Uru Manuka PLG for Manaiakalani

Uru Manuka PLG Friday week 4

Every term I am fortunate to attend a PLG for Manaiakalani with other lead teachers in the Uru Manuka cluster. This Session we spent looking at Five dysfunctions of a team (which is a book about leading others and how to work together), knowing our learners and the majority of the day was spent on Multi modal reading (what it looks like, how to achieve it and the impact it has on our learners when we get it right!).

I have copied the relevant slides about Multi Modal Reading as a way to use UDL from the presentation to show you the main pointers that I came away with from the day.

I came away from the session with a bit of a buzz. This way of teaching Reading creates a large opportunity for students to learn in other curriculum areas, by using reading strategies to unpack ideas in science, social students and even the arts. In a packed curriculum this makes a huge amount of sense to me. Also, it is a cool way to teach to students interests! It is time consuming to create (for sure), but when we have a bank to share from I can see how far we can get!

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini ke.

My strength does not come from me alone but also from others. (Cooperation of many can bring best results).
It is important to note that text in this model is anything that conveys a message i.e. audio, video, visual, written form. Also that you need around 4-6 texts per subject.

Another good thing to look at when we are designing L.O.'s are the words in the foundation document for Learn, Create and Share.

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I am looking forward to our school session on this in week 6 - and can not wait to get stuck in to this for next year! 

Matific - Kelsey

Last week while I was off… I met with the Matific guru Inba to secure a free month on Matific for my math class.

The program is super easy to use, links to curriculum and from what I am seeing the students are in love with it! They are going on it at home and are motivated to get the top number of stars for each learning game they are playing.

This is what the students see when they log on:

I love the language of math missions and the layout is clear and easy to follow - students are not overwhelmed with what activity to chose or spend learning time deciding what to go on. They also collect monster cards when they have achieved a number of points - a sort of reward program within the game.

The episodes are colourful and interactive. The programing is easy and up to date digitally (knowing what I know from my UI/UX design partner). It has won a number of awards for visionary pedagogy and best practice. Also, you can send home reports to parents and assign homework and school work on awesome islands.

Here is an overview of the program:

The thing that I love most about it is that you can preview the episodes before assigning them to the students. This way you can see exactly what the students will be doing and therefore what they will learn or practise through the episode.

Here is a link so that you can have a free trial and play with the program.

https://www.matific.com/nz/en-nz/resources

A School Visit with our Neighbours

Visiting Our Neighbours

Last term, Kelsey and I visited Simon and Kate from Hornby Primary to have a look at how they organise, implement and assess Literacy.  We were also interested to look at how they organise their programme and manage their work load.  
Here are some of the observations and points from our discussion:

*Kate takes Reading, Simon takes Writing.  This is done for the entire year.  The teacher of the subject area is the go to person for parents. 
*The hub works in a space that was once the Library and has two main spaces with a walk through area between.  
*During Writing, Simon works with a group while others work on Spelling City, comment on blogs or free write.  
*Students use their Google Site to navigate and access their learning.  I had the pleasure of being talked through student learning and agency by a lovely student Siola.  
Check out her blog here.

Reading taken by Kate.  Kate uses a TV screen to share learning with her instructional Reading groups.
I didn't see much of the Reading or how the changeover from Reading to Writing worked so I will check in and see how they do this.

*Each writing group has a collaborative, online modelling book.  This is where they can work on whatever the writing focus is and create their own pieces of writing on the same doc.  For me this looked like an easy way to have access to a a whole groups writing, in one place.

*One use of Google Forms that I thought was a great idea and one that I have not yet implemented, is where students receive a form with a video clip.  The form then contains questions for children to answer around what they have seen.  This can be used as pre assessment and also for planning where to go to with writing.  This is another way to have instant and easy to access data.  

Whaea Heather's Room-Bilingual Class

*We spent a little time in the senior bilingual class which was lovely to be in.  

*Heather and her tamariki were working on a doc which had been shared and copied.  Students shared ideas on a Padlet and when individuals were writing, the ideas bank was visible for all to see and use.  They then formulate their writing on their own doc and have sharing moments as they go.  Feedback is more oral.  

Children in the bilingual class choose where to work.

Question time-

We had the opportunity to spend time with Simon and Kate to ask any questions.  Some of these questions were around the learning programme and some were about managing work load and what systems were in place. 

