Thursday, October 9, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Michael Pohl Term 3 2008
What a fantastic day. He is a very interesting and motivating character to listen to. He makes you THINK! What is the thinking classroom and how can it be achieved?
He believes that if you teach thinking you are doing the Key Competencies.
His model is Caring thinking, Critical thinking and Creative thinking. He acknowledges that this is not the only model but one he believes in and has used.
His ideas around keeping your thinking curriculum simple made sense to us. Teaching particular thinking tools at particular levels is essential. Teach something and do it well. Make it (Desirable Manageable and Achievable).
He believes that if you teach thinking you are doing the Key Competencies.
His model is Caring thinking, Critical thinking and Creative thinking. He acknowledges that this is not the only model but one he believes in and has used.
His ideas around keeping your thinking curriculum simple made sense to us. Teaching particular thinking tools at particular levels is essential. Teach something and do it well. Make it (Desirable Manageable and Achievable).
Term 3 Where to next???
After several staff meetings with staff reflecting and sharing about where they are at, what they found difficult, confusions etc. We as lead teachers decided that we needed a third party to observe, feedback and give teachers an opportunity to have professional dialogue with.
From this Jan and the lead teachers revised our model and broke down each part of the process to gain further understanding of the Inquiry Process. This also helped us identify what we needed to do with the staff as our next step.
From this we have:
Revised the model, changed the planning format, re assess our prior planning. Develop better understanding of the process, and now are able to better communicate our understanding. Which has lead to better staff meetings with a clear focus.
Also as lead teachers we are now one step ahead and are able to guide the staff on a purposeful journey.
From this Jan and the lead teachers revised our model and broke down each part of the process to gain further understanding of the Inquiry Process. This also helped us identify what we needed to do with the staff as our next step.
From this we have:
Revised the model, changed the planning format, re assess our prior planning. Develop better understanding of the process, and now are able to better communicate our understanding. Which has lead to better staff meetings with a clear focus.
Also as lead teachers we are now one step ahead and are able to guide the staff on a purposeful journey.
Inquiry Learning Term 3
Using our professional learning from a variety of schools and PD days, we began looking at and developing an inquiry model for our school. As we are a SHINE school, we decided to use the acronym S H I N E to devise the key words of the process of Inquiry at our school.
Lots of debate about how to go about it. With major consultation with Jan we decided the best step forward for Taitoko was to give the teachers the model and work with their findings and reflections to develop understanding and ownership.
S park
H ave a go
I nvestigate
N avigate
E xpress
As a staff we did some professional reading around Inquiry Learning especially directed and guided at this stage. We talked through the model and discussed what the expectations would be in our classes. Lots of talk and sharing about their understandings. When teachers talk you gain a lot about what their thinking is or isn't.
As a staff we decided that we would have a whole school context for learning. This came about by brainstorming all the possibilities under the umbrella "What makes NZ NZ?. We then asked the teachers to have informal dialogue with their own students to see what makes them tick.
All classes had various ideas and it was neat to see the students have a voice and teacher not be to afraid to take the risk to learn about something unfamiliar.
Some examples: What is special about our town?
Justice past or present
Pictures that tell a story
Lots of debate about how to go about it. With major consultation with Jan we decided the best step forward for Taitoko was to give the teachers the model and work with their findings and reflections to develop understanding and ownership.
S park
H ave a go
I nvestigate
N avigate
E xpress
As a staff we did some professional reading around Inquiry Learning especially directed and guided at this stage. We talked through the model and discussed what the expectations would be in our classes. Lots of talk and sharing about their understandings. When teachers talk you gain a lot about what their thinking is or isn't.
As a staff we decided that we would have a whole school context for learning. This came about by brainstorming all the possibilities under the umbrella "What makes NZ NZ?. We then asked the teachers to have informal dialogue with their own students to see what makes them tick.
All classes had various ideas and it was neat to see the students have a voice and teacher not be to afraid to take the risk to learn about something unfamiliar.
Some examples: What is special about our town?
Justice past or present
Pictures that tell a story
We are finally Blogging!!!
Here at Taitoko we are finally able to begin blogging our journey. We are well into Inquiry Learning and now we are ready to document and share. Yippee!
