The end and the beginning....

Things worthy of mentioning for 2011:

• Successful classroom blogging and some independent children
• Some success and deveopment with Active Inspire (still think the SmartBoard holds the technology back though!)
• Some success with personal blogging and tweeting
• Proffessional Development external courses - ILT Conference, Kath Murdoch, Behaviour Management, iPad/iPod
• EduCamp Invers
• Some amazing and supportive colleagues, particularly my tutor teacher and syndicate leader
• Some success with initial trial of Personalised Learning
• Full Registration!!!!
• Got my car back fully diagnosed and cured - now runs like a dream
• Bought a new bike and have re-ignited my like for 'cyclists tan-lines'????

This year it seems has been a very career-focussed year, with a most boring personal life. This has been great for setting me up with my career, now as a 'real' fully registred teacher and I'm very much looking forward to the challenges ahead. 2012 for me brings a new teaching location. New school and new city. Moving back to Christchurch has been an easy-ish decision for me as I believe it will provide the opportunites for me to move ahead and achieve my personal and professional goals. Christchurch has had a hard time and many, many people have said "why Christchurch?" To me, Christchurch now has so much potential (not that it needed any more!) and I want to be a part of moving forward and looking to the future. After all, as a teacher, that's what I'm always trying to cater for. Living and working on the outskirts I hope I will be safe and happy. Having said that, I will miss Invers - mostly the family and friends that I have here. I hope they all come and visit, and I too, will be back to visit.


Things I'm looking forward to in 2012:

• New colleagues, new children, new structures, new challenges, new personal learning
• My 'own' wee place (for however long I can afford it!)
• Having a city life with arts and culture
• Cooking for friends
• Educamps (I believe there's a ChCh one and maybe a Nelson one...)
• An ActiveBoard that I will have mastered by the end of the year!
• Personalised Learning and hopefully some options for Flexible Learning Spaces
• Exploring new parts of the South Island (and getting some fresh air at the same time)

High Decile v Low Decile

I've been thinking about this a bit lately. It should be noted that I only have experience working in a low decile school. However, coincidentally I have had three professional conversations relating to this topic just recently, with three different people.

Low decile schools get more funding (what that is, I'm not sure, but I believe it is significant). I believe the reasoning behind this is because lower decile children are lower achievers. However, does that mean to say all, or most, high decile children are high achievers? I was talking to teacher of a high decile school, who was telling me that 85%ish of her numeracy class (she did have the lowest streamed class of three classes at her year levels), were below the national standard. That is a huge number for a smallish amount of students. Why aren't they getting the funding to help them?

Working in a low decile school, I would say the resources I have access to are excellent. We have a wide range of reading material, an extensive library for both students and teachers for professional learning, we are starting to build up some great e-learning resources, and we have pretty plentiful maths resources as well. Our school has managed to fund an out of class numeracy and literacy facilitator for some years and has been able to provide extra literacy and numeracy support for at risk children. Our kids (most) are moving! Do high mid and high decile schools get the same opportunities?

An inspirational teacher!

This teacher uses a wiki to share her planning with the class and learning contracts (personalised learning). Lots of other interesting things too!

http://msfothergillsclass.wikispaces.com

Educamp Invers

http://educampinvers2011.wikispaces.com



Above is the link to the Wikispace, which will also take you to the shared notes.


This was my first 'unconference conference' and I was a little apprehensive of what was going to happen. However, it turned out to be a very useful and inspiring day. The day started with a 'smackdown' which was a chance to share any 'gems' that had been using in your class or pearls of wisdom. This was followed by a general discussion about whatever came up. Very informal, which I think was helpful because it cut down the barriers of self-conciousness. 




Biggest take-outs and where to:

• Incredibox is a great website to encourage students creativity. I think I will leave it up for the students to have a play with, but I would also like to base a music lesson around it somehow.
• Google-Docs as a tool for writers. It allows students to add to their writing at home, it allows the teacher to leave comments from home without lugging home writing books, it allows reluctant writers to write without barriers (write bullet points then link them all together in a story). I would like to introduce this with just a couple of students to start with before introducing to the whole class. Using this method means you need to have reliable internet access with probably one computer between two or three students.
• Networking and putting faces to 'tweeters.' 

