Bursts and Bubbles 2021

Sunny hot day, Covid Lockdown and the playground has become busier…. You dread the scene that you know is going to unfold as soon as you tell your child “It’s time to leave?” We’ve all been there both as a parent and a teacher. 

It’s hard for a child to get their brain to switch tracks - even as an adult it’s hard to leave something that we are enjoying to move on to something we perceive as less enjoyable.

The catalytic aspect of student learning, my ongoing inquiry focus is what I will focus on to change my practice to ensure that any 5 year old student starting school will have sufficient foundational skills to progress and succeed in Level 1 of the NZ curriculum. Another part of my inquiry focus is building a solid relationship with everyone that is part of the transitioning process which includes, the child, parents/caregivers, the teachers from the kindergarten/ECE and Primary School teachers.

It is important for me to explain what the difference is between transition and orientation to better understand how I can build a meaningful relationship with parents, therefore:

Transition is not the same thing as orientation. Orientation programmes help children to become familiar with school. It is better to think of transition as a prolonged process that unfolds through relationships.

I identified this as my focus for a number of different reasons which I will explain further. 

I have noticed that most students find it frustrating when they have to quit something they are enjoying.  They can become very hyper focused when they are interested in what they are doing. Interruptions usually are unwelcome and can result in various behaviour issues. This is mostly due to the fact that they have not mastered the foundational skills and key competencies of Te Whariki such as self regulation and managing themselves which they also need when starting Primary school. 

Also taken into consideration was that one of the most difficult transitions of the day for kids can be the one from home to school or the one one from school to home. This is a particularly challenging issue and that is where my inquiry sprouted from : RELATIONSHIPS and my role to make the transition phase easier on all parties involved. 

 It has been recommended that parents need to be better informed about the specific challenges facing children as they start school, and provided with opportunities to learn more about how to help their child adjust to this transition.

Parents may benefit from information and advice about: 

• activities to prepare their child for school

• helping their child to develop the skills needed to be more independent at school

• dealing with common reactions to starting school

• managing separation anxiety and other fears

• adjusting to new family routines

• helping with reading and other homework activities

Within my observations of the children in class, especially during Learn, Create, Share time, I found that on average the students' fine motor skills and oral language were below the national norm of students starting school. Through assessments and other anecdotal information that I had gathered I found that this was a big concern.  From this information I started to put my intervention plan into action.

To build a rich picture of my students’ learning I used Ready Steady Program Assessment data (literacy, reading and numeracy), observations during Learn, Create, Share and free choice activities created through structured and specific provocations. From these I could begin to develop sustainable and suitable instructional programmes for teaching and learning to fill the gaps before a more formal learning program could start e.g. Students need to be able to hold a pencil before they can start writing sentences. I need to cater for all individual needs and make sure they are ready for the next level of learning.

The most important aspect of my inquiry was being culturally responsive. The Education Hub describes, in their very practical document, culturally responsive teaching as “... about making school learning relevant and effective for learners by drawing on students’ cultural knowledge, life experiences, frames of reference, languages, and performance and communication styles” (The Education Hub, 2020, p. 5). For the last 2 years GTS has had an overarching focus of Identity.  This enables us to recognise and celebrate the learning and experiences that all children bring to school.  To build on these strengths as a starting point for their development gives the student a huge amount of mana and pride. Valuing children’s culture is very important, especially for our Māori and Pasifika students. 

My first target group changed due to Lockdown and my focus shifted to students that were actively participating online with parent involvement- 5 year olds still need support from parents or siblings. The 5 students have excelled in confidence in oral language, writing, reading, maths and of course our favourite activity - guided drawings. They love to draw and we exploited that to the fullest during one session each day online through a variety of activities . Through drawing we included all other learning areas as well. Writing, phonics, Maths and Inquiry. The relationship that I could build with the parents during online learning is irreplaceable. I feel very fortunate that I could still continue my teaching inquiry focus during this time.  

While looking critically at my own teaching practice it showed that I had strengths in looking after students well being and making sure that they are adjusting well.  However,  my students would likely make more progress if I developed a feasible plan for everyone that was involved with the transitioning process.

