BUILD Maths Programme

Build maths - observation Thea - it’s a managing system that allows for agency. Teacher teaches with the person in the other room - cross grouping. The set up is exactly the same in each class. Teachers use a google doc. to track children and meet once a week. Children have books. They highlight what they have done. Link to can do/must do. must do’s are I’s and D’s. (independent work and doing maths) Tip - For A3 games cut in half and stick on a manilla folder. Photo of activities in the box for games that cant fit into the box. Keeps organisation neat. warm up activity first - instead of coming in and reading a book. Each activity card/activity in the box is labelled with the letter. This corresponds to the shelf. pegboards - u beads - u dice addition - I linked to strand doing maths - can put books into this. can integrate other curriculum areas. teacher workshops are also under here. boy games - cars, dice etc.

PRT Day 3

Morning Session: Fiona from Whakarongo - Maths PD. 

Question: What is working well in maths? 

For me - Using maniplutives, getting children moving (skip counting using actions), using ability based groups so teaching meets the children's diverse learning needs, using children's names and interests in word problems, modelling books to record children's thinking, learning experiences, and progress (on a level thats easy to share with children so they can see how much they are learning, I obviously use JAM etc to gauge actual progress). I don't tend to use maths books for children - i did at the beginning of the year but I felt hands-on activities work best to reinforce new learning). I use ICT such as YouTube for skip counting songs, introduction to concepts (multiplication, fractions etc) iPads for hundreds board, tens frames, number line, etc. 

Other ideas from group:

• Having  more confidence in OTJ as we are in term 3 
  
  
• Build programme (new at Whakarongo) 
  Buddy games
  Using manipulatives
  Independent reading work
  Learning numbers
  Doing maths (with teacher @ whakarongo)

Using maths equipment we have in new ways, rather than making new resources. 

• Number fans (can be used from NE - Year 8) "show me a number between 13-24' If you ask the children to show a specific number it limits their learning. Can be used for decimals and ordering/sequencing.
• Hundreds board 

 New materials that could be useful:

• Number wheels (number represented in different ways a number sense activity)

• Squeesy boxes 

• Art - integrated into maths. 

Suggested some opportunity for mixed ability grouping so children can learn from others (links to socio-cultural theory. I feel this happens within ability based groups as children learn at different rates/speeds within a group. I do use mixed ability groups for Friday maths where we have more of an ICT focus. Perhaps I can change this to art focus on alternate weeks?)

Looked at NZmaths website. e-ako maths - games like study ladder, can see children's progress and attempts at answering questions, timing of how long it takes children etc. 

Alim - helps you if students who are stuck. Lesson plans.  

Middle session - reinforced again the importance of having evidence towards our registered teachers criteria.

Visit to MLE

- Has been open since term 4 2013. There is one class year 5&6 that gives parents/students a choice if MLE isn't for them. 

- Not about the furniture/space, it's about the student directed learning (links to agency!!!) 

- Teachers say less planning involved. They plan together and as they are responsible for 1-2 groups in numeracy/literacy. 

- Head of MLE would have a say in appointment on any new teachers as they relationship between teachers is very important for the MLE to be successful. Similar philosophy. PRT 2 in there. 

- Friday is conferencing/sharing time. Teacher's conference with children from their own class, Helps to keep track of them. 

PRT Course - Day 2

PRT COURSE - Day 2 

Talking about grouping as a tool in the classroom. 

Grouping  - Ideal 4 members of a group.

Give group roles - scaffolding them into collaborative group work/learning

Group roles children can have: 

• recorder
• goffer (gathers equipment) 
• time keeper
• reporter

Class descriptions - small paragraph on each child. Reading, maths and writing level. Friends, interests, siblings, culture etc. 

Reflection of PLC (Professional Learning Circle) 

My first thoughts are based around the RTC and goals and weather your goals should be a drivng force or the RTC. How linked they should be. 

How much am i supposed to be including as evidence? Reflections etc - done constantly. 

I feel good about my the way my tutor teacher has set up our documents. 

Quote: 

“It is the students themselves in the end not teachers who will decide what students will learn”

This means to me:

• Drivers seat of their education
• MLE
• Children need to be interested/given options
• Inquiry - hands on 
• skills for life - doing own time-tabling, managing time etc 

Priority students

student 1 (J) - Not retaining sight words, or alphabet sounds. Much improved from start of the year 

student 2 - (A) - Confidence. Has great sight word, alphabet sounds etc but needs lots of prasise for him to use it 

• phonics course Yolanda 

Reading: 

Higgins, J., Wakefeild & M., Isaacson, R 

Modelling Books and Student Discussion in Mathematics’

Key issues of the reading: 

• For me the key issues were that maths has become very hands on, but just because children are using the manipulatives, it doesn’t mean they are actually learning the mathematical concepts we want them to. 
• Modelling books are a way of having a shared space for learning the mathematical concepts
• Modelling book must be a shared book between teacher and student and always accessible to students 
• important to have a range of student ideas recorded

What is challenging or interesting?

