We have started off the year setting up expectations and routines. This has got off to a good start but I can see students starting to test the boundaries - thats ok, I was prepared for it and as a class we are working through any interruptions we may have. I am not currently running my normal timetable as we are at the town pools for 1 hour of the day so I don't have much room for any learning other than reading, writing and maths. This however may work in my favour as children are very clear on my expectation for these three subjects.
In reading I am running the Daily 5 again so we have been spending time setting it up and learning how to do each activity.
In maths we began by doing statistics. We are now on to number. I am running this the same as last year and pulling students out based on their needs rather than having set groups.
In writing I am also continuing the same routine as last year where my students each have individual learning goals and I group students based on their needs (once again no set groups).
In reading, writing and maths I will be running mini teacher inquiries as to how I can improve my own teaching . I will share these as the term progresses. Below are 3 that I am addressing now.
Literacy
Increase oral language. - My students are entering school with very low oral language (I think this is becoming an issue across the country) so I am looking at how I can add activities into my already busy programme.
Numeracy
Have children explain what they are learning, why and how they will know they have learnt it. - I achieved this last year in writing and am hoping that I can find a similar concept that works for my students.
Other curriculum areas
This year we have got iPads in the classes and I am wanting to find how I can best use them in my class for all curriculum areas (I can download apps etc but I want to get the best learning for my students).
Katie, I can see you have been thinking about your class and how to meet the needs of your students. I think your Oral Language inquiry needs to be more specific to the needs of your students. Perhaps pick one aspect of oral language you want to work on, look at their week areas, and then undertake an inquiry into the changes you are going to make to address this. One suggestion (and I am sure you could think of plenty of better ones) may be "Does using Think, Pair, Share across the curriculum increase the oral language participation of reluctant speakers?"
ReplyDeleteYou could turn this around as well to focus on whether it improves dominant speakers listening skills.
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