Charlotte Verity Professional Learning (School Based)

Wow - I am learning so much about my team, quality teaching and learning and systems over recent weeks. It has been very challenging but fun at the same time. Working with my team I value the different backgrounds and strengths of my team members, and their senses of humour as well as their individual strengths. I am learning to not take things as personally as I once would have, and to focus on the content of what people say rather than the tone or facial gesture. I loved the simplicity of the suggestions put forward in the Seven Norms of Collaboration (Annotated Poster) , and am endeavoring to increase my use of  presuming positive intentions  as well as posing questions. I am also working on improving my own confidence in meetings. Key phrases that are helping me are: What unique characteristics/views/skills do I bring to this situation? and How can I build on/add to what has been said?  Visiting Waitakiri I loved and would like to explore: * The different col...

RESILIENCE FURTHER RESOURCES: http://www.reachinginreachingout.com/ WHAT I WILL DO DIFFERENTLY AS A TEACHER * How can I be the positive / supportive adult that a child who is struggling with adversity? For the one child I am thinking of (OH), I will do this by  spending time playing and talking with him,  and giving  positive affirmations. * Teach children how to BREATHE from the diaphragm.  * Model the calming strategies I use for myself (e.g. deep breaths, self-talk) * Brain Breaks - aim for 3 x per day * Help students develop:      1. self-regulation e.g. asking is this helpful? (see below)      2. focus attention e.g. stop and count the circles (silently) in the room      3. persevere e.g. articulate past success; set up achievable challenges; model perseverence  MY QUESTIONS How can we build resilience in our parents/whanau? MY LEARNING FRO...

It is lovely to have holidays to enjoy some professional learning! My sources: Using Running Records: A Resource for New Zealand Classroom Teachers (Ministry of Education) Building Comprehension  Guided Reading: Years 1–4 (Ministry of Education) Effective Literacy Practice in Years 1–4 When taking a running record:  AVOID telling student the correct word (record as an error by writing child's attempt/correct word) If child refuses to read or gets overly confused, use TTA (Try That Again) A= Appeal for help R = Repetition.  Other language words and proper nouns count as an error only once  in the entire text (e.g. child says Susanna instead of Susan;  tomato instead of taro etc) Invented text = write 'invented' on running record How can I provide effective guided reading sessions?  Have a learning intention, such as:  * Prediction * Making connections (self to text; text to text; text to world) * Asking questions * Visualising * Id...

Progress to date One student may achieve the standard for After One Year at school. The other children are working at a 1B level. However, the group have made huge personal steps: * All students now plan and start their stories independently. * 2 of the students include initial and end sounds in words. 3 children consistently use initial, middle and end sounds * 4 students write and re-read their stories independently. 3 make corrections as they re-read.  * 3 of the children include conjunctions, and consistently write 3 or more sentences.  What remains challenging? Letter formation causes 2 students to work very slowly (and they see writing as physically taxing). Developing letter formation causes two other children to have problems when re-reading their work. The group would benefit from correct high frequency word spelling, and could add more details to their responses.  My next steps as a teacher * Continue to offer writing experience activities in rea...

Background: observing colleague with 4 students, who have been at school for two terms. Modelling focused on using sound words (roar, crash etc) and the picture book, Demolition , as stimulus. My colleague was interested in helping the children add detail to stories and use think alouds . Students all used sound words, used finger spaces, were actively re-reading and sounding out words. Some children also added detail. There was a positive climate; colleague praising students' effort throughout; writing was truly  co-constructed  between students and teacher ( kids encouraged to have a go!). There was explicit teaching, repeated throughout modelling e.g. stretching out words 'like chewing gum' and modelling knowing/looking words. Strengths colleague demonstrated / Next steps for me: * Clear reading-writing links made by teacher, often using questions, 'What would our readers want to know?' 'How should we read it?' * Model varied starts for sent...

As part of my current University study around Curriculum Leadership, I have conducted an action research project on my mentoring strategies. The research involved a literature review of writing strategies for NE children, and two conversations with a colleague. The colleague and I collaborate on planning and teaching our classes. I was particularly interested in finding out her thoughts on what helps our students: * Engage in writing * Develop independence in writing Our conversations and the literature review helped me to realise that our N.E. students most need: * Writing experience activities to build fine motor strength and letter formation * Purposeful tasks, to give them both the motivation to write, and to help them realise the varied uses of writing in their lives. Examples that we discussed and have set up included letter writing, labelling, writing / copying environmental print, scaffolded sentences and mini-books * Engaging tasks, relating to their interests * Qu...

W1  What is helping students engage? What should I keep doing? *Talk partners (Sheena Cameron workshop) *Think time *Asking all children to be ready with an answer, allowing think time/pair share and then calling on children (reducing the hands up; more children are participating) *Asking children to repeat what the last person said = improved listening across both hubs *Idea sharing and planning with hub colleague = agreed trial of flipped timetable; writing motivations and record system for self-directed reading activities W2 My next steps * Using growth mindset statements - i.e. stating behaviour rather than using well done, fantastic, great etc....I am noticing more when I do this, and getting better at stating behaviour *Challenge of noise - talking table signs; noise monitor actively used; bells to signal that I need students' attention *Reading - Feeding back / sharing great work at the end of reading - children to lead this. I am interested to see if this will inc...