Steps to clarify my thinking:

What is the intended change for a learner?  

How are they experiencing the intervention?

How will they engage differently? How will I know?

How will I know whether the intended ‘plan’ is the right plan? 

How will their outcomes begin to shift? How will I know?

How will you support the teachers in my syndicate to monitor changes for learners?

The changes I made in my teaching practice as well as having a similar plan at home were: 

• Visual time table - Prepare students and give advance warning for how long an activity will last.

• Use a visual timer or a visual countdown system.

• Offer sensory breaks - free choice of set out activities

• Use a transition objects and teach transition songs

• Allow for extra time to finish activities

• Guided drawings to build confidence

• Gather more student voice to ensure they will enjoy the activities more

• Hands on experiences to promote language and include all other learning areas

• Making online learning fun through games- e.g. Go find 5 objects

• Open ended questioning and sitting back and listen to their conversations while we explore new ideas

• Explore time - giving the opportunity to come up with their own games using equipment set out and then reflecting back on it

• Developing oral language through discussions during guided sessions

• Flexibility in their own learning at school and at home - expose to a variety of experiences

The literature/expertise that helped me decide what changes to make was to look at the pathway between the New Zealand Curriculum and the Te Whariki curriculum.

https://www.thechaosandtheclutter.com/archives/transition-strategies-for-kids Sharna is a mum of 7 children as well as a writer who talks about what parents involvement can look like as well as the importance of ensuring optimum learning for students starting school and to make the transition easier.

Australian Journal of Educational & Developmental Psychology explained that the transition to primary school is an important time for both children and parents. The aim of this randomized controlled study was to assess the effectiveness of a Transition to Primary School Parent Program in strengthening parent knowledge and confidence to manage the transition process, increasing parent involvement in their children’s learning, and improving child adjustment to starting school. There are new rules, learning activities, and greater expectations of their academic, self-care and social skills. 

The University of Waikato - Education department (Transition research projects) looked at cross-cultural understandings and collaborations. It included the transition between the cultures of ECE and school, each with their own curriculum, history and traditions; between home and education settings; and between the cultures of all involved.

Karen Kellaway (Principal) of  Canvastown School sabbatical - TRANSITION FROM E.C.E. TO PRIMARY SCHOOL looked at the following and I will use these as a guideline to formulate my key objectives:

• Increase levels of parent involvement in early learning activities

• Liaise with various preschool providers

• Maximise the effectiveness of current resources

• Develop new resources

• Investigate and implement a range of new strategies that will further enhance student achievement opportunities at Year 0/1 level.

Some changes I made along the way were to support the students and adapt my teaching strategies to include and make the transition smoother for children with behaviour and transitioning difficulties. Having a positive attitude to change and be part of training and professional development. Developing activities to support children with their individual needs and adapt them to use as a whole class where everyone can benefit from the resource

Overall I would rate the changes in student learning as positive because ultimately I want to make the students feel worthy and confident in their learning, have ownership and that they can achieve their goals.  This starts at kindergarten level and should be introduced from a young age. It is extremely difficult for a year 7 teacher to try to mould a student's learning.  This should have happened 8 years ago. My main goal is to make the life of a senior teacher less stressful.

My focus group students are more confident and can take pride and ownership in their learning because we have mastered the foundational skills of the Te Whariki curriculum.

The most important learning I made about the transition of students was that we should focus on the all important partnership of people involved with the students' learning and transitions process.  

The most important learning I made about inquiry was that we as Primary school teachers should build relationships with the ECE centres and Kindergartens and spend some time with the learners and with their teachers. This partnership will flourish if we can work collaboratively to ensure the process of transition can run as smoothly as possible. This might include:

• Mutual views about transitioning between the Early Childhood Centre and the local Primary Schools, that promotes continuity. 

• Building connections between what children learn at the ECE and at Primary School 

• The personal qualities of teachers – they can have a vital impact on their relationships with children and families. Showing willingness to be proactive in exploring barriers to successful transitions is very important. 

• Teachers take into account individual differences and the different ways children learn and make progress. 

