RPI - Episode 3 - Ponderous Puzzle

 RPI Day 3

Another day on the screen with the RPI team, hooray!

We started with some feedback and sharing how our last 3 weeks have gone. Lots of positivity.

A look at our taskboards showed a variety of approaches all with merit. Very clear intentions and success criteria. I guess the second session worked! For myself I had the follow up resources elsewhere - in the groups modeling books. I will include links so it becomes a reusable resource.

Text Selection

Print Text / Digital Text

Reading apps are not a replacement - effective for giving students a selection of texts. Use the trackers on apps so you can monitor progress and performance - fill in to the kids so they know!

Set up a system - to record reading - a slide deck per student. Everytime they complete - record accomplishment in the slides. Use a google form - Simple questions - upload and blog your graphs so the students are accountable.

Voice typing - read and record. Use phot option on google keep to 'rip' the text

Preview software on Mac.

Set a google meet and record.

Lots of examples of how to record and turn to text. Use of the phone will be a valuable step for me moving forward. Several options here. Use of notes and transcripts.

More gold from Dorothy, good to see Matt's (Up the mighty Sea eagles!) face at the end and his text adaption through driffit is another tool I will use. 

Watch out for the September big pay back, (James Brown)!

Students will engage better with texts if they contain images 
(relevant and engaging)

Choosing texts

Here we go Pillar 2

Make sure you use running print texts - not just...

Remember this across curriculum

Decoding

Making meaning

Thinking critically

Working with texts is the core - it is critical across all areas.

Texts should reflect the student - Mirrors and Windows and sliding glass doors.

Teacher bias - be mindful of your own frame or position in the ethnic/social make up. Be deliberate in identifying the clients when selecting.

Engage reluctant readers - scaffolding - select a multi modal or an independent reading will be more successful with engagement

Vocab - on the page vs everyday

 Remember:

Independent	Relatively easy for the student to read  (95 - 100% word accuracy).
Instructional	Challenging but manageable for the reader  (90 - 94% word accuracy).
Frustration	Difficult text for the student to read  (less than 90% word accuracy).

Planning for texts and monitoring what we use is a great focus for our Syndicate over the next weeks.

Grouping Learners

Leveled - Be aware of

Mixed - 

- 

Leveled - Something they can access - Variety to meet different needs

Mixed - consider what the text will look like - What can we include to make it accessible to all our students - Intro texts could be at a lower level - allow all students to access

Think about diagrams - spaced and vocab to allow access to all

- Multimodal - visual, tier 2 and 3 vocab - include captioning and video

Flexible grouping - ambitious outcomes

We discussed reading groups in our context

Selecting Texts For Groups

When do you choose text - we have flexibility - 3 year overview is broad - tightening things.

- Check in with weeks and adapt and react where necessary

- TKI is a search option - Journal surf

Connected - we were shared a slide deck referencing 

Grouping - quick break then we used each others skills to group and resource 2 reading grops

Group: Kōtare

Reasons for grouping:Inferencing

Text(s):

https://www.greenpeace.org/static/planet4-international-stateless/2013/05/21cc94e5-oitb-2013.pdf

: What is ocean acidification TED ed

L2 November  :  2023  :  28-29 - Timecapsule (Poem)

https://arbs.nzcer.org.nz/student/resources/sand-dunes

Group: Kea

Reasons for grouping: Summarising 

Text(s):

Climate change - OUr biggest challenge - Journal Search: Slide deck with links to text - opportunity to discuss and summarise through activities - L4

The Call of the Conch (article) (explanation / recount - good for summarising)

Laudato Si - Pope Francis - Video - Summarising opportunity. Catholic

Oceans in the balance  Students use MOte read aloud

How Big is our Footprint? (Infographic)

Anchor Text - sourced for a group - feeling a bit frazzled by this stage - Intensive is the key word I think as the info is starting to spill out the top of the brain blender...

Texts sets

Things to take into account when setting a text sets yet pet:

• Ambitious learning outcomes

• Purpose

• Learning Intentions

• Length of unit/concept/topic

• Timetable

• Engagement of learners

• Richness of texts

Reading Apprenticeship

• Think Aloud

• Talking to the Text

• Using a Metacognitive Bookmark

• Problem Solving

Lots to ponder as I spend an afternoon magpieing and planning ahead. 

Lots to ponder as we get more and more useful. 

Lots to ponder as I get more overwhelmed.

Lots to ponder but certainly not ponderous!

Do you remember any specific reading activities from your childhood? 

I used to like the SRA cards - lots of self management, self monitoring and comp practice there.

RPI - Episode 2: Know Your Learners as Readers (Not pithy this time, or do these brackets make it so?)

