This term I want to especially focus on;
Maths-using a range of materials with each maths group to simplify the problem and then work through each phase from materials to imagining and number property within each new strategy taught.
ICT- getting the most out of my interactive white board by incorporating it in my daily maths and reading programmes, allowing it to be child driven with them using the equipment as another tool for learning. As well as utilising the blog to become reflective thinkers and writing for an audience.
Writing-establishing good routines for independent writing, so that students are able to be productive at checking their own work, while I am busy with other students.
Hi Danielle
ReplyDeleteYou are reflecting on your teaching practice with some great questions and thoughts! I look forward to reading how you are going with the above goals. :)
Today I used my interactive whiteboard for a class brainstorm surrounding our strength unit looking at what is strength it was great to see ideas like hardwork and strength being something that takes a long time to achieve coming through in their thinking. I also incorporated it in the diamonds maths programme. They have just learnt their two's, five's and ten times tables and are now looking at the division side of this. So with the stamper I created two problems a two's and five's problem. The children then had to share the apples evenly among the friends (smiley faces) and write the number sentence to the problem. This worked well however it highlighted that it will take time for the children to get used to the new technology as well as myself as I had to set a problem for the group I was working with to then go and assist the diamonds group. This has made me aware that once again I need to do lots of modelling. It has also got me thinking, how can I get the children involved in using the Mobi during whole class activities that then set them up for small group or individual tasks using it?
ReplyDeleteAgain I used the interactive whiteboard but today it was for writing. We are looking at character descriptions and it was great to be able to just bring up a blank page with a picture of Winnie the Witch (not that they knew who she was)for the children to look at and then start exploring her as a character. We came up with some great names for her and great descriptive language around what she looked like and what type of person she is.
ReplyDeleteThis week I introduced a new writing goal sheet and checklist. I laminated them and cellotaped them into the back of each child's writing book. This way they can open it as a flap and have it sitting alongside their writing reminding them of their goal that they are working on. As well as using the checklist once they think they have finished to double check that they have used full stops and capital letters, that they have used detail and descriptive language. That they have read through to make sure it makes sense that they have underlined and looked in a dictionary for the words they are unsure of. This has worked well in avoiding students writing and expecting me to do a fix up of their work. Instead it is giving them the ownership to become true authors and write and then correct and or re-craft their work. The goals I am sitting down with my writing group and then when I get a chance I am speaking with individuals asking them what they think they need to work on, and together are coming up with a goal for them to work towards. So far this seems to be working well and it is interesting that the majority of the time students are able to pin point the goal I had in mind for them as well.
ReplyDeleteHeading towards the end of term and it is time to start reflecting on how I am going with my Term 2 goals.
ReplyDeleteICT- is something that I am embracing within the classroom, there is a lot to come to terms with and it is just a matter of having a play to find out what it can do which was something I initially felt I had little of. But the more I use it the easier it becomes and the more potential you see in it. Just this week I have used it with a reading group that were looking at onomatopoeia and as a group they had to fill a page up with examples of this. I am using it all the time to look at different spelling patterns bringing the words up getting kids to put sound boxes around them or to identify what letter is making the sound at the end circling the letter showing a pattern and from that getting them to think about what the rule might be. I have found that with the sharing of ideas amongst staff and how they use it, does make it easier as you are able to try one new thing a week that you might have heard someone else doing which you can then start using. Remembering I don't have to find a new way to use it everyday. At our staff meeting when Asri shared bringing up a similes page in the morning that children can then add to eg: The light was as bright as....and they provide examples to finish the simile off was a great idea and one I have since used as we have looked at what a simile is in class. The blog has also proved to be a big hit with some reluctant writers enjoying posting comments on the blog and why not use this as they are still writing. We are using our ICT time to reflect a lot on our blogs and hopefully with reflecting at least once a week, in writing, using questions to challenge their thinking, they will become better reflectors of their work. I am also very excited to have my own flip video as I have borrowed other classrooms for a while. They are great for capturing whether or not a child has understood a mathematics concept and I have got kids to use counters to show a division equation which has worked well in consolidating their knowledge. I am also looking at videoing some of my less fluent readers and getting them to reflect on their speed.
Writing-In general the class has become a lot better. Having established writing groups in the second term I think helped straight away as the children now know who I am working with and if that is not them they need to work fairly independently that day. Writing is still one of those subjects that children want to come up and show you their writing, how much they have done or want to read it too you. But I have been quite tough in saying I am working with my group, well done and keep going. Then if they really want to share their writing with me they can at the start of morning tea or in our class sharing time if they are choosen. Establishing the goals in their books also gives students some direction of what they need to work on. I guess some students have taken note of this more than others and it might be time to have another big push of this reminding students of their goal. Perhaps using the idea that Pukete implement, which I saw when we went to the writing moderation, getting the kids to draw a smiley face when they think they have achieved their goal. Perhaps I also need to give them time towards the end of the lesson to not only proof read but to reflect on their goals. Then should I agree they have reached their goal they move one step closer to the bulls eye at the back of their books. Ensuring they have to do it a number of times not just the once to say they have secured it. The checklist in their books is working well and many children enjoy getting the whiteboard markers out and ticking the boxes. I have also noticed children are getting better at attempting at least to look words up in a dictionary heading towards becoming independent writers.
ReplyDeleteMaths-I have realised that I don't need to zoom through and complete one new lesson each day from the Numeracy Project Book. That it is ok to spend a few days going through the steps of introducing the strategy and then removing the materials and then using larger numbers to really test their understanding, and that I may have to go back to the materials from time to time. I am using materials more I think and while looking at fractions I have got children to draw a square on the piece of paper and cut it in half or quarters etc to illustrate the idea of fractions, using the fraction circles and the bead lines to get them to work with numbers splitting them in half and in quarters. I do still think I could improve on using a range of equipment because sometimes I can be guilty of finding a piece of equipment that works well and then using it all the time or seeing kids just reach for that one material type when they could actually use another. But perhaps they just haven't been exposed to how to use it. Perhaps I could ask the children to grab one piece of equipment to use for maths and that no more than two people should have the same equipment and they have to experiment with different ways to use the equipment while learning a new strategy. Obviously some won't work as well as others but we could share how we use it in our group and decide together what materials are the best fit for what we are learning today.