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!