• Found interesting the way that if the book is upside down or they can’t see it then the value of the modelling book is diminished - makes me feel good I set them up first but do a quick turn around to pop in an answer because I cant writing upside down - am i better to move myself and not the book?
• Reaffirmed how important modelling books are. Barely use the student’s individual books 
• Interesting: students can see their progress as a group. I think I need to point this out more.

What will I change?

• Thinking about the books being upside down. Do i get a student to write in it instead? More student writing? Would give more student ownership over the modelling book 
• Pointing out student progress to students. 

Jeremy Bloomfield - for PD targeted to PRT’s. 

Literacy Observation

Writing and Reading Observation - Year 1 

When I come in the children are doing songs - singing parts of speech. Children all know nouns, conjunctions, adjectives - impressive!

Teacher begins writing modeling. Think aloud "hmm what am I going to write about today?" Think about audience (books go home on a Thursday. This could be good to give class writing books more purpose. Have been trying hard to establish purpose in my writing where I can - writing to David to read to us, thank Ag for fixing our bear so this affirms Murray Gadd PD for me - he put such a focus upon ideas and purpose)

Introduces today's story - "I'm going to write about something I did when I was little that I wish I  hadn't done. One of those times when you look back and think oh that was a silly thing to do!"

Establishes story - starts out stating basic things and adds detail/juicy words as she tells it to the children. I need to do this more with my writing. Model how to add detail to story. "I was at the beach" turns into "I was at the beach with my mum, dad and brother"

Children are focusing more upon language features then I do.

“A person place or a thing is a noun” - comes from song. 

Modelling book - space drawn Teacher think aloud: What am I going to write about today? Think about audience - parents as audience. Books go home during the week once a week. One of those stories of some I did that I wish I didn't. She buried her jandals at the beach in a hole. 

Praise of language - deep hole - not a shallow

What is it called when you use the same language again and again? Repetition

Lock ideas  in Head Where to start the story - start (going to the beach), Go over WALT - look for words we know. Word garden and the word bank. 

DIG - sound out the a robot - D-I-G. kind of like stretch machine but could be good as each sound has a move so maybe help children to know how many phonemes in a word 

Use of an A3 alphabet card

Greater focus on story rather than language

I don't know a word -  am I'm going to sit and wait for a teacher to go past? 

Feedback time - what did you like about the story?

Colour coded when they go over it. Doesn’t use symbols. 

Talk to learning partner about story - first sentence

Has  3 writing groups with writing rotations. 

First group - 1 code breakers

Children have a card use magnifying glass to look at letters. Then figure out a word and write it down - fast words?

Self managers - alphabet card

Highlight for finger spaces - M and H - Good scaffolding tool.

Newest children highlight the card for  “I like” and word bank the 

Have children do an activity before they get started on writing.

Self assessment - different star stories. taken from writing matrix - children self assess wen they are done. 

 Activities are all set up - ready to go on tables. 

College teacher  is in the room so she can work with students - also a teacher aid. With my TA - as soon as she comes in you can get her started. This is what happens here - teacher aid arrives during modelling and children go off. 

“Wow writer of the day” - M. It gets hung up in the window - great incentive. 

Children read to the class - sharing writing 

 Reading 

Write unknown word on hand

Whiteboard kidney table - can write new words on it

Do I rearrange timetable to have reading and writing in the same block?

Links to writing are constant

From observing the reading it  affirms that I am doing a good job at my reading programme. I feel my modelling books are great for writing down those unknown words as it keeps a record unlike whiteboard as it gets rubbed out. 

Catch me if you can (P.E) lesson

Catch me if you can observation – Year 3

After warm up routines and rules are established - balls are about to be handed out, children will bounce them. if whistle blows children to hold ball on top of head. Teacher Demonstration used frequently so children know exactly what to do. Teacher does it once them children do it. Have been noticing when my children do it, the same pattern is followed but our coach goes back over the instructions with them after they watch the demonstration – what is the first things we do? Then we? etc

Children bounce ball, once whistle blows teacher praises those who follow instructions so the two children who didn't stop immediately caught on in a positive way. Children are actively involved throughout the lesson. It's all about doing not all about talking about it or demonstrating.

Practicing passing - what are some of the things you can think of that makes a good pass? Child says chest pass – “what do you mean?” – teacher gives him time to explain and get himself on the right track.

