e-asTTle writing assessment

This year we are going to be trialing the new e-asTTle writing tool. We are going to be using a recount for this terms writing.
We watched 2 videos introducing the assessment tool and going over the user manual.
The results of e-asTTle can be used to provide feedback highlighting the next steps in learning for each individual student or for groups of students for each element.
Rubric for marking covers a range of elements students use in writing. It is based on the NZ curriculum and the learning progressions.
Annotated exemplars are given to be used in conjunction with the rubric in order to give a clear O.T.J of where the students are working at for each element they are using in writing.
There are 7 elements that need to be marked against. They are ideas, structure and language, organisation, vocabulary, sentence structure, punctuation and spelling.
As this is a one off test it only provides information of what each student was capable of doing at the time of the test. However the video mentioned that the test is 70% accurate highlighting the specific needs and strength each writer has.

Reciprocal Teaching

I have spending the morning reading about reciprocal teaching in reading. (BES Exemplar 4 Reciprocal teaching and Reciprocal teaching a schoolwide core teaching and learning strategy)
Next Monday our senior school which I am apart of will be visiting Edgecumbe Primary school to spend a day learning more about this reading/teaching strategy.

My first thoughts are that it seems like a great strategy to use. First of all it is evidenced based and secondly it can be used across the curriculum subjects, not just reading.

The main ideas behind this approach is that the teacher teachers the skills of 'Clarifying, Questioning, Summarising and Predicting to students. Students then use this approach themselves and in turn taking on the role of the teacher.

I feel that this is very empowering for the student. The reading stated that when well implemented, reciprocal teaching has been shown to improve students' skills in reading, comprehension, metacognition(learning about learning), social participation, and self management.

I was particularly interested in the case study of the year 5 and 6 students and the students comments.

One student said, "It helps me understand what I am reading" (year 5 student), another said,"I used to think I was dumb; now I know I am not".

Success using this programme will be based on the quality of teacher scaffolding.
So my first job will to gain a deeper understanding of this process in order to have greater success of implementing it into my class reading programme.

Teaching Maths

My stage 6 students had a great time sharing their thinking. Students were using proportional thinking to solve multiplication problems like 73x8=...

Here are some of their workings

                  

IEP's

I've spent Thursday (first teacher release day for 2015) working on my IEP's for my at risk students. I used last years end of year data to highlight my at risk students. I ended up having around half my class on my at risk register, covering literacy and numeracy.

Sharing end of year data between teachers via e-Tap can save a lot of time. However, I found that a lot of the data was out dated or inaccurate, furthermore making it very difficult to highlight the students next learning steps. I was able to go back through their red profiles and make my own OTJs on the individual students ability.

Great resources that have helped have been the literacy learning progressions, the english language literacy progression, NZ math standards and the NZ curriculum framework document. TKI and nzmaths have been excellent web sites to help me develop teaching strategies and ideas to help me develop my students next teaching steps.

Now that I have created my IEP's I will share with my students their new short term, measurable goals and how the students and I will work together to help them meet these goals.

The last challenge is fitting this learning into my teaching programme. I am targeting some of these issues through my maths and literacy teaching inquiries.
I look forward to reflecting on the students progress at the end of the term where students data will show progress.

These IEP's are working documents. I find my self reflecting on these questions...
1. Will these activities engage my students?
2. Are my students needing more scaffolding especially in writing?
3. Am I targeting students interests and cultures?
4. Am I teaching to the very next learning steps and do I know what they are, and if not where can I find the information I need to teach their next steps?

I have found that the more I think about my student's learning needs the more questions I have about my own teaching effectiveness and knowledge of learning.
In conclusion, if I ever stop my own learning I guess then that will be the day to put down the white board markers, close the classroom door and look for a new challenge else where.

Maths PD Teaching as inquiry

Today Roz lead our Math PD staff meeting.

I am a priority learner in maths. I am below/ well below the NS.
I looked at the national standards in maths and identified students in my class the students at are below the national standards. Using the data I have and OTJ I made a plan of how I'm going to move these students from stage 4 to stage 5. What I have identified is that these students need to be able to make smart number splits to 10 instantly. From here I will target students making greater splits. For example 7+3=10 so 27+3=30. Students need to be able to make the link between grouping to ten from smaller to larger numbers.

I am meeting the national standards expectations for my age/year.
I have noticed that some students that are meeting national standards (stage5 and 6) have multiplication gaps. I have identified 3 students at stage 6 that needs support recalling 2,5 and 10 times table facts. Not being able to recall these facts will make learning new strategies in stage 6 and moving to stage 7 increasingly difficult. This term my goal is to help these students learn these facts. Students that are working at stage 5 also need to learning these facts. I've started teaching adding groups of numbers over 100. We are currently advanced counting. However subtraction and being able to use subtraction strategies need further development.

