CoL the journey begins together

Why are we here?

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“Recognising and spreading sophisticated pedagogical practice across our community so that students learn in better and more powerful ways...”

What we noticed is that within all the CoL inquires was that there is a really need for development of language for our learners. This was NOT just in year 1 but across all levels and in all curriculum areas. Without language, connecting with the curriculum becomes extremely challenging for our learners. We also realised that learners are struggling to transfer this learning across subjects.

Language in abundance environments ‘drip’ with language availability

and attention, where noticing and relevant use of words allow for

deeper, wider, more specific and precise, context appropriate

language expression…leading to knowing at deeper and broader

levels.

Dr. Jannie Van Hees

So what can we do?

We must:
Conduct a mean as inquiry at your level/s in your subject/s
Language in Abundance is the lens
Share it really well
Help each other

Visit online/offline, debate, discuss, challenge, suggest

As we launch into this inquiry the most important thing that stands out for me is working together to tackle a current problem.

Mathematics is a real world skill!

This year my inquiry will focus on mathematics. I want to support learners to have dialogic discussion and apply computational thinking as they develop real world maths skills within a real connect.

It will Focus on the Manaiakalani Achievement Challenge 6: Lifting the achievement in maths for all students years 1-13. 

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I am extremely lucky that this year our school is working with Bobby Hunter and the DMIC team to help our learners develop their mathematical understanding and become problem solves who use big mathematical ideas, work together and use mathematics in a real world context.

Bobby came to talk to us on ur teacher only day about the history of mathematics teaching and learning in New Zealand and the history of deficit thinking that is ingrained into teaching practice.

There are a few main points that I gained from this learning that I want to share as I think about how DMIC researcher and pedagogy can link in with and support my inquiry focus in 2018.

1. What works for diverse learners therefore it works for all learners.

Bobby talked a lot about a need for maths to be culturally responsive and grounded in a context that is meaningful to learners. She stated that if maths is not in the meaningful context students become disconnected and their fore develop the dislike for maths that leads to disengagement.

This discussion reminded me of my own experience of maths, which I have to state was the opposite of what Bobby was talking about, I love maths at school, It had an answer and I could work backwards and forward to check it. However often my friends would say when will we ever use algebra (this could be any mathematical concept) once we leave school. I think this disconnection between the maths and its purpose was what Bobby was talking about. If we teach maths in a real context when learners will know how the maths can be used to once they leave school.


2. Values
There are a number of different values in the class:
-Those of the students cultures that they bring to school.
-The teachers values
Just to name a few.

We have to consider these values and draw upon the cultural values of our learners in mathematics.

One Bobby said that I really relate to is:

You want to affirm the cultural capital of children in front of you. What they come with are strengths and we need to build on these strengths.

We often forget the everyday maths that comes from the family values that the children are exposed to at home. This might be thin like spatial knowledge and knowledge of patterns drawn from sewing or weaving or simple everyday task like hang the washing or making beds.

Interweaving culture and maths allows children to connect with each other and see inside each others worlds. Finding something that really matters to a student allows them to open up and be the centre of their learning.

One value that Bobby talked about a lot was service.

Service

One of the teacher said that for pasifika children, the pathway to leadership is through your service. It is not about yourself, you have to serve others before yourself. Pasifika children are drawn to service and this can often have a cultural disconnect in the classroom

As teacher we need to think:

What are the core pasifika value? How do they play out in the classroom?

What are your core Values? How do they play out in the classroom?

3.High Expectations!!!!!!!

This to me is the most important thing. We have teacher must have high expectation if we want our learners to raise to meet them. Struggling is not a bad thing, we learn the most when we find learning challenging and we have to be resilient and push yourself and others to find answer.

We must tell learners This is going to be hard you will struggle but it will be great when you get through it. You must tell them. Mathematics is not just one day. It can happen over time as they struggle with the thinking.

Inclusion, Inclusion, Inclusion!!! Everyone needs to be involved.

Working together doesn’t just happen you have to structure it.

This is only the beginning of what Bobby talk to us about if you would like to see my other notes please visit this Doc.

Give all this learning I have a lot of thinking and learning to do but I am excited to link this in with my inquiry as I grow as a teacher and think about how I can make maths cultural responsive and engaging for my learners.

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 

Creativity starts with me

As a teacher it is easy to set tasks expecting creativity from learning and asking them to 'think outside the box'.  But just like in reading, writing, maths and the setting up of classroom routines I believed that  creativity must be modelled.

In term four of 2017 our school had a school wide focus on music and in room 14 we set out to create song about important messages we had learnt throughout the year. I love singing myself but that does not mean that I am particularly good at it. As I planned a creative group task to write songs using well known tunes I had to think carefully about what I was asking and say "Can I do that?". As a result of these thought I  made a model song and video for the kids to watch and use as a starting point.