• Input from parents and families – what parents do to support their children’s learning. Once children are at school, families who get involved and advocate for their children are likely to assist their transitions. Having positive expectations, and developing suitable routines 

Thinking about 2022: 

Have regular opportunities for parents to be more involved with their child’s learning :

• Information sessions for parents to provide useful information once a term 

• Helping a child start school. The importance of making a smooth transition to school. Common reactions to starting school. Factors that may influence children’s adjustment to school. Practical strategies to prepare children for school

• Strengthening skills a child may need to be independent at school. Establishing important routines that may help with managing family life when children start school such as the morning and bedtime routines. Dealing with common reactions to starting school such as clinginess, tiredness, complaints about going to school, and more significant separation difficulties. Saying goodbye to your child at school 

• Building on a child’s learning and development. Overview of children’s learning and development at the time of transition. The benefits of family-school partnerships and family involvement in children’s learning

• Strategies for enhancing children’s learning at home 

• Opportunities to get involved in a child’s school 

• Working with kindergartens/ECE and ensure all 4 year olds have a profile/scrapbook to take to their new Primary School

• Assessments done before they start school as pre enrollment data to develop an appropriate learning plan

Exploring the idea of (collecting data over a period of two years)

K. Bernie from Oranga Kindergarten and J. Ellis from Greenhithe Kindergarten bring to you: Strengthening the learning pathway in the transition from ECE to school

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIF8Ucj2uI0

I am also in the process of developing the following:

Transition pamphlet - Parent Information Booklet entitled “Preparing Your Child for School Entry”, which we give to parents at the initial meeting. 

• It covers such topics as:

• Enrolling Your Child

• Appropriate Expectations for Children Starting School at 5

• You can help Maths Development

• Things my child can work towards knowing in Literacy

• Helping with Early Literacy and practical things parents can do to help their child when starting school

• Talks about the various expectations with the parents 

• Welcome video on School site - Video of the day in the life of a 5 year old at school

• Learning about children and their families – reciprocal sharing of information is important for all. An ECE portfolio allows the child’s routines, knowledge, skills and previous learning experiences. Working with families, the benefits of a home-school partnership are ‘the most powerful way for schools to understand and meet the needs of diverse students.

What role can social media play in facilitating this process especially during the times we are currently working in?

It takes time to develop relationships and build trust between families and educational settings. By beginning this process through social media and blending this digital meeting space with face-to-face social opportunities, teachers can develop trustful, respectful relationships in a way that can be personalised for each transitioning family as they move from ECE to school. Showcasing work we are doing at school on a regular basis will also encourage whānau to want to be part of the awesome classroom / school learning culture advertised. 

Research shows that a majority of families are engaged with at least one social media platform

• Video and photos provide a way to share transitional resources. Short videos and images that explain school processes and procedures or show aspects of the school day can be shared to support and inform families. Parents’ postings can also provide useful feedback about these resources: for example, parents might respond to how effective a digital story was when they shared it with their child and offer suggestions for further stories. These resources and information are stored and can be further developed while remaining accessible to families to re-engage with when needed.

• Polling facilities can help to obtain quick responses from families. Polling can be useful for determining if families are finding the transitional resources provided useful, and to gain insight into what is concerning them most about their child’s move to school, allowing teachers to plan their next resource and support. It can also be particularly effective in organising face-to-face events with families as it enables them to negotiate a date and time.

• The live feed function allows families to become involved in their child’s learning as it happens. Families often need reassurance that their child is happy and settled in their new environment, and a live feed provides them with direct access. While it is largely used as a tool to share children’s learning with families after they have moved to school, it can also offer a useful glimpse of school to those families who are yet to start school, and can help to familiarise families with the classroom and the kinds of activities that occur during the school day. Posting updates about when this live event is due to be streamed lets families know it is happening and builds the excitement.

Preschool visits

I have started visiting preschools with senior students. During these visits I had conversations with the teachers, observed children and the senior students read stories, and played with the children. This created a sense of belonging to both the senior students and the little ones.

SeeSaw - setting up a page for children who will start school

Create a Kindergarten 2022 group on our SeeSaw platform. Teachers post a video or slides on SeeSaw for families to access. Learning packs can also be handed out when the parents come to an information day. 

