Successful Personalisation

As I watched my class on Friday during their Reading lesson I reflected on how far we have come this year.

The Student Teacher who is on full control for her final practicum was being observed by her University lecturer and all children were fully engaged in their learning.

In previous years the reading groups would have been told what they would be doing, and when, on the reading rotation.  There would have been some choice as to which activity they chose out of the box and I would still have been puzzled as to how to get a more personalised programme operating, with all children knowing their next step and how to get there. 

Every year I would start with great intentions and never was I able to put it into action.

This year from the very first day I have implemented the Daily 5 and Cafe programmes by Gail Boushey and Joan Moser.  The difference is incredible.

Now the children arrive at school and make their choice about what activities they will do at Reading time and in which order.  They know what they are to learn to reach their next level and they often practise this in their own time.  They are able to say how they are progressing and all of this is shared with their family through their Reading Log.

Term one was difficult as I tried to put the routines into place.  My low decile class with several learning and behaviour issue children took a long time to come to grips with the concept of stamina - applying yourself for a length of time to the activity.  There were, and probably still are, sceptics on the staff but Friday showed me that it has been worth the effort.  

End of term data showed better progress than expected and I anticipate that our next set of data will continue this trend.  I have taken the principles and started to apply them to the writing and maths programmes as well.  Personalisation is possible with young, low decile children and Daily 5 showed me how.

Sometimes we need a programme which we can use to kick start our next step.

Why students using laptops learn less in class even when they really are taking notes

Why students using laptops learn less in class even when they really are taking notes. The Washington Post

When I received this article from a previous colleague with the comment "WOO HOO!!! At last some common sense." my first reaction was to wonder what task the teacher was setting that meant the students were not learning.

Obviously I was applying my primary school filter to the headline before reading.  While my previous colleague may think there is better learning done with pen and paper, I have found iPads, laptops and PCs invaluable for year one and two learning.  The question to ask is what is best for this learning - laptop? or playdough? or pen and paper?  A wide variety of experiences enables learning by all.

After reading the article I realised there is more than a grain of truth when I examine my own experiences.  Previously I ran a diary, a to-do list, and a day book for recording professional development and the subsequent processing of ideas.  They were a haphazard collection of notes, tabs and 'scribbles' contained in two well-thumbed books.  As I have made myself more ICT based along with a push towards a paperless state, I have found I run a diary, separate to my to-do app, and I have professional development notes on paper and filed in various places on different computers.  This is not an ideal state.

One reason for having things in different places is the joy of processing ideas, reflecting on past practice and then developing how new ideas can be incorporated into my class. This is a mixture of messy notes, scribbles and beautiful mind maps that develop over a coffee or three.  This is a creative mostly paper based activity because I still find the computer too linear.

The challenge is to file everything appropriately.  I use Evernote to file my readings and notes at meetings.  What I need to do is develop the habit of photographing notes etc and filing them alongside.  By organising everything in one place I will have (hopefully) replicated the very efficient system I had and have developed something superior.

Why Do We Send Children To School So Young?

By choosing to send our children to school on the day they turn five, we are potentially giving them two years of frustration with learning that a child starting school in Finland will not experience.  Does this explain why many of our children, especially boys, struggle with writing?  Have they developed a 'I can't do it' mentality by seven?  Is the Finnish system more in line with human development theory?

Early Childhood Education centres feel the pressure to prepare children for school while their curriculum focus is on developing the child's creativity. 

In his interview below Nathan Mikaere-Wallis emphasises the development of social and emotional skills for our 3-7 year olds.  In the drive to meet imposed standards, are our junior classes ignoring the need to explore? to play? to be creative?  

Listen to this very interesting interview and consider what is happening in our education system for young children.   

radionz.co.nz/audio/what-3-to-7-year-olds-need-to-learn-nathan-mikaere-wallis

Nathan Mikaere Wallis is part of the Brain Wave Trust, and X Factor Education, Christchurch. He has been a lecturer at the Christchurch College of Education, lecturing in human development, brain development, language and communication and risk and resilience. Nathan has a background of working with children in counselling settings relating to domestic violence, sexual abuse and childhood trauma.

TeachMeetNZ Anniversary Session

It has been a proud moment in my ICT journey to be the timekeeper for both the first and the anniversary TeachMeetNZ Google Hangout.  In between I have presented twice, once at very short notice when someone dropped out.  I know how nerve wracking the experience is and the great buzz afterwards as we have faced up to the fear and overcome it.

Rewindable learning is so important.  I can go back in my own time and review again and again.  I can sit in bed or in my classroom and learn what is relevant to me now.

One of the exciting things about TeachMeetNZ is the three minute format.  I can quickly catch up on one aspect in my journey.  Or I can watch the whole event on the wiki.  It sends me to other venues and places I did not know existed.

Sonya you have established a powerful learning opportunity for all. Rewindable learning is learning chosen by me for me.