Science - Bubbles

Yesterday we did part two of our bubble experience. We only had 11 students at school and Rhys and I split it so that we both got the opportunity to teach. It worked really well with the smaller groups.

My lesson didn't flow as I wanted it to as I had to refer back to the lesson plan all the time. However, in doing that, I managed to ask the right questions and we managed to discuss some of the key vocabulary e.g. cluster, floating, detergent, air, what do we call moving air etc.

At some point I stood back and kept quiet to observe, the children were "playing" with the bubbles, but they were discovering new ways of making them e.g. instead of blowing they started running with the wand and more bubbles formed.

When we moved back to class to write our observations in our journal, it was interesting to see what stood out for each child.

While doing writing and drawing in our journals, everybody participated in the discussions, we looked at some of the video and photos they added to Seesaw. The children were excited about seeing themselves on the big screen. 

As a final activity, we drew the bubbles on seesaw, especially to get the colours that they observed. 

So what: 

Some of the children in my class, were using a close eye by observing the little drop at the bottom of the bubble, however, most of the children were too excited about the bubbles to slow down and observe. How do I slow them down? I want them to spend time to observe, but if one starts running around, the others follow. 

Vocabulary that we used at previous experiences came through e.g. transparent and liquid. 

I need to think of a way to prepare better. Perhaps doing the experiment (no matter how simple) before the time and talking it through either by myself or with a colleague will help me retain some of the vocab. so that I don't have to refer back to the lesson plan as much. 

What next: 

I want to print photos of yesterday and revisit by adding labels. This will serve as visual prompts during writing. 

We will do a brief revisit of the lesson by looking at the videos and photos in order to help the students that were absent to catch up. 

Do part 3 of the bubble experiment as soon as possible. 

Growing strong foundations Hui - Exploring the potential of the National Curricula for all students

What stood out for me at the HUi. Some food for thought:

Helen May - Emeritus Professor University of Otago: 
- Readdressing mismatch between ECE and primary school
- Framework should be of Te Whariki move into school - appropriate assessment for young children in schools
- Young children should be happy and healthy - "they should learn to work and play with other children, his mind kept lively and eager and full of wonder" H.G. Mason (Minister of education 1944)
- Children learn through play - child agency (free play and discovery) This use to be so important, it was done first thing in the morning.  (Sand, wood, water, paint)
ECE plan: Turn the profit tide. Strong and equal partnership between ECE and Jnr School, not ECE responsibility to ready children for school. 
- Children could bring the ECE portfolio's to the new school when starting. NE Teacher could view portfolio's before new students start and set up something from that portfolio that the child likes a lot e.g. lego's .
LET THE CHILDREN PLAY _ WE MUST ALLOW OUR CHILDREN THE TIME TO PLAY.
Could we create a more playful early years curriculum for the junior classrooms framed around learning dispositions and the principals and strands and the 3 R's?

Melissa Corlett & Helen Taylor-Young
- Research show that young children learn with a different part of their Brain than adults. When young, it is more about social and emotional development. They are only ready at 6 and a half to learn. (Disposition as we force young children at 5 to learn)
- The downward push in assessment practices into the first year of school in response to NS is having a undesirable effect on teaching practices.
- We think that the earlier we teach children the clever's they are, but there is no relationship to how successful they will be as an adult at 65. What matter is how much you love learning. 

Dr Bobby Hunter and Dr Jodie Hunter- MATHS
- How are we assessing children against what matters to them and their families and not the dominant majority?
- Problems: Less qualified and experienced teachers especially in low decile - only BT's applying not experienced teachers - every time they have to start again, high teacher turn-over, less money per student, poorer funded buildings and facilities, mis-match of teacher and students which supports deficit views of students and their family and community
- Culture is a strength - know who your children are by knowing who you are (What are your values and beliefs) Values and beliefs takes a really long time to change. Each culture different.
How do these values and belief affect your interactions in the mathematics classroom?
Ask yourself:
Who has more opportunities to participate and learn within these interactions? e.g. putting up hands encourages individualism.
Who has less opportunities to participate and learn and why?
Solutions: Smart tool: Communication and participation framework, mixed ability grouping, group worthy (problematic tasks with a low floor and high ceiling), culturally responsive problems.
When students in your class don't learn as expected, what do you find are typically the problem? Teachers easily blame students - but what could we change? When the maths is about us and about my culture, it makes me feel normal and makes the work feels normal.
NZ should no longer put all the emphasis on Literacy, Maths is just as important.

