iPod Nano in Education

The challenge has been set. My task is to explore ways to use the nano in our learning at R.P.S. Our discussions today lead to thoughts about the use of it as a video/audio tool in recording students learning or reflecting on learning. Also is it's use in playing podcasts or audio books where these can be explored within a 'listening post' type experience but this would necessitate headphones for the sake of students learning in the room alongside them and if this is the case, how do we ensure good hygiene practises? Maybe all students need headphones in their stationary purchases? There are a few games that can be downloaded for the nano - like scrabble and uno but the value for their learning needs to be assessed.

There are some cool eBooks - The Gruffalo, Going on a Bear Hunt, Brown Bear and similar as well as some chapter books like Famous Five - I wonder if Charlottes Web and Fantastic Mr Fox are in there? These could be good for developing students oral language and listening skills as well as the value of using expression in story telling as this helps the listener to engage not to mention the imagery that reading alound can develop.

You can use the nano for powerpoint presentations.

Crafting

Not in the sewing, crochet or making stuff concept but rather in the area of writing. Last year Murray Gadd worked with the staff at Queenstown Primary school on our literacy practices in writing. One of the terms he used was 'crafting' in reference to students developing writing. This is instead of story writing as it conveys more about putting together written work as an art form - alluding to the deeper features of this area of learning rather than the surface stuff.

Our Learning Community is focussing on our writing after our reflection time last week and ways to improve and develop the writing in our classes. As a lead into this and for my own understandings I am exploring some texts on this subject, Left to write too by Harry Hood (was lucky enough to have him as a lecturer when I was at the Dunedin College of Education - now the Otago University) and Joy Allcock's Switched on to spelling. Only just starting on Joy's resource but have made some reflections on Hood's book.

Left to write too (2nd ed)

Hood comments on teachers having 'unfortunate habits' of pointing to errors and focussing on these with this leading to students only writing the words they can spell. I worry that in my group of learners where we have a 'practise' page for letter formation, words written incorrectly this could have a similar effect to the 'flick on the ear' that Harry recalls accompanying errors being pointed out. I think this is where I like to comment on the meaning or the message of the writing rather the conventions of print, after all writing is about conveying a message or idea isn't it? But if I am neglecting the surface features how will they learn that writing has it's own parameters so that the crafted writing can be understood and enjoyed by an audience or reader? On page 23 Hood writes about motor skill and how a reasonable standard of handwriting aids a writer and also the reader. "Writing words seems quite demanding, both physically and mentally, for these children. If children can print quickly and neatly, spelling and message seem to flow from the writer's pen." This promotes regular handwriting instruction as well as a sound pencil grip.

In citing Donald Graves a list of words are given by Hood, some of which comprise 25% of all written language. It is stated that beginning writers must learn to write these words automatically:

I is am come see the we at on look this a in to like me my and here up go it you of that

This list of words is almost identical to the beginning reading sight list of Marie Clay.

Some Helps & Hinderances (pages 28 - 29)

Helpers:

• constant re-running of their writing attempts
• talking about their drawings
• asking others for help
• comparing their writing
• discussing words and how they are spelled
• using one picture, one word, one page word resources
• making comparisons between pieces of writing, i.e. reading like pieces
• discussing what page to write on and where to write
• drawing others' attention to missing letters in words
• having alphabet cards, pictures and word
• having cards with a few high-frequency words (Leaves on a tree, petals on a flower - in our class I have hot air balloons on a cloud)
• reading their writing to others
• talking aloud as they write

Hinderances

• alphabetical dictionaries
• trying to be accurate at all times - they use a range of resources but lack the ability to approximate spelling.

Thinking about genre in Junior classes...

"But who cares? Let's worry about getting children to the stage where they can put their thoughts fluently on paper before getting hung up on the technicalities of genre." p31

The teacher and the writer - teachers responding to students writing. The following routine was first developed by Graves.

1. child speaks first giving the teacher info: this is what the piece is about; this is what I am currently doing; this is what I need assistance with.
2. the teacher tries to respond to the problem
3. the teacher asks, "What will you do next?"

