Engage, Empower, Inspire... Reading around the Room

I have been thinking about creating a space on my blog to record the lessons that simply just work. These will be ideas (both old and new) that I have tweaked or reworked to appeal to my learners and help them make authentic and purposeful connections to their learning. 'Engage and inspire: Lessons that work!' is what I have decided to call this section and will be easy to find by clicking on the link in the page tabs under the header.

Today I decided to revive an oldie but a goodie. Reading around the Room was an activity I loved as a child because I got to choose what I wanted to read and I didn't have to sit at my desk or do a boring worksheet. It also gave me an opportunity to look at how others had done something and think about how their work was different to mine. At the time I didn't know that's what I was doing, but I do remember changing the way I did something based on other's work. 

We have recently created some great DLOs about the Ancient Olympics that have been shared on our blogs and displayed on the wall in the classroom. This activity was a collaborative research challenge and can be found here. I was really impressed with how well this activity was done and wanted to think of a way we could capitalise on it as we moved through the term. So rather than simply having a 'decoration' on the wall I turned it into an interactive learning space. 

             

The challenge I set this time is called the LS2 Quiz Challenge. It is actually a way of getting my learners to practise writing questions and answering them by using evidence from the text to support their thinking. 

I introduced this by modelling how I could use a ruler to help me focus on the words I was reading in the information held in this display. Dianne (my teaching buddy), was my partner and together we modelled what we wanted our ākonga to do. Their challenge is to read the information in pairs, co-construct a set of 10 questions using whiteboards then join up with another pair to co-construct and create a quiz where all the information can be found or inferred from what is on the display. This allows for rewindable opportunities as I saw today when one group had already moved onto answering a quiz, that they were running back to the wall to check their facts before recording their responses. That part was not something I reminded them they could do.

I am currently in the process of adding all the quiz links to our site and will timetable an opportunity for everyone to try out the different quizzes. With any new challenge I find if I limit the create options to ones everyone will find success with, I get the best buy in. This also allows for my learners to suggest their own ideas. Kahoot and Pear Deck have already been suggested to me as ways we could do this differently next time,

We must have 'sold' this challenge really well as there was a constant rotation of groups wanting to try the challenge. The next steps with this idea are to extend this challenge to encompass all the walls. I will think of further challenges to support our 'new' Reading around the Room activity as I see this as a great way to strengthen connections to learning whilst practising a wide variety of comprehension strategies. 

Causal Chain - mapping my inquiry...

As a part of the Manaiakalani Kahui Ako we are challenged to think about what we want to achieve then work backwards to map our steps. This is called a causal chain and is the logical thought process we follow to help us stay focused on on track throughout the entirety of our inquiries.

A causal chain is when a cause leads to an effect and that effect becomes the cause of another effect - A leads to B. B leads to C. C leads to D...start from D and work backwards Any intervention you design will (consciously or not) be based on a causal chain you have in mind - this is your theory of action.... To really understand deeply how teaching (as a cause) leads to a valued student outcome (effect), we need to know about more than just the first cause in the chain and the final - we need to know about each link.' - Dr Aaron Wilson

 

Link to my 2024 causal chain

Teaching as Inquiry 2024

Click here to see how I align my inquiry with the Manaiakalani framework.

“Recognising and spreading sophisticated pedagogical practice across our community so that students learn in better and more powerful ways...”

The Manaiakalani Community of Learning is working together on this task using the expertise existing in of our community of learning. 

Labels:

LEvidence, LScan, LTrend, LHypothesise, LResearch, LReflect,

CPlan, CTry, CInnovate, CImplement, CReflect,

SPublish, SCoteach, SModel, SGuide, SFback, SReflect

Implement and Try #1...

I am a firm believer when it comes to the effectiveness of professional learning development (PLD) is that when a team walks the journey together it becomes a journey that has life. PLD done alone or in isolation is much harder to keep going as there is no one to bounce ideas off, share successes, problem solve when it doesn't quite go to plan or to keep you on track.