The videos include activities such as:

• stories

• rhymes

• fundamental movement skills

• songs

• games

Additional videos are also posted, providing information about one aspect of our school such as an event or something happening at school and inviting them to join - cultural festival, art exhibition, science fair.

Take home packs

Families are provided with take-home packs that include:

• pamphlets such as Getting ready for school and Helping your child with literacy and numeracy at home

• School information book

• Images of our school

• Try to get donations for stationary and lots of creative learning ideas for parents

• materials to support the learning ideas such as a white board, markers, peg games, playdough, pipe cleaners and dice.

Launch a virtual tour for our prospective parents to walk through the school. Parents are encouraged to share this tour with their child so they are able to become familiar with the school environment that they will be a part of. This virtual tour will also be attached to our school website for current parents and future potential parents to view.

I am excited to take my journey further in 2022, incorporating the learning that works and most importantly celebrate the little successes that my students make everyday!!

More than a picture!!

 

How Drawing Develops Young Writers

IMPORTANCE OF DRAWING:

We all know about the benefits of drawing for children. It’s an ideal way to develop motor and mental skills. It also strengthens their exploratory, psychological, and emotional development. I found that during lockdown we did guided nearly every single day and the results are amazing - just by doing something "fun".

When we started with this, some of the students were saying they don't want to because they can't - but man did that change!! I assume it is because there was no interruptions, distractions or other little eyes watching and they didn't have the feeling that they might fail or make a mistake!! I am so proud of what they have achieved.

My thought behind this was that if they can draw with confidence it will lead to having confidence in their oral language and finally lead into writing about it!!

A child can make magic with a few crayons, coloured pencils and paper. Sometimes, they just scribble. Other times, you see how much potential they have when you see their remarkable pieces of art.

Guided drawing:

• Allows children to strengthen both the rational left side of their brain and the emotional and creative traits that correspond to the right side. Plus, they also enjoy doing so. As with games and playing, a child feels the pleasure of the movement that drawing requires.
• Encourages imagination and creativity. Children are not aware that words are written with specific symbols on paper. This is why they’re often fascinated when they look at storybooks full of colours and drawings – it’s the language they understand. With this they can use oral language and talk about their picture - having agency over their work.
• Develops brain-hand-eye coordination. Many of the children that start school do=id not have any exposure to drawing freely and using their imagination therefore they have underdeveloped coordination between their brain, eyes and hand. they still need ample exposure to activities to improve their fine motor skills. With the guided drawings they get a lot of practice. Little by little, the child is perfecting their drawing technique. They’re starting to discover that the movements they make are related to the lines they’re putting on paper.
• Measures the child's growth. There are milestones when it comes to drawing; they’re similar to the stages of child development. The beginning is always chaotic and the child, seemingly, has no control over their strokes. Then their strokes are cleaner. Then, they begin to do pre-schematic drawings until the age of 6. This is the stage of stick figures (a circle that represents the head and two vertical lines that represent the legs).
• Stimulates concentration and promotes careful observation - in simple words - sit and focus. they will organise their ideas which is needed for writing, this will become easier because they are drawing about what they know!!
• Encourages emotional intelligence - children learn how to identify emotions and then later they can express them on paper using colours. 
• Relaxes them and helps them forget about the complicated situations they perceive around them. It allows them to do something fun and enjoy themselves.
• Strengthens their self-esteem. Drawing, painting, and colouring all strengthen a child’s self-esteem. Children want to stand out being an artist. It brings them joy and satisfaction. They feel they’re doing something important. When a child shows you a drawing, they do so with great pride. It’s important to always encourage and applaud the creative work of children. Show interest in what they do and talk with them about their drawing - this develops the oral language as well.
• Is never forced - children will develop this on their own pace. We can only encourage and praise every little effort