I see this last week of term as a great opportunity to celebrate success and build relationships. I aim to do this by: * Undertaking literacy assessments (letter identification, PM word test, running records) and sharing success with both students and their whaanau. * Look back on our Inquiry unit as a hub, and reflect on what we have learnt (using our KWL chart or prior knowledge completed start of term. * Celebrate our jewel jar (almost full!) progress with a class party! To build relationships:  * I plan to use the more flexible timetable (Weds-Fri afternoons) to address social skills * Taking the time to talk with each child about their holiday plans / hopes * Thanking parent helpers * Key issues of late, and planned activity to match this challenge:        + Recognising/celebrating difference = compliments pop sticks, short pair challenges with children specifically paired (with a peer rather than close friend)       + Apple bullyi...

Conclusion - my next steps as a teacher * Set up handwriting tracing books as a 'can do' writing option * Send home letter formation and tracing activities for those who might benefit * Provide lots of engaging, varied subjects for writing e.g. labelling, simple sentences, silly sentences, language experience * Use think aloud in my modelling * Use questioning to prompt students - e.g. 'Re-read your story to me. What is your next word?' and 'Stretch the word out. What sounds do you hear?' Where the students are at: Frequent assessment of my students' writing is allowing us to celebrate their specific successes, and identify next steps. Identifying next steps with students is helping them progress. Progress so far Achieving:  two of the five students are now saying, writing and re-reading as they write. They use initial and some middle/end sounds, with minimal teacher support.  Next steps:  * Using spaces * Using fullstops * Us...

My Questions For Observation *How can I use this to help my more advanced writers? *How is teacher  and / or peer feedback provided? Writing Modelling Book Lesson Outline Students were sharing facts about space, in preparation for writing factual reports about space (stimulus / ignition).   The teacher revisited yesterday's modelling, on putting facts in order. Students had a reason for writing  and the specific teaching of genre was woven in according to this purpose. Clear WALT (learning objective) in modelling book. Independent writers were given feedback the day prior, and sent off to continue with their work. Modelling for First Focus Group Teacher Focus Group 1 The teacher ran a focused group with target writers (WALT: use our picture plan to write), creating a modelled/shared piece of writing. Teacher and students discussed  facts related to the picture plan. The teacher used questioning and probing to help students think of further i...

This month, I am collecting work samples of target students' writing. Hyperlink to: Individual Monitoring Documents Four out of six students can now: * Say a sentence and draw a picture plan * Identify (at times, with teacher prompting) the initial sound. Children use the phonics card for this, or known sounds * Three of the students are writing known high frequency words: the, to, Mum * One student is now using spaces consistently, and writing middle and end sounds for most words (VF) What has worked: * Sharing info with home - so parents can do further practise with students * Phonics practise and cards (songs, chants, games with parent help) * Explicit modelling on finding start sound and using 'knowing words' * Giving individual feedback to each child after writing * Slowing down handwriting teaching - teaching each letter over two days, and modelling/explaining how to write each letter for students * Holding a teacher focus group with ...

Key features of the writing workshop with students Teaching Focus: adding further detail. 1. ASK students what great writers do. Note their ideas with icons on board. This is your shared success criteria ( see example from TKI ). 2. SHARE writing. Ask PEERS TO GIVE FEEDBACK (e.g. one great thing). 3. ASK students what their next step is (using icons and success criteria). Exemplars to guide my instruction -  Standard after One Year At School http://literacyonline.tki.org.nz/Literacy-Online/Impact/Progress-and-achievement/Assessment-processes/National-Standards-Reading-and-Writing/National-Standards-illustrations My use in class I tried Murray's approach the following day. We looked at one child's work from the previous day. His teaching focus was adding details. Children were able to tell me that great writers: * Think of a story (and plan it - either in head or with a picture) * Say and hear the sounds * Count out the words in their story * Use finger spaces * R...

Reminders For Teachers At Beckenham  Staff Professional Learning 9 May 2016 Red text are my next steps! What is working for our Hub? * Using books to ignite ideas * Explicit teaching of phonics to help students attempt spelling * Individual feedback and prompting * LOTS of modelling for target students * Sentence starters to build confidence e.g. I can, I went, I like etc * Differentiation: encouraging independence for those who can, providing one to one scaffolding for those who need direction (e.g. by sending off independent students before modelling some days) * Using teacher think alouds & explaining to guide students * Individualised followup e.g. questioning to help child add details; word practising; re-reading and editing Ideas from other staff: * Using books as inspiration e.g. Mr Men  * Using icons for self-reflection * Using looking, knowing, sounding words * Good resources: National Geographic photos online  Challenges : * How do I e...

Reading - reflections and next steps after week 1 in our collaborative journey for Reading: Successes: * Named reading folders and self-managed fruit snack works well - children have a clear system/place for putting their things, and are showing excellent self-management * Most find activities on the reading stations during independent time. I explain each station at the end of our shared book, and repeat the same station activities throughout the week so children gain confidence and independence. * Many grew distracted around 10am. I introduce extra station activities (eg simple alphabet puzzles) at this point. * I want to target reading group time on children's specific needs  -  observing students and having flexible plans is helpful here e.g. segmenting/blending CVC words for one group tomorrow. This requires being flexible with my planning so I can meet student needs as they arise. Challenges: * Are target students getting maximum support for phonics and word knowl...