With new team members there is always the challenge of getting everyone on the same page. With this thinking in mind at the end of Term 1 I got my team together and suggested the idea of an 'in house' literacy PLD day. In my team leader role I spend time in each room coaching and supporting my team in their literacy practice. This traditionally was always on a 1:1 basis which meant I wasn't using my time effectively and ended up repeating myself a lot. We all agreed to use a CRT day, and despite the logistical nightmare of ensuring everyone was released on the same day, we went ahead with the full support of our management team. 

With a wide range of teaching experience in my team I chose to start at the beginning by looking at how we are using the data to inform our planning through to the scaffolds and words we are using in front of our tamariki. You learn better when you physically do the task so I asked my team to see the learning through the eyes of our learners by taking them through the lessons. This provided us with clarity, a shared understanding of what procedural writing looked like and how to use the strategies I was sharing in context. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my team for approaching the day with open minds and a willingness to actively participate.

The DLO below shows what we covered. Some links are restricted to keep student anonymity. The aim of the day was to set us up for success in Term 2 by leading a guided planning session for the first three weeks of literacy. 

As with anything you try for the first time there is always an element of risk. I didn't want to undervalue what my team was bringing to the table but I did want to streamline our process by helping everyone make connections to our 'why' as well as our 'how'. 

At the end of the day I asked my team what their takeaways were. Their anonymous responses are below:

Teacher A 

• How explicit things are if you show and tell - you learn by doing it
• Foundational basics are important
• Refer back to the data

Teacher B

• How to unpack a text type - going back to basics
• Tapping into prior knowledge and data
• Gallery walk
• Working in pairs
• The power of talk

Teacher C

• Prior knowledge shows me what the students already know
• How to model explicitly eg- time connectives
• How we can combine reading and writing together - integration
• What to focus on when you teach a text type
• How to use the data

Teacher D

• Going back to basics
• Integration of planning
• Clarity in planning transfers to the lesson
• How to use the data

As you can see the responses were different as we connect best to what resonates with us and what we needed to learn or be reminded of. Going forward as a team we have decided to continue with this type of PLD, only this time covered in our team meetings. It won't always be a literacy focus and it won't always be led by me. We have a great skills set in our team that we can tap into, after all we learn better when we learn together.

Looking at the Research...

Professional learning development (PLD) refers to the ongoing process through which educators acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to be effective in their roles. To support the reasons behind this inquiry I have looked at the research to further inform my thinking. The notes below are written are summaries of the key points I took from these readings.

Teaching is a complex and demanding profession that requires ongoing, high-quality support and training. Professional learning and development (PLD) is essential for maintaining and improving teacher quality, with the primary goal of enhancing classroom practices. In 2009, schools faced challenges in allocating enough time to fully integrate new practices, which frustrated teachers.

In New Zealand, publications like the Ministry of Education’s Best Evidence Synthesis (BES) and John Hattie's work highlighted the importance of teacher quality in improving student achievement. Professional learning encompasses what teachers have learned from formal development and the informal knowledge they gain through feedback, discussion, reflection, and action. Effective PLD is diverse, linking directly to classroom practice to ensure practical application.

Principals who were actively involved in the learning process, participating as learners themselves, facilitated professional discussions with staff based on shared knowledge. Teachers felt more committed to changes when included in decision-making and valued opportunities for professional discussions, idea sharing, observing peers, and giving and receiving feedback. This interaction influenced their thinking and led to improvements in teaching practices. - Managing Professional Learning andDevelopment in Primary SchoolsJanuary 2009

Professional development (PD) for teachers should be practical, relevant, and fit into their busy schedules. It should empower teachers to lead in curriculum development and confidently manage classroom demands with confidence. PD must address teachers' needs, fostering collaboration and reflection. The most effective PD values teachers' experiences and offers ongoing support. When teachers are at the centre of PD, they more easily become reflective and transformative professionals capable of shaping curriculum and education policies. - Empowerment . . . through professional development set 1997: no. 1

With the belief that abilities are set in stone, individuals with a fixed mindset might not invest in continuous learning or skill development. This can lead to stagnation, where they find themselves left behind in rapidly evolving fields or areas of life.- Growth vs. Fixed Mindset: The Implications for Leadership and Innovation . 

