Te Ara Tuhura Toolkit Session - E-AsTTle

Writing test - this is a cold test. No help - 5 minutes to describe the test and jot notes but when writing begins, it needs to be rubbed off.

Images as prompts - have them printed in colour and have it up on the data projector. We want to give the children the best chance when they are writing.

When marking writing tests - the R stands for Rubric. e.g. R1, R2, R3...

To move a child from R3 - R4 for organisation - if they have a paragraphs.

Using these rubrics as formative assessment for your teaching. E.g. organisation is poor so that is what I will focus on. Teach this for 6 weeks and then retest to see what next steps are again.

Feedback is important. Motivation and self-efficacy comes from your specific feedback and conferencing.

Individual Learning Pathway Interpretation Guide - Writing

Great tool for analysing student data. All colour coded with a graph. Shows where the national rating is (mean) and where they fall beside it. It also shows their strengths, what they have achieved, what they need to achieve and where their gaps lie. Beside each strength, gap etc the question number shows so that you can go back to the test to check how this data is shown.
You need to search under the student name to find this. Underneath the interpretation is a guide you can use to help you.

Create a Test
Create a test - write in genre (narrative, description, recount) - motivation (interest in writing) - Click on the prompt you want (keep in mind the age and ability of your students - view test.

Test shows image, template. It also shows glossary of key words and the rubric for marking.
If happy you can then accept the test.
Go to assign test on left hand side.
Add group
Due Date: Give your self time as you may have children that are sick - could be the end of the term.

Maths - Strand - Shape

These past few weeks our focus in Maths has been about shape.

To begin this unit I did a diagnostic assessment to assess the knowledge that the children currently had about the topic before any learning occurred. This was great as it helped me to develop an understanding of the knowledge that the children have.

At the end of the unit I gave the children the same assessment to serve as a Summative assessment. This was great as the children were familiar with the test as they had done it before. It also helped me to develop an understanding of what knowledge the children learned.

Throughout this unit, before each lesson I showed the children a youtube clip that related to the key learning objectives of the lesson. This was a great way to harness the attention of the children and to get them excited about their learning. It is also another way of enhancing their learning as these clips were presented with songs, music and different visuals, a different method of catching the children's attention.

Assessment Week

So far in my teaching career I have realised how difficult it can be to monitor children's progress and ensuring that the learning I am giving them is at the right level.

My tutor teacher has helped me here as she has recommended having assessment weeks near the end of each term.

This means I give the children plenty of learning opportunities for the week that allow the children to practise the key things that they have been taught without my assistance. This way I can pull children away form their learning and assess their reading with a Running Record and their Maths.

This has helped me to constantly readjust my planning and my learning groups to help ensure that the learning is catered to the needs of the children.

At the end of each term I have also asked each child to produce a writing sample so I can assess the progress they have made with their writing over the term.

Term 4 Week 6

It has been a wee while since my last reflection.

It has been so busy at school lately while we begin the preparations for next year. I have been assessing all of the children's reading so I can enter accurate data into the school's data base. I have also tested all of those children whose reports are due for Numeracy. I have assessed the whole class for their numeracy knowledge and I have assessed the whole classes writing through a writing sample.

I am now in the process of completing the reports for those children who are due for reports. This is a big process but I am slowly crossing it all of my list.

I have also had to assess the ESOL children against the standards. Therefore I have to assess their writing, listening and oral language. This is to establish what stage they are working at and whether they are still needed to be funded.

I have completed referral forms for certain children. This was about recording those children who are below the standard or who have specific needs that need to be catered for. At the start of the year I recorded what their needs were and what I was going to do about it. I have assessed and evaluated these and I have decided if I felt that they should remain on the referral system or if they should be taken off it.

I now need to think about those children in my class that need to be transitioned into next year. I do have some children that do not cope very well when the routine is not the norm. These children will need a class visit and be able to meet their teacher for next year. I will also forward particular information to their next years teacher to prepare them.

Overall I feel I am going well. I am meeting dead lines and I am working hard to keep up. It will be very interesting how I go next year when I have less release days and more time in the classroom.

I am enjoying my class so much. It is great to see how much their self management has blossomed. I will miss them next year.

