NZ Teaching Standards

https://sites.google.com/site/nzteachingstandards/

Here is a slideshow I found which you may find helpful:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/19ENISja-n9WPlfjifVOojd4oBMTYokLUJNYkss2rdaY/edit#slide=id.p

Strategies for engaging reluctant writers

Here are some good references for helping engage the reluctant writer. Note the balance between surface and deeper features, but with the emphasis on making meaning.

1. 5 strategies for inspiring for reluctant writers
2. 13 ways to engage reluctant writers
3. 7 Ways to Guide and Inspire Reluctant Children to Write (note ideas for making handwriting a ‘comfortable experience’)
4. What to do for reluctant writers

This video about the author's purpose reinforces the idea that the purpose is critical.

LLI Workshop - Reflection - Judy-Anne

Mel and I had the chance to go to a workshop to support Karaitiana on Tuesday. It was run by Jaki (speech language therapist) and Tania was able to join us too.

We gained a few things from the actual presentation but the major value of the day was being able to sit and talk together. We learnt a lot about life at home and were able to discuss a lot because we had a large amount of time.

We discovered that Karaitiana used to be very reluctant to come to school and had a transition object to help encourage him to come. He has been away a lot recently and is again very reluctant to come. Routines are difficult to follow at home at present, sometimes breakast does not happen.
I suggested Karaitiana could have his breakfast at school. Tania said she would box up cereal for him and he could have it with his milk. Apparently he bounced out of bed the next day and was happy to come to school, though a little confused about why he could have his breakfast at school!

He has now had cereal at school two days in a row.

Yesterday we talked about him staying with me at Junior Sports Day, he was happy with the idea, arrived at school today and stuck close to me at Sports Day- but he was there! This was a huge step for him as he does not historically deal well with large groups of people. Mel wrote a social story for him about going to dancing tonight so we will check tomorrow on how dancing went. had forgotten about social stories but think this could be a useful tool to use to help him with his anxiety and increase his confidence in social situations.
Action Plan Use social stories for helping Karaitiana with new / uncomfortable situations ( will help the whole class) Memory games for Karaitiana ( will help Brianna too) Personalised alphabet book for Karaitiana and Laila - Karaitiana to be the 'expert'

TBCS - Craig - Reflection - P.L.G

I got to go to my first P.L.G yesterday. It was held at Tasman School.

We started by introducing ourselves: where we were from, what class we taught and what we had done in the past.

We then got to go in a circle and say what was on top for us... I said it was keeping track of my students who were all working at different levels in lexia and Math Buddy. Others needed to get to know their students better individually, learn to deal with wide range of abilities, and set routines as we have not had many full weeks this term.

We then got to talk about what goal we were working on at the moment. Mine was trying to improve my students writing. Other issues that arose included Math and Science. For Math, it was in regard to games that could be used for activities. In science, most of the other teachers have it for P.L.D and have lots of requirements to meet, and there was some confusion about the big picture.

Some things that came out of the conversation that I thought would be good to remember and/or put into practice were...

• using a speaking stick and named ice cream sticks for answering questions.
• Math games: study ladder, and the bankers game (with dice) Paul Swan 
• Give instructions clearly and say what you want and not what you don't want. Rather than say, "Go out to lunch when you have finished your work", I should say Finish your work and then go out to lunch. It helps those who need routines and and lists to have instructions in order.
• Writing helps included...

1. Quick writes
2. Literacy shed https://www.literacyshed.com/
3. National Geographic short videos (David Attenborough)
4. Fishbone https://www.google.co.nz/search?q=fish+bone+planner&safe=strict&rlz=1C1GGRV_enNZ751NZ752&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiyz6LomujZAhWEyLwKHe5BDfAQ_AUICigB&biw=1800&bih=700#imgrc=0JNNE8Z3R1cdoM:
5. Brain frames

Action plan

I am going to check out fish bone planning which seems easier. than the writing for fun template I tried to use these last two weeks.