These are the main points that resonated with me:

*A limit with blog commenting is one blog comment per week per child. 

*Feedback given during writing is more in instructional sessions.  Sometimes typed sometimes not.  

*Resources...set up of modelling book takes about 40 minutes for 2 weeks.  

*Use class time to make comments.  

*Part of writing is that some children comment and give feedback.  

*In class data gathering...Google forms...No tracking sheets or anecdotal notes made as these are done mainly via individual blogs.

*School wide documents that need working on are limited.  One class profile created in term one and updated in term two, Teaching Inquiry and appraisal.

*Simon is released one day a week to support junior school with Learn, Create, Share and support children moving through to the Year 5 and 6 end of the school with transition.

It is always helpful to visit other classes and see how people are doing things.  We both really appreciated being able to have the time to discuss and share ideas.  A worthwhile visit indeed.

Nanny's Korero

Nanny's Wisdom

Haere mai, everything is ka pai.  

Nanny shared with us again on our last day of the NZSTA Conference.  As usual, she had us laughing throughout.  Today she had a korero with the conference attendees.

Some messages that came through:

If you are talking to a Māori and they criticize your pronunciation, you are talking to the wring Māori.  It is up to all of us to support each other.

Harness the fire so it doesn't burn out of control.  Think out of the box.  

Help everybody to understand...bridge the gap.  

Nanny's tips:

We have some Māori words that have become Pakeha words.  When we use these, we are caretakers of the language and help normalise it.

Rangatira...raranga to weave, tira group of people.  Be a weaver of people.  You are Ranagatira.

Create your own culture within your school.

It's not only Māori who are the caretakers of Māori.  Grow as on nation not one people. You can control the culture in your school.

The Treaty of Waitangi

The Treaty of Waitangi and School Governance

NZSTA Annual Conference 2016

CORE Education

How do our local stories impact our kura?  

What is important?  Tūpuna, pakeke, tamariki, mokopuna.

Taiao, whenua,wāhi tapu.

The past, the present, the future.

Purpose: Enable trustees to better understand the Treaty;emphasise the responsibility and potential that boards have in ensuring ...

Treaty Questions~As a Board, ask ourselves and discuss...

What do you know about the Treaty?

Where did you learn this information?

What/who has influenced your current views on the Treaty?

1830s:  Māori population was higher than non-Māori, but there was:

*An increasing number of Europeans who wanted to settle

*Pressure form rangatira to regulate land sales

*Declaration of Independence in 1835 which led to the Treaty of Waitangi

6 February, Waitangi 1840 the Treaty was born. 

Article 1: Kāwanatanga

Article 2: Ranagtiratanga

Article 3: Ōritetanga

Article 4: Māori customs shall be protected

Need to understand Whānau, hapū, Iwi and Rangatira as these networks are strong.  

Why is the Treaty important for all New Zealanders?

*Political agreement which is mutually beneficial for Māori and tauiwi (everybody else).

*Māori who signed the Treaty, 

"Māori achieving educational success as Māori." Ka Hikitia, Hautū, ERO, Tau Mai te Reo, Teacher criteria

We want kaiako that are really strong practitioners who bring cultural expertise.  

Community voice.  Need to find the teacher who has the heart and passion and who is culturally responsive.

Accountability-success and Māori specific indicators, holistic approaches, wellbeing indicators are linked to a sense of belonging and connection to the school, whānau, friends and community.

How do you or how might you engage with your Māori students and community about their success?

The way we language things as the words we use determine the outcome.  We invite you, not we need/want you.

Boards are in a good place being on a three year cycle.  Needs to be a place where voice is valued and safe, or nothing will change.  

Normalise Māori in your kura.  Raise the consciousness of Te Reo Māori, raises consciousness throughout.  Peter Williams re normalising te Reo.

Greet, karakia, waiata

Learn pepeha

The why & purpose needs to be understood.  Not only Māori invited to hui.  No pressure on Māori whānau to be the experts.  

Events involving whānau

What does partnership mean in practice?

NZSTA Treaty of Waitangi Page

Engage rather than consult.  

Principal to teacher quote...Each time you send a child out, it is you that are failing, not the child. 

Our next steps:

At a Board level, where is our understanding of our Treaty obligations at?

What are we doing to normalise te Reo Māori throughout the kura?  Who, when, how?

Board hui-karakia to start, introductions and waiata.

