Classroom Layout

Creating a classroom that is visually stimulating, reflective of student learning and fully of resources is important.

Students use our writing wall to compare their work to and come up with next steps.

Reciprocal Reading

"Critically examine how my own assumptions and beliefs impact on practice and the achievement of learners with different abilities...."

"maintain a teaching and learning environment that is physically, socially, culturally and emotionally safe"


In Term 2 we introduced Reciprocal Reading in Room 12. Term 1 allowed for a better understanding of how my class learnt best, gaps in knowledge and learning behaviours. It was clear that a programme needed to happen to address these

Rationale/outcomes:

1. Students needed to learn how to communicate and share ideas in groups with ALL student contributing (skills needed/learnt = prompted, questioning, probing, explaining, adding on)

2. Students learnt how to probe to gain further understanding of how their peer's thinking and why they gave particular answers.

3. Mixed ability groups allowed 'higher order thinking' to be modeled by higher level students. Often it was these same students who encouraged the quiet 'less able' students through prompting and questioning.

3. Groups were eventually run by students which allowed for the teacher to take a separate group.

4. Skills explicitly taught could be applied to all areas of the curriculum. 

Student goals, levels, voice.

"Inquire into and reflect on the effectiveness of practice in an ongoing way, using evidence from a range of sources"

"Seek and respond to feedback from learners, colleagues and other education professionals, and engage in collaborative problem solving and learning-focused collegial discussions".

Possible evidence: Formative practice, teaching strategies, student goals/voice, assessment

Students analysed their first persuasive writing sample against a co-constructed success criteria, then buddy conference to 'prove' what they had achieved and their next step.

Students then collaboratively created their writing goal for the term with the teacher.

Students can talk to their writing current level and where they need to go.

Result:  They are starting to understand the steps that are going to support them to achieve this.

Students are starting to analyse their work more consistently against the success criteria and reflecting both in groups and independently. This photo shows an example of students learning a skill in writing lessons, applying it to their work, analysing using SC, wall resources, text models, then creating their next steps to achieve.

Next steps: I would like to make sure this system is in place where the students can actively do this, but also in reading and maths.

Student, teacher Nga Whetu goals

Student learning and practice:
"To actively and independently move through the writing process across all areas of the curriculum"


Teacher learning and practice:

Goal : Create a sense of reciprocity between Nga Whetu students and our writing learners.  


Key indicator: Increase the amount of pair sharing and peer feedback.
Actively seek and respond to feedback

Here you can see Manaia and Hannah buddy conferencing over their work. They collaboratively came to the conclusion that Hannah needed more emotive language in her introduction. They are discussing where it could be used the effect that this is going to have on the audience.

Result: This approach has benefited all students, not just Nga Whetu. Students are starting to show more confidence at sharing their work. They are actively seeking feedback from other students rather than the "i'm done" approach.

I am seeing a significant amount of collaboration happening in Room 12 and some students are quickly identifying others that are struggling and are proactive at supporting them.


Actively respond to teacher feedback

In this photo, Hannah is actively responding to feedback given by the teacher. She is following the 'Identify, Evaluate, Synthesise' steps for language features.

At this particular time, Hannah needed support with understanding the purpose and effect of anecdotes and how they link to the main idea.

Nga Whetu - Teacher learning and practice.

Goal: To create a sense of reciprocity between Nga Whetu students and our writing learners.

 I needed ways to encourage my Nga Whetu students to work together and support each other through their journey. At the beginning of the year, only 2 out of the 4 students knew each other and were friendly. This would results in them breaking away to work together. A number of strategies were implemented to counter this.
Generally, opportunities to work together as a collective across the curriculum.

In the photo you can see one strategy -  a regular morning shared reading time. 

Result: Nga Whetu students all feel comfortable working together, they are constantly supporting each other and conferencing over their work.

Totara house Nga Whetu students meet every Friday to share their work from the week and to reflect on their goal.

Purpose: - Reciprocity between Nga Whetu students across the house.
- Share ideas
- Wider audience for their writing.

Result:  Students are enthusiastic about sharing their writing. They are starting to gain an understanding of what writing looks like across the team and are starting to talk more freely about their work without needing prompting.

Pasifika and Kapa Haka groups

Key Indicator: Establish good relationships with students and respect their individual needs and cultural background. 

Communicate with families, whanau and caregivers.

Showing up to cultural performance that I know students have worked hard on helps to build relationships with my students. This was particularly important for my 'at risk' students. We had a great conversation the next day about how they felt their performance went. At the same time I was able to have important conversations with a couple of parents during the break about their child's Nga Whetu goals.

Observing & Supporting PCT - Mentoring

Key Indicators:

Engage in reciprocal, collaborative learning-focused relationships with teaching colleagues. 

Actively contribute, and work collegially, in the pursuit of improving my own and organisational practice, showing leadership, particularly in areas of responsibility. 

Being a mentor teacher requires a strong working relationship. Katherine and I are constantly talking about our teaching practice, both informally and during weekly meetings. Notes are taken, with both feedback on current practices and next steps given.

Room 12 Pepeha

Key indicators: 

Understand and acknowledge the histories, heritages, languages and cultures of partners to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Practise and develop the use of te reo and tikanga Māori.

Students learning their pepeha and sharing this with others is one example of how our class is culturally responsive and inclusive. 

Class Auction

Key Indicators: 

Manage the learning setting to ensure access  to learning for all and to maximise learners' physical, social, cultural and emotional safety. 

Foster trust, respect and cooperation with and among learners 

Develop learning-focused relationships with learners, enabling them to active participants in the process of learning, sharing ownership and responsibility for learning. 

We run a classroom economy system. Each student has a job  (receptionist, banker, visual display artist, clerk etc) which earns them a monthly salary. They can also earn classroom currency by meeting class expectations, showing our 4 virtues, completing work to their best ability, completed homework etc. They must pay rent monthly for their desk and electricity. Students must bank their money and consider ways to save currency for the end of term class auction. 

There are two key aims of this system. 

1. As a behavioural incentive. 

2. To teach financial literacy. 

Written feedback-meaningful to akonga

Readily available resources, sorted & organised in ability

Knowing different learning styles

Children contributing to their learning environment