BRINGING ART INTO THE LITERACY CURRICULUM 

• Raise students engagement through the proces of incorporation something they feel as "fun" and building their interest and love of writing
• Picture writing unlocks the imagination, builds confidence, and develops foundational early literacy skills.
• You've likely heard it said that a picture is worth a thousand words. For a developing writer, truer words were never spoken. All this will be developed as pre writers through Ora language about the picture they have drawn.
• Children have an innate sense of creativity. My own children never cease to amaze me with their new ideas and fresh perspectives. Drawing pictures allows children to unleash their imagination on paper.
• When a child draws a picture, he/she is telling a story. A writer is born the first time your child puts crayon to paper. It is our job as adults to get them to express those ideas
• "Picture writing" is an important first step in the writing process. When pre-writers use picture writing, they are expressing ideas through illustrations. As their literacy skills develop over time, the picture will serve as a plan for their writing. A picture sparks ideas, provides details, and serves as a framework for a piece of writing.
• Children learn that they can be a storyteller.  that pictures represent words and ideas. Pictures can help them write.

Let's look at some of my students' growth:

Amazing drawing from a child who said in the beginning that he can't do it!!

Practicing HFWs from activities that were set out on Seesaw - Writing a sentence using HFWs and sounding out the words!! Yeah decoding!!

This last picture is a little girl that struggles to hold a pencil and couldn't draw a picture. This is truely amazing and look at the colouring!!

MY NEXT STEP I WANT TO EXPLORE AND USE IN TERM 4:

• Oral language - expose the children to more pictures. the aim is to have the picture visible from the morning as they arrive at school. In the beginning they see it but not realising that it is actually a prompt to get them talking. When we have a bot of time before break or lunch I will ask them what they can see and let them talk about it. I believe strongly in think pair share -this helps with the students who are shy to speak in front of the whole class, gradually this will improve. The next day I will have another picture and hopefully one will see it and mention something. the aim is to have them walking up to the picture and start talking to their friends about it without me prompting them!!
• Always using the 5 senses when you are writing makes it more realistic for pre writers because it is something they know about. Developing language experiences is crucial for pre writers. Art is one way to do that. With the daily picture I want to develop confidence and hopefully when we do integrated curriculum art, they will also spontaneously talk about it naturally. This opens the window where they can start exploring their writing because they are comfortable talking about it.
• Start with Sight - easiest to begin with because they just state what they see - next tsep is putting in adjectives into their writing. they will grow their sentences as time passes. they will start using their imagination and realise it is things they already know.
• Hearing - I am the most excited about this one. This will be difficult in the beginning because you can't hear noises from a picture. You have to start using your imagination. Our next step for writing. While talking to a colleague, she mentioned something I really want to try out in my class. With 5 year olds it is hard for them to remember their story and write it down. With my more independent writers I want to let them record their story on Seesaw. They then have the opportunity to listen to it again and try to write down from the recording. This will eliminate the pressures of not having enough time to complete their story. 
• After this we explore the other senses and my hope is that they will have more confidence now to use their imagination and their writing will be amazing!!
• Through art, which is a universal language that everyone can understand, we can close off some language gaps with second language students.

How to use images to teach creative writing

Art as Text: Bridging Literacy and the Arts

Online Learning - what does it look like and my findings

Level 4 Lockdown - it was such a shock once again for us teachers. We are not meant to teach online. Thinking of words like, emotions, well-being, hugs, social interactions, playtime, one on one time with students, routine and stability. In a class these are crucial - a safe environment for children. I can I change my practice and thinking to do everything I am doing in my physical class in my virtual class.

Being a teacher, the first thoughts that rushed through my head when I hear the word Lockdown is what about the children who won’t have the means to connect for a variety of reasons such as, parent disengagement, frequency of attending the meets, the level I have to teaching, what do I teach, engaging activities, poor internet quality and no support on how to access all learning online. Can I keep the momentum we have established in the classroom and follow our routines?

Thinking that we couln't interact with students this way 30 years ago!! We are truly blessed to have devices to connect with each other. Teach and still engage our learners through different kinds of media online reaching all aspects of our daily routine which includes, dancing, listening and learning new songs, new languages, writing using a virtual white board, maths still using a variety of materials and students are able to access objects to count with, and reading as well through apps. School and learning can continue!! At least for those who can connect!! Luckily our children are born more tech orientated, they adapted to the “new” way of learning very easily!! Unfortunately the engagement is not always trackable online, what are they really doing?

