How do you eat an elephant? One small bite at a time.

 Reflecting on the last few weeks... I've made a number of "small bites".

Timetable

I've taken a dip into Canva, and created a visual timetable for my groups. Although it looks pretty, and reasonably functional, at first glance... it's actually not as functional long term. 

Here's prototype 1:

The first flaw is that it's not easily modified... for my next prototype, I'm going to make the following adaptation:

• Have the group names at the top along with the icon I use for all group DLO's. (The colours currently reflect the groups also)
• Not have the images on there, so that I can insert it as a background on a Google drawing and change the actual activities more easily.
• It would be good to incorporate the group members potentially, although these are always on the site, listed under the group's DLO.

As an aside... I also need to be able to update my Bitmoji fairly regularly to reflect the current colour... For example, this week my hair is very blue.

Initial Reflection:

After using the tumble for a few days, it has worked well to see the groups in the same order each day. This helps the Teacher Aides to join specific learners in the group and better support their follow-up tasks. I haven't allowed for the different timings on the days that we have jump jam at 10:20am (meaning the third rotation is pushed out to 10:40am.

I'm reluctant to fall into the rabbit hole of Canva again until after my report comments are written.. so I'll leave it until next week! 

Mixed Ability Groupings

I have trialled two different mixed groupings.  The first was based on the next learning steps. I analysed their PAT data... the first glance next steps, and targeted three goals. I found that these groupings were very reluctant to talk in the groups. A number of my able learners are quite timid.

Next, I had a shuffle and ensured that the groups were based around having learners who were able to confidently chat amongst themselves. I had to attempt a bit of a hard sell to one of our Teacher Aides as she was aghast at the thought... It was like trying to sell ice to an Eskimo...

However...

When the first group sat down, one of my lower-ability learners began to share a lot of his prior knowledge with the group. Other learners were spellbound, blown away by some of the things he was saying. It was New Zealand Sign Language week the previous week and we were looking at a text about interpretors. 

An unforeseen challenge, as I attempted to promote discussion using the strategy of waiting them out like a hunter on the first dawn of Duck Shooting Season... settled in my seat, gazing around the table. Alas my fabulous TA began to helpfully prompt some of the punters! I tried to subtly divert the assistance, explaining "I know they know the answers. They have the ideas. I'm just waiting for them to share them." We quickly got on the same page.

The topic of interpretors proved a fabulous discussion topic, for two of my groups, for what should have been an obvious reason... but it never occurred to me. Our demographic has drastically changed over the last few years, especially now that the borders have opened up more post-COVID. Many of our learners act as interpreters/translators for their immediate or extended whanau. They were able to make clear links between their own experiences and the text. The other learners had also seen this first-hand in classrooms too.

Communication

I've been able to have clear and easy communication with the teacher who does the Classroom Release in our hub, meaning that there's a clearer understanding of how the Workbook and site work for planning, accessing and delivering learning. I've been very impressed at how quickly she has adapted to our digital way of doing things and soaking up the pedagogy. It's all very new, after not having encountered Learn Create Share pedagogy before.

There have definitely been a number of other small tweaks, but I'm sure they'll come to the surface of discussion at some point.

My buzzword (or term) for the last week has been "Implementation Fidelity". Whether it relates to our Learn Create Share pedagogy or the adapted Structured Literacy Approach that we have rightly or wrongly created for our Kura... The fidelity of the initial intentions for implementation have been lost. I can draw a parallel with Russell Bishop's "Leading to the North-East" in that we have placed a massive emphasis on developing strong relationships with our learners, and rightly so! However, we haven't placed the same emphasis on ensuring the fidelity of the pedagogy we are implementing within our practice.

The other big concern I have is in the declarative need to "declutter" in order to really hone in on what has been identified as the priority focus... but in practice, every teacher you speak with (particularly in our setting) is feeling swamped with a number of initiatives that are being implemented simultaneously.

What is important?

What is the priority?

What is deserving of relentless aspiration?

Better to be able to savour the fruits of one fulfilling serving, than to get a tiny taste and be left salivating for more that isnt forthcomoing.

RPI Day 5 - Planning a Reading Programme

 Manaiakalani kaupapa and shared pedagogy in the context of class sites. 

