Seesaw soars!

E-portfolio of learning

Seesaw in the classroom

After investigating blogger and seesaw as a medium to share learning online with parents and provide an authentic audience for middle syndicate children, I decided to implement Seesaw.  the reasons for this is it is easy to use both on Chrome Books and iPads, teachers and children can easily upload learning and teachers can communicate instantly with parents e.g notices.

As we move into term 2 both the children and teachers will begin to use it to communicate and demonstrate learning and progress. Seesaw is also a great way to practice digital citizenship while building ICT skills. We will begin to share our learning on our Seesaw blog so to give the children a wider audience and continue building our GAFE skills with docs, slides and gmail.

Here are some examples of children presenting and sharing work on Seesaw in term 1 -

Example 1:
Antonio's self-assessment & teacher assessment electricity inquiry (image with audio file - teacher giving overall level achieved, what the student can do, and next steps)

Example 2:
Student choosing to present and share their work in Seesaw by embedding their google doc:



Example 3:
Student sharing work using notes within seesaw:


Example 4:
Student taking photo of presentation (poster) and sharing ideas on Seesaw:



Example 5:
Student reciting mihi using Seesaw video:

Leadership Reflection Term 1 2017

Leadership

This year I have been leading a small team in the newly created middle syndicate (years 3/4). We are a small syndicate of 2.4.

In the beginning, it was difficult knowing what was expected from me as a leader and I guess it is a role that I will continue to grow in over time.  I have been lucky to be working with my syndicate leader from previous years and now the DP who I have been able to get support from and much of my developing leadership style has been cloned from watching and observing how she's lead a syndicate in the past.

I have enjoyed leading and thinking about the programs and direction the new syndicate takes. I have learnt to delegate as I've realised I cannot do everything!  This year our BT has really stepped up and used her initiative with getting jobs done, which has made it a lot easier.

I find our senior management meetings invaluable as a way to learn from the other leaders and know what the expectations are.  I also found meeting with the board and sharing our data helpful and also to hold my syndicate accountable for our practices and ensuring progress for our children.  It is great having their support with resources and finance to put our ideas and programs in place to benefit our children.

I really enjoy monitoring progress and data.  It is highly motivating to see what is working (and what is not) when we are tracking our children so closely!

The middle leader course I added this term was insightful.  I do believe it was too short and the course should have been spread over at least a couple of days.  Things were glanced over but I guess we know where to look.  I think the best thing for me was learning how to have difficult conversations with others (question prompts), and making sure our inquiries and programs are research based in accordance with BES.  I can be a bit of a 'driver' (just give something a go) but I know I need to make sure I need to do my research first and make sure our programs have gone through the scrutiny of research!  Lastly, that all syndicate leaders should be meeting regularly to discuss BES, leadership, programs etc.  Mainly to make sure we are communicating, sharing and creating consistency through the school with what we are doing in each of our syndicates.

Parents are one of my biggest challenges.  I need to be more diplomatic and listen more to their concerns and problems.  I will need to continue working on this.  Balance is important.

This year we are making a real effort with goal setting with the children and also sharing progress with the children and their parents.  This clarity is important so they understand what we are doing and how their children are going.  For the children, it is about preparing them to become better self-managers of their learning and begin to understand that they need to make decisions over what their next steps are.  Introducing (honest) reflection is a big, part of them being able to do this.

Lot's to keep working on!!!

End of Term 1 2016 Reflection

Teaching a new level - year 3 & 4:

2017 has seen a change in syndicates.  I have moved from the senior syndicate in Mahi Tahi (years 5-8) to the new created middle syndicate, Team Whanau (years 3-4).

The challenges I have found this term are:

Behaviour management

With moving to modern learning practice and 60 children, behaviour management has been challenging, especially with our boys.  We have tried rewarding through verbal praise,  modelling, giving school-wide tokens for positive behaviour and being explicit with reasons for the token, a block jar which when the blocks get to a certain level the children get a reward e.g. free time, class party etc.  The children we are trying to influence don't seem to care.  I believe this is because overall children 'expect' things for behaviour.  The mentality is "if I do this for you, then what will I get out of it?"  I think this is reinforced at home.  If you 'pass' this test, be good etc then I will buy you a phone, new game for your play station etc.

Individual children have proved challenging and a lot of behaviour management has taken time away from teaching.  I have found this very frustrating.  Our next step would be 'Joseph Driessen' behaviour techniques and RTLB/Paediatrician follow-up's for challenging children. 

I think this term we start the day in homerooms to reduce numbers down and settled students after transition times.  This will help keep key personalities apart, reduce noise and easier to manage for each teacher.  Other techniques (preferably with a research base), should be tried and we will brainstorm what these might be at our Term 1 holiday planning meeting.

We do need to ensure consistency between teachers.  We will need to write our expectations down so they are explicit and there is less chance of individual teachers being more lenient or strict with management.  The children feed off the inconsistencies!

Parents

This would be the second biggest challenge.  Parents that are struggling with accepting their children are no longer in the junior school.  Middle school is the bridge between junior and middle school and therefore expectations change, especially over self-management and being responsible for your own learning.

The successes

Daily 5 

Daily 5 has improved literacy outcomes (as evidenced by end of term 1 reading testing and the progress of our target children especially).  The noise is hugely reduced during this time as is on-task behaviour.  Children are actually reading!  We are looking at implementing Daily 3 Maths due to the success.  At the moment teachers are managing behaviour during numeracy. Children do not make the 'transference' between Daily 5 habits and other areas!

Inquiry - Electricity

Great seeing the children learn the inquiry cycle and the skills needed to be successful at inquiry learning.  Particularly exciting seeing the children incorporating docs and seesaw into creating and presenting their inquiry.  All children now understand what circuits are for electricity to flow.  Most had misconceptions about this at the start of the inquiry.

Technology 

Children are embracing technology (GAFE) and are highly engaged in using technology.  Great seeing their digital citizenship and use improving when it is being incorporated in their learning.

Seesaw has been highly successful with engaging students in their learning and also communicating with parents.  We have 46 connected parents.  The students are now beginning to share their own learning on there and teachers are beginning to report progress on there as well.  This is with a view of seesaw being on online e-portfolio.

Overall I am enjoying the new challenge of younger students.  I have to be conscientious of not having too high expectations and it is teaching me not to over plan!