Assessment (23/01/2013)

Active Math

PLC – January 23, 2013

Issue with student learning is engaging students in number concepts so that it can be authentic and active. We want to address different levels of ability through the activity(so that students stay engaged).

We are examining a center developed by Thibeau prior to implementing with students so that we can talk through kinks to student learning. One of the goals is to make it so that students can do the learning in groups independent from the teacher.

In 2 weeks we are going to meet again to look over the student work to gauge authenticity and student success. (Thibeau will video the students in action).

DISCUSSION POINTS WE CAME ACROSS

·    One characteristic of the task is to incorporate their interest levels and learning styles to motivate students in doing the math task.

·    Enrichment opportunities once they had the general understanding of the task for the students who need different entry points.

·    Ways to modify for “regular” classroom settings and other grades

·    The structure of the activity remains the same but the math cards can be changed to cover different concepts.

Active Exploration (21/01/2013)

Group Members: Heather & Vanessa

Our Active Exploration team has been focusing on integrating our ECEC Grant Proposal (Creating Spaces that Inspire Students to Talk) with effective PLC discussions to further the work.  As the ECEC Grant requires the writing of an article to be published for next year, we spent time discussing the collection of data and planning for the students’ participation in the coming weeks.  We don’t currently have student work as part of this project but did take the time to consider students language development, as these are the students for which this project is designed to help.

Since our goal is “Creating Spaces that Inspire Students to Talk” we have decided to focus on the TEFR Principle 4 – Strong Relationships Exist.  Much of this principle is about listening, relating, and conversing about our work.  We realize that many of our students are on different points on this continuum, and are aiming to move them forward by:

« Grouping with stronger role models (language skills)

« Small group work with our SLP and SLA and practicum SLP and teachers to converse/value the steps it takes to complete their work (i.e. focusing on the process) and to modify or improve their work as it evolves

« Provide workspaces that inspire/allow artworks to evolve (art studio) which will be the basis of our conversation groups

« Providing materials that are ‘special’ and valuable (not just in a financial sense!)

« Providing resources (books, art prints, etc) to trigger conversations and for the students to model their work on, and to learn strategies for completing their work (procedural reading/retelling)

« Students interact with each other about ideas in which the dialogue builds on each other’s ideas

For next PLC time, Heather and I will be collecting audio recordings of conversation with our 3 focus students (low, medium, high) as a starting point from which to collect data.  From a group art activity project, we’ll talk to students with the following prompts:

« Tell me about it.

« Tell me about how you made it.

« Tell me where you got your ideas from.

« Tell me about the materials you used.

« Did you have any problems making this?

« How did you solve them?

« What do you like best about your artwork?

Strong Relationships (23/01/2013)

To increase student engagement in learning

Brandy Eagleson, Cheryl Hayword, Derek Rakowski, Harjyote Shergill

PLC Notes January 23, 2013

Gr 3,

Polar Bear Lesson

Began with a mixed media art project creating an Arctic scene with Polar Bears.  As a connection with a story of a Polar Bear.  As a class through discussions, the elements of the story are taken apart and analyzed to see and create the plot diagram. 

Ie) how the character is described

       How the setting is described

     The problem and solution

The students were engaged in the process, the conversation was directed by them, to fit in all of the elements of the plot. 

When students would bring up a concept

(ie  the polar bear was in a cage.  The question was posed where was the bear going to be taken?  Students came to the consensus that the bear would be taken to a zoo.  When asked how they came to that conclusion, they were able to say that they’ve been able to identify that the animals in the zoo are originally in the wild.  The teacher pointed out then that they had made a connection)

Eventually the students will take these ideas and create their own Polar Bear adventures.

Through initiating the process of writing through art, a story example and group modeling process, the students are excited to create their own work. 

How to maintain the engagement into the writing process:

Taking the students out for a walk, to get their idea for the senses, and group charting, and then creating the sentences. 

A grouping of students with mixed abilities to create an initial story, and then moving the students into similar group abilities to go into the centers.

            Mixed between the classes.

Story starter and then a story beginning, and then the students with a low ability are then beginning to create a plan, and then with support, those students are telling their stories to a scribe.

