End of Year One Summary

Well, I had to get my priorities right and have my holidays first! Now for my brief reflection before gearing up for a new year of learning (for both myself and my students).

Overall a positive year - very demanding and plenty of long days, but successful all-the-same.

Strong(ish) points

• Positive learning environment where students feel safe and happy
• Promoting thinking through scenario/action-based learning
• Good use of new-media technologies to promote learning
• Encouraging independent learning and intrinsic motivation
• Success in extra-curricula video production for Panasonic competition
• Trying lots of different approaches to teaching, and being willing to change
• When used, shared learning intentions were successful in directing students' learning focus
  

Points to focus on

• Establish writing groups and fairly regular 'conferencing' to improve learning in writing (and assist in my formative assessment of individuals)
• Both Maths and Reading groups to have more routine to help students focus on beneficial learning habits
• More regular setting/sharing of learning intentions and goals

I'm looking forward to this coming year, and the challenges it may bring. Also looking forward to hopefully being stronger in some areas so I can focus more attention to the (seemingly never-ending) gaps in other areas of my teaching.

Kia Kaha (have good strength)

Lessons from Practicum 2/5

Sharing Learning Intentions and Student Reflections on Learning
Often, when comparing my time at university with actual school teaching experiences, I have found a lack of links between theory and practice. On this occasion however I saw a fine example of what I had heard talked about, actually being done!

My associate teacher was a firm proponent of sharing ‘targets’ or learning intentions at the beginning of each lesson. He then ensured that students regularly involved themselves in reflective questioning as part of his plenary (ending of a lesson).

I have since read more research about the sharing of learning intentions as part of formative assessment. An excellent book for this is:

Clarke, S., Timperley, H., & Hattie, J. (2003). Unlocking formative assessment: Practical strategies for enhancing students' learning in the primary and intermediate classroom (1st NZ ed.). Auckland: Hodder Moa Beckett Publishers Ltd.

Seven possible reflective questions used were:

• What was your learning intention today?
• What’s something new you learnt today?
• Did you ask inquisitive questions?
• What skills could you improve?
• What did you find difficult?
• What did you enjoy about the session?
• What would you change if we repeated the activity/lesson?

These were often used in the form of students first thinking about the answer to themselves, and then sharing back

1. Think (to self) 30seconds
2. Pair (tell partner) 60seconds
3. Share (whole class) 90seconds