Week 5, Term 3 2013

My Week 5 goals were:
• Have children reflecting on their learning and posting to blog.
• Use open questions when asking the kids
• Ask children to explain their strategies before moving on (question card made up for maths and reading).
• Continue consistency in behaviour management
• Continue to use modelling book in all sessions (including note taking of where chn are at)
• Allow more time for student sharing and check in.

This week was really good, the kids were settled and much more ‘on-task’ than they have been in previous weeks.

I started my measurement unit this week. Monday I used an e-asTTle test to assess where my children’s needs are. I had a bit of trouble entering the results and analysing it but with the help of my TT we got it sorted. It will make life heaps easier being able to use it so I can plan and target certain children that need the content. I started teaching this unit on Tuesday and my learners are quite low so we are starting off with the basics for my lower group and just refreshing my higher ones. Next week I will be focusing on using tools for measuring length and converting between mm,  cm, m and km. I also have my TT come in and teach a modelled session each Thursday which I am learning heaps from and finding it very valuable seeing the way she teaches and the strategies she use to get children thinking deeper.

Reading this week has gone smoothly, my children are pretty good at the Daily 5 programme with me just having to keep an eye on the ones who like to push the boundaries. At the moment I am working on Predicting and Summarising and most of the children are able to do this effectively however we will be building on it so that I am getting quality/informed predictions and summaries that only include the main points.

Writing has been good, we have started narrative writing. This week we spent time focusing on describing a characters looks and personality. I have a lot of work to do with the majority of the class on ‘show not tell’ as they haven’t grasped the understanding of it quite yet.

I haven’t had a great deal of time for other areas however we did start looking at our personal heroes this week and the children began to think of the questions they want to find out about them.  Next week I am hoping to add some art in and do a trial lesson on some of the science I experienced in my PRT course.

I had a release day on Wednesday and I though it would be a good opportunity for me to become familiar with how to do a gloss and JAM maths assessment. So I had a go at this and found it quite easy at it is all explained in the guides.

Week 6 goals:

• Use my assessment to inform my planning
• Use open ended questions.
• Focus on the positives 
• Continue consistent behaviour management
• Have a greater wait time when children are answering a question
• Take notes during guided sessions