Will I attend another Educamp? Without a doubt!

For the ICT lovers....

iPad, iPod touch and iCloud training

What an interesting afternoon! So much information today, I hope I can get it all written out in a sensible way. Fortunately we were given a folder of information to support what else we learnt.

iCloud and Cloud Computing
Sounds fantastic. Instead of having one central device that you have to transfer things from one device to another (often using iTunes), cloud computing means that when you download an application it will be stored in the cloud and automatically sync to all of your devices you have linked to it! That saves a lot of time. Also comes with 5MB (or GB?!?!?) of free data storage and I believe that is exclusive of music... I'll have to look into this much further as it sounds amazing.
I do have some hesitations and questions though at this stage -
1.   From what I can tell from the apple.com website, all new devices will automatically have cloud computing, but I'm wondering how do you go about connecting existing devices?
2.   I currently use my work laptop for some personal use - does this mean that if I download something for me personally it will go to the 'work cloud' or can I sort things into different clouds.
3.   I'm currently looking at getting a new personal lap-top and tossing up between a Mac or a PC. At this stage I would love to go with a PC (cost + I really just need the basics for personal use) so can I still use an iCloud off a PC like you can with iTunes?

iPad and iPod touch in the classroom
BYOD = bring your own device
Sounds brilliant, and going to become more accessible with cloud computing as you won't have to have a central device in which you use iTunes to download all your apps like you currently do. So how do you monitor and effectively incorporate BYOD into the classroom?
Easy! See the iPod touch section of Berkley Intermediate School's website. Berkely Intermediate iPods in schools

Such potential! I think I'll have to add an iPod touch to my wish list, and as for the iPad, it will be great to be able to put some more applications to use on them.

EITC - for the teacher!

Today I visited another school with the focus of looking at their literacy programme. And what an enlightening morning! It's always great to see what others are doing. First, because there is always the chance to learn, improve and try new things (sharing! what a wonderful concept) and secondly, because it helps you to realise that there are areas that you are doing ok in!

Reading: This school streamed for reading and I observed two classes; "the lowbies" and "a bit higher." 

The lowbies: the purpose of the reading programme in this room was to encourage stimulating material to interest and encourage reading. The children were in a 'social' group and a reading group (as I do now, except my purpose is based around behaviour). The social group followed rotations such as browsing boxes, listening post, free choice, grammar activities (word finds, cross words etc - books of them that you can pick up at reasonable prices), www.starfall.com, and blogging. The teacher pulled out reading groups as required. The structure of what I saw in this class was similar to what I plan for my own class.
The class environment was more stimulating for reading, and this is probably what I need to set up better. The interactive whiteboard displayed Sheena Cameron's "What do good readers do?" the whole time. I didn't see it referred to by the teacher, but there was also a copy printed on the wall by the task board and I understand the children refer to it independently. The wall was also set up with all the strategies and prompt cards that the children could take and use at their desks independently. A strategy card (one only - WALT) was placed on the teaching table in front of each child as well for the child to refer to.

A bit higher: these students can cope with a bit more writing so had lots of text based activities on the go. Rotations included wordfind, picture story, writing short story from photo, blogging, browsing boxes, story pyramid, retell, free reading, spelling words and sentences, new vocab, www.imagechef.com - word magic (with vocab words) and specific activities relating to group reading. Groups were included in the taskboard to see the teacher. Guided reading sessions included some time to share what they had been doing etc. One group had been writing stories relating to what they had read so for their teacher time they had to talk about what they had written and then as a group they discussed vocab etc.

Where to for me?

I think because of the behaviour and learning needs in my class I need to keep my rotations as reading based and pretty basic. However, for my higher end groups I need to start giving them extra activities that relate to their reading - especially vocabulary based activities. I also think that one of my rotations needs to be grammar based activities - so I need to get my hands on some 'activity books.'

Writing: A year 4 class

Lesson started with recap of yesterdays WALT and then books were handed out so children could look and reflect upon what they had achieved.
Todays focus: Dictionary Skills and Proofreading
Lots of great use using the Interactive Whiteboard and Active Inspire.
- Alphabetical Order
- Spelling Corrections
- Child's sample of work, get it started with editing

"Proofreading is all about doing your writing slowly."