I am also going to try brain frames, which seem very logical and I think may help many students.

But first, after looking at their e-asstle tests, which I did today, I am going to hammer simple sentences! Some have got it and will need to be challenged in other areas, but some still can't even use a capital letter, let alone have a complete thought in a sentence. I have my work set out for me...

• 3 Discussing my practice with colleagues and being open to new ideas.
• 2 Being an active member of professional learning communities.
• 3 Appropriate and professional communication with colleagues, ākonga and whānau.
• 3 Establishing collegial relations by participating with colleagues in staff activities, and taking an interest in what others are doing through positive professional interactions.

Reflection - Judy-Anne - Time management

As the term ticks by I once again feel I am getting further behind. Am I doing something wrong in terms of prioritising my work or are the expectations too high? Maybe it is a mixture of both. It definitely does become the tyranny of the urgent! How much paperwork is necessary- do I need to put info about reading only in the reading plans for instance or should it go in the planner as well? Can I use Teacher Aide support more effectively?

Action plan:
 Trial having planner open on desk each day and write notes directly in. This might also help me note changes to the timetable! Because we have such a routine I don't tend to note the changes on paper, just in my head.


Action plan:
Use release days to prioritise setting up systems which take time to organise but will save me time once they are set up! eg ensure Andrea and Mel can access learner support information and their reports can be filed there and our discussions can be more effective, get IEPs set up in conjunction with learner support register and set reminders for when these need updating. Does the calendar need another colour for Learner Support stuff?

We had a fantastic preschool playdate on Friday with Oasis Motueka. They were a great bunch of children and teachers/ parents and coped really well in the school environment. One girl even climbed our fort even though she has never played on the smaller one at preschool. Her teacher was delighted.
This afternoon we worked on an abstract self portrait following videoed instructions. I joined in with the children doing my designing and colouring at the same time.
Both of these things helped to remind me that sometimes it is more important for us to stop, join in and talk than it is to be constantly teaching the next thing. The taking time bit is when our relationships are strengthened and we find all sorts of odd things out about our families.

It is also very Biblical to rest and to develop relationships.

Action step:
Join in with the kids play. Encourage their play. Continue to look into play based learning- what can we do more effectively?

Reflection - Steve - 9 March 2018 - Beginning Principals Hui

Standard 2 Professional Learning.
Attended the Beginning Principals Hui at Nayland Primary school.
Appraisals: this was discussed by Jacqui Clayton.
The links were made clearer i.e.
Reflection comes from the inquiry process of identifying something that isn't right (for want of a better word), formulating a plan of action, trialling it and re evaluating the outcome against the goal.
This reflection is also and identifier of the quality practices we use to meet the Standards for the Teaching Profession.
It is also an opportunity for collaborative problem solving with colleagues.
This therefore ties into the goals for the school, not always but normally as those are our focuses.
This in turn also helps in our own appraisal processes.
4 birds with one stone.
Action Step: how do we make this clearer to ourselves, Principal and Board?

reflection - steve

Reading.
I observed a student reading by sounding out each letter of each word. I was a bit confused as I had heard her reading before. I decided to investigate.
I paid direct attention and her reading was stilted, letter sounds, no recognition of sight words.
I was then distracted by another student, and from the corner of my eye and ear I heard her reading less stilted again. After discussion with the teacher aide working with her, i decided to try an experiment.
I sat her down and before reading asked her to explain what she does when she reads. After the usual "I just read" she advised that when she gets to a word she isn't sure of she sounds out, and then continues for each word after that.
We talked about blends not individual letter sounds, and endings. She agreed to try it.
With direction and coaching we started reading. When a word confused we worked it out and when we got to the end of the sentence we went back and reread the whole sentence.
Action Step: confer with the teacher aide and support this process on each occasion. The teacher aide is going to talk to the parent to explain our process so it can be used at home.