Branching Out: Guiding from ECE to the Early Years of School

Today I attended the above Professional Development session at The Orchard Child Care Centre and Kaharoa School.  The great session gave me a number of ideas and things I'd like to take back immediately to my own Play Based Learning classroom.   These include:

• instead of 'tidy up time' using the terminology of 'refreshing the space' - a much more positive way to approaching it.  Both facilitators today mentioned this use of music during this time.
• encouraging students to join into mat time by asking "Are you Ready?" and giving them the opportunity to not quite be ready - this will work nicely with our new 1:1 reading program - rather than me asking a student "Would you like to read with me?" which gives the expectation that they don't have to, an "Are you Ready to read with me?" approach, gives the expectation, that if not now, it will be later.
• instead of using the name "Learning Stories", change it to "Play Memoirs", a much more authentic name for what is being created.
• increase my printing budget so all Play Memoirs can be printed and kept in a clear file in the classroom for students to browse at any time and revisit the exciting things they are doing
• a basket for the Numicon so students can use this in their play
• stones to indicate if students would like milk that day - similar to this sign in arrangement

Sign in stones - add one to the basket if you are at school

Hanging hooks for the mud kitchen

Dishracks under the mud kitchen to collect equipment

Microwave oven in the mud kitchen

Permanent space for writing nailed to the fence

Some great story ideas with loose parts - we need to challenge ourselves to create these in 2020

A great way of bringing fire into the playground - this is for making popcorn

A great use of the wooden reels - tables!

Native bird puppets - a great way to incorporate bi-culturalism

A free standing sign - explore Gary making these

The option of having tea each day - all sourced from an opshop and herbal tea made each day - great for wellbeing

An awesome way to store shoes and socks and hats

What a welcome on the fence when you come in

Watering cans hung in their place - we need more of these!

A great way of capturing parent voice - could be done each year from PEPs

• Explore the book Mauri Ora - Alsop & Kupenga - include these short whakataukis on Learning Memoirs alongside some Te Reo

Half time review

I needed a break these holidays - I'm the first to admit that!  Often teachers are viewed by outsiders as working 9 to 3,  five days a week and having weeks and weeks of holidays to enjoy each year  -  the reality I've experienced is radically different.  Planning lessons and creating engaging activities to accelerate the learning of my 17 learners takes time and that's before the demands of study are added to my workload.  So this school holiday break was gratefully received!

Having said that, I've really missed my class - and despite being away I constantly found myself taking photos or videos that I could share with my class and seeing things that made me think of different individuals.  I'm really looking forward to hearing what adventures they had over the past weeks and jumping into an amazing term of learning.

The past ten days has also given me an opportunity to be reflective and think about my first six months "teaching solo".  The application process for mentors for 2016 has begun and I've also had the opportunity to reflect back on my amazing MDTA journey to date with teachers who are considering applying - I'm constantly reminded of the amazing mentor that I shared this journey with and how inspiring she has been on my first eighteen months of teaching.

Its "half time" on the 2015 teaching year, and as I take a drinks break, these are the things that stand out this year so far:

• A new app - using Tiny Tap has enabled me to really reinforce some areas of rote learning that has made a big difference in reading and maths.  While also giving me a new challenge, in learning the new app, the learners in my class have really engaged with the "bells and whistles" that comes with a more games type approach to learning.  Importantly, this app has fitted into my class routines and rotations seamlessly.
• Seeing learner progress - I'm constantly inspired when I see the progress that my learners have made.  It differs between individuals (as you would expect it to) but in the mid year testing (just completed) it was great how far some learners have come!
• Sharing my journey - I still get as much enjoyment from blogging as I did early last year when I was first introduced to it as part of our very early MDTA sessions.  During the last holidays I really enjoyed my second GAFE (Google Apps for Education) Summit, this time as a presenter and backed this up at the BYOD conference.  I never take for granted the privilege of working at a school which embraces technology in learning and love sharing with others.
• I can see the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow with my Research Dissertation as the deadline to finish is only four months away! Its been hard work to date (particularly with working full time) but I've really enjoyed reviewing the existing literature around the use of digital technologies in the classroom and embedded some of this into my ongoing inquiry.  My timeline for the next term with my dissertation is intense, but definitely made easier through knowing that every word written is one word closer to being done - if only I could get a degree through blogging :)
• My classroom environment continues to inspire me.  The changes I made at the end of last term continue to be working amazingly well and allow my learners choice of work spaces.  

• Attendance - I've really struggled with learner attendance issues this year, and have had very few days with the whole class present.  I never noticed this was an issue last year as we had such high attendance throughout the year.  Its hard to make progress with learners when they are not in the classroom and I do take this personally as I want the very best for every learner in my classroom.
• Managing the behaviours in my classroom again was a challenge this term.  I have a few learners that respond to different things on different days - if only they had a light that told me which thing they would respond to on each day!  I continue to use positive reinforcement constantly in the classroom and see many positives resulting from this but also know that the attendance issues referred to above also have had an impact.  I can see so many huge positive differences in the learners in the last six months and this reinforces that I'm on the right road with my behaviour management.  Above all I want my learners to feel safe and secure in the classroom environment and inspired and motivated to learn.  The less time I need to spend on behaviour management, the more time for learning!

