New year brings new teaching level

It's been a while since I posted my thoughts on this particular blog but a recent change brings me here once more.  Starting 2012, my sixth year of teaching, I will be teaching year one and two students (5 and 6 year-olds). I'm really looking forward to it.

The biggest change for me will be planning a predominantly 'learning to read' (decoding) programme rather than 'reading to learn' comprehension programme.

I'm interested to see how maths will go.  I feel confident in this area. Especially as having worked with the older students, I know where I am expecting them to achieve as well as common gaps I came across in their knowledge.  I will be able to plan a programme which hopefully strengthens these gaps rather than focussing too much on lesser-needed areas.

I still have some of my original practicum folders from when I worked with this age during my teacher training, so will look back at them.

Here's to a new year of new learning for the whole class, including the teacher!

(note to self: routines, routines, routines)

Numeracy Programme

Beginning to find a working 'skeleton' for maths at last (I think). Here's the core set of my planning/programme.

1. Numeracy Online Planning Sheets
2. New Zealand Curriculum Mathematics text books from Caxton Educational
3. Figure it Out series

I use the planning sheets for unit overview.

I use Figure It Out most often for group teaching rather than independent work.  And will use them in mostly in place of the equivalent sections from the 'pink numeracy books' as many of the math contexts in Figure It Out are more engaging for the students but allow for the use of materials to introduce new math concepts and thinking.

I use the NZCM text books for nearly all of my practice follow-up.  On the bottom of each page there is a reference to where each section of work relates directly to the numeracy online planning.  I have added page notes to my copy of the planning.

This has worked well for me this term.  In addition, I still need to make up some math game/activities or problem-solving to supplement the programme.  Again, many of these can be found in the figure it out books. 

One equation - multiple strategies

Why didn't the Numeracy Project people just wait a little bit longer before handing out the (well-researched and structured) planning books until they, or book publishers, were able to put together full and structured supporting practice workbooks.

Yeah yeah, I know, we want to move away from just using text books because the teaching model of links back and forth between materials, imaging, and number properties requires us to support students in gaining a sense of number. This indeed happens in our small group teaching, however, to follow up with some decent practice tasks that use number problems and word problems are required for every lesson set out in the numeracy booklets. This would ensure that students get practice at something directly related to what they have been discussing in previous teaching sessions.

There are plenty of resources yes, but they are so all over the place that to find a good progressive link requires the need for a full-time personal assistant. Figure-it-out books, online Numeracy planners, digital objects all seem like useful resources, but none of them match neatly/sequentially to what is set out in the Numeracy Teaching Books.

It's not good enough to be adding new resources in an ad-hoc manner. The Ministry and Numeracy Project overseers need to release a supporting student practice/activity text to work alongside the teacher books.

I am now returning to working out of the teacher books (rather than online planners), which is helping me see how to progress with my students - but the lack of matching material without going on a time-consuming treasure hunt leaves a lot to be desired.

Term Three Start Up

Just noticed it's been a few weeks. My last note mentioned my sore wisdom tooth. Well today I'm getting it out. Making use of my holidays :-)

As I look to my initial planning for this term I'm thinking...

• I'm one quarter through my provisional registration (thanks Raewyn)

• I think things may in fact possibly get less overwhelming (maybe coming to the end side of the 'new baby, things will settle in after a few weeks' stage

• Each term sees me restructuring my timetable format for maths and reading (this time maths I feel a bit better about, just need to still make some independent resources to support the programme)

• Reading - I want to develop some routines for individual conferencing, both to help students think more about their own learning, and for me to keep better track of where they're at.

Juggling

As a combination of reflecting on how teaching and learning is going, as well a variety of professional development courses I've attended recently, I find the desire to implement new ideas (requiring creation of class resources) comes up against day-to-day preparation time.

So, what specifically? I want to put together some box resources for my maths groups to help in organising a better-functioning rotation of learning experiences. I need to have a range of practice activities that can be attempted independently and hopefully match with current learning going on in the teaching group sessions.

What is lacking is a single resource point that links with the Numeracy Project and is suitable for independent work - particularly in knowledge maintenance. The closest thing I've found so far is a support material PDF that is suitable for students working with number properties (ie. they don't require the use of materials or imaging to understand the problem to work out). This particular booklet links to Books 5 and 6 (Add/Sub, Mult/Div).

I guess the only approach at this stage is a 'bit-by-bit' accumulation of materials and hopefully next year will see me a step ahead?

Another First

So, Term 1 is complete. I'm looking forward to Term 2, and the opportunity to refine my teaching practice. A couple of aims for this coming term should be

1. My maths programme, and having a more progressive weekly plan that meets the assessed needs of each group.
   
2. A routine way of ensuring I monitor each student's ongoing written work for the purpose of formative assessment - particularly in reading and writing.