What and how have I been providing optimum opportunities for learning:

• Not making it too teacher directed
• Setting up slides where the students can continue learning independently
• Really making an effort to ask how they are doing
• Creating opportunities where we can use a lot of oral language
• Guided drawings which helps with fine motor skills
• Asking how they are and telling me what they have been up to
• Continue teaching as if still in class

I would love to bring some more ideas into my sessions - these came up after I have watched some observations done by GTS teachers:

• Show and tell - all little ones enjoy showing their toys. I want to make this a more frequent activity because even the shy students, who is still getting used to the idea to talk online, will gain more confidence talking about, for instance, their own toy
• Refer back to our vision and values more often - through the simple etiquette of behaviour when you are on an online call
• Using more of the ideas that they want to learn about - and let them create some of the content
• Making our own digital class big book - using pictures from the guided drawings and sentences that we have written and making it into a book. Book creator
• Play games online like kahoot. I want to find a game similar to Pictionary for 5 year olds online version
• Giving out more certificates or rewards at the end of the week to celebrate to the ones that tried to make their learning happen. Celebrate their successes more often to encourage other students
• I have to lead by my example and always be positive and keep going no matter what

I looked at 2 different readings :

1. Why are some kids thriving through online learning - and how can I assist those who are not to do better - https://www.edutopia.org/article/why-are-some-kids-thriving-during-remote-learning. We are all facing challenges as soon as we are emerged in online learning but

• There are less distractions many of our students are faced with at school. Not many friends that wants to talk to - you can get straight into learning and finish the job
• Many reserved students has been actively participating during the online lessons and giving answers because they don’t feel the threat like being in a class environment
• Learners that are not very social at school is thriving because they are in their own safe environment where they can feel confident, my next step is figuring out how I will accommodate these learners back into a classroom with all those barriers - creating a safe breakout space
• Learning at their own pace without the pressures of time in the class - many of my learners often struggle to complete activities within a time limit - they now have the opportunity to complete them in their own time. Something to consider when we are back in the classroom, My thoughts are around setting up the class more like an explore room with set activities which students can go to when they have finished working with the teacher during guided groups. This might take time to set up because they need to be able to complete activities independently, with this I also see the opportunity of more oral language that will be used and gaining confidence in their learning
• An important factor for me as a teacher is that I can see my learners do get more sleep now. They can sleep a bit later in the morning and it is not a rush to get everybody ready and out of the house at 8am. Much calmer and relaxed environment has a tremendous impact on learning

1. Reason why students are not so engaged- https://childmind.org/article/5-reasons-students-arent-engaging-in-distance-learning/

• Where most learners have a safe and calm environment to work in some learners’ situation changed dramatically and a lot more stressors e.g. no income, food, violence due to situations, unstable family life
• With these factors is it very stressful to work or attend online classes due to no devices available, no internet, no support. We can only try to do all we can as a school to offer support with all these factors. Messaging and keeping contact is so important, our learners are our first priority, keeping their well-being in mind

16 August 2021 Tohatoha Manaiakalani Share Google Meet - all NZ clusters

Tohatoha Manaiakalani Share Google Meet

Meeting Type

Tohatoha Manaiakalani Share Google Meet

As a CoL within school teacher of the Manaiakalani cluster we registered and met with teachers around the country and had a korero via google meet about our chosen inquiry topic. My topic was about the students that shows difficult learning behaviours and how I can assist those students in my class.

Motivation

We had a few guiding prompts to korero around, what is going on in our class, what skills/tasks/activities are working well/what our hunches are/what our next steps for our inquiries are. All the teachers on this call has the same issues on how to aid those students which need that bit extra support. Currently we are lucky enough to have some teacher assistant support to help those students. Our ultimate goals would be to have a TA in all Junior classes where the demand is so high already with the younger students, it would be great to have just another hand in the class.

