Transition to School Cluster Meeting-Sally Peters, TLIF

A Passion for Transitions

Transformative practice- Important and opportunity in our life to change

Pre-liminal phase  ->  liminal phase  ->  post-liminal phase

How does this relate to my own experiences of transitions?
Opportunity, challenge, vulnerability

Successful transitions
How do we determine what matters and what is measured?
Whose voices are heard/not heard?
What is the time frame for transition?
How often do we review?

Belonging, wellbeing and feeling suitable at school
Recognition and acknowledgement of culture
Identify as a learner
positive teacher expectations
Building on funds of knowledge

A transition often involves meeting based on their ability

Making a connection between Te Whariki and NZC during transitions
What are some of the strategies we use to support the transitions?
Develop a sense of confidence, showing empathy, hero worship

If we want to connect with ECE and school- We need to make connection-conversation, visits, etc
May be ECE writing letters to the school
The playground is a transition in itself

What next?
As I work with the new entrants, I will take this practice into consideration and introduce in my practice.

iExperience-NZSL

Introducing NZSL with our learners

Roshan and I collaborated to create a design for NZSL.
NZSL Week 1&2 Design
NZSL Week 3&4 Design
NZSL progressions

Unit 1 – HELLO Hello!-video

What went well
It was a wonderful learning experience for me to learn about NZSL for myself. It gave me an opportunity to refresh my learning and teach our learners. We talked about how to include NZSL learners in our day to day life like during play time. We wondered how to get their attention and we tried different strategies like shouting, singing and waving at them. Finally, we figured it out that we have to look at their eyes before we want to have a conversation with them. Our learners are getting good at getting their attention by going in front of them and waving to them and saying 'Hello". We have started introducing NZSL during our phonics lesson to learn the fingerspelling alphabets. Most of the learners are getting better at it.

Challenges
We tried to work with our buddies to ask questions, but still they are not very confident and fluent to sign with their buddies. It was a challenge for some of the learners not to talk and sign only. It was fun to watch them making up their own sign and tried to convey their messages with their buddies.

What Next
I will try to include NZSL through out programme so that we get familiarise with our signs and confident to sign in front of other learners. May be we could visit KDEC and watch how they are interacting with each other.

iDevelop SOI, T3, 2019

iDevelop SOI
It was a wonderful experience of learning in a small group and sharing our experience with other LC's and learning from each other. I have learnt how to use the app before I teach the learners and at the same time, I have learnt to upload their books in the library manually.
I focussed on how to encourage the boys to get involved in writing. Lots of boys got frustrated during our writing time. Digital technology created curiosity among the boys and they were eager to draw pictures and write about it. Most of the boys were learned to take turns and wait patiently for their turn to use the iPads. Some of the boys mastered the skills of using different tools in the app and they were trying to teach the other learners. It was a great opportunity for the learners to take initiative to teach other learners and collaborate their ideas with their peers. They were able to retain their ideas and write about it or record their voice. So some of the ESOL learners were able to develop their oral language by forming a simple sentence and record it in their story. So all the learners had the opportunity to write stories based on their abilities.

What Next?
I would like to include more of digital learning
during our writing time to attract our learners to
write stories.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Autism Spectrum Disorder
Michele Blick
RTLB cluster

Diagnosis of ASD-who, how, when and why
Interviews with child, family, etc
Observations in different setting
Medical diagnose

Diagnosis Criteria
Restricted, repetitive patterns on behaviour, interests or activities
Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across multiple contexts

The brain functions differently
It is a lifelong neurodevelopment disorder
It is more often to male than female

Time of diagnosis
Diagnosis typically occurs
1-3 years due to difficulties with language and play
5-8 yrs when increased social and education demands highlight difficulties
Social isolation and relationship difficulties result in depression during adolescence or adulthood

Benefits of a diagnosis
Early diagnosis helps them to put them in the right place to support/help them and take them to the right channel