Where to next?

Don't expect the children to write everyday!!! Take time to teach editing and give the children time to work through it with some guidance. Also, set up writing buddies to critically analyse. This will take time to set up guidelines and expectations so the children are giving worthwhile feedback and feedforward.

Amazing Blog

I've come across many great blogs and resources, and I add many of their links to my own blog. However, this blog puts anything and everything literacy based all in the one place!

www.word-wizz.blogspot.com

PhotoPeach

www.photopeach.com

Add slideshows of your photos to your blog.

Glitter Text

http://www.pageplugins.com/generators/flash_glitter_text/


Custom Glitter Text

Voki

http://www.voki.com/

I Love Teaching Conference

Alison Mooney - interesting to have four personality types, but all equally important. I think I'm a bit of a mixture but mostly "a peaceful." My character traits are easygoing, diplomatic and patient. I am a balanced, calming, levelheaded and approachable. I thought it was a great presentation and I spent most of the time thinking about the adults I know and fitting them into types, however it would be quite enlightening to fit my students into the types and come up with a plan to teach to those needs. We often talk about learning needs and character traits are just another way to look at it.

James Nottingham - P4C - Using picture books to get children to think and question more deeply. You don't have to come up with all the answers. There are a variety of benefits to why you might teach?/encourage? Philosophy in the classroom, the most relevant to me at the moment is getting participation and more focussed questioning from the children.

James Nottingham - Challenge, Wobble and Roll - This workshop brought up again, are we challenging/teaching our children or giving them the information for them to regurgitate. It made us all very aware that our perception, as teachers, is quite different from every other teacher. I need to have the children in the learning, or wobble, zone. That's the zone where the children are thinking "why can I not do it the way I know?" another interesting thought, that will be expanded upon tomorrow, is - be careful what you praise, it can get in the way of the learning zone. Isn't it interesting at Finland's educational success and yet they only have 18 hours teaching time a week. The difference - they use a model based on Vgotsky and we, in New Zealand use a model based on Piaget.

Websites:
Www.p4c.com
Www.Jamesnottingham.co.uk

Handwriting

http://www.thespec.com/living/healthfitness/article/552797--the-perks-of-handwriting

A very interesting article on handwriting. It has certainly changed my mind about how I teach handwriting because I was starting to go down the path of "once children can write the letter why bother to keep teaching them because people are writing less and less."

Discovery Time - Weather

Discovery Time - Weather on PhotoPeach

I love this woman's work!

This lady amazes me every time I watch one of her videos. She certainly inspires me to continue along the whole brain teaching path - which I have just begun. I think my next steps are to adapt and introduce a 'quiet riot' and also I really need to introduce the 'switch.' What I also like about this is that I can do an assessment on the whole class by simply asking all the children to put their heads down and asking questions. I don't know why I've never thought of that before!

Teacher Inquiry Observation

My teacher inquiry is focussed on increasing the levels of surface features in writing. One of the ways I have been doing this is to introduce Whole Brain Teaching. I know that this strategy can be applied across the curriculum, however, as it is new to me I want to do it small but do it right first.

Anyhow, today I had an observation focussed on my teacher inquiry. I asked the observer to focus mostly on the WBT strategy. She was impressed. I was also very impressed. Today was the day that I had the best WBT session of the term. And the results were amazing! She couldn't get over the student engagement and the focus in the room. Not only that but the success that the children were having was HUGE. One girl in particular who can be a wee bit slower to pick up concepts, was so onto it! (The observer could tell I was super surprised but stoked about her immediate success!)

A great lesson and I can't wait to continue with WBT!

Shift happens

Whole Brain Teaching

At the beginning of this term I decided to implement Whole Brain Teaching strategies that I had been looking into and researching only for a little while.
I have found that the children are more engaged and are cementing their learning a little more than they were. It has made me more aware of my teaching strategies and different learning needs within the classroom. So far it has had a very positive effect.
I have so far used the 5 rules, class-yes, teach-ok, and the scoreboard with the 'mighty oh yeah' and the 'mighty groan'. After initially learning these, we have spent the rest of the week with reminders about how they work and the expectations - just a ONE second party, no longer!
The scoreboard in particular is a very powerful tool.... when I remember to use it. And also the difficulty is that it is on the board and often I'm not stationed near the scoreboard.
However, we will keep persevering and I'm sure it will be very effective.

