Inquiry update term 3

This term I have continue with write the little words this term a long with a focus on writing together. Trying to balance the I write, we write, you write in my classroom. I do not believe I have this balance right yet and hope that I will be the end of next term.

During this,  I have noticed that modelling the experiences before the children do it helps to build the vocabulary for them. I did this in my chocolate fish writing and the quality of language used by the learners increased considerably. 

I have also noticed an increase across the class of excitement about writing and want to write. With learner say “when can we do writing”, “Can I finish my writing now instead of playing a game” and “I love writing.” 

I have also noticed the connections with reading. The learners who are excited about writing are also making good progress in reading. One learner has moved from level 12 to level 19 this year and her engagement in reading and writing has increased also. 

Getting Feedback

Throughout term 3 I have been working on creating a site and physical prompts that will support students to have in depth conversations in maths.

This site draws on students created videos as models for vocabulary and language scaffolds.

As I feel this site, the prompts and QR codes are working well for me and my class I wanted to share the resource and see what other teachers thought about its potential use in their classrooms. 

Here are the questions I asked and some of the feedback I have received so far. 

What did you find useful on this site?

The layout was clear and things were easy to find and seem easy to use.

I liked the layout of the QR code links - vocabulary item with a explanatory video featuring 'real' kids using the target word - great to see the vocabulary item in action with real kids.

I loved exploring this site. It left me with a thirst for wanting more. I loved the connections students can make through the use of QR codes to link a rewindable video of peers explaining their maths thinking. I actually found your ideas regarding coding extremely helpful as that is what I want to be exploring next Term. Your videos to explain activity to students is just what I needed as a teacher.... and is exactly what other teachers that are new to coding will need. I thought the information on each page was simple and easy to read.

What else would you like to see on this site?

More videos showing the kids using the QR codes.

Videos of what the QR codes link to. I would have loved to see these videos on this page. A short description of the DIMC theory about the benefits/power of students explaining their thinking (the why behind what you are doing).

Two out of three people who have given feedback so far said they would use the site. The other stated that she felt the content was to young for her year 7 & 8 class.

If yes how do you see it being used?

I would love to use the student prompt videos especially when introducing them to my groups next year.

I would love to try using this with my students next term, using Tamaki student videos. I think this is a great way to consolidate their understanding. I will also use this site to explore coding with my students, something I have wanted to do for sometime. Love these videos.

Any additional ideas or feedback

I would like to adapt the idea and use QR codes within Literacy to help build students vocabulary knowledge/retention/understanding.

Wow you are an inspiration! Love what you are doing at Point England. Your passion shines through in your site. Keep on sharing!

Thank you very much to the kind people who have given feedback so far. I hope to add a section on the site with more specific detail about the DMiC approach to Mathematics. I would also love to start working with other teachers to build up the content on the site and will be contacting some of the teachers who gave feedback to see if this is of interest to them.

I would love any additional feedback. So please feel free to check out and potentially use this site in your classroom. If you do I would really appreciate your feedback which can be given through this form.  

Manaiakalani Hui Inquiry update

On Friday I was privilege to share my inquiry at the Manaiakalani Hui. At the event we our video played and everyone at the Hui got to choose a table to go to and talk with the people there. I really enjoyed the conversations had at my table and some of the questions and connections I made from this event.

I hope you enjoy this video summary of my inquiry. Please leave any question you might have as I would love to talk with you about my journey.

Feedback on my tool

Thanks to Zac Moran for sharing some insightful feedback on my tool. 

Today we got the opportunity to give Feedback to one of our colleagues tools that they have created.  Clarelle has created a site that is still in progress but nearly finished, this site is for learners and teachers to help build vocabulary in mathematics.

Clarelle has worked really hard over the last 6 months creating a tool that can be used to help learners build vocabulary in mathematics.  Not only will this help learners in mathematics but will go across the curriculum and help build vocabulary in so many different areas.

Clarelle has placed laminated cards around her classroom so her learners are able to go to them when they need help.  These cards have a QR code on them where learners are able to use their iPad to take them to her site where her learners have made short videos explaining what these words mean and how to use these different prompts.

The only problem that she is facing is that the videos don't open on phones via Google Drive, but her learners are using iPads so that won't be a problem.

This site will bless so many people and is extremely helpful with our new DMIC approach to mathematics this year.

CoL Reflecting What Now? Conversation 3

So what now? I have talked about where I am at and now I believe this conversation needs to look at what next. 

As we come into term 3 I feel like some of the conflict is lifted. Now is the time to bring it together, step it up and keep moving forward! 

As I look at refining my intervention I thought of 5 things that I am doing but that need stepping up or changing. 

1. Focusing the activities even more to make sure they provide the best opportunity for recycling of language, use of language and development of understanding. I will do this by making the language central to the task. I have a few ideas about how I want to do this. Firstly making sure the language specific to the learning is visible in written and oral forms.  Secondly given students a chance to create example of language. A fraction is....... explainer videos. This could ideally big picture -My wish- lead to a word wall that is digitally interactive. 

2. Planning more closely at the language. This links closely to point 1. I need to think even more closely about the language in my problems and activities and make sure this is clear in my planning. 

3. Providing discussion scaffolds. I know that conversation and discussion is a struggle for many of our learners. I want to add to the stills our children have been learning in DMiC. I believe that students having a physical scaffold they can hold and touch will support this further. 

4. Providing texts that support mathematical language. This is around building a link between literacy and mathematics. I want to connect the mathematical language, concepts and ideas to a story or text. This would provide a context for problems that are real while building the knowledge that mathematic is across the curriculum. 

5. Using video recording and analysis to really understand at the quantifiable level the impact of the action that I am taking. This would happen over a two week cycle as we rotate or learners every 2 weeks to develop a classroom culture that we are all  one class with two teachers who learn in different ways each term. 

I believe this is accelerate learning because it is just stepping up and adding to what I have already been doing but really stepping it up!

Manaiakalani Teaching As Inquiry Framework

My 2018 CoL Inquiry Focus

"Increasing Mathematical ability,  using coding to build computational thinking and vocabulary"

The Manaiakalani cluster are always working together to overcome challenges for our learners with a focus on specific achievement challenges that exist with our community of learning.  

In 2018 my inquiry will focus on the CoL achievement Challenge: 

Lift the achievement in maths for all learners in years 1-13. 

I will be using the Manaiakalani cluster inquiry framework to focus my inquiry and make my learning and teaching visible in 2018. This framework has been co-constructed specifically for Manaiakalani schools drawing on the New Zealand teaching as inquiry framework and using the Learn, Create, Share pedagogy as a guide for inquiry. 

Throughout the year I will label my blog post to make sure it is easily accessed by others. I will label them using the Learn, Create, Share structure. 

Click on this link to see blog posts organised by label-Inquiry links