Risks when using Technology in School

Internet Health & Safety Education

NZSTA Annual Conference 2016

John Parsons

Layering Health and Safety...a defence in-depth approach.  After June 2 2016, certain policies need to be in place.  

We all have a role to play and if one layer does not do its part, it affects the other layers. We are all equal in our job to keep children safe.  Need to empower everybody in an organisation to protect children and ourselves.  

Don't think "What if I am wrong?" Think "What if I am right?"  Create open communication in your organisation.  Important policy...child protection.  Need a number one and a number two lead for who to go to.  

The rule of optimism...makes us lose opportunities to deal with potential risks.

Date, time and location...documents.  Speech marks of what has been said.  Follow that process.  Every member of staff needs to have a strong relationship to the policy. Review, sign and understand the processes.  Test your defences and processes.  

Social media policy.  Define the purpose of communication.  Terms of use.  All staff need to know what platforms are being used.  Need to now what NAG 5 is.  Need to know the process for when we have issues with staff.

NAG 5 responsibilities

a) provide a safe physical and emotional environment for students; and
c) comply in full with any legislation currently in force or that may be developed to ensure the safety of students and employees.

This section outlines the responsibilities of schools to provide a safe physical and emotional environment for students.

15.1. Under National Administration Guideline 5 (NAG 5), each Board of Trustees is required to:

15.2. NAG 5 covers a number of aspects of school life apart from bullying. However, developing and implementing a bullying policy will help schools ensure they are meeting their obligations in relation to providing a safe environment for students.

15.3. Schools are increasingly involved in incidents where the activities of students at home or in their own time have an impact on the life of the school. One example is a student creating inappropriate digital content on their own digital technology, whether at school or not. Schools have the responsibility and the power to act when any such content could reasonably be expected to impact negatively on the school learning environment.

Questions for Boards of Trustees, principals, senior leadership teams and teachers:

• How well are we doing on NAG 5? How do we know?
• Do we maintain a safe physical and emotional environment in our school?
• Have we considered the role of digital technology in the learning environment?
• Have we considered using the Education Review Office (ERO) wellbeing for success indicators?

Netsafe Kit for Schools.  Use of laptops of teachers...cannot let students use their computers or family members.  Other people's mistakes can affect all involved.  Should not be left in space with no teacher.  No teacher should have a social network connections with students.  Confident messages put out...

Capable guardians...

Note taking...make sure teachers are good at taking notes and documenting things.  

Guardian failure when letting kids play R18 games.  Be brave in expecting more from people.  

Demonstrate compassion on a daily basis.  

Treaty Responsive Curriculum

Treaty Responsive Curriculum

NZSTA Annual Conference 2016

Tamsin Hanley

To help Boards and staff to better meet their Treaty obligations.

Are teachers teaching New Zealand history?  There are many stereotypical and almost racist history teaching.  

There are standard stories which are presented as being accurate.  These include ideas such as Māori wanting Christian God, Māori colonised Moriori and Māori get privileges.

New Zealand Curriculum states: "acknowledges the principles...", "explore the unigue bicultural nature of  NZ and... " 

Te Whiti...update encouraged us to study him.  

To enact a Treaty principle, you need to have an understanding of the different versions.  

No specific mention in Years 0-8 about the Treaty.  Comes in at Level 5 and is only if you choose certain subjects.  Schools and can potentially go through primary school and never hear anything about this content.  Secondary they learn about British monarchy but of Kingitanga.  To be able to do this, teachers need to understand this content before teaching and this is not happening.

A Curriculum Programme-Divided into 6 topics.  

Te Ao Māori o Neherā

British Isles

Two Worlds Meet

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

Pākeha Responses

Māori Responses

Link to Overview

Link to Resources

Link to an Interview with Tamsin

Having an accurate understanding of New Zealand histories, enables Boards and staff to respond in an informed way when dealing with meeting Treaty obligations.  

Interesting points- 

We have cultural days but not often things to celebrate our Pakeha culture.  

BOT commitment, staff commit, design own frames.  

Treaty principle is the least evident.  Ka Hikitia etc are still very slow moving.  Hautū has been set up for boards.  

Not going to see changes because we cannot successfully enact when our knowledge is not credible.  Teachers need options about how to teach our history.  Institutions need to educate selves.  Can't honour if we don't know and understand what we are honouring.

