Looking Back

This evening I was going through my google drive having a look at the work that my students have been doing on google slides creating pick-a-path stories when I came across this video that the students at Pt England made me when I finished working with them as a student teacher.  It was just too adorable, and so I have posted it here so that I can remember that even on days where we might not feel subject matter has been as effective as we would have liked, we are still teaching little humans life lessons all the time - and they appreciate all of it.

Point England - Room 4 - Student Voice

The power of blogging

Up until now, our class weebly has been an interactive website run by myself that allows students to share their learning, allows parents to view what happens in our classroom and becomes a noticeboard.

Today, that all changed...

We have become a part of an Australian/New Zealand blogging group which has provided student with a real life context for which they are blogging.

The students have spent this afternoon learning how to transfer all of their learning onto the blog - whether it be text, photos, or videos that they have first had to upload to youtube and hyperlink in.  The students are already seeing sharing as a key aspect of why they wish to complete their work to their best ability - so that they can share it with others and help them learn also.   These children know how to use categories to search for their own work and share it with their parents.  Since uploading the work this afternoon, these students have had four comments on their blogs in four hours - all providing some form of feedback.  This provides students with feedback that their voices are being heard, well and truly.

As part of the NZ/Oz blogging group, the students rotate around the blogs and each class has a week where everyone focuses on commenting on that blog and sharing for that week.  I look forward to seeing the spin-off effects for the children wish to continue sharing their blogging with this.

Learn, Create, Share, is one of the key ways that Manaiakalani run their programme - it underpins mostly everything that they do for both the students and their staff.  One of the key benefits for Manaiakalani taking this on board is that it allows them to provide parents who aren't comfortable coming into school, usually their Maori and Pasifika parents, with a way to view their children's learning in real time.  I hope for this to have a similar

I aim to run a similar programme that works alongside, and underpins, the POGIL learning that is currently occurring in my classroom. The way that they do this learn, create, share framework also allows students to assess each other and provide each other and myself with insight into their understanding of the task and their success criteria.

Take a look at the last few posts of the sharing page to see how the children are beginning to take control of their blogging...

Superstar Bloggers!

An inspiring experience

Wow! The last seven weeks have been a whirlwind of learning, teaching, meeting and getting to know numerous new faces and learning about a new school community. 

I am just completing my final practicum at Point England School in class of five and six year old students. I have had the most amazing time working with these brilliant little children and they have taught me significantly more than I have taught them. Whilst I may have taught them numeracy, literacy, science, art and physical education amongst other things they have taught me more than they will ever realize. 

I have learnt how full of wonder the world is, how to find joy in every situation no matter how tough things may be and how to draw an elephant "properly". I have come to understand the importance of ensuring you have high expectations for every student that recognize their individuality. I have learnt that the attitude you project as a teacher is the attitude that you will receive from your students and  that sometimes the thing that will have the most influence on a child's day is not necessarily the maths that you teach them but the smile that you share with them. 

I have learnt from an expert, my associate teacher has been so supportive over the past two months. Whether it has been talking with me, showing me numerous ways of teaching effectively or encouraging me to let the students take the lead in lessons I believe I have grown so much from working with this amazing person!

I could not have asked for a better school to spend my last practicum at! The staff, the students and fabulous Room 4 all created such a wonderful environment of support and care. 

I cannot wait to apply everything that I have learnt to my own classroom and inspire my future students and much as the students at this school have inspired me!