Areas of challenge
Interpersonal
Difficulty initiating maintaining relationships
Unable or inappropriate attempts to join in play
Difficulty understanding what others are thinking or feeling
Language
Developmental language delay
Echolalia -repetition or echoing of words/sounds
Behaviour
Stereotyped behaviour patterns, routing, rituals
Difficulty making choices
Difficulty coping with unstructured space - may stay on the perimeter
Attention difficulties
Affect
Fears and phobias
Difficulty appreciating humour
Inappropriate emotional expression
Cognition
80% have IQ below 70
Non-verbal
Sensory sensitivity
Hyper responsive-nervous system is responding too much
Hypo responsive-nervous system is responding very little
Anxiety
The nervous system is on high alert and under constant stress due to sensory, cognitive, social and emotional vulnerabilities
Types of Anxiety
Anxiety of uncertainty
social anxiety
performance anxiety
Behaviours to cope with anxiety
control experiences to avoid anxiety
Fix routines and rituals
Strengths and abilities
Exceptional and reliability
Ability to focus on a detailed task
Expert in their area of interests
Providing support in the school setting
Sensory sensitivities
Environment
Language
Social stories helps them to get settled and support their emotional needs
ASD friendly school
Identify the students strengths, interests and needs
Identify what the student has in common with other learners. Use commonalities to plan learning opportunities
Involve the students family in collaborative planning process
Include the students voice and acknowledge the perspective of the student when planning
Use key competencies to identity goals rather than goals only being content-driven. Goals may relate to functional skills, e.g. toileting
What Next?
I understand how these learners brain works and what kind support they need while they are at school. I will try to provide the suitable environment for the ASD learners to support their needs. I will try to give a proper place for them to get settled in our environment even though we work in a modern learning environment.

Flatbush 7, 4th June, 2019

Chris Clay
chris@education-unleashed.com

Education Unleashed
Transform and Transcend

What's next in the future of education?
Future- exists in our imagination

Role of futurists
They prophesies what will happen in future
Turn backwards so you can see forwards

Robots are taking over
Moore's Law - Technology is more powerful
Machine is doing lots of jobs better
Rethinking knowledge
Network knowledge

This is an awesome time to be knowledge seeker
Algorithm: what are you likely to want to hear - left leaning Democratic pro-environment filter bubble
In 2030 how do our education system look lime
Grow   Collapse    Discipline        Transform

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world - Nelson Mandela

Building collective understanding

Open exploration

Claims and critiques

We have learned to fly the air like birds and swim the sea like fish, but we have not learned the simple art of living together as brothers. Our abundance has brought us neither peace of mind nor serenity of spirit - King Martin Luther

The importance of positive cultural narratives

What do we do for the Maori learners

We must learn to face the new way

Take care of our children 

take care of what they hear. Take care of what they see

When we suppress the language, we suppress the culture because they are intertwined

A Discussion around ESOL in your school community

Maddy Udale

The importance of supporting the learners with letters, sounds and words

How to involve the parents in our environment?

How to support the parents with the language?

Modelling language with the learners

Language lesson for the parents to support their children

Connections

Chris Clay

Volatile

Uncertain

Complex

Ambiguous

What we know limits what we can imagine - Cynthia Barton-Rabe

Neuromyths: Debunking False Ideas about the Brains in Your Classroom

Heath McNeil

Learning about teaching

Debunking false ideas about the brain

How does this information impact teaching?

We know a little of what goes on in the brain when we learn

Do teachers know enough about the brain?

Do they want to know more about the brain?

Should they know more about the brain?

Better knowledge and Tech

We are working on making a educational sciences from psychology and Neuro science

The origins of bias in the brain

6 Principles - Brain

Uniqueness - Nature via Nature- we have a free will

Different potentials:

Prior Experience:  Efficiency thru existing

Constant changes:

Plasticity - Lifespan-developmental differences by age-every learners brain get better

M + A Learning:  No new learning without some form of memory & attention

Persistence of myths

We want simplicity

True for animals but not humans

Brain learns through some style of teaching e.g. visual learner

Most people use about 10 % of the brain

Left and right brain works differently in learning

Wellbeing

Flourishing: a state of well being where we feel good and function well most of the time

Two dimensions of wellbeing

1. Emotional wellbeing

2. Functional wellbeing

Depression is the leading cause for disability worldwide

People who have sense of love and belonging believe that they are worthy of love and belonging

Wellbeing is whole hearted living

Modern living is overwhelming

Mindfulness is competency to be developed

Attention Regulation with kindness and curiosity- Maintain it

Teacher Burn out!

Adam Tamariki

What is causing teacher burn out?

How do you know you have become a Victim of teacher burn out?

Exertion

No support

Work load

The top 10

We need to look after our well being

1. Take some time each day to do something for yourself

2. Limit what work you bring home with you

3. Ask for help!

4. Remember the reason you became a teacher!

5. Connect with your colleagues! 

6. Don't be afraid to take a day off...

7. Network with teachers online!

8. Find something new to be involved in...

9. Stay away from negativity!

10. Learn how to switch off and unwind..

Narrative Assessment and Digital Badging

Building teacher /learner agency

Assessment to be personalised within a transdisciplinary  curriculum

What next? 