We were three teachers from the same school and also the same team. We had one teacher from a school in Northland. She explained that they do have a TA full time just because some children are funded by ORS. Their team has decided to look more deeply into having weekly provocations and using the guided group time to teach a more structured literacy program. This was very helpful to us because we are looking into that journey ourselves. I am excited to see what will happen if I do a fully structured language program with a target group using decodable texts.

Through specifically set up provocations students have the opportunity to explore their surroundings using different materials and the oral language will be developed by peers or by teacher prompting. While these students are exploring the activities, the teachers, have the opportunity to delf a little deeper into ability groupings as well as Tuakana- Teina especially with the New Entrants working with the Year 1 and 2 students as well as our buddy classes of Year5/6 students.

We discussed the opportunity to go to Incredible Years Program and how this will aid both us teachers and the parents on how to assist students with behaviour problems.

How will it help me?

Incredible Years has started and I have already gain some ideas and feel confident on how to assist the behaviour problems in the class. Working closely with RTLB to individualise the student's plan.

With the structured literacy program I feel I will be able to lift the data around reading because we focus on teaching phonics first and not just using memory to recognise words.

#7 The Ripple effect

 

The Ripple effect in my teaching practice

I have read and realised over the past couple of weeks, especially with the impact I am having with my new entrants that the words and actions I choose with my students today can have far-reaching implications. How far can my ripples go? As teachers, we make micro-decisions in our classrooms constantly. We’re always analysing and trying to do what’s right for our students.

In a short period of time, we might think …

• Is she having a hard day? Maybe she needs a pat on the back and some encouragement.
• He is not focussed and very needy today. Maybe I can work with him one on one.
• I overheard her saying she is not a good reader. Maybe I can give her a book about something she enjoys.

We often forget the decision we made no matter how small but the impact of them can last a lifetime.

They’re like the ripples in a pond. When you throw a rock in calm water, the ripples cascade outward and change the water for a long time. Think about the ripples you’re creating with your students. They might reach further than you think. Ripple effect resource

My teacher inquiry is: 

How will I change my practice to ensure that a 5 yo student starting school with limited foundational skills will progress and succeed in Level 1 of NZC

As identified these as my focus aspects:

• Planning should be done from both NZC and Te Whāriki also looking at the Key Competencies 
• Professional readings and research
• Differentiated learning needs to happen to assist the students that has little or no foundational skills, cross class teaching - filter students into ability grouping for Phonics to start off with
• Focussing how to incorporate fine motor skills into rotation groups
• Adding more time to our program to really focus on the main curriculum areas by teaching LCS on a Friday in collaboration with Room 1, setting up provocations and giving opportunity for students to develop oral language and fine motor skills
• Making little books with their own sentences - it will be rewindable
• Getting parents involved in the process, before they enrol and then during the first term that they have started
• Parents survey
• Kindergarten/ECE teacher surveys
• Primary school teacher surveys
• Assessments on students done in first/second week when they start school
• Mid term tamariki korero - getting parents involved and give them more say on what and why their children are according to their peers and after 6 weeks at school and beyond

In my own practice

I will focus more how to integrate activities across the curriculum and make sure that my lessons include DAT leading up to our LCS on Fridays

Observations outside of GTS: Johanna to set up Jo Gormly(Term 2) and Natalie Wrack(Term 3)

Excited to do the Incredible Years PD - this will aid in students with behaviour challenges

Supporting other teachers

Conversations about maths curriculum teaching, and writing(Year1/2 classes making use of the opportunity to have ability groups in both Phonics and Writing) will assess how it is going Term 3.

How can the teachers incorporate fine motor skills into their program for the students that still lack some of the foundational skills

What I would like my students to focus on is 

• Be confident that they have mastered all foundational skills, once they have mastered these they would be ready for the next step

• Fill the gaps before they start school - parent and ECE involvement

• Their goals and know why they have goals

• The importance of using oral language when they talk to each other

• To learn through play and fill the gap

End Goal 

• Parents and kindergarten/ECE teachers are involved in the transition process to make it as smooth as possible. All parties are on board where we are heading and know what the expectations are before students start primary school. If we could fill the gaps of the foundational skills before they start school it would have a ripple effect into the start of their school journey and this will an amazing effect in the rest of their schooling.