"If the first comment a teacher makes is about a spelling error, children will soon decide that is what a teacher values in a writer." p62 Harry's strategy to avoid this is depicted in the following paragraph:

"Usually when I work with children I try to kneel down and look at the writer and forget the writing. I let the writer read to me, rather than read the writing myself. In this way I don't get side-tracked. You can't see spelling errors unless you look at the print." p62. I like this. Definitely something I want to put into my practise!

Today in our Professional Learning Time we looked at teaching as inquiry which is on pages 34 - 35 on the NZ curriculum and related this to our practise as a teacher in highlighting learning intentions and developing learning conversations with students. This discussion let to the idea of 'I can lists' similar to what we us in relation to mathematics. Hood mentions these also. They were initially developed by Graves then adapted and used in Dancing with the Pen (must hunt out my copy of this). I like this concept as the biggest part of the list is fore-fronting what the student 'can' do with one learning goal - this is recorded in an 'I am learning list'. "Children should be able to talk about what they know and what they are trying to learn" p67 - this is very much the basis of a learning conversation (If I have my thinking right!) But in line with the idea of 'I can' lists "a system that confronts a child with a great list of things that must be checked off is probably of little use to the learner." (p94). Hood goes on to suggest that checklists can be useful for the teacher....yes & no, depending on how the information the checklist provides is used!

On page 91, Hood lists the characteristics of the Emergent Writer and with a class of Year 0-1 students this is relevant to my teaching:

• I display writing like behaviours
• I am establishing principles of directionality
• I am learning about the spaces between words
• I am learning how to orient a page
• I am learning how to hold a pencil
• I am developing consistency of letter form
• I am learning how to spell some words
• I can locate some words in the class
• I am developing some knowledge of letters/sounds
• I am learning to use the teachers models as a basis for writing
• I can explain orally the meaning of my pictures
• My title is linked to my writing (oops, I haven't even been considering titles)
• I am starting to ask questions about other peoples writing
• I can talk to others about my writing
• I expect my teacher to help me with my writing
• Although my attempts at spelling are semi-phonetic in form, my writing can be read by others.

So what? well, now I feel a little better informed on writing but need to delve deeper into 'Switched on to spelling' and re-read Effective Literacy Practice too!

Bee bots come to flora 1 in writing next week!

We have the bee bots booked for each writing session in week 2 of this term, after that I will include them in our rotation for one of the writing sessions each week. I hope to create an alphabet mat so that children can use the bee bots to spell out our sight words and work on letter sound realationships like on this page. Later in the term the idea of story sequencing found here can be explored.

Very useful guide for using the bee bots in learning.

The bee bots were used in discovery time in our pod yesterday and the students came up with a couple of issues. One was that the bee bots were on a table and could fall off, their solutions were to either just use them on the floor or build a fence around the table. I wonder if these tables or trays could be useful?

From our initial exploration last term these were a really useful 'hook' for students who usually hang back a little from learning experiences. I enjoyed seeing them fully engage.

Bee Bots, numeracy and literacy sequencing

Yesterday Bridget came into Flora 1 during both numeracy and literacy to share with a group of students how to use the bee bots. For numeracy she had the students taking turns to move the bee bot to the next number in the sequence one to 10 across the mat and for our shared book from last week: "I'm the king of the mountain" the students sequenced the animals/insects involved as part of the reading rotation. Using the Bee-bots gave the students another way of working with curriculum content - a little variation from the norm and perhaps became a 'hook' for a couple of students as it kept their interest high in learning experiences in which they often switch off quickly as their aim is to normally just get it finished!

I am now looking into other ways of using the Bee-Bots in learning in our class

bee bots blog

Activity topic ideas

Get the buzz

TTS - has some videos of the bee bots in use

Support materials

Bee bot jackets - make the bot into elmer, an aeroplane...

Bee Bot mat images

Creating your own bee bot mat instructions

I'm sure there are heaps more but I'm looking forward to planning for the use of these in my teaching and learning in term 2! Love that we have a teacher who can support students (and teachers) with the how to of the Bee bots and other e-learning tools!

Learning pathways, milestones, stepping stones, PLOD, peaks...