Georgia Jensen-Procter - experienced decile 1 teacher - SENCO
http://inclusive.tki.org.nz/  Helpful information for Teachers and Principals
Children who learn together love together - unknown author

Helen Collins - Teacher - DMIC (Developing Mathematical Inquiry Communities: Learning maths together) and Inclusive Practices
Being a good Mathematician means that you can explain how you got your answer. Every child is able to be a mathematician.
Collaboration: Let the children set the rules for group work. Make it visible. Group work is a shared responsibility.

What is going to change for me?
Thinking carefully about what activities are available for my class. What I wonder about....Play based learning?? Is it possible in a Year 2/3 class if they missed out when younger? Will this not settle my class and set the foundation for learning? Will this not engage my class more and encourage writing? Whats the difference between play based and practical experiences?

Frazer Smith -  Principal Oturu School Kataiya
AWESOME schooL. ENVIRONMENT - beehives, ponds with tadpoles, olive trees, making products, selling products, flying kites, making boats, drama, dance, art.

Teachers are not confident to teach in the arts. We should teach the arts through integration across the curriculum. Dance and Movement will strengthen confidence, cooperation, language. Teachers need to let go of NS. Make learning purposeful and 'fun". Don't be scared of incidental learning. Grab opportunities as they arise. these are precious teaching moments. 

Perry Rush - Hastings Intermediate - Principal
Post NS:
Look at the diversity if learners and the complexity of the human condition. How??
- Make learning problem-based
- Primary Experiences that activates senses (not digital devices)
- Memorable learning experiences - everywhere I go I need to make a mark - how can you grab their interest?
- Make learning perform with power e.g. rubbish on beach - collect, divide rubbish in classes-make inferences on who dropped the rubbish - then develop a plan to change the behaviour. Not just stopping at inquiry knowledge, it's what you do with it.
- teach and learn with maximum creativity -
- Activate synthesis between competing ideas....constantly
- And iterate the same concept in multiple contexts - smash up previous ideas....building on previous year's inquiries - school wide - revisit big ideas to get to deep learning.

Tony Trinick 
There is no limit on what you teach, but there is still a bit of gate keeping in order to meet NCEA levels.

Science PD

Last week Susan came to do science PD in room 1.  The topic was looking at bubbles.

After an initial rocky start due to behaviour, a core group of the class were settled and ready to learn.

Susan showed some photos of different bubbles in real life. Bubbles when you pour tea, when you jump in the water or when you blow etc. Her questions were very specific.

What do you see in the picture? How do you think these were formed? What do we call more than one bubble together? etc

Then the children were allowed to go outside to blow bubbles. There were no instructions as to what they should be looking out for or what they should be doing, accept they have to share wth a buddy.
Then we went outside and listened. We responded to comments or observations the children made. E.g. "Aaaah look at my many bubbles!" Susan, "yes, you have a cluster of bubbles".

Susan was even patient with Lucian throwing all his bubbles down the drain, and filling his bottle up with water. Her comment was purely, " that is an experience as well, and it was his choice".

What I have noticed: 
Ignoring non-compliance or disengagement is important.

I noticed how casually new technical words were introduced. The visual prompts were carefully selected in order to show the different ways that bubbles were formed. Questions such as what shape bubbles have, encouraged thinking and linking it to own experiences where bubbles were not 100% round. What would happen if you blow hard or soft? What will happen if you stir the soap before you blow your bubbles? Colours?

At the end of the lesson, 98% of the class were all blowing bubbles and learning was shared.

So what:
The lesson was student driven in the sense that Susan took the pace of the children. The moment they were finished talking about a photo she moved on.
She did not do a lot of talking, but rather asked lots of questions. Some she answered if the children were unable to do so. Especially when new vocab were introduced.
She did not exclude children from the lesson because of behaviour, but rather tried to "catch up" with them through conversations outside.
Science is more about the I wonder questions, rather than the obvious initial observation.
We should be teaching children to think like scientists through talk-a-louds and modelling the type of questions they should ask.