Fiona Grant spoke to us to remind us of the purpose of our site.

These are the basics... It's critical that they should be able to default to this.

This is an area that is really lacking in our learning space this year. Our site is not user-friendly in terms of navigation... It is heavily loaded with content.

Next year this needs to be improved from the get-go

We need to have consistency.

How organised is it?

How much is clutter that isn't necessarily accessed?

Ensure whanau understand the site and content navigation.

Reinforcing that this is independent or outside of 9-3 choices

Sharing the other blogs with the kids, not just teachers. In a similar fashion to Tuhi Mai, Tuhi Atu... kids could be connecting with kids all over the country. As many of our topics are based around topical events, The Arora Australis, NZSL week, Samoan language week etc, I'm sure other kura have been learning about these areas too. Why not consolidate their learning by creating dialogue with another learner?

Utilising a site as a stand-alone project, so that all content is curated into one place... perhaps we could do this for Matariki? If it's valued content, then it can be added to and developed over time. Teams can work together to develop "crowd-sourcing"

This could be potentially across clusters. I've downloaded Term calendars for the remainder of the year so that I can put them into the LTP for texts and start developing something. I'll bring this up at next week's Leaders of Learning Meeting too. I noticed that the Multi-text set database hadn't been added to in a while, so we need to start making these fabulous resources live and breathe to give them the prominence they deserve.

So much already around that can be harnessed and used... we need to create a "spread" to roll them out.

Overview of Planning a Reading Programme.

End to End - Monday to Friday, week to week, 

How do we tame the beast to make sure we are hitting all of these pieces?

This is an area that I'm really battling with at the moment, with being out of the classroom 2 days a week. It was fine, last year, when the person was following my planning... but this year it's been really demoralising to be planning a 5 day programme and either not being able to implement it, or finding the other person isn't implementing it either. It comes back to the assumptions that we make... I had assumed that they were being followed, however upon checking in with how they were finding the planning... it turns out they didn't understand the format, couldn't follow it (didn't actually realise it was there etc) and had been doing something completely different... none of which has been conveyed to me. It's week 5 of term 2! Hours of planning amounting to nothing. 

Am I making sure that my text selection is hitting variances? I've noticed that the texts I'm giving are heavily Non-fiction based... how can I include more fiction texts?

How can we protect what's important?

How can we set them up for success to be working independently? At the moment our learners are very reliant, but they have been made this way due to previous and current practice. While I appreciate that they are very passive and like a routine, they cannot develop independent learning habits without being given the opportunity to experience it.

Our literacy sessions are split across the day into individual tasks. I can't help but feel that if these were grouped together better, some of these tasks could be a part of the Taskboard to be completed independently, rather than in a whole class teaching 20-minute slot. If the task doesn't involve direct instruction from the teacher, then they could be independently undertaking it while the teacher is taking another group for instruction... optimising teacher time and effectiveness.

We want them to have opportunities to be in the Learning Pit, rather than doing everything for them. Are we enabling their learned helplessness and lack of resilience by maintaining the status quo?

How can we use a Mahi Tracker in class... to be more efficient?

Morew synergy between reading, writing, and BSU

This could all be more streamlined as a school.

Teacher Timetabling

Here's the "Rule of thumb":

Not necessarily with the teacher for all of that time, but completing literacy tasks.

Think about where they are.

How does our whole week look? When can we fit in other snippets of reading with students?

Keep in mind: If students are continuously late, then perhaps shift timetables so they don't always miss the same things. Also for students going out for things.

How might we ensure learners are engaging in robust engaging learning?

I want to know how to lock each line!

**
Right click line... Protect range...change sharing settings so other people can view, but they can edit.

Learner Timetabling

Different approaches to Learner Timetabling that empowers learners such as selecting, sequencing and organising independent activities. 

The learners having their timetable so THEY know what they're doing at any given time. Resources are allocated.

Moving towards independence:

Less or more choice depending on how often you are seeing them.

Needs a check in/completion to ensure the students are being monitored and checked in.

Choice board has mileage activities etc.

Funnily enough, I agree with Angela Jones... we moved away from this around the time of joining Manaiakalani.

EXTREME END OF TIMETABLING... when learners can independently manage their learning.

