Interwrite Session

With all the new exciting technology in the classroom it is important not to forget about the teaching station in my classroom. I use it lots as a projector and always have but the challenge is to use it for MORE than just projecting.
I love that when a child doesn't know what an animal looks like for example you can just jump on the laptop and pop it up on the screen for them all to see and really get feeling for what you are talking about.
I have been incorporating it more into my rotations lately (maths/reading/writing). I find the children do need to practice using the mobi pad and where to put the pen as they can sometimes accidently rub out their work. But like anything it just needs practice and this means me providing them with the opportunities to practice. Perhaps having it up in the morning with different learning tasks eg: adding a simile to the chart, could mean that they are using the technology in an educational way and are practicing using it.
Some ways I have recently used it are; with a maths group to look in a fun way at before and after numbers. I have used it in reading to collaboratively work together on finding the main idea. In writing we have used it to model creating an emotion poem.

The kids love working on the teaching station but I do find I need to have a leader as there can otherwise be fights over the pen and controlling it.
My challenge now I guess is to try to use it for at least one maths/reading/writing session each day.
I need to also look at ways to use it for spelling.
The key to the teaching station is to make it interactive and like many forms of technology the more you play the more creative you can be with it.
Perhaps another challenge of mine could be to try and share once a week/once every two weeks a new way I have used techonology in my class??

Promise Jar

Well the promise jar has been a success!
On Monday we started the week by coming up together with our classroom goal and how we would achieve this. Then we sat in a circle to share what we were going to work hard on with our behaviour to put in the promise jar. What a great day we were all able to have, the kids really responded to this circle time and talking and I guess giving them a chance to think about and acknowledge the behaviour that sometimes gets them into trouble because they have completed their work or they are distracting other etc.
Some examples of comments that went inside the jar were...
-I will be kind and I will get my work finished on time.
-I'll be nice and friendly and responsible for what I do.
-Be a good role model and I won't break any of the Golden Rules.
-I will follow the Golden Rules and be responsible for others to learn.
(Just for time, as the children went around and shared their promise I wrote their name at the top of the page and their promise).
Yes there were still times where I had to remind some children that they might have to look at their promise again on the whole I was very impressed!
While this week is set to be another busy one and the weather will mean a lot of indoor lunchtimes I am confident that it will be a good week :-)
Below are a few pictures of our class goal and promise jar.

 

Busy Term+New Student=Circle Time

This term has been a busy one so far and is only about to get more hectic!
My class had our class assembly in Week 4. We have started production rehearsals, we have performed our  Kapa Haka and dances to parents, we have had cross country practices which has all led to the usual timetable been somewhat thrown out the window.
All week I found myself getting frustrated that I had limited time to squeeze the reading, writing and maths into the day and that when it came time to do these things the kids were often off task, loud, calling out on the mat and it felt as though they had forgotten all the things we had worked hard on building.
Getting a new student on Monday I had talked to the kids about being role models and demonstrating the correct behaviour for our new student and gone over the reflection book and room and what these meant.
But by Thursday night I knew I had to think of a different way to approach things as the kids were still rowdy and I could feel myself becoming quickly annoyed by their behaviour.
As a result we started Friday morning off by talking in pairs about what is expected in Room 11 behaviour wise. We then shared these ideas back to the class. We re-visited our Golden Rules and looked at examples of what these meant. Then we sat in  a circle and made a promise to work on one way we would make today a good day. (That might have meant putting our hand up to talk, or being focused on our work etc).
I explained that I knew their normal routine had been interrupted lately but that we had to be resilient and flexible to change and remember to work really hard when it was time for learning.
This set a great tone for the day and the kids got off to work well and yes it did really cut into the morning but I think it was important to take that step back for everyone to have a reminder. Because if learning time had continued it wasn't the most productive anyway so half an hour-three quarters of an hour I am hoping will more than pay its dues with the kids work habits.
There were still times during group work that I had to remind students of what they promised today and I did still use the reflection book when students had been reminded several times. But I feel that on the whole the day was a lot more enjoyable for me and therefore must have also been more enjoyable and satisfying for the kids too.
Come Monday I plan to let the kids share their weekend news in small groups like normal to get it off their chest and then we will have another quick refresh of the Golden Rules and making another quick promise.
Perhaps I set up a promise jar?? Then when children are not living up to their promise I can tell them to go to the jar and read their promise rather than have me harp on reminding them. (Maybe this will be more effective? And a constant reminder that they can refer back to when they need re-focusing).
Having had the addition of a new student has highlighted how far the kids have come with the restorative process which is pleasing to see. And while their behaviour hasn't always been perfect this week they have still been quick to remind our new student of how we behave and what is and isn't acceptable in our classroom. Which I think shows their respect, ownership and pride for their classroom environment and that they do want to get on and learn.