Part of the active participation is that teacher is on hand to help. Teacher has obviously thought of groupings – higher needs children are separated, so they can be given that additional support. There are three adults to three groups (college teacher) without the 3^rd adult, have one group made up of more capable students that can be quite independent

Slow passes down and think about where they are going - children naturally want to race. Purpose is re-established. Because in racing the children have begun to not use chest passes. Checks in with other teachers - observes the other groups.

When I start taking CMIYC I will establish groups for activities before u go out to begin with so its one less thing to think about. As each lesson is planned, I know where I’ll need to group students and the purpose for that activity. This will also allow for more hands on time for students to be involved in that active participation.

When whole class moves onto next activity, an athletic child who is a little bit behind in other academic subjects is used to demonstrate the skill - gives him a chance to shine
Teacher preps for her lessons during lunch - have seen that all term so she’s refreshing what she’s doing in her head. This is easy for me to do on Mondays, as I have it first thing.

Before warm down: come together to reflect on lesson: “did anyone have any tips for us?” – great way to reinforce how to make a chess pass. “Hey I was thinking why do u have to do chest pass” - re-establishing WALT.

The way she knows the children in her class shines through. And reinforces for me how important it is to build those strong relationships, not only so children feel valued, safe and secure but also helps in helping children learn and makes it easier to differentiate to each child’s diverse learning needs.

Reading Recovery Observation

Julie Reading Recovery Observation

Child begins by doing their "speedy reading"  student chooses the book from a choice of books they know well.

Julie uses heaps of praise - I love using this to build confidence. So exciting to see this student visibly responding to the praise, sitting up straighter, looking proud, spurring on.

Running record

- 2nd time reading the book

- write page numbers down as you go so you can refer back easily. Will be particularly helpful for me as I would take longer to analyse a RR compared to an experienced teacher.

- go over running records with students. Not just a tool for teacher learning, very beneficial for students to see what they got stuck on, if they missed beginning sound/ending etc.

Sentence strips used - could be a good reinforcement for some of my lower readers. Maybe set up as a reading rotation next term, have story from the morning on a strip, chop it up and get them to reconstruct it (using writing books to help match?)

Magnetic letters - so excited about having these I will implement next term!! I have a spare whiteboard so I will use this. Child I observed used it to sort out different letters (d,p and q so similar letters) and a stop watch is used to time child (great incentive!) This could be something to try with my older students.

Murray Gadd PD

Year 2 Reading Observation

Observation - Year 2 Reading

When I enter the room children are eating their brain food.  Green books (yellow books for this year level) are on the mat for children to collect - teacher does this in the morning (must let her focus on listening to students read). She has a check list of who does and who does not do home reading - this would be great to keep track. I have been mentally making a note (B doesn't do it, potential language barriers with parents and J is shy to read at home but starting to so have been praising him HEAPS to encourage him to keep going).

One child who was independently reading told on another child who was off task "Who are you in charge of? Yourself" I must use this! Policing each other works in one way but it can be more disruptive as suddenly you have two kids off task - person originally off task and the other telling you which can lead to more kids having a look etc. Great phrase for fostering self agency.

Children are told they can go (some go to library, some don't, different levels of responsibility this shows self agency. Teacher has given these learners the tools they need to be able to work independently. Maybe go into library next release day to see what they do? Self agency from a student's point of view? How they manage time?)

First group on the mat - all others are independently reading or buddy reading. Rotations are set up before dealing with first group who are reading a book by themselves (one of four in their tray)  Group goes over to word wall - children's names are pinned on the wall beside the sight words they are up to. Great visual for seeing progress.

What is your WALT? Say the beginning sound. All read at once - Teacher goes around and listens to all children reading. "Stop everyone we are going to help J remember" - wording is great as it builds kotahitanga. Doesn't say J is wrong or needs help - a more positive way by shifting focus upon their action of helping.

Having a different text allows children to not get cues from each other.  In my class Z and B I suspect are getting cues from other members of their groups. Mixed ability grouping also allows some of the lower reading level children to learn from higher level children and vice versa.

Second group is looking at word families. Teacher has a OHP on TV - child stuck on the word patched. Teacher directs group to word family knowledge - back to word family of pat then added the blend ch and ending of ed. student gets word right. Cross check - Does it sound right? Does it make sense? Cross arms over by shoulders - like first reading observation last week movement is used to help children remember. I can see this being beneficial for some of my boys.

When children are doing their independent activities really well they are given the opportunity to record their reading on the iPads using Educreations. Teacher gives the advice that this could be beneficial with my top reading group (this would be a good scaffold into more self agency beginning with group that has only 2 members)