I am already above the national standards for my age/year.
Students in my class that are above the national standards in my class need to using only multiplicative strategies.
I am using ideas from NZ maths and using the NUMPA book 6 and 7 to help plan learning. I have noticed that some of these students have gaps in their Mult/Div knowledge, so my aim is to identify what the gaps are and target these as part of my maintenance programme.

Making Smart Goals

This afternoon Ana Byrne lead us in a staff meeting about setting up At Risk register for at risk students. We had to look and students literacy and numeracy data. Compare students data with the national standards and using data create smart measurable goal. These are to be reviewed at the end of the term. Below is an example of the smart goal.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ziZRyYHRVqQXb405CWFKQzLnFTt63Ae-yGAUUiKAplo/edit#slide=id.p4

James Street School            At Risk IEP   2014

NAME:	DOB:	YEAR: 4	Learning Area: Reading	TERM: 1
Data: What is the data telling me? What is the priority for this student to learn?	Short Term Goals – Specific and measureable To be achieved within 1 term		Strategies: How am I going to teach this? What differentiation will be needed?	Review: Specific to goals and effectiveness of differentiation
He is reading at level 13. He is needing to learn blend sounds, and first 100 sight words.	To learn all of the first 100 sight words.		Use flash cards of unknown first 100 sight words. Daily practise with (Students name).	Yes he has learnt the first 97 sight words and some initial blends.
He now needs to learn the next lot of sight words. 200 sight words.	To learn all of the 200 sight words.		Use the same strategy as the above. We will also trial S.T.E.P.S computer based reading programme to improve word knowledge, blends, reading skills and comprehension.	Made great progress with STEPS and is getting a lot of enjoyment from his successes.  Now knows the first 200 sight words.
He now needs to learn the next 100 lot of sight words,	To learn all of the first 300 sight words.		Continue using the STEPS programme. Test the 300 sight word list. Write out flash cards to the unknown words to practise daily at home and school. Test weekly.	Make excellent progress. Knows 300 sight words. Strategy work well.
He is now working at 7-7.5 reading age. STEPS programme has helped and teaming up with home to continue to push his reading practise.	Develop sentence comprehension and word knowledge.		Clozed reading and word comprehension tasks during guided reading. Use pictures to illustrate meaning of unknown words.	I have not spent as much one on one time with him this term. He is also going to rainbow reading and making progress. Comfortably working at level 21/22. During guided reading I have been sowing in new vocab.  He has been able to discuss ideas in detail and is making good links to personal experiences. I stayed away from clozed activities as writing tends to be a block for   (Students name).

Personal statement

PERSONAL STATEMENT

I have sound knowledge and understanding of curriculum, learning, assessment theories and Treaty of Waitangi implications. I can effectively plan in-depth programmes, develop and implement assessment strategies that promote effective teaching and learning practice. My goal is to create and maintain a healthy interactive learning environment that caters for the needs of all students.

I have excellent communicative and people skills. I am trustworthy, responsible and committed to learning and teaching. I look forward to challenges, enjoy to laugh and to work with a team of highly motivated professionals. I will offer any school a highly motivated, energetic staff member, who is willing to tackle challenges, be involved in extra curricula activities inside and outside the school environment.

PHILOSPHY STATEMENT

Through my teaching practice aim to empower, motivate and encourage children to reach their full potential. I believe that a strong relationship between student, home and school is the key to the foundation of ongoing learning. I aim to empower students to talk about their learning and successes, and understand what next steps they need to take in order continue their progress in learning.

A co-constructivist framework underpins my teaching philosophy. Under this notion students and recognised as an in-depth source of knowledge and are encouraged to share ideas with their peers and teachers throughout the learning process. Knowledge and understanding will be gained through hands on authentic investigation and exploration of their surroundings.

Curriculum delivery will focus on building upon children’s prior knowledge through notions of scaffolding, modelling , using exemplars and by using examples from real life situations.

I understand the essential need to develop strong ties with the community. In turn helping to provide important background knowledge of the child and developing trust and understanding between myself and the community.

Upholding my philosophy of co-constructivism is the notion of reflection. Through reflection I will continue to develop my own practice, learning and professionalism. I will explore my own existing ideologies and reconstruct goals and plan based on knowledge gained through personal experience, professional learning opportunities and research. I have an open mind to constructive criticism and welcome feedback that will help further the development of my own teaching practice.