Further Reading:

• The impact of data use professional development on student achievement MK Lai, S McNaughton - Teaching and Teacher Education, 2016 

• Professional development, changes in teacher practice and improvements in Indigenous students' educational performance: A case study from New Zealand - R Bishop, M Berryman, J Wearmouth, M Peter… - … and teacher education, 2012 

Mapping out my Hunches...

Mastery, in the context of professional development, goes beyond simply acquiring new skills or knowledge. It's about achieving a deep understanding and proficiency in a specific area of your field. It's a continuous journey of improvement, fuelled by a desire to be able to use the new learning effectively. 

If I think about myself in this situation. When I am introduced new strategy or concept in maths I usually switch off or shut down because I don't immediately understand what it is that I am being asked to do. Falling back on what I know and understand feels like a much safer option than been seen to 'fail'. It's not because I don't want to jump on the learning train, it's more that where maths is concerned, it takes time for me to process, understand and internalise the new learning. This differs greatly from my teaching buddy who has the ability to simply look at the new maths learning and somehow has the knowledge of how to use it and impart it with confidence. In maths she is a quick adapter and luckily for me is always happy to walk me through the new learning at a pace that works for me. As I said earlier it's not that I don't want to embrace the new maths learning, I simply just need more support to be able to make the shift in mindset and in practise. 

To guide my direction and help me narrow my focus I asked my team:

• What ideas from recent literacy PLD are you currently using?
• How has this strengthened your program?
• What encouraged you to make these changes?
• How does the PLD help shift student achievement?
• What stops you implementing new PLD?

From their responses I have compiled a list of hunches as to the possible reasons why teachers why choose to embrace or not embrace PLD. Although in the infographic below these are numbered, they are not listed in order of importance.

PLD 2024: Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder: Knowledge to Improve Student Learning, Participation and Outcomes.

I have recently completed the online course run by Sue Larkey, Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder: Knowledge to Improve Student Learning, Participation and Outcomes. This has given me a huge insight into the minds of those students in our kura with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and will help me as a team leader to support my team when my support is needed. 

                               

An analogy that resonated with me was that a child in a wheelchair needs a ramp to access a building and will need this throughout life. Age is not a factor as the same need is there, regardless of age. ASD students need their ‘ramp’ to navigate successfully through all years of school so we need to leave supports in place to help these students gain and keep independence to be able to access the learning. These children need repetition and structure as their needs are the same and should not be taken away. People with ASD do not suffer from ASD they simply have a neuro diverse outlook.

My takeaways are:

• Each child is different and one size most definitely does not fit all. 
• ASD is the term used to encompass a neurodiverse diagnosis
• We need to all be on the same page when it comes to supporting out tauira.
• Communicate by starting the sentence with a name - this is the most important word as students know you are talking to them 
• Think about the words you are using
• Stay calm
• Persistence and consistency are the key to effecting change
• Choose your battles by thinking about what the educational outcome is that you are trying to achieve
• A diagnosis allows for support but as tecahers we can not disclose a diagnosis without parental consent
• It is easier to change the structure than its is to change the child. Teachers need to think about what can they can put in place to effect change. (eg: having extra pens for those who just can’t find one rather than having a battle each time a pencil can't be found).
• Structures and adaptations are about equity to allow all to access the curriculum on an equal platform
• Different people need different structures and adaptations at different times
• If you take away the glasses from someone who wears them they replace this with body behaviour eg: squinting… if you take away the support structure they replace this with behaviour defiance
• Visual prompts, pre warning and time to process allow for success to be achieved.
• Embrace difference to make a difference
• ASD children engage and socialise differently to peers so often get left out

Here are my notes