It was a great learning opportunity for me to wonder about teaching and learning. I will be using the learning in my planning and practise in my teaching and learning process. I also understand that I should look after myself and balance the work life in this teaching profession.

Digital Technology

Digital Technology Curriculum
What is it?
How do we integrate it?

bit.ly/ORMPS23

joinpad.com

Password: ozqfj

What Next?

I need to learn more about the tools and how I can use it. Then I can include it in my planning and encourage the learners to use it as well.

The Role of the Teacher

The role of the teacher

Teaching through play

The Philosophy of play

1. Self chosen and self directed
2. Process rather than product
3. Contains structures or rules established by the players themselves -
There are two sets of playing 
Soft ball (the real game)- follow the rule and team playing
Play based game created by learners-rules set by the learners, lots of negotiation- its gives opportunity for creativity and imagination
4. Imaginative, non-literal and removed from reality
5. Occurs between those who are active, alert and non-stressed
Stressed play- relax first and start to play
Non-stressed play-High level thinking play

Teaching through play
common misunderstand about play based learning
Learning -through -play = limited/no adult guidance
Teacher's role is to 'Teaching through play'
Teacher's role
-enhance children's exploration and learning by commenting on their discoveries
-Co-playing
-Asking open ended questions
-Exploring the materials in ways that children might not have thought to do

Intentional Teaching
We explain through out the day why we are doing this to the learners
Sometimes we leave the learners to solve problem by themselves and watching them
Requires teachers to have significant and wide ranging knowledge of their students both developmentally and cognitively
Teachers must have a wide ranging repertoire of skills and teaching strategies to draw from in order to know when and where to use

Zone of proximal Development

Skills too difficult for a child to master on his/her own, but that can be done with guidance and encouragement from a knowledgeable person. (It can be a teacher or a child or any materials)

Michelle Thorhill - loose parts scheme Urges

"Diverse strategies that combine play and more structured efforts are effective accelerators of children's readiness for school and long term development"- Kagan

"In outstanding classrooms teachers do more listening than talking and students do more talking than listening. Terrific teachers often have teethmarks on their tongues". Alfie Kohn

The soft skills: Why the importance?

• Socio emotional learning is often referred to as the development of soft skills in an attempt to distinguish these from the academic skills taught within the education sector

Planning

Teaching the key competencies through  play (In a cycle)

• Model skill to class with puppet or students
• Children practises skills with peers
• Teacher coaches skills during play based learning
• Identify the skills to be taught
• Plan for explicit teaching of skills

We need to give a constructive feedback. We have to give the positive specific feedback than generalised feedback

We have to teach the learners to solve the problem by themselves.

How do you lift the play in your room?

Low level play

Mostly girls like to play like cutting, gluing or making things at the making table- low risk taking play. Learners make things to get praise.

High level play

Group boys trying to get things down from the tree- High risk taking play. Mostly boys like to get involved.

What the Role of the Teacher is and what it is not

What the teacher does

Sources loose parts that reflect the current urges or interests demonstrated by the students in their play and bring the resources to the children's attention

Use phrases during roving through the classroom such as i wonder may and you might like to

Observes children's play from a distance recording student voice and taking photos of the play

Plans for intentional teaching of rules and expected behaviours, recognising when play is not occurring and a redirection is required

What the teacher does not

Direct children to specific loose parts instructing them how to use the resources to meet their urge in play

Question children in their play such as 'John what are you playing and Mary why did you decide to make that?

Require children to write about what they have played and reflect  upon what they learned in their play

Allow for play to become loose and chaotic disregarding the rules and expected behaviour in the classroom. Be unavailable to coach expected behaviours occurring in the context of the play

Teaching through Play: In summary

It is not as easy as it sounds

If you are exhausted at the end of each day, you are on the right track

Your level of curriculum knowledge should be extensive and responsive to your learners interests and learning needs

Embedding descriptive commentary and coaching statements in your teaching practice takes time and lots of practice

The most effective professional learning occurs with significant and ongoing support.

Narrative Assessments

What Next?

It was a wonderful learning experience. I will definitely include this theory in my practice and include in my planning and the ongoing teaching and learning process.