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
School Meetings with JT
Meeting with Facilitator
7th March 2008
First meeting with Jan, regarding how to implement inquiry learning at Taitoko School. After coming back from conference with several new ideas and some inquiry knowledge I decided I needed to do a little professional reading around Inquiry learning.
The icwc wikispace thanks to Jan helped me get started and then with some knowledge of schools that are using an inquiry model, I got onto the internet and started researching about inquiry learning to broaden my understanding.
After meeting with Jan we decided that we would start with the theory of inquiry learning and finding out what the teachers think inquiry is. This providing us with a platform to know what next?
We then put togehter an action plan for staff meetings as well as writing our goals for 2008.
Things that needed to continue to create sustainabilty were:
-continue to upskill staff by introducing sandpit time and a buddy system
-as part of appraisals teachers are expected to incude an ICT goal
-continue to improve systems for maintaing equipment and teacher frustrations with ICT
After our important meetings with Jan T we have put in place an action plan for staff professional development around Inquiry learning. Step by step process so that we collectively we come to a comon understaning of What is Inquiry.
7th March 2008
First meeting with Jan, regarding how to implement inquiry learning at Taitoko School. After coming back from conference with several new ideas and some inquiry knowledge I decided I needed to do a little professional reading around Inquiry learning.
The icwc wikispace thanks to Jan helped me get started and then with some knowledge of schools that are using an inquiry model, I got onto the internet and started researching about inquiry learning to broaden my understanding.
After meeting with Jan we decided that we would start with the theory of inquiry learning and finding out what the teachers think inquiry is. This providing us with a platform to know what next?
We then put togehter an action plan for staff meetings as well as writing our goals for 2008.
Things that needed to continue to create sustainabilty were:
-continue to upskill staff by introducing sandpit time and a buddy system
-as part of appraisals teachers are expected to incude an ICT goal
-continue to improve systems for maintaing equipment and teacher frustrations with ICT
After our important meetings with Jan T we have put in place an action plan for staff professional development around Inquiry learning. Step by step process so that we collectively we come to a comon understaning of What is Inquiry.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Inquiry learning Professional Development
As part of our ICWC cluster we had the pleasure of having Jan Marie-Kellow visit and share her wealth of experience in relation to Inquiry Learing. It was a pleasure listening to her ideas. Our next step for Taitoko School is to start the 'Inquiry Journey' with our staff.
Jan Marie- gave us a lot to think about, by questioning us ‘Why inquiry?’ What is your definition of ‘What is inquiry based learning?’ She then shared some common understandings that she has come to through her research that would help us implement Inquiry in our schools.
Student ownership - children coming up with their own questions or wonderings.
Children must know what the purpose is and relevance, even if the teacher has brought the issue to the surface.
Authentic context - Ask questions or seek advice that attend to real-life issues, where possible. Things that the children are interested or want to find out!
I wonder wall – this provides children with an opportunity to share what they want to know or simply get support with answering their question.
Jan Marie- gave us a lot to think about, by questioning us ‘Why inquiry?’ What is your definition of ‘What is inquiry based learning?’ She then shared some common understandings that she has come to through her research that would help us implement Inquiry in our schools.
Student ownership - children coming up with their own questions or wonderings.
Children must know what the purpose is and relevance, even if the teacher has brought the issue to the surface.
Authentic context - Ask questions or seek advice that attend to real-life issues, where possible. Things that the children are interested or want to find out!
I wonder wall – this provides children with an opportunity to share what they want to know or simply get support with answering their question.
Friday, February 29, 2008
EBS
EBS Effective Behaviour Systems is a focus at Taitoko at this point. We feel we are winning at the moment with the emphasis on Rewards. Children are trying hard to fill their Bronze chart with SHINE stamps to get their photos up on our SHINE BOARD.
SHINE represents S Show Respect H Have a Go I Inspire N Nurture and E Expect the best. SHINE will be used as our Inquiry word also. Paula will share more of this once we are under way.
SHINE represents S Show Respect H Have a Go I Inspire N Nurture and E Expect the best. SHINE will be used as our Inquiry word also. Paula will share more of this once we are under way.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
taitoko school journey into inquiry learning
Hi this is my first year as a ICT leader. I am looking forward to the journey.
Monday, February 18, 2008
Learning @ Schools Conference
I am attending Learning@Schools for the 2nd year. I am looking forward to finding out more about Inquiry learning in a junior class.
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