It took a lot of time to create this model, I recorded, the re-recorder just a few times. I think it was about 20 by the time I got the words, the pitch and the timing right. It was not easy but I had done it and I was proud of it. Knowing that I have completed the task I asked of the learner allowed me to confidently ask them to be creative and create a song because I knew it was possible and they had a model to use.

Here is the model I created:




It was wonderful to see the excitement of the kids when they heard me singing and even better to see the wonderful songs they created. Check them out below. This Term has been filled with the making of music. In room 14 we have been busy working with each other and thinking carefully about what we wanted to say to our friends and how we could use our song lyrics to express actions, feelings and ideas to others in a meaningful way.

Here are some of the songs we created this term we hope you enjoy them.

I have a hat


We are always kind to our friends


 Respect


Be respectful and kind


 Use your WITS

Writing really matters to me!

When I was at school I remember writing things and wondering why am I doing this. I would think no one wants to read my retelling off the New Zealand land wars when they can read a book written by a professional author, so what is the point.

Now that I am a teacher moments like these pop back into my mind from time to time and they made me do things differently. I am lucky and as is my class that our writing goes up in places like this. On a blog, a site or in a video that the world can see but is that purpose enough? This year I really wanted that kids to make meaningful connections with their writing.

So what was I to do. These kids had been blogging for year and well this was great they didn't see it as as meaningful as it was to those who read it. So I capitalized on what was most important to 8 year olds and we made new friends. We decided to write letters to a class in Rotorua about 3 hours drive South of us. I organised with a friend who teaches down there to buddy our kids so they could write to the same person many times.

A video we made:

Example Letter:

Dear Kate,

Kharizma left this school so I am going to write  a letter to you. My name is Kiarah, this term we have been learning about music. We have been making instruments and making music. We found out what sounds the musical notes make. Our class have been  playing recorder’s and it has been so much fun. We played these notes with the recorder's, a, b, d, c and g.

Sorry that she left. I hope you enjoyed my letter.

From Kiarah.

This was so much fun, we wrote letters, drew picture, did painting, made videos and even wrote a christmas song for our new friends and the excitement on the children's faces when they received those letters let me know that they felt this writing was purposeful and that it mattered to them!

Here is our Christmas song we wrote for our friends.
This year we have been so privileged to have had to opportunity to write to a class in Rotorua. We have really enjoyed reading their letters and writing to them about our lives. I have been wonderful seeing how different people spend their time and learning about what Room 30 are learning.

Here is a little video we made for Room 30 to thank them and wish them a Merry Christmas. 

 

We hope you like it Room 30!

What have I learnt-Inquiry Term 4

This year the has been a whirlwind especially term 4. Thinking about what to share this term was more challenging than most. As a result of my inquiry this year I have learnt about the importance of reading as much as possible in as many ways as possible. For next year I will be trying my best to apply what I have learnt to my new class. I believe that videoing is more effective than just voice recording.  

2 Amazing Years-MDTA Graduation

Last night was the Manakalani digital teacher academy graduation. We were lucky enough to have this wonderful event at the google offices in central Auckland. Standing there looking out over the city and reflecting back in this amazing journey I felt many things.
M
Firstly I felt a great sense acknowledgement, the past two years have been anything but easy. They have been fun, emotional, challenging and filled with new learning and experiences With many momentments pushing my thinking and helping me to grow. I remember walking around the cluster with the other MDTA BTs, Anne, Dorothy and Fiona and this beginning of this journey and seeing many school. Looking back I was seeing the network of people, learners and structures that would support me and that I would support as I began my teaching career.

Secondly I felt a great sense of gratitude. There is a great saying in New Zealand and it goes ‘He Tangata, He Tangata, He Tangata’ and it means it is people, it is people, it is people. While it is easy to focus on the one or two people you see at the front and centre of a program like MDTA there are so many people who make it possible and to everyone no matter their role I am so grateful that you made this program happen for me as I am the teacher I am today because of you!

Being at the graduation I felt a great sense of enjoy meeting some of the people in the background who had made this possible for me through donating time, money and knowledge to the program. Again I can not thank you all enough.

Thirdly, I learnt of the footprint of my action and that fact that even when you feel like you are trucking along alone in your class making shift and having sooo much fun many people are watching noticing and reflecting with you. They might. Be walking past your door hearing your class engaging and discussing or connecting digitally but in teaching especially in Manaiakalani you are never alone. And someone people see thing in you that you do not yet see yourself.

No matter where my life might take me, I will also be a 2016-2017 MDTA teacher and that fills be with great pride and the knowledge that I have skills and knowledge to draw as I continue to grow as a teacher.