Create writing centers so that each student can be helped at their level, and target their growth possibilities:

Reading Centers:

-       Buddy Reading

-       Making words

-       Independent Reading

-       Comprehension Reading

-       Guided Reading

Writing Centers:

-       Making boring words extraordinary

-       Story beginnings

-       Editing

-       Story planner

-       Teacher lead

Start with Beginnings:

Write beginnings

Re-write the beginnings of a problem

Then moving into middle:

The magic of 3

Then moving into endings

How to complete a story

What does this look like for our learners that have little to no independence skills?

Pairing up with other students, without having the students helping take over for them. 

                        Scribing from another student and having them, copy it into their books.

In the future:

To see how the centers are working, how the ones that are doing well are working and why and the ones that aren’t working and why and how to make them better.

What the students of different ability are producing.  Where to go from there.

Designers of Learning (01/23/2013)

Teachers are Designers of Learning

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Group Members: Mike Diana Tammy Claire

Diana: 

What they did: Students took pictures of their food, things they did at home. Studnets talked about pictures and shared them with eachother. They wrote a few sentences about 1 picture. Noticed that the tenses were in the wrong tenses. So Diana developed a simple X & O game where students conjugated verbs and got to go on the board. But if they got it wrong, the other student could steal  the turn and go.

Worked well because of the motivation of the board game. Students also got to use the chalk, and this excited them. So. Chalk.

She repeated the game to change verbs from present tense to past tense.

Diana is feeling like she doesn't see the kids enough, so it's tricky. (Only once every six-day rotation).

Claire: 

On the previous notes, Claire discussed a student named 'D' and his struggles with academics and social interaction. She wanted him to focus and work %50 percent of the time. She evoked 2 strategies. The first was to get him to trace letters writing with a highlighter. The second was an extrinsic reward.

Work Discussed: Claire brought in examples of his writing. One traced over a highlighter, the other traced over dotted writing. He did much better with the dotted writing. So the struggle is finding a way to get him to write in the appropriate size.

Suggestions: A web site that you can type and print dotted letters on a line. Could help with the agenda message if it was printing and stapled to the page. Has his hearing been checked? Unsure. Will check.

Letter song and book to use with D. called "Ants on the Apple" from another teacher. Works really well because it is catchy and repetitive, and they are able to memorize it (that sense of success).

Other Problems: D is having a hard time picking out letters. He is working on his phonological awareness... An issue with cognitive ability and fine-motor skills. Can memorize how to write words (like his name), but doesn't recognize the letters. Doesn't recognize letters or their corresponding sounds.

Tammy

In dire need of computer help. Learning a lot from classes and kids. Learning how to make movies. Build confidence.

Working on: Guided reading (Reading Power: Questioning). Math with low-level students. Lots of time spend on IPPs - seeing where their goals are and what they're working on. Getting to know the students (Where do I start with each student?). Trying to get them all on the same page.

Math: Working with students in small groups to do the regular class work. Help to break down regular lessons. Finding it hard because students may need to do something completely different.

Grade 5 Social Studies: Each doing a different group of people (Metis, Inuit, etc.). Each teacher has 3 lessons that includes video, art, writing. After the three lessons each teacher gets a new group.

Grade 6 Social Studies: 3 groups of kids. Two are phonics. The other is guided reading. Also working on story writing.

Action Plan: B: Will get frustrated. Will bring in his visual journal to discuss. Will share how it is set up for him so we can do it. Will spend the next couple weeks thinking about where he needs the most help. Will bring that work in to enhance the conversation.

Vowel Sounds Story: A kid goes to the story to get bread. If there is extra money, the kid gets some gum. The kid gets the gum, goes home, realizes the change was wrong. Goes back to the store and says, with a huge amount of gm in his mouth "Lady(A, E) I O U some Money, and the lady says, Y"

Whole Group Focus: 

Mike

Will develop a phonics plan for the boys, and will bring it back (along with student work, perhaps video) to share and develop. 

Diana

You will look at the activities in the communication book that we've found and will critique the book to help others decide if it is good or not.  

Tammy

Will bring in some of B's work and will discuss place value work. And will look through his old work, will go through the IPP and will use us to help set next steps. 

Claire

Sound recognition with D. Trying to get him learning three words that start with the letter D. Will try to get the sound of it. And will bring back notes. Will include physical activity (running and jumping on letters, can't leave until you say the sound, etc.).