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T Shaped Literacy

 I have really been struggling with T-shaped literacy and how to use it in the classroom. After some research, I think I've been taking the wrong approach. As a teacher, sometimes it's hard to let go and realise that children are actually able to choose their own books. Also, if they choose their own reading texts, they are more likely to find it interesting. This week I had GREAT success putting t-shaped literacy into my lesson. We were looking at the character strength of 'Bravery'. I read an article on Sir Edmund Hillary and the children had copies that they could follow with me. We then discussed different questions about the text format and the content. What were his struggles? What is he known for? What else has he achieved? How did the text describe him? Why do you think he was brave? The answers were fabulous with someone even saying that he was brave to keep doing his charity work after losing his family in an aeroplane crash. The next step was for children to ...
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Term 4 2020!

The children are so happy to be back to school, and it's such a pleasure to see. They skip through the door when their bus arrives in the morning, and have great smiles on their faces. Myself? Yes, I'm pretty chuffed to see them again too. This term is all about consolidation for my class. It's time to see the gaping gaps and close them ready for their next year. I will be losing seven children, at the end of the year, to the senior class. Are they ready? Will they be behind? Will they be nervous? I came back to school with the intention of looking deeply into the children's targets and where they need to go next. However, I then decided to put the children on Spotlight themselves and see if they can identify their own learning needs and gaps. They have done this so well! I am surprised at how clear their understanding is when things are 'listed' in front of them. They are excited about ticking off targets and showing evidence of these successes in their work. C...
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Science PLD

 I've really been enjoying our whole school science PLD. I feel like science has changed a great deal since I first started teaching, and children get very excited about it. I love the way scientists love questions - even if the answers are unknown as yet. An important focus that we've been taught is observations. How children can use all senses (except taste) to make observations about different things. Our first study was about Autumn leaves. How each leaf looked, smelt, and felt different. Why was that? The leaves came from the same tree, so why were they different? Children came up with amazing questions and very interesting answers - my sister cam e from the same parents as me but looks different. The questions that the children came up with got themselves very inquisitive and excited about what may be the answers. Our next step is inferencing. Asking ourselves 'Why' did we make that observation? Where can we see the evidence of this observation? I'm looking fo...
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PCT Course

Well, today's been an interesting day at the PCT course in Greymouth. I've learnt quite a lot of things, but the best thing I've learnt is that I'm on the right path for full registration. Everything we do when we teach is evidence. Sometimes we are encouraged to have copious amounts of paperwork just for the sake of it. If someone was to ask me for a specific piece of evidence, I am confident that I would be able to find this evidence, whether it be in my planning, staff meeting notes, reflections, reading's I've studied, blog posts etc. I've kept this and one other blog as a main part of recording my thinking. I like the blog space to do this so that I can easily label the entries with the teaching standards so straight away evidence is available. Today we had a big focus on te tiriti o Waitangi and what it means for us in the classroom. We were encouraged to do a 'SWOT' study and recognise our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats...
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Home Learning Term 2, 2020

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I just read my last post and I am surprised at how quickly things changed. My intention was to continue as normal, but that normal only lasted one day! We are midway through week 2 of this new style home learning, and I find myself consistently reflecting on my practice and how best to meet the needs of the children, and their various circumstances, in my class. I wanted to assess where I was at with the standards so I can continue to grow and change my programme to meet the needs of the children.  
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Teaching Update with Covid 19 fears

It's been a tough couple of weeks trying to teach children when there has been real fear in the community regarding Coronavirus. It seems like everyone is holding their breath waiting for schools to close, or waiting for someone we know to get the virus, or waiting for whatever is meant to come next. I have been guilty of 'waiting' too. On average, eight children from my class are absent each day. I feel myself 'holding off' on the fun learning so they don't miss out. However, it has given us time to catch up on topic and those things we never get around to finishing. On reflection with my mentor, I will continue as per normal next week. Yes, it will be difficult when the absent children return, but I have provided them with home learning at the moment, so they won't be completely behind. While these are uncertain times, we need to carry routine on as per normal so that children know that this is a safe place to be and their anxieties can be laid to re...
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Literacy

Written on: 2nd March 2020 After spending the first few week so of the year getting my reading programme up to scratch, I've now decided to change it. I'm noticing more and more that writing - especially proof reading and editing - is a real learning need in my class. Looking through the data, my children are where they 'should be' against their age, but their writing skills are lacking in many areas. Also, many times the children will ask to do more writing so I am now basing my programme on 'literacy'. I will set the writing task for the class or groups, and then I will bring the reading groups to me for our guided reading session.
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