My Provisional Teacher goals for this term were around behaviour management and taking a lead on our Integrated Learning topic - both were a challenge but also an opportunity to test things and further my learning.
My highlights of the Term:
- An amazing school wide Commonwealth Games day to finish the term
- Whole team trip to Lloyd Elsmore Park for our own Commonwealth Games events
- Creating healthy snacks in class
- Visiting the Life Education bus early in the term
- Using the QR codes to explore the Commonwealth Integrated Learning site
- Using Explain Everything to scaffold story writing by recording the story orally prior to writing
- Amazing reading improvements which were highlighted through reading graph and running records
- Trip to Samsung to explore the amazing technology they have on offer (and play with some tablets!)
- Implementation of the "monster madness" behaviour management within the class
- More solo teaching time - although working with Michelle is amazing!
- Pt England School staff and the MDTA team - they continually amaze me with their professionalism, collaborative nature and willingness to go the extra mile for our learners - I'm so proud to be part of these amazing teams of teaching professionals.
- Creating a movie for the Manaiakalani Film Festival - but I can't say more - watch this space later in November!
My challenges of the Term:
- Balancing family, work and study commitments continues to be a challenge, however with my last assignment for the year due just after these holidays, I'm looking forward to a temporary break from study. That said, I'm excited about my proposed research topic for next year!
- Effectiveness of the Integrated Learning topic site when related to the time it took to create - again an area for learning and once created the site exists forever, but I need to carefully plan and consider how much to include in future sites. The engagement effect of the QR codes however continues to amaze - and I was constantly asked when taking down our display if we'd be using QR codes again next term!
- Sickness - unfortunately working around five year olds, it can be a challenge to stay "healthy" and I definitely experienced this during the term. While I managed to escape with just two days off during the term, I was definitely not at 100% for many more - here's hoping my immunity kicks in soon!
So, looking forward ....
As I enter into what could be my last term of "team teaching" with Michelle, I want to continue to explore and improve my own teaching practice and pedagogy. Our school wide topic has an art focus - something which I admit is not a strength - so it will be a small step outside my comfort zone as I look at ways to inspire creativity in my learners. With my study commitments complete for the year I expect to have a more controlled work/life balance and am looking forward to putting a little extra time into Explain Everything projects to extend the learners.
We have an extremely busy term ahead, with the Film Festival, a team trip, athletics day and prizegivings at the end of the year. In combination with these great events is the end of year testing and I'm contributing to Toolkits and a Hangout session to highlight the piloting journey I've contributed to this year. I constantly get told that Term Four is the busiest in the whole year, and I just can't wait to get it started!
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