Charlotte Verity Professional Learning (School Based)

I visited Rowan Lockton at Somerfield School to learn what wellbeing strategies they have in place.  Like Beckenham School, they have a leadership system for older students. They also have school values (SMART - see http://www.somerfield.school.nz/)  Key Differences (that we might consider using beyond 2015): Pastoral Care Team * Meets once a fortnight * Comprised of public health nurse, school mental health team rep, teacher reps, leadership * Each team identifies students with pastoral needs (e.g. safety, welfare, attendance, nutrition etc) * These students are listed on a register. The team reviews and decides the next step: either teacher to work with family or the child is referred for, or connected to further support (e.g. a welfare agency etc) * There is an ongoing loop of communication: each level/team feeds back to the Pastoral Care Team, to share whether issues are resolved or continuing. Further support is then allocated, or further referrals made....

Reading articles and attending workshops on change management, community engagement, collective leadership, student self-regulation, 21st Century learning and student agency has kept my eye on the 'big picture' ideas of education, and reflect on what skills our students need for the future. I focused on student self management and agency for this final report and presentation. I  conducted interviews with staff, did extensive professional reading and interviewed students for this. I found that student self management requires two key skill areas:  I then completed a Design Proposal on how my own school might build student agency. I really enjoyed watching others' present and look forward to hearing the outcome of their own design proposals. Several focused on developing student self-regulation, student agency, and developing cultural inclusion.  I was informed by these critical readings: *Kohn, A (2001) Five Reasons to Stop Saying "Good Job!" DOI...

I have been undertaking this course by part time study this year, and have loved the learning involved!  Talking with teachers and leaders from other schools has been refreshing and reassuring...many of us have gone through the highs and challenges of working collaboratively. The collaboration strategies others have shared have been really helpful, along with my learning e.g. * Identify your partner's strengths and values (e.g. using the Hermann brain model) * Identify and clear on your own values, strengths and challenges * Identify shared goals, e.g., for my colleague and I this year, that has been wellbeing and behaviour * Use humour  * Don't sweat the small stuff - choose what matters most and discuss that first * Establish and stick to tight meeting times e.g. 15min daily catchups * Establish clear and agreed strategies for behaviour management, including special measures / strategies for those with additional needs * Keep a dot point journal of next steps ...

Tilting the Seesaw Workshop 2015 - Autism NZ Notes by Charlotte Verity This workshop was amazingly informative...it helped me build empathy for my ASD students, and provided lots of new strategies for me to try. Sharing ideas and challenges with other teachers of ASD students was highly beneficial...I have used many of their ideas in my own practise with positive outcomes. My relationships with two ASD students have improved dramatically as a result. Key strategies to try with ASD students Allow wait time - 5 words maximum then wait 5 seconds + for a reply IMPERSONAL WORKS - when speaking with child about an issue or upset that has happened, use WE / ALL / US   ...not YOU / ME / I Start a ‘proud of’ book...listing all the things you are proud of each day, for whole class or solely for an ASD child Points or other systems for participation or on task work - e.g. marbles in jar, tokens velcro’ed to a board CLARITY - be clear on expectations (don’t add ex...

12 May 2015   I was very lucky to visit Clarkeville and Heathcote Valley Primary today. I was inspired by the motivation and focus of the students in both schools, and blown away by the knowledge some of the Clarkeville students had about their own learning. Student agency was alive! My big take-aways to share with my team and possibly try at Beckenham Primary: * Students set Key Competency goals in their own words, and reflect on these every Mon and Fri at Clarkeville. The two KCs focused on this term are Using Language, Symbols & Texts and Relating to Others.  All levels had clear visuals created by students like these: Senior Key Competency Goals                                             New Entrant Key Competency Goals                                 ...