 How to make you want to engage? 

Try and find the hidden link to an amazing (subjective) easter egg.

Learning occurred and knowledge increased. 

The consistent delivery of valuable tools continues when you are part of the Manaiakalani crew. Today was no different. Despite my hectic 3 weeks since last visiting the meet zone I was able to take a lot from the session.

Dorothy came and visited us from Kūotuna sharing the sun and the beautiful bush, along with the usual mic drop wisdom that comes from a passion to improve and do the best for her educatees. I am looking forward to delving into the podcast world.

The discussion of those blessed standardized test and how they are standard for those who are standard was deep and felt like a similar page across the group. The work book offered a one stop shop to store and use important information for our tamariki and their movement forward.

I must say I appreciate the practical aspects and tools we can use for our selves. Keep it all relevant I say. We looked at intentions and relating them to curriculum. Making it easy for students ot respond and unpack these so they know what they are doing. The task board is similar to a tool I use around agency. Again it is a task that I will do and then use with my group, how good! In progress e.g.

I am looking forward to catching up with my mentor to discuss and look into these things deeply to check I am as understanding as I think I am. I may be wishfully thinking that I am on the right track.

Agency e.g.

(The image illustrates that he used to have friends but now they are enemies. So maybe not as amazing as I sold., possibly a waste of your precious time, sorry)

RPI - Episode 1 - The Reading Menace

A short time ago 

in a room in my house...

Today I started my journey in the Reading Practice Intensive Program (RPI). Though confident in my delivery of reading to the students in my charge the ideas and advice shared today shows many places I can improve. This illustrates the benefit of PD and growth as we continue to learn more and become experts in education.

Initial activities involved reflection and consideration of the reading for enjoyment. This simple (not so simple) element will boost reading among the students as they grow and recognise themselves as readers. The survey indicated many tools we can use for reading and would be an eye opener for students who may think reading is a book full stop. The survey is certainly where I will be starting with the Tamariki upstairs at NBC.

This lead to discussion, discussion discussion and a bit more discussion. I repeat because it is amazing the growth illustrated from this one tool. Examples from teachers who have been using conversation showed it working with students growing their understanding of text. We may use our survey results to dive into discussion and we will definitely try the Toss 'n Talk activity to guide the creation of a rubric or guide for steps.

One thing that came up repeatedly was how we are giving our students choice and ownership. In the reading of Reading Motivation: What the Research Says, they stated that "Student motivation is a key factor in successful reading." The motivation of students is influenced by their teachers, their peers and themselves. How we teach them can influence this. This made me think about I interact with my students and the disposition I display towards reading. 

So, much to take a away, nary an idea was wasted!

Manaiakalani Innovative Teacher Project Summary 
2022

2021 ended with excitement as I was selected to be involved in the Manaikalani Innovative Teachers program (MIT).

It meant that in 2022 I would be working out how to solve a challenge I felt was impacting achievement. I wouldn't be doing it alone as the facilitators had sourced some wonderful brains from across Aotearoa.

Whanau are not engaging with online learning

My initial 'moonshot' was unveiled through a slide share and I immediately got feedback and forward through the 'why' process. This idea was Whanau are not engaging with online learning. I had ideas but these were unrefined and ultimately irrelevant. The Design Thinking Process introduced many other ideas and as I moved through the initial stages of this process my ideas and even my focus changed.

How might we...

So from here we looked at ways we could solve this problem. How we could turn it into an opportunity. We thought of reading parents comments so children would encourage home to engage. We talked about children flipping the learning by making videos to teach others. Info evenings came up. From these discussions we honed into using the word connect.

Camera's to Connect

The design boiled down to the 'Camera's to Connect' innovation. This was chosen because all my research pointed to the desire for humans to watch short videos that get to the point. These videos were short interviews with the children about one aspect of their learning.

The Design Thinking Process also allowed the idea to develop. Initially it was overly led by me but as the idea developed the children took more leadership of the presentation, making for a more appealing product. The use of a script polished things again and finally using the Google Meet streamlined recording.

I chose to email these as parents would look at emails from the teacher and by putting the video directly on the email they would have less distance to travel to connect. This also gave them an easy reply so I could access responses quickly and directly.

Here are some examples of correspondence -

Action Stations

The video involves...

• Considering the work you want to share.
• Aiming for something in the formative stage so the children can voice where to
• Giving the children a script to fill and think of
• Setting up a meet and area

These pre things mean when you get to the meet things will be smooth.