• Complete my research dissertation - I really hope to be extremely close by the next term break
• Transition to using Class Dojo for class management - this was extremely successful last year and much easier to maintain in a busy classroom 
• Continue to innovate with the iPads - I've signed on for an exciting opportunity next term - watch this space.
• Fulfil the requirements to become a Fully Registered Teacher - just two terms to go!

My Learning Environment ... one term on!

As one of my beginning teacher goals, at the beginning of Term 2 I changed the look of my classroom.  As the term draws to a close its time to reflect on how it has worked and how my learners responded to the changes.

• visibility of the whole classroom from my teaching station - this has enabled me to be much more responsive to behaviours (both positive and negative) and avoid them getting out of control
• a range of working spaces available (rugs, chairs, couches) which allows learners to choose where they are most comfortable.  I've worked hard with my learners so they understand that its a privilege (rather than a right) for them to choose where they can work and that their behaviour has to be appropriate for their choice.   I've found learners are more engaged when they are comfortable and learners than struggle to sit at desks for prolonged periods of time are also more productive when choosing their own working space.
• noise levels - by spreading out around the classroom I find noise levels are manageable, despite learners having individual devices which require them to listen to things (eg books, verbal instructions) - even in this cold month, where going outside is not possible, learners are able to listen to books without it being too disruptive for others
• learning spaces - the new layout has created different distinct learning spaces which has made keeping equipment together easier and rotation transitions more fluid.  My learners know which spaces are available and what can be done in each space.  I've also noticed that tidying up is much more streamlined as a result of this.

I'm really happy with how the new environment has worked this term and actually struggle to find any negatives or anything I'm particularly wanting to change as we finish this term and head into the next - more of the same in Term 3.

My Own Class for a Term ... time to step back and reflect!

I vividly remember finishing my teaching degree at the University of Canterbury and being so over the word "reflect" that I never wanted to hear it again - let alone use it!  I find it somewhat humorous that I have become SO reflective in my practice that I do it, at times, without even realising I'm doing it.  I don't think I fully appreciated the value of reflection until I finished my degree and was out in the "real world" teaching.  Now, I find myself constantly reflecting and thinking about lessons - how they went, how I could improve on them, what my learners thought, were they engaged? Not only am I constantly reflecting, but some of my best ideas have come from reflections!

So, with that said, and four months into having my own class, a time to reflect and think about the year to date in terms of my teaching and my own personal growth as a teacher.

The Highlights

Planning - I'm feeling more and more confident with planning each week - I have my routines sorted and find myself monitoring and checking the progress of my learners.  My groupings in the classroom are fluid and I continually change my groups to fit the needs and learning stages of my learners.  As a side effect of this, I see that different friendships are developing as learners work with different peers when groupings change - I think this is a good thing and helps with the general cohesion of the class.

Classroom Environment - Deciding to change the learning space to suit a more digital environment has reaped rewards.  The learners choose different spaces to work and I find some of my more behaviourally challenging learners settle more quickly when given the independence to choose their working space.  I find it easier to monitor what learners are doing with the distinct learning spaces.  Importantly, I enjoy walking into my class each day and I feel it is more inviting for my five year old learners.

1:1 iPads - I definitely think I've continued on from where I left off last year.  I've been strong with my routines (continually having to reinforce these with new learners arriving) and continue to be consistent to ensure that learners understand how to use their iPad within the boundaries of Room 19.  Again, I've tried things - not always successful - and seek to continually find ways to ensure the learners are engaged in what they are doing.  Once again, repetition is important, and the iPad is a great way to ensure repetition in activities to reinforce learning (eg high frequency words).

Inquiry 2015 - Investigating higher order thinking in literacy with five year olds was a challenge and I wondered at times if I'd attempted to inquire into something that was going to be "too difficult"!  By breaking down what I wanted to achieve in the first term I surprised even myself with the tasks I created and my learners responses to them - I'm excited to be continuing to explore this area into Term 2 and see what is possible!

Digital Enhancement & Research dissertation - It seems somewhat comical that something that is taking up a significant portion of my spare time could be a highlight!  I found the Summer School paper, Digital Enhancement, to be thought provoking and particularly useful and applicable to our digital learning environment.  Once again, it was great to work with my MDTA colleagues - we have some of THE best discussions and are always extremely supportive of each other.  Further to this,  I was inspired by the willingness of teachers to assist in my research project and while it is still early days, I'm excited by what I have seen to date.  Having said that, I won't be sad to complete my Honours at the end of the year and take a break from study for a while!

