Charlotte Verity Professional Learning (School Based)

Resource: Incredible Teachers by Carolyn Webster-Stratton, PH D Chapter 5 & IYT Workshop Since this workshop, I have been trying hard to: Focus on positive behaviours more than negative behaviours across the whole class. What you focus on will grow!  Circulating around the room to give 1:1 praise and encouragement Making my praise specific, and related to academic (e.g. thinking), social (e.g. managing your body; helping others)  Using proximity praise (i.e. noticing another child demonstrating the desired behaviour, and praising...thereby encouraging others to do the same). Doubling the impact e.g. having children who have persisted, shown kindness etc go and share their work with another teacher. We have discussed this at a team level and each of us has stickers and smiles at the ready for children send by other teachers to share their work Coaching children for academic behaviours e.g. persistence; focusing. I am now aware that children will develop these c...

TEACHING AS INQUIRY: WRITING  Focusing Inquiry What is important given where my students are at? I have chosen to focus on three students in writing. A full description of their current development can be found here . Teaching Inquiry What strategies (evidence-based) are most likely to help my students learn? * Providing rich motivations * Giving students audiences/platforms for sharing their writing (wall, blog, sharing with other teachers) * Writing criteria (visual) and explicit feedback (verbal) * Individual modelling, prompting, praise and questioning Teaching & Reflection - (Action) T erm 1 The Baseline Situation * Variation in writing stimulus and topics engaged students * Modelling was kept short, but didn't engage all students. How can I increase involvement during modelling? * We did lots of writing about ourselves: favourite playground, a family member * Students loved ...

This week has presented many behaviour challenges. In this I have been incredibly grateful to have fantastic, supportive colleagues and the Incredible Years Training to help our class progress.  I am in the process of developing a behaviour plan for one child (MH)  I learnt some great whole class strategies. My goal is to document here and revisit if used and how effective they were: Whole class strategies Seating plan Silent statements – move if…. Calm area Class song Focus praise on learning Continue celebrating the great, and share with parents too Kete awards Circle time  Hands on / developmental play time and options in learning Science Poetry Games – all in tag, guess the voice, the balloon Treaty revisit daily For tricky behaviours, I have the following ideas for progress, based on each child's needs. Again, I will see how strategies progress (and focus on one / two children at a time). This blog post is a post in progress...I...

What a week!  Its been lovely getting to know a diverse and busy bunch of learners, and their whaanau. We've spent the time learning about each other using games and small group tasks, establishing class protocols and routines. What has worked? Implementing routines gradually, i.e. reading and writing this week; maths next week Talk buddies (carefully selected by me for behavioural and learning needs)  Small group challenges e.g. random groups where children are asked to draw a scene. This requires listening to each other. Lots of brain breaks: the balloon game has been a hit! Also Go Noodle, brain gym and action songs Calls to action involving movement and visual prompts for noise (noise monitor; 3 circle chart) Trying to meet the needs/preferences of the class: construction, collage, lego, colouring Keeping in touch with parents verbally and by email, to relay social and learning progress and check in on how child is feeling about school. I use a quick...

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...