Maori History Curriculum Goals...Treaty Principle Goals...do we know what these are?

tamsinhanly@xtra.co.nz

What this means for me...Up skill and expand understanding and knowledge of our accurate history...(Buy the books).  

Accelerating Student Achievement

Accelerating Student Achievement

NZSTA Annual Conference 2016

Education Review Office
Linda Pura-Watson

What is ERO doing in 2016?  The reason we are in these roles is because of what combines us...children.  Aiming to be the best they can be.  What we want is what everybody wants.  Data is about providing good information to make good decisions.  These decisions create cultures that accelerate learning.  This learning is for everyone.  

Equity and Excellence

What does equity mean?  Ensuring that children in our school shave opportunities and skills to achieve excellence.  Who defines this excellence?  Curriculum and ERO have developed indicators.  Boards, schools and communities define what excellence looks like in their own community.  

Everybody has culture to value.  It is all interconnected.  Kids are at the forefront.  

This document is going live in August.

Ka Hikitia

When we accelerate achievement for Māori, we accelerate achievement for all.  

ERO evaluations are intended to be a catalyst for change.  

For the majority of children in this country, they are getting a good education.  ERO has looked at what they do, to help what we do.  Identify the names and needs of children who are most needing support.

Doing it Differently

Trying to work with schools to do what they need to be doing to work with the children who need acceleration.  Potential approach.

Truth without relationship will result in rejection.  We need a professional relationship.

Acceleration Student Achievement: Māori

How does the school respond to Māori children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

In our school, how are things linked?

Pre Review-Sense Making

Let us know what you need to know.  Ask the questions of ERO before they come.  We can get information.  Provide information early.  Supply it all.  Take control and be a master of the next step of what happens.  Tell your school story.  Your are not bound by paper. Use what you need to use to tell your story.  

Reviews include National Standards but is not all of it.  We are sharing our data and learning information.  

Internal Evaluation 

Find the person who will give you the information you need.  

Onsite-Doing it Differently

Have professional conversations early.

Talk about data and learning information. You don't need to have all the answers, but you do need to ask the questions.  That is the power of change.

How?  Be a part of the process, ask questions, answer questions and stay informed. 

Start with data.  What do we see?  What does acceleration look like?  Is the curriculum right for those kids?  A hui is not parents being engaged with learning.  Enhance professional capability.  If it is not working, find another way.

Data

We need to fix the belows.  Notice, investigate, make sense of it, prioritise for action and impact.  

What is so?

Why is it so?

So what?

What now?

What evidence will you need to monitor?

Acceleration.  Is it a plan for progress or a plan for acceleration?  How to address the disparity?  Need to define what acceleration looks like for each child.  ERO influences change, BOT implements change.

Raising achievement plan...line of sight to those children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.

What is the plan to accelerate learning?

What did ERO's findings say?  Call it what you want as the concept is the key.  

It's about numbers, names and needs and strengths.  What school conditions should become the focus?  ERO follow up six months later, how the plan is working.  How is the implementation going and what is the progress children are making.

Together we will know the next steps...we are on this journey together.

HOT-Honest, Open, Two way

Ko te Tamaiti te Pūtake o te Kaupapa

The Child-the Heart of the Matter

Accelerating Student Achievement

Accelerating Student Achievement

NZSTA Annual Conference 2016

Education Review Office
Linda Pura-Watson

What is ERO doing in 2016?  The reason we are in these roles is because of what combines us...children.  Aiming to be the best they can be.  What we want is what everybody wants.  Data is about providing good information to make good decisions.  These decisions create cultures that accelerate learning.  This learning is for everyone.  

Equity and Excellence

What does equity mean?  Ensuring that children in our school shave opportunities and skills to achieve excellence.  Who defines this excellence?  Curriculum and ERO have developed indicators.  Boards, schools and communities define what excellence looks like in their own community.  

Everybody has culture to value.  It is all interconnected.  Kids are at the forefront.  

This document is going live in August.

Ka Hikitia

When we accelerate achievement for Māori, we accelerate achievement for all.  

ERO evaluations are intended to be a catalyst for change.  

For the majority of children in this country, they are getting a good education.  ERO has looked at what they do, to help what we do.  Identify the names and needs of children who are most needing support.

Doing it Differently

Trying to work with schools to do what they need to be doing to work with the children who need acceleration.  Potential approach.

Truth without relationship will result in rejection.  We need a professional relationship.