This one tracks across curriculum:

Sites can look different, but they need to work for you and your learners. Build in the routine with the students and then they can do it fairly independently.

Independent activities including Digital Reading Apps: Getting ‘bang for buck’!

The "why" is more important than the "what"

Can create text sets. Engaging texts for kids.

Read to. option can be good for kids. Can be pushing assignments out to kids. Can incorporate with text sets.

I've never heard of ReadWorks!

Level 20+ starts to move into mini chapter books. Inbuilt Running Record capability.

I really like the look of Literacy Planet. It. reminds me of a digital Hilton Avery text, with follow-up questions.

The Intrepizine Worksheets are quite good for linking into a topic.

Read Like Writers: Write Like Readers:Part I -  Leveraging reading to write.

I have to say... I had been inter-weaving my reading and writing for a very long time. I can't even remember how many years, but it feels like always. It's been a weird feeling having these separated and I can't help the feeling of underutilized teacher time. I would love to teach these together again, rather than separately. I would love to have some input into the other strand of literacy.

This is WHY we are doing this!!!:

As the person from our school that delves into this data... I know that it is grim... but constantly feel that I have no vehicle to do anything about it. 

Challenge: How are we going to capitalise to improve our reading?

This opening paragraph leads to suspense, rich sensory vocabulary.

My paragraph:

"The Jetty was silent that late morning. The only sound was the birdlife in the bush. The boat was bobbing on the harbour. Soft salt spray enfolded old Jerry as he readied methodically for a sail.

Will it all fall into place?"

Including those tier 2 & 3 words in writing. The problem gets introduced early and captivates the audience. We can capture the essence of these passages and create more wow factor in students' writing.

Making solid connections between reading and writing. Hunt for those paragraphs in a text. These are the pieces we need to be using to model for our learners!

Inferring

Easy to model writing with "think-alouds", but we need to ensure we're doing it for reading too.

Reading Rockets Resourcing

Keys into Inference example

Key into Inference (Paid for) Highly recommended by Naomi. Ties in with Probe)

Question-Answer Relationships

Really strong links to Assessment success. Great to explore.

Need to ensure students get plenty of practice with inferences. Link to LTP.

Read Like Writers: Write Like Readers:Part II - Creating an exemplar poster.

"Writer's are Robbers"

If we're not providing really rich stimulus then how can we expect kids to deliver it? The status quo provides a disconnect that prevents us from leveraging our writing from our reading. By incorporating them together, then we can help tease out all of the features we want them to transfer.

Powerful learning opportunities to engage our learners:

Write an alternative ending... Change the character - how does this change the story?

If not using a school journal, then use the opening of a novel. 

Use a suspenseful statement to end the paragraph.

Pulling it all together

So what...

• How can we develop learner independence? The gradual release... This needs to happen! Something needs to give.
•  I will bring this up at our Leaders of Learning meeting next week.How can we do a better job of crowd-sourcing resources for specific topics that are being covered?
• Can we have an overarching tracking sheet across the curriculum, rather than all separate?
• What is the best way to "spread" this gold? To our middle hub?  - Our beginning teachers are in there so it would make sense to introduce to the whole team.
• I'd love to trial Literacy Planet! The texts are engaging for kids. The questions etc are great check in's. 
• There are quite a few snippets of changes I'd like to implement throughout this post. In order to enact any change, I first need to have the power to enact change.

Today has probably brought everything to the forefront, in terms of implementation (let alone implementing any change). Something needs to happen in our hub, as it's not feasible to continue with the status quo. A conversation needs to be had in our team around... well, everything. It's a difficult position to be in, where you have the declarative and functional knowledge to implement effective change... but no power to do anything. No voice over what happens in the learning space. It's also rather daunting, knowing it's a conversation that needs to be had, but a great deal of uncertainty about how it will play out. Attempts to address things up until now have not gone well. It's frustrating to be in this position and somewhat powerless to do anything about it because nobody has been willing to address it. In the words of one of my highly regarded former mentor/co-teachers Richard Breach, "Nothing changes if nothing changes". We are doing our learners a disservice and it is not good enough. What is the age-old adage to use as a benchmark for a teacher? - Would I want my child to experience this? I would not.