Our team planning day on Monday had a big focus on students being able to articulate their learning - know their learning intentions - why they are learning what they are learning and what next. With our school 'imagry' of mountains and peaks with stepping stones (teaching/learning strategies) and milestones - the goal I had a picture of a winding path with stones on the way to a large boulder at the end of it with different strategies or 'steps' on the stones and our milestone on the boulder. Celebrations or 'drink' stops on the way as well as a party at the large boulder.

While as teachers we are the activators, it is important that through learning conversations with students that they take on the role of setting directions and monitoring their own learning as they move through their learning journey at Remarkables Primary School. Evidence of this would be children sharing with people what they are learning and why.

The following is from Parallax:

What is a “learning conversation”?
Imagine having a conversation that led to deep understanding. Participants are fully engaged. Information and insights build on each other and connections with prior knowledge and current issues are everywhere. “Aha!” moments occur as assumptions are explored and either confirmed or found to be no longer valid. Time flies and energy builds. Answers or ideas seem to come from nowhere and everywhere. Agreements are easier to reach and commitments to act are stronger. This is a learning conversation.

Learning conversations are a way of approaching an exchange with another person or group as well as a set of skills and practices. As a way of approaching an exchange they are structured to provide the optimal environment in which to communicate to learn. The structure and resulting processes generate the conditions for trust and openness combined with balanced relationships and respect. Such structures allow participants to work toward communication that is helpful, candid and able to be heard by others.

This type of communication is different than informal conversations, presentations, or feedback. In today’s fast-paced, complex world success depends on the engagement and contributions of each employee. Learning conversations promote full understanding of others’ thinking and draw out the solutions/ideas/goals that are inherent within the organization. Learning conversations focus on deep understanding and are built on multiple academic theories from the helping and learning disciplines ¹ that have been real-world tested. They are a fundamental building block of strong working relationships, creative solutions and smart organizations.

In a learning conversation:
– There is no “expert” holding the one right answer
– Participants listen to understand rather than refute
– Questions are asked to gain information or pose possibilities for consideration, not to trap others
– Attention is on learning through the conversation rather than one specific outcome

At RPS I see these Learning conversations as being an empowering discussion with and between individual children focussing on their learning successes, milestones and stepping stones where students have ownership of their learning past, present and future and become informed directors of their differentiated learning pathways.

Research on learning conversations

Now the challenge for me is to support students who are new to school in having learning conversations and scaffolding their thinking so that in time these students can run or instigate learning conversations.

A note about PLOD - Possible Lines of Direction - there is no one track that can be followed but lots of detours, native plants to investigate or birds to follow and even alternative routes that end up at the same direction. As an educator I can only identify the 'possible' lines of direction and then support students on the one they take.

Telling stories

We are looking at 'telling our stories' next term and linking this with a performance and finding out about the stories associated with our selves, our families, our school and our country. I'm loving the scope of this concept.

We will be exploring Rakaihautu and his spade and performing this for the New Zealand Principals Conference.

I'm thinking there are connections with drama and theatre sports as well as story telling in songs like 'McKenzie' a story about a supposed sheep rustler and his dog, I think it was the POG band that did a song about him? need to look into that.

I guess I want students to experience stories that take on many forms - orally, dramatic, visually, video, song, dance, books - with words and without...

some energisers

Games & Activities

Tumbolia

A challenge

was set by Sarah at our learning community meeting where we were discussing/moderating our common assessment task in writing. This was based on peer review as a tool for reflection and setting learning goals - supporting our students to take more responsibility for setting their own goals - not all teacher directed! Last year I observed an energetic writing lesson in a class at Queenstown Primary School where the teacher at the end employed - stars and wishes as a sharing/reflection tool. Children read back their writing and either they came up with a star and a wish or other students were called on to assist with this. Loved the idea of a star and a wish and did this in a 'general' way with my New Entrant class last year following this observation. These were posted on the wall and children referred to them often.

Some teachers have employed 2 stars and a wish and some 3 stars and a wish. For my students to do this individually I would stick with one star and one wish but if doing in a group reflection on an individuals writing I'm thinking we'll work on three stars being 'awarded' before supporting the student to develop a 'wish'. For this reflection I'm thinking of using the digital camera to photograph the child's writing (shame I can't get the printer to talk to my computer with scans) and upload the photos for the whole class to be able to see the writing and develop our stars and wishes.

I found this description of 2 stars and a wish informative.