If you have not seen or heard of whole brain teaching (aka power teaching) then I suggest you check out the website, but first search 'whole brain teaching' on you tube and watch a couple of clips.

Charter schools $125k experiment

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7359538n

Check out this link.

Marva Collins

Have just been given the book "Ordinary Children, Extraordinary Teachers" by Marva Collins. Have only read the introduction and already I'm inspired.

Children don't fail.....

Technology taking over!

PE Games

Basketball shoot out - Two teams line up along the sides of the court on either side of the hoop and on the back line there is 5 cones either side of the hoop. Another cone is in the centre of the court halfway up the court.. The first person has to dribble the ball up the court and around the cone and back to the hoop. They have a shot at the hoop - if they get it in they take a cone from the opposing teams side and puts it on their side, if they miss they just pass the ball to the next player who repeats. The aim is to get all 10 cones on their teams side.

The Glue Game (aka Bring Home the Bacon)
Two teams line up facing each other about 2 metres apart. They are number off. Teacher calls out two numbers and the people from each team race into the middle to grab the glue (or whatever is in the middle). They have to get it back over their line to score a point. As soon as the glue is touched it is active. If the team who picks it up gets tagged the point goes to the other team (the ones who were the taggers).

I have seen in a class pre-determined teams. At the beginning of the year the children are assessed on how fast they can run, how far they can jump, how far they can throw and probably a couple of other tests. Then the children are ranked in order of strongest/fittest/most coordinated to not-so-much. The children are then split into two teams that are approximately even ability. They name these teams (eg Kings and Aces) and keep these teams for the rest of the year or until another ability test. This not only saves time when making teams, but it also makes the competition more fair and enjoyable.

Reading back on placement notes........

I have decided to have a cleanout of all my college stuff, thought I'd read over it and anything I find interesting (food for thought) that I want to think about again, here seems a good place to put it - takes up a whole lot less space than my ring binders!!!!!

Notes from 1st placement: teacher said she provides homework but is completely optional as she doesn't believe she has the right to be telling parents what to do, practice singing as children transitioning between mat and desks, have laminated sheets in reading groups (with title, author, setting, characters, problem, solution, new words, interesting) so that fast readers have something to do when rest are finishing off), have a wonderings scrapbook where children can write any questions they like and at a time during the week the teacher will try to answer them/show skills to find answers, when counting in groups of 2, 5, 10 etc keep a rhythm to help with fluency.

Notes from 2nd placement: Really I'm just having a laugh! My notes are all just a big rant of what not to do as a teacher, and thankfully I haven't done any of those things yet, I don't think.

Notes from 3rd placement: heart of achievement - steps into the middle then get to choose a prize from pre-defined prize list, top group for week (using group points) get to move one space in heart of achievement, give a goal for Monday journal - don't want children to just write a recount of their weekend, read mark beside name for undesirable behaviour, target 10 - when whole class doing desired behaviour green dot in specified part of the board - when get 10 it's game time - start fresh each week, basic facts grid timed - children call out stop and teacher tells time for them to record - tick each line if all correct - circle ones got wrong, when a child is talking over they stand up, class mascot that can be a demonstration to say "Rodger has his handwriting book ready, do you?", celebration of work photocopied for everyone to look at why it is such a good piece of work, book "More Quality Circle Time" by Jenny Mosely.

Quietube

Google and add 'quietube' to your bookmarks. Then when you have searched the YouTube clip that you want to watch in the classroom, open it so it starts downloading, then click on the bookmark and you can watch the video with all the extra bits around the outside.

Schoolhouse Rock

After visiting another classroom last week and having a look at some other classroom blogs, I came across a great wee video of the three times tables, "Three is the Magic Number". I've shown to the children and they absolutely love it! After some investigation into 'Schoolhouse Rock' (aired in the 70s) I have found a series for videos for all the numbers as well as various grammar ones. The link below takes you to the Schoolhouse Rock website, which will then link you to the video clips via YouTube. www.schoolhouserock.tv