Cath Runga - Writing PD 24/8/17

I attended the making OTJ section of this workshop and felt that it really affirmed that I know what I am doing in making OTJs for writing. I feel confident that I can use the standards, progressions and curriculum to make accurate OTJs.

Code of Professional Responsibilty - Labels

The Code of Professional Responsibility has 4 overarching statements but has many aspects. These are broken down in the CPR pages above. 

Labels will be:

CPR1 - Commitment to Profession

CPR2 - Commitment to Learners

CPR3 - Commitment to Whānau

CPR4 - Commitment to Society

Our Code, Our Standards

There is a new document from the Education Council which contains the new Values, Code and Standards for teaching. I have broken these down into new pages and created new labels to use from now on.
These are the Standards for the Teaching Profession labels:
STP1 - Tiriti o Waitangi, STP2 - Professional Learning, STP3 - Relationships, STP4 - Learning-focused, STP5 - Design for Learning, STP6 - Teaching.

Follow this link for the details of the standards

Elklan Course - Session 2

Today's sessions were all about Memory and Information Carrying Words.
Here are a few of my notes:

Short term memory – likened to a reception area – all information coming through and gets sorted by “receptionist”

Working memory – like the desk with all the intrays of all the important information

Long term memory –  Filing system - things will not get to long term memory without doing something.

In the first half of primary school we need to expose students to a range of strategies for remembering. In the second half of primary school we need to name the strategies and help them to find which strategy is right for them.

Mind maps – for organising ideas and vocab – the children who will benefit most, are those who find it the hardest.

Memory is helped by linking things together. Mind maps help the eyes to see how the information is connected.

Brainstorm – throwing all ideas out there – not linked

-       those that need support will need videos, pictures, stories, real-life experiences

-       Can give picture prompts including for those that don’t fit

After brainstorming – draw different coloured circles around each word to group like ideas.

Create a key at the bottom – labeling the groups

Each category becomes a branch – 1 colour per branch, thick and in colour. Each branch has a name. p. 67

Information Carrying Words

Often what we say does not actually require the students to understand the words – they can use inferencing and context to figure out what is required.

We can complete some play tasks to support the development of ICW where students have to make choices. It is important that the students know all the names and actions first. Do not use NVC. Pair with “How to listen” poster. Always replace the objects back to the starting position. p. 28-29

Level 1 (1 ICW) – choose 1 from 2 objects - names

Level 2 (2 ICW) – objects - names, verbs, part and positions

Level 3 (3 ICW) – objects, position, colour, location, possession, size

Level 4 (4 ICW) – extra location – to the ….  or 2 instructions  … in the …  and the  … in the …

Allow it to become a turn taking game – Get the students to give the instructions.

e.g.

1) Give the teddy/car to Grandpa                          Put the teddy/car in the toybox

2) Give the teddy/car to Grandma/Grandpa      Put the old/new car/teddy in the toybox

3) Give the new/old teddy/bicycle to Grandma/Grandpa   

4) Put the teddy/car/bicycle in the chest/toybox and put the teddy/car/bicycle in the chest/toybox     Find the old/new teddy/car and the old/new soldier/bicycle

After they can master 4 ICW go onto Auditory Memory Activities for 4-7 years p.32

Elklan Speech and Language Session 1

The first session was all about the general overviews of communication. I have many students with some speech-language and communication issues however one is particularly standing out for me. Logan has real issues with communicating particularly with his peers. 

Here are some of the tasks I need to do before the next session. I am going to keep Logan as my focus.

Choose an everyday class activity. Talk and use non-verbal communication as normal. 

Then for a couple of minutes do not point with your fingers or eyes and do not stress important words. Describe what the child did (i) when you used NVC and (ii) when you did not use so much NVC.

Consider supporting a child with his/her listening and attention. Describe an activity. What did the child have to do and what were you asked to do or what was your role?

What specific strategy did you use during the activity (3.1a) to improve the listening and attention skills of one child or a small group of children? (Look at Language Builders (L.B.) or state a strategy from a different source.) Try and use a strategy you have not used before.

How did you use the strategy (3.1a) and how did the child’s listening and attention change as a result of applying the strategy?

8/8/17 General Reflections

This has been a hard week. We have had some major behaviour issues which is taking away from our ability to teach. Most of the students are working well and are continuing to make good progress however, some of our students' behaviour is escalating. Logan has improved somewhat with completing most tasks and sitting on the mat. He is learning the routines and is able to stay focused for increasing periods of time. He is still hard work and takes a lot of teacher time for prompting, reminding and redirecting. Harleigh has had a better week this week after a Time-out last week for tantrumming. Riley U has had two Time-Outs in two days due to his tantrums of swearing, throwing and hitting. Tayla-Rose is my biggest concern at the moment. Her behaviour has been defiance and disruption. Running around screaming, climbing on stacks of chairs, refusing to do her work, playing with toys at inappropriate times and refusing to do work. We can't really pinpoint why her behaviour has escalated so much. We think it's possibly due to competition for adult attention with some of the other behaviour students.