community experience - learning from and with each other
• Engagement in the decision making eg Kawa of Care
• Engagement through device ownership

Participation

• Every learner can participate
• Every teacher can be supported to become Digitally Fluent when all devices are the same
• Engagement through device ownership

Protection

• This should all happen behind the scenes
• Manaiakalani partnered with Hapara to design Teacher Dashboard to make all digital learning visible
• Partnership with N4L and Linewize for filtering

Equity and Access - Providing the very best device for learning for EVERY young person
Digital Fluency starts with the ability to use the device (Learners, Teachers, Whānau)

Teachers in a 1:1 Class need to use a learner Chromebook for a period of time to understand what the kids can (and can’t do). Today we used Chromebooks to access our learning the way our students access their learning. It was a real eye opener as this was my first time to purposely use a Chromebook. Completing the digital dig was a great way to familiarise us with what we ask our students to do every day. I know understand why some of my learners choose to use a mouse. The mouse pad would take a bit of getting used to as it didn’t respond the way I wanted it to. 

The Digital Dig should be included at the beginning of EVERY year at EVERY level.

iPads

• Ipads.manaiakalani.org - explicit site for iPad teachers
• Best practise is to cast onto an apple tv when using the iPad as a teaching tool
• Need to start by teaching the correct vocabulary as this is often transferable across the tools
• We explored Explain Everything (the main platform the junior school uses) which highlighted the fact It is important for Chromebook teachers to realise and remember that students who have been through their junior school learning journey using iPads come with a large kete of digital skills.

WFRC #10 and #11...

WFRC #10: Describe how you will collect information about the implementation of your changed practices/intervention (so it is clear what you doing differently)

WFRC #11: Describe how you will keep a record of each of the above in a manageable way

When I began this inquiry my initial question was whether increased emphasis on reading comprehension instruction can lead to better subject achievement in reading, maths and writing. After talking my inquiry through with Fiona Grant last week I realised that I had already narrowed this from 'increased emphasis on reading comprehension instruction' to 'increased emphasis on the reading comprehension strategy of inference'. We all need an overarching umbrella question to guide our inquiries whilst giving us room to veer off and explore, but I now realise I had an overarching marquee! My question was too broad and without refining would have meant valuable stones were left unturned.

Why had I made this change?'

Firstly the data that identified the gaps in comprehension across my focus group, reflected none of them were able to respond accurately to questions that were asking them to infer. Secondly, my reading and conversations with colleagues identified that often it is the inferential component in a written maths question that causes the disconnects. Finally, it was the fact I took the time to step back to watch and listen to the interactions taking place during learning time that helped me realise which direction I needed to go in.

I have been collecting data at the end of each term linked to self efficacy and Probe running records and in-class maths assessments (both formal and informal). After listening to the advice from Hana and Aaron (WFRC) at the last CoL meeting I have looked at how I can use the ARBs in both reading and maths, to monitor the connections that have been made to inference on a more regular basis. Whilst I had been monitoring this informally, I hadn't been recording this data.

What am I doing differently in class?

• Consciously using think alouds to model explicit use of content language and/or the strategy I am teaching in all subject areas.
• Seek and embrace feedback and suggestions from expert colleagues.
• Use discussion and follow up tasks to give my learners the opportunity to use and apply the vocabulary and strategies in context.
• Provide recorded models so my learners can make visual connections to the learning
• Have implemented an oral language/phonics programme that has an inferential component, aimed at Y7/8 students with the support of Donna Ryan.
• Make time to listen to and implement student feedback

How will I record this?

• Use the phonics recording sheets, observations and the ARBs to have a more up to date, and ongoing record of micro-shifts that can inform my planning rather than waiting for end of term data.
• Use video footage to capture my dialogue and record it.
• Use a Google Form to ask my learners which words or strategies I use that help them connect to the learning.
• Continue to capture and reflect on the end of term self efficacy and achievement data.

Digital Fluency Intensive... Day # 7

Empowerment is dependent on the interconnectedness of our kaupapa (connected, ubiquitous, empowered, visible). Our tamariki start school at 5 years of age having heard 32 million less words than higher decile communities. Encouraging 5+ a day 'ping pong' style conversations is one way we can help our learners increase their oral language levels. The default of visible empowers our tamariki and is vital for connections to be made both before and after the learning.

‘The Manaiakalani kaupapa of empowerment is the advancing of Rangatiratanga; taking back control of their own lives.’ - Pat Sneddon

OMG Tech Trailblazers Session

                                                             
Computational Thinking

How a computer thinks, algorithms, programming, algorithmic thinking skills (logical thinking). To introduce us to this session lead by Viv, we were given the challenge of working out who was born closest to Auckland using an algorithm layout on floor. Our aim was to move from box to box following arrows according to a given criteria. This was not only a lot of fun but also allowed me to make solid visual connections to the learning ahead.

Ethics and Morals 

We can all gather data but need to think and make choices about what we do with this information. To explain this further we were asked a series of questions linked to different scenarios that really tested our own ethics and morals. The link to the our questions is here.

Curriculum Deep Dive

The Digital Curriculum is about using technology ‘in authentic contexts and taking into account end-users’. Digital fluency is inquiry and communication - using technologies that already exist to learn-create-share (eg: adding a filter on Instagram). Digital Technologies is construction and expression to create something with technology (eg: can make a filter for a photo using software). 

• Inquiry includes data modelling, spreadsheets, access to online databases, searching, access to virtual labs, online observatories, virtual field trips
• Communication includes word processing, e-mail, virtual conferences, graphics software, blogging, vlogging, presentations, websites and tutorials
• Construction includes robotics, computer-aided design, control systems, programming, electronics, digital manufacturing, game design and sensors.
• Expression includes interactive video, animation software, 3D design, music composition, digital art, digital story telling

Source: https://trailblazers.pamfergusson.org.nz/curriculum-deep-dive

Practical Application 

We explored several sites that uses blockly (a programming language that clicks together) to practise our own computational thinking skills. This is definitely an area that is still a work in progress for me so I really appreciated the opportunities to ask questions and have a go.

Hour of Code (Thanks for inspiring me to get my certificate too Angela)

SCRATCH 

Binary

Learning about binary numbers was a really valuable part of today's learning for me as it filled another one of my own knowledge gaps. Binary is a number system that uses 1 and 0. I have seen other teachers use binary challenges with their students but I have never done that myself as I did not have the content knowledge. However after completing todays challenge I will definitely be adding this to my planning. The Khan Academy  has a video that explains binary. The image below can be sourced here  and is a challenge that was a lot of fun to do.

Useful Takeaways:

• An algorithm is a set of instructions.
• Mapping the algorithm pathway on the floor is a great visual connection and scaffold
• Debugging and error detection introduce the problem solving components
• Coding is not scary 
• Binary is fun!
• I will be adding some of today's content to my planning.