Monday, April 10, 2017

End of Term Reflection


Reflection
Forward thinking
Literacy:
Reading: Groups and rotations routines were established quickly. Students needed some scaffolding around expectations and using google tools including classroom. Shared novel ‘Kensuke’s Kingdom’ was a good choice enabling some on line back-channel sharing thus reinforcing digital citizenship learning. Te Puawai readers established.






Writing: One piece of poetic writing and one piece of non-fiction has been assessed.. Routines of using feedback to create individual goals have been established. The class generally seem to have a very positive attitude towards writing.  The schoolkit writing programme (metaphor poem) was a highlight.  Surface features are a focus for some.


Spelling:  Weekly spelling tests have established specific words which target spellers need to learn. SpellingCity has been used as a learning tool.

Reading: Joining NZreadaloud is a possibility for next term - this will depend on the selected novel. Lower reading group must continue to focus on mileage and developing vocabulary as well as specific teaching of strategies ( Sheena Cameron resources) Will consider using a scrapbook for this group. TePuawai readers will have more regular running records - will use seen texts from their reading group work. Higher groups will move into higher level strategies including inference and will consider developing reciprocal reading.



Writing: Will begin next term with a focus on other forms of non-fiction writing. This will integrate well with science fair and statistics. Late in the term will re-visit poetic writing - possibly using The Literacy Shed and or pobble for on line motivation and learning activities. Punctuation will be taught in whole class lessons and followed up with target group students as appropriate.

Spelling: Will continue to use the essential word lists and commonly misspelled words as a focus. I expect to be ready to use an individual on line spelling programme in T3.
Numeracy:
After testing and establishing routines most classroom teaching was based on whole class teaching with withdrawal target groups for extension and remedial focus. Grouping was fairly fluid and based on formative assessment. Maths talk moves was based on constantly changing randomly selected groups of 3. This was good for establishing expectations and practising maths talk.


Numeracy
To establish more concrete ability groups. Will consider using scrapbooks with the lower groups to record strategies.

Teaching and practice of number will continue throughout the year with a secondary focus on statistics next term. This will enable more gsuite skills to be taught and learnt, particularly using sheets to manage data and graphs.
Basic facts focus for target learners.
Inquiry/Topic:

Digital citizenship unit completed. Using an interactive slide show was successful and a good way to introduce some of the GAFE tools.

Earth Science Unit complete - see separate reflection on unit plan


Next term the main focus will be ‘The Nature of Science’ as we work towards the school science fair.
Camp will be a major event of the term
Changes at Puberty will be taught in the last 2 weeks of the term
PE:
Swim for Life was the main focus for this term. The children really enjoyed this - engagement levels were high.

PE:
Winter games / fitness focus next term with the possibility of ‘expert’ students preparing, submitting lesson plans and (with support) teaching some class lessons.
Learning Languages

Te Reo:
All students are familiar with the school tirohanga, karakia and waiata. This was the focus for our early lessons. Since then we have covered basic greetings and unit 1 “Taku Whanau’ Integrated where possible.

Mandarin Chinese
Sisi, our MLA has taught a few Chinese language and culture lessons in the class.


Will continue to integrate where possible and move on to subsequent units in ‘Te Reo Tupu, Te Reo Ora.’



Chinese learning will continue next term and a keen group of learners will be given the opportunity to join an enrichment class with a view to completing the L1 Confucius Institute exam.
EOTC

The class attended the Asian Friendship Festival where they presented a song in Chinese and a dance.

Team trip to Action World


Camp in week 3 will be a major focus next term.

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