Term 2 - Week 10

So the term is over! I am now a 1/4 of the way to becoming a fully registered teacher in New Zealand. I can't believe it!

There are many things I have been thinking about for next term.

In regards to Numeracy, I have completed many I cans testing and it is amazing to see how much the children have improved this term. I need to compile all of this data and regroup my class ready for next term. This will help me to cater for their abilities much better.

Reading: Helen and I are both really happy with how our reading programme is going. We are happy with where we have place the children. My top groups are enjoying their contracts. I have a boy who loves space and I created a space contract for his group. It was exciting to see his face light up when he found out about his focus. I am debating about giving them some novel studies or incorporating some reciprocal teaching at some stage. I will research this over the holidays.

Writing: I am loving teaching writing at the moment. I have been trying to focus on incorporating oral language as much as I can. I have also been trying to select topics that the children would be excited about. This involves them getting outside of the classroom and writing about experiences.

This past week we have had appraisals. This involved having the children's books inspected and having an observation. My observation went very well. The syndicate leader was impressed with my modelling book and the displays in the room. She felt oral language was included well in the programme. The children were aware  of their writing goal and they understood what the green and orange highlighter meant.

My book inspection went well. I have made sure that all work was marked and that there was a WALT written in the book. I also made sure that the WALT was highlighted in green if it was achieved and in orange if it wasn't. Next steps for me were to write next step comments for the children. Also to ensure that the work has been dated.

Term 2 - Week 7

The Term is absolutely flying by!

Last term and this term I have completed many 'I can' Numeracy assessments. This has made me reconsider the stages I have the children working at on my planning. All children should be assessed. I plan to over the next few weeks go through all of their 'I cans' and regraph and regroup the children. This will make the learning more meaningful for them.

Last week I talked about the Reading Contracts that I have created to extend my top two Reading groups. This so far is going really well. The work is being completed. The children are enjoying selecting a book that they want to read. They are focused on this each day. Occasionally an activity is forgotten but I'm sure that this will happen less and less as they get used to the routine. I am trying to make the last activity of the week a bit more fun like a puzzle or a wordfind. The children are enjoying the self-management and they are working together.
Last week some contracts were going missing. This was an issue because they can't complete the work without the contract as it holds all of the activities. I have decided to take the contracts in each and put them in the group box. This way I can monitor it and I can mark it as they go. This will also prevent children from doing the work at home.
Another issue is that the children are forgetting to swap books. I try to get a variety of 4 books and I put them in the group box. The children know to swap these amongst themselves and within the group box. They will need reminding of this.
Over all, I am happy and I think the parents are too :)

Term 2 Week 6

This week, some new challenges have risen.

I have a boy in my class who is timid and quite shy. I was warned at the end of last year that he may be reluctant to read to me. I have kept this in mind but have not had too much trouble getting him to read to me.
When a child turns 6, they must have a sic year net assessment. When the lady came in to test him he began to cry and I could see that he was anxious and scared. After trying very hard to prompt him to go I realised that he wouldn't go. Asked if the lady would try to test him in the classroom. This did not work as he became upset again. I spoke to mum and we thought that he may do the test if I was present. So I walked him over to the room to where the testing takes place. There was no verbal response and he did not want to read the book for the lady to take a running record. After 10 minutes of prompting there was still no verbal response.
The lady has talked me through most of the tests and I have started to implement some of them. He is responding to me and this is working well. I have sent the tests to the lady for her to analyse and she will get back to me for the rest of the testing. These tests consisted of a running record, a letter identification test, word reading score test, the burt word reading test and a writing vocabulary observation test.

After sitting down and thinking about my Reading programme, I have realised that most of the children in my two top groups (Level 21-23) are getting bored of some of the books. I want them to be motivated to read. So I have created some reading contracts which involves the children reading a variety of books based in one topic. They have a selection of activities to complete, one a day. I am still debating if this is too much work for the children. I will reflect at the end of the week and make changes to next weeks planning if necessary. Overall I think the children are more exited as they get to choose which books they want to read each night.

Rehashing Blog

I am just thinking about my blog and how to make this more organised for people who view it.
I am adding more labels that correlate with the Registered Teacher's Criteria.