I would like to repeat this lesson and journal it in our science books. This will reinforce the learning and give the students that did not want to participate initially, the opportunity to participate, now that they know what will be expected of them.

Te Reo in Room 1

I am trying to find ways to incorporate Te Reo in my classroom. 

Last year I had a strong routine of starting the day with a Karakia and starting the day with simple Te Reo songs e.g. how we greet, counting and naming the colours in Te reo. 

This year, I am finding it a bit trickier as I only start my day after morning tea in room1. What I managed to do this year, which I didn't last year, is to sing Te Aroha at the end of the day. Which is like a karakia at the end of the day. See meaning of words below. 

Te aroha
Traditional Song

(Maori)

Te aroha 
Te whakapono 
Te rangimarie 
Tätou, tätou e.

(English)

Love,
Hope,*
Peace,
For us all.

In preparation to Matariki festival I am teaching my students a song called  Tu Tere mai, using Te Rakau Sticks. 

Originally Tī rākau helped warriors to practise hand-eye coordination at speed. Therefore, this could be very helpful in developing the students hand-eye coordination for writing. 

So What?

I want to build up my knowledge of Te Reo language and use it on a daily basis. I have managed to pick up some words/phrases, but by far not enough. 

Perhaps I could learn with my students more through songs and games. 

Create a visible prompt list that I can use in the class.

Class Walk throughs

Last week we had the opportunity to get critical feedback from colleagues around our class layouts and how our class represents our students.

Here are some of the changes I would like to make

* streamline or minimise movement to resources e.g. by splitting white boards into house groups so that everybody don't have to go to the same spot to get white boards.
* Have a visual prompts for must do's and can do's - visual timetable instead of just writing on the board.
* Share students learning e.g. through photos or displays
* Strengthen PB4L matrices with photos of the children demonstrating the right thing.

I read an article about visual timetables that was interesting and motivates me to streamline my visual timetable more, especially around including brain breaks or down time.

Artcle by:
Lynn McCann, 18th June 2017, URL Reference ,Get your visual timetable right

Not all teachers understand the true purpose of a visual timetable – they let the child know what’s going on and in what order, but are also an important teaching tool. The main teaching opportunities include:

Memory and recall skills

Seeing the structure of the day can improve memory skills for children who think better in pictures than verbal language. Instead of absorbing a list of verbal words, they can utilise their visual memory to remember what will be happening and in what order.

Organisational skills and independence

The child should be managing their own timetable. That means self-checking what they should be doing and where they should be, and taking off symbols and putting them in the ‘finished’ pocket themselves.

Start by ensuring that the visual timetable is pitched at the right level for the child by using objects of reference, photos, symbols and words that will make sense to them. Print them out on cards and laminate them, so that they can be reused each day. Remember to include timetable cards that represent sensory breaks and reward activities, so the child isn’t anxious about when these will take place.

Once the cards are finished, make sure that the timetable is accurately set up with part or all of the day’s activities every day. This presents an ideal opportunity to teach the child(ren) how to manage removing the symbols after each activity is completed. The finished activity symbol should then be posted in a box or envelope to indicate the ending of that activity and commencement of the next.

A pivotal strategy

Over the years I’ve worked with some pupils who were at risk of being excluded for their behaviour. When a visual timetable was used to show them their lessons, ‘calm or choice times’, sensory breaks – and most importantly, when home time was due – alongside other strategies, it had a huge impact in helping the child to navigate the day, reducing their stress and anxiety levels and thus reducing their challenging behaviours.

Honestly – visual timetables can sometimes be a pivotal strategy that makes all the difference for a child.
.

TAI - Gradually increasing student participation in academics

IN the last few weeks we have paid a lot attention to behaviour in room 1. Rhys, Gretchen and I have started to communicate about our focus points, and am all working hard to remind the children of that focus point. I have seen a shift in behaviour in the majority of the class. (we still have some tier 1 learners that we are focussing on).