The Challenges

I choose to see challenges not as failures, but as opportunities for me to grow as a teacher, learn from things that may not be successful, and be a better teacher as a result.  Like every learner in my classroom, I'm constantly learning, and will continue to do so.  The things I've found particularly challenging this year have been:

Managing Behaviours - I didn't fully comprehend how time consuming this could be, or how much I would doubt myself when I seemed to take one step forward and three steps back!  That said, when I reflect on the behaviours that some of my learners presented in the first weeks of school and compare them to where they are now, its been an encouraging journey.  It is great to be able to draw on the expertise of my mentor teacher, Michelle George.  While we are no longer team teaching, she covers my release one day a week so I'm able to discuss individual learners with her and she understands where I'm coming from and can provide ideas and suggestions to try out.  As I move into Term 2 I can see the importance of continuing to reward and reinforce the behaviours that are acceptable in Room 19 as well as continually seek ideas from other, more experienced teachers that I could try with my learners.  I also think its important to continually reflect on how far my learners have come - particularly on the days that don't go so well.  Teaching can be hard work - I'm dealing with unique individuals, with unique personalities and some days its just not going to be perfect!

Managing 200+ iPads - This has been a challenge over the first few months of this year and I struggled for many hours to identify and iron out some issues we had - and quite a few times I was very close to giving up!  I've really enjoyed the learning I have done around Meraki and Apple Configurator over the past 15 months - and will happily accept the "geek" nickname I've picked up from a certain fellow teacher at Pt England - I enjoy technology challenges and I'm now glad I didn't let this one get the better of me.  I know that there will always be new learning in this area and that thought is super exciting (here's hoping its not as "time intensive" as it was last term!)

Work/Study/Family balance - The demands of completing a dissertation while teaching full time continue to impact on my work-study-family balance.  It is a topic of conversation that continually arises during my PRT meetings with Michelle.  This year I have found it slightly easier to chip away at my assignments and dissertation but there is always more to be completed.  I'm trialling a new time management system this term as a way of having one day off each weekend, while still being up to date with my planning, assessments and assignments - so far so good (but it is only week 3!)

I'm a great believer in having goals, even if they are known only to yourself - something to work towards and pat yourself on the back when they are achieved.  As is required by my PRT portfolio, every term I have goals and things that I (or my mentor) think I need to work on in an effort to improve my teaching pedagogy and practice.  Having said that, some goals I don't mind making public:

• Complete my research dissertation
• Continue to reflect and modify my behaviour management to suit the ever-changing needs of the learners in my class
• Continue to innovate with the iPads in order to ensure continued engagement and projects which allow visible, repetitive learning
• Share my knowledge with other teachers/educators (blog, Manaiakalani Toolkits, ULearn)
• Fulfil the requirements to become a Fully Registered Teacher - just three terms to go!

Loving the Learning Space

On my first full day of teaching in my new learning space, I'm loving it!  I'm inspired by the colour on the walls and relaxed atmosphere in the classroom but am also able to encourage the learners to choose a space to work in which worked really well today!

Some learners spread out on our huge carpet rug to work with their iPads, while others chose the ABCs mat or couches as a place to either build, read or work with their iPad.  Importantly, those that prefer working at the desks still have that option.  It was noticeable that the noise level was lower today as the spaces had the learners more spread around the classroom.

I'm finding that the computer space is working really well - and its more of a "station" than just a line along the wall.  This has given me access to more wall space which makes changing and adding to displays so much easier.   My teaching station, although to one side of the classroom, gives me visibility on all areas so I'm able to monitor what learners are doing.

Term 2 and a new Learning Environment

In the last week of the holidays I made additional changes to my classroom to make it more inviting for the learners and more appropriate for a 1:1 iPad environment.  We now have a couple of couches that learners can use for reading, or working with their iPads.  I've moved away from a U shape with the desks and created additional space by removing one of these.  This enabled me to add some mats to add colour to the floor and create cosy spaces for playing with manipulative equipment.

When I compare the before and after photos I can see a difference but the real test will be what the learners think, and more importantly how the new space works from a teaching and learning point of view, which I intend to blog about in future weeks.   As with testing anything new, I'm prepared to make changes or modifications if needed, to ensure that the environment is both welcoming and effective as a teaching and learning space.

How the learning space looked before the holidays:

How the space looks now:

The response to the new look from the learners as they arrived today was great - they all noticed immediately that things have changed and were keen to explore and try out the new couches and mats!  I look forward to seeing if the results as they move around the space are as positive.

 

A Modern Learning Environment

After my first term in my own class, one of my Beginning Teacher goals for Term 2 is to redesign my classroom for the 1:1 environment.  Increasingly, my learners want to use their iPads on the floor, or away from the desks and it would be great to have a space that is more accommodating of the 1:1 learning environment.  As an additional challenge, I want to bring some colour into the classroom, and make the space a more inviting, vibrant environment, to invigorate and inspire my five year olds - just a small goal for the term :)

So, without further ado - the "before" photos!  Its always good to have something to "compare"!  Notice the blue walls, and blue carpet - lots of blue :)  (NB:  Furniture is slightly away from the walls in this photo for end of term cleaning.

Today was stage one in the redesign process - attack the walls :)  I hate heights and didn't really enjoy the hours spent up the ladder today, but I'm happy with the result  -  its still a work in progress as I have more displays to add yet (it always takes longer than you think!)

Next step - rearranging the layout of the classroom, including moving the tables and adding a few pieces of different furniture and some accessories!  I'm really looking forward to seeing what feedback I get from my learners next term!