Filming the meet

• Introduce the children and have the child explain their learning

Sharing the Meet

• Email the parents with a link to the video
• Include a question so they have more incentive to reply

Wananga

As we neared the end of the process we headed to share our innovation with the Manaikalani Principlas at the annual Wananga. This year it was back on site at Waipuna. Thanks to previous opportunities to share in Rarotonga the public speaking aspect was less daunting. The relationships formed through the MIT sessions also gave us a support base and the experience was a highlight of my career so far. If you've made to here you might as well strap in and relive my Wananga experience in the video below.

Where's Wananga...

 Kia ora Tatou

 

 It was a sunny old day when I hit the runway in Auckland for the upcoming Manaikalani Wananga. 

I say upcoming but clearly this is a recount so you know I know how it went...

I shuttled to the Waipuna Conference centre and settled in, just in time, to a nice cold beer and conversation with my fellow MITers. There was, surprisingly, a lack of nerves as our preparation was well intrenched. After a fabulous buffet we ... okay lets jump to the event.

The morning had a few more nerves as a stream of who's who principals and leaders of eduction filled the hall. Our fearless leader gave us the final directions and we settled in to soak up the research. This element was equally valuable and offered a chance to reflect on my own practice and an avenue to share with my own clusters leaders.

The first of MIT crew hit the stage and nailed it. After an interlude with Dave and Russell (tough acts to follow) it was my turn to present. Despite butterflies it was over before I knew what was happening and it felt good.

The experience of MIT is near culmination and the opportunity to present was a major positive in confidence growth. The initiative creation was also of value but, selfishly, this aspect of public speaking is where I see my biggest benefit.

Hitting the Harbour and KPMG

KPMG in Term 2

The plane was full as we pulled out of Christchurch. I was the newby on this trip but luckily Anna was at the airport to Uber us to our hotel. It was a fish out of water situation and the wander around the viaduct was a real eye opener.

The morning meant access to a coffee and time to enjoy a Mojo breakfast. Once the MIT were assembled we headed into the KPMG building. The venue was a great space to share our ideas and the wander around later on showed they had really thought about productivity.

Sharing begun with a quick reflection of our progress.

Prototype

We then went into a little more depth sharing our 'prototype.' Mine was more of a presentation. I outlined where I had come and what my MIT focus was. Connect home with the learner. The adaptions that I had made from the hangouts had given me confidence that I was on the right track and the response from the team was mostly positive. It was great to hear how things might work from their perspective and some polishing points that will help with selling my concept and building on a template.

Examples of what was sent to parents and reflections.

Examples of response

The team

Anusha - shared her work on redesigning the learning experience. The blueprint was amazing and I think I will take an adapted version back ASAP to my planning at school.

Anna - shared her Bookflix website. Books galore with links to texts online. The use of forms to question - adapt in context - use of forms regularly to practice with inference comprehension.  (I will be using this ASAP)

Pip - Student feedback - letting them know how they are progressing.

How to PAT: Skimming and scanning - define. Tips on the question. Useful to target with groups texts.

Tools - Highlight 

- 

Alida - New Teacher's Induction

Website to show ways to teach in NZ, whether it is BT or teachers new to NZ.

Digital induction course

Add with specific school digital resource for new staff at NBC.

Deb - Tuning into Oral Language

Themes set up with specific inquiry. Featured texts - set vocab and prompts. Play provocations.

Looked at assessments and adapted to make more relevant to learner - see patterns.

Jono - Algebra - how to

Use of children to tutor peers

Web link to worksheets - set up as Learn, Create, Share

Some great work done by the team and good to have the progress analyses by colleagues.

Blogging - I learnt to be careful where I hide the gold in videos - make sure that the point is evident and quick - I hope you have managed to find the gold here.

March Meet-Up

 Hui - Flaxton RD1 

So, as the heading suggests this is not the wonderful exciting Auckland trip I had been looking forward to. The week prior I was struck down with the dreaded 2 stripes. I felt like I would be OK by the time Monday rolled around and was due out of Isolation just in time. Well come the Sunday it was evident the whole trip would be a bridge too far. I was grounded.

Even working from home was a challenge as the Covid lingered in my system but I managed to be present and engaged for the whole day. 

We started with a checkin and 3 Ws

I was very challenged in this as I felt we had moved around in circles from the time at Kouatuna. I felt that I should focus on existing tools and how I can better present them to the school community. Discussion proved this kind of push was already happening in schools. I had to dig deeper and consider some of the HMW statements that were focused on different approaches.

I was waning and actually had a nap while the crew went walk about with the delicious lunch supplied to them. I did make it back in time to hone in on the crazy 8s ideas and what would be a focus for me. The idea that was considered not happening now and a bit of a why has created a few logistical considerations since.

I am still torn and working on producing an outcome that will meet the focus assigned to me.