ELLP

ELLP

Social language is for communication in interpersonal contexts and can be either spoken or written. It may include “functional language”, which is used for buying something at a shop, getting information, etc. Can be considered “playground language”. This is known as basic interpersonal communication skills (BICS).

Academic language is for learning and communicating in educational contexts. I can be either spoken or written and its main purpose at school is for learning within the curriculum. This is known as cognitive academic language proficiency (CALPS).

Each stages are very broad, so it takes time for the learners to meet the criteria.
How do find the stage of the learners?
Years 1-2: Foundation and Stage 1
Years 3-4: Foundation, Stage 1 and Stage 2.
Years 5-8: Foundation, Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3.

When we look at the level, it should be completely highlighted before we go to the next level.
We have to go from left to right.

If the learners are not progressed, we need not have to highlight anything, but put the date for the leaders to identify
It takes about 2 years to move from foundation to stage 1

• ESOL Online
• ELLP Professional Support Modules
• ELLP  - ESOL Online
• Completing the ELLP matrices

SELIPS download

Primary ESOL mailing list:

This is a great resource for all teachers to gain further professional development as well as a great place to ask questions

Link to join the Primary ESOL e-mail list

What Next?

I will try to keep track of the ELL learners progress based on the requirements. I will include in my planning to see the progress of the ELL learners

Narrative Assessment Feedback

Narrative Assessment

We started emailing the narrative assessment to the parents this term because of some glitches over the blog. I started noticing that the parents are taking time to read it with their children and give feedback. May be the parents are finding it easier to go on their email than their child's blog. I am happy that the parents are taking initiative and sharing their voice with us. May be, we will try to continue this process.

Feedback from parents:

Ellsa has been enjoying school and I could already tell she has learnt so much.! Thank you for your hard work. It is not easy to be a teacher.

Regards

Martini

Thank you for sharing this interesting learning information with me!

Thank you for your teaching!

Best regards,

Grace Guo

Thank you for assisting my child.. Karl is doing great..I hope there will be more activities that will engage my son’s skills and abilities.

We are pleased to see that kids work together as a team. They should share their ideas with each other.
Expect of Jason , who can express more his idea to his team, don’t be shy !

Nice try for Anita. She was nervous for the first day. This can help her getting to know each other. And learning different cultures in New Zealand.

Thank you for teaching them how to make the dumplings. It was also a great opportunity to make friends. Thea was really enjoying the process and she will be the little chief next time when we make dumplings at home.

Kids eat dumplings everyday, but they don’t know how to make dumplings. This is the best way that let kids know the procedures of making dumplings.

Spiral of Inquiry-iExplore

Research on iExplore

Scanning

What have you noticed during iExplore lessons?

Some of the ELL and High needs learners find it hard to explore.

We need a science area for exploration

How do we manage as the numbers go higher?

How to take the interest to a deeper level of learning?

Are there areas that need improvement? Why?

We need some more science resources to include in our provocations.

Stretching the interests to last longer- create deeper level of understanding

Focussing

What is the most important area of improvement you have noticed?

How can we take the learners interest to a deeper level of learning in new entrants in order to support all the learning needs of the habitat.

What type of research or resources or expertise help are needed?

Who is doing what - assign roles and share the load.

LCs to model words like Word Bank

Learners to get enough time to process

LCs to Stop, Listen and Respond according to the learners interests

LCs to create curiosity by asking open ended questions, not to give answers for all their questions, instead ask another open ended questions to the learners to make them think again.

Research on supporting ELL learners

research on spontaneous questioning- ,  

Effective questioning

Research on supporting ELL learners

Research on ELL learners and young learners

1. Introduce new words during our iExplore time.
2. Use pictures to support our words with the learners.
3. NO HAND UP RULE: Encourage the learners not to put their hand up when we have our discussion, so all the learners have an opportunity to think and share their ideas with their buddies.
4. Building relationships with the ELL parents. Share their child’s interests and how they are involved in different projects. It  will be very helpful for us to take their learning to the next level.
5. Ask one question only at a time and give enough time for the learners to think and share their ideas with the group or a buddy.
6. Asking open ended questions rather than yes or no questions. It will help the learners to think and share their ideas.
7. Give interests for all the answers and we started noticing some of the quiet learners started contributing during our discussions.
8. We displayed their projects on the wall, the parents started noticing and it encouraged the parents to have a conversation with the LCs.

What Next?

I will be start using these findings during my iExplore discussions time/mat time and I will incorporate in my design.