Our first focus was listening. We applied the STOP, LOOK and LISTEN approach. Explicitly explaining what this sounds and look like.

Our next focus will be on how to look after our "stuff" in the class. How to care for it. (Demonstrating AROHA). We will still be focussing on listening, but now be highlighting caring for our environment all the time.

With all this in mind, we would also like to gradually increase learning.

My last reflection on my TAI, I mentioned that I wanted to eliminate risk. I took as step back, and tried to observe what my children liked and liked to do. I have noticed that most of my boys particularly like cars, zombies and superheroes. And my girls loves cats. I also noticed how some boys particularly loves colouring in, and how others like to build lego and play with slime, rather than colouring in. (When I had all these options available at the same time, none of the children asked for Ipads - interesting)  I would really like to use this knowledge in a way to encourage participation in learning.

I have also started using the phrase, "Don't worry, I will help you" a lot. Also, "bring your picture with you and you can continue when you are done". This has seemed to calm the children down, so it might have been a fear of 'loosing' their activity that made them not wanting to come to me for learning.

So what? 
I am going to ensure that there are activities available that caters for all my children.
I am going to try and get all groups to come to me for learning, but not keep them long, so that they can continue with their choice of activities.
I am going to eliminate the fear of loosing out on things by preparing things for each child by name eg: when making clay, break it up into small bags (one for each child) so that they don't have to argue about sharing. (A next possible focus point).

I also read up on TKI Online independent literacy activities  and got some more ideas for literacy activities which I want to try out:

1. Providing magazines for children to cut from.
2. topic word cards to match each word with its meaning. Arrange word cards in \
3. alphabetical order as a step towards using a dictionary or index or locating fiction by the author's surname in the library.

Reflection PB4L

The last couple of weeks has beed extremely hard for me in Room 1. I was trying to get routine and creating a culture of learning in my class, unfortunately, Room 1 has higher needs and I desperately needed advice.

What I observed. 
- Obsessions with online games like Wormate and Cool Maths games
- Even after lowering the cognitive expectations, very few students were able to work independently and staying engaged 
- Huge behaviour outbursts if ipads have to be packed away
- Children sneakily getting ipads, hiding behind couches or around corners and going on online games without completing tasks or participating in group activities.
- There are only a few children willing to help with tidying up at the end of the day

After having reflections on a daily basis and conversations with Michelle and Gretchen, this is what we came up with: 
- Rewarding children with stickers as much as possible.
- To eliminate the obsession with online games, provide time in my daily routine where they could play on it.
- Set out activities on the tables before the children come into class after morning tea and lunch.
- Create a space for Neo with activities for him.
- Set his TA up so that she knows what to do and how to transition him into the class before she leaves.
- Super star children to have milo with Michelle in the morning. (All the children that behaved well).
- Count children down in preparation to packing ipads away.

Outcome:
- The children are coming into the class and settling a lot faster - star chat working.
- Most of the class responds really well to the time allocated in the day for online games. There are still 2 children that sneakily go on at the wrong time. And 4 children not responding when prompted to pack away. (2 of them even willing to stay after school in order to continue with their games)
- Neo's had 2 good days, with no outbursts.
- Some children come in after MT or lunch and start to work on the activities immediately. Although they are not coming to the mat, at least they are settled and listening.
- Reading groups has started to function as there are less interruptions and children are responding well to the count down to golden time.

New problems: 
- Although I have taken groups and introduced new literacy games such as Bingo and alphabet loop game, these are not activities the children choose to do as an independent activity.
- The children that are not behaving are in the minimum, so now nearly the whole class is able to have milo with Michelle - which is not practical.
- Children that is refusing to pack ipads away because of online games, are now willing to run away with ipad in order to continue playing.
- There is a group of children that loves colouring in- which I encourage due to the fine motor skills developing - however, very few seems to finish it and a lot of paper is wasted.

So what?
- Consult with Room 1 teachers for a solution around ipads not being packed away at the given time.
- Research ideas on literacy activities that children will be able to use independently.
- Ask colleagues for advice and solutions around how to encourage children to help with tidy up time. (Possibly a JOB chart?)
- Think of a practical way to solve the paper usage in room 1.