Learning through Drama

In class we are currently doing a drama unit based on Maori Mythology.  However, in addition to learning about the Maori Mythology the students are also learning about the elements, conventions and techniques of drama.  At the end of this unit the students will be creating their own production to perform to their parents that includes using the conventions and techniques of drama to represent the creation story.  I have attached some youtube videos of my students participating in improvisations during their first time exploring conventions and techniques.

Drama improvisations - technologies

Drama improvisations - conventions

I have found that the drama unit has really helped the students with working in a variety of groups, asking questions, seeking clarification, being open to other student's ideas and to experience more success with POGIL styled learning.  As well as the improvisations that have been videod we have been solving real life problems using improvisations.  During cycle safety, one of my students located $20 on the ground.  He didn't know what to do with it as it was cash and so he brought it back to school and told me and the local policeman about it when he got to school.  The policeman told him that he had done the right thing letting him know that he had found money, but that noone would go into the police to ask for a lost $20 and so he could keep it.  This student asked if we could do drama improvisations around the topic so that he could apply others ideas to help him solve the situation.  Essentially what he was doing - doing research before solving the problem aligned directly with POGIL and when this was pointed out to the students they were able to make great connections with their learning in drama and the learning style that they are exploring in other subjects.  Many other students also shared stories of when similar things happened to them and so it was great to be able to use the vehicle of drama to make a real life problem into a teachable moment in many senses.  Below is a photo of the students participating in cycle safety before hitting the road with Constable Neil.

Getting back into Term 2

The last week of Term 1 was a stressful one for me for reasons far outside my control and the first week of holidays provided far too much time for me to think.  What should have been a relaxing holiday at the beach was filled with stress.  As a result of this, the work that I was going to do in Week 2 got pushed back right until the end of the holidays so that I was able to enjoy at least part of my holiday.  Thankfully in the second week holidays did seem to happen and I was able to enjoy some time in Auckland and Mount Maunganui with good friends providing me with the exact brain break that I needed before starting back at school.  Friday, Saturday and Sunday were all spent in at school but I am definitely feeling relaxed and ready to start this term clear headed again which is key.

It was so nice being back with my students today - we enjoyed a day of exploring the MRS GREN characteristics of living and non living things in our school environment, brainstorming all of the things we loved about our school that we could write about in a report and developing a piece of ANZAC art that we thought appropriately captured the enormity of 100 years since landing at Gallipoli.  The children can't wait to do our 'thinkers keys' activities and make their own ANZAC book!

The challenge for me this term will be staying on top of everything with the huge amount of things that we need to have handed in.  Within the first 12 days of this term we have IKAN testing to do, running records to have begun, four daily sessions on cycle safety and a road ride with the local policeman, a trip to Lake Rotomahana and a videoed reading observation and interview of our students - all alongside our normal teaching programme.  I think working closely with colleagues will be a huge aspect of staying on top of everything this term and so am very grateful for the sharing of resources and knowledge that have already occurred on day one!

I am looking forward to getting back on top of my blog after the holidays also and sharing what I have learnt about working in MLE's and with Maori learners that I can implement into my own classroom - but for now planning for the next crazy couple of weeks awaits!

Sarah's Superheroes

 

My release teacher is head of an ICT company and provides both my students and myself with some amazing learning opportunities for how to integrate ICT effectively into our programme in a way that enhances the learning of my students. She has helped me to create a website that will record the learning, fun and excitement that happens within Room 3 - http://sarahssuperheroes.weebly.com/learning.

 

She has also shown us how to make iMovies and has create iMovies for us that capture aspects of the children's learning. Below is an example of movies that she has created about bike safety lessons that we received from a local policeman and about our music lessons.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EcbwgaS38oU

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGQFfh0nVWY

Linking Learning with Life.

The first week of school has passed by in a blur with two days of relievers and a myriad of tests and out of classroom activities taking place. So here I am, on the Monday of second week, finding that I finally have time to reflect on the week that has past.

Cycle safety played a massive part in last week. The children were taught road rules and how to cycle safely on the roads by a policeman. Once they were competent on the practice course they were allowed to participate in a road ride which each and every single one of them thoroughly enjoyed. The children were hooked into their learning because it was physically active whilst still allowing  them to reflect on and cognitively engage with what they were learning. They could see the purpose of the activity and make connections with their everyday lives as many of them bike to school and go riding with their parents. This is  a video of all their favourite moments put together on iMovie by Wendy Stafford: http://leos-learning-lab.weebly.com/12/post/2014/05/bike-safety-with-constable-neil.html.

Today, during reading time, a student started making connections that I had not expected him to make so early on in the unit we are doing on fairy tales. 'H' was comparing and contrasting the fairytales of Jack and the Beanstalk and The Helium Seed Watermelon Boy when he noticed the difference that a good ending makes to a story. He discussed how when he was writing he wanted to focus on creating an ending that left the reader engaged and feeling like they had connected with the story. Another student jumped in at this point and mentioned that it is similar in life but instead of writing the ending to the story it is the choices that we make that determine the ending of each 'mini story'. I was blown away by the insight that these students had had in a lesson that had not focused on making such connections. I cannot wait for us to begin our fantasy writing unit now where these students will have the opportunity to focus specifically on the endings of stories and how different endings affect the audiences perspective on the whole story.

My most significant goal for this term is providing students with activities that link their learning with their own lives in a visible way. Here's hoping that if both my students and myself continue on the path that we are own this goal will be a highly successful one.