Acceleration Student Achievement: Māori

How does the school respond to Māori children whose learning and achievement need acceleration?

In our school, how are things linked?

Pre Review-Sense Making

Let us know what you need to know.  Ask the questions of ERO before they come.  We can get information.  Provide information early.  Supply it all.  Take control and be a master of the next step of what happens.  Tell your school story.  Your are not bound by paper. Use what you need to use to tell your story.  

Reviews include National Standards but is not all of it.  We are sharing our data and learning information.  

Internal Evaluation 

Find the person who will give you the information you need.  

Onsite-Doing it Differently

Have professional conversations early.

Talk about data and learning information. You don't need to have all the answers, but you do need to ask the questions.  That is the power of change.

How?  Be a part of the process, ask questions, answer questions and stay informed. 

Start with data.  What do we see?  What does acceleration look like?  Is the curriculum right for those kids?  A hui is not parents being engaged with learning.  Enhance professional capability.  If it is not working, find another way.

Data

We need to fix the belows.  Notice, investigate, make sense of it, prioritise for action and impact.  

What is so?

Why is it so?

So what?

What now?

What evidence will you need to monitor?

Acceleration.  Is it a plan for progress or a plan for acceleration?  How to address the disparity?  Need to define what acceleration looks like for each child.  ERO influences change, BOT implements change.

Raising achievement plan...line of sight to those children whose learning and achievement needs acceleration.

What is the plan to accelerate learning?

What did ERO's findings say?  Call it what you want as the concept is the key.  

It's about numbers, names and needs and strengths.  What school conditions should become the focus?  ERO follow up six months later, how the plan is working.  How is the implementation going and what is the progress children are making.

Together we will know the next steps...we are on this journey together.

HOT-Honest, Open, Two way

Ko te Tamaiti te Pūtake o te Kaupapa

The Child-the Heart of the Matter

NZSTA Conference Day 2

Nanny's Place

Our conference theme song...loud and proud...Let's stick together.

Day Two of conference started with a buffet breakfast.  A quick walk to the arena and we were ready for more inspiration, new thinking and ideas for moving forward.  

Nanny from up North shared her wisdom from her kitchen.  

A nation is like a boil up...a whole lot of different flavours mixed to make a flavoursome feast.

Nanny had a few questions for us to ponder...  

You only get threatened by other races if you are not sure about what you are.  

Violence and child abuse.  When we see a Māori name connected with violence, we cry. It is not Māori behaviour.  Early observations about Māori behaviour in 1814, included such comments as:

John Savage, who wrote in 1807, "The children here appear to be treated with a great degree of parental affection. They are robust, lively, and possess, in general, pleasing countenances."

Samuel Marsden, the leading missionary who visited New Zealand for the first time in 1814 (and could never be accused of possessing a bleeding heart), noted: "I saw no quarrelling while I was there. They are kind to their women and children. I never observed either with a mark of violence upon them, nor did I ever see a child struck."

In 1824, Richard Cruise remarked: "In the manner of rearing children, and in the remarkable tenderness and solicitous care bestowed upon them by the parents, no partiality on account of sex was in any instance observed. The infant is no sooner weaned than a considerable part of its care devolves upon the father: it is taught to twine its arms round his neck, and in this posture it remains the whole day, asleep or awake."

As the artist Augustus Earle wrote in 1832: "They are kind and hospitable to strangers, and are excessively fond of their children. On a journey, it is more usual to see the father carrying his infant than the mother; and all the little offices of a nurse are performed by him with the tenderest care and good humour."

Here is the full article from Anne Salmond.

How can we fill the emotional tank when there is no plug in the tank?

Poverty...when growing up, there was no money but house was filled with aroha.  The worse kind of poverty is poverty of spirit.  

Filling up our kids emotional tanks.  Praise is better than punishment.  Who is praising Māori?  Life is like a box of cereal.  All the good stuff is on the front and the small print shows the rubbish.  For Māori, our rubbish is at the front but our good stuff is in small print.  

As far as our brand is concerned, do our children need to carry that brand?

Look after one another and make sure we know who we are.  

Thoughts from the audience:

How do we teach Māori to be awesome?  It's about empathy, understanding, seeing more than just the child, connections.  

Our tamariki are our brand.  

How do we convince our government that te Reo Māori should be taught throughout school?

Pasifika cultures have their language.  

Our Māori kids need that for their sense of belonging and connection.