Challenging learning

A motivating Saturday PD with James Nottingham on Challenging Learning. I really like the idea of having 'preview' for children prior to learning and will share the learning pit with the class and attempt to keep learning interesting and challenging. Also will definitely be praising the action and process rather than the person. Need to also look at progress verses achievement, might be a high achiever but not progressing.

Notes and images from the day

A new year, a new beginning.

2017 and a new classroom and a new year level for me. Started really positively, trying to introduce the 7 habits from The Leader in Me and have built good relationships with the class. We have been developing relationships and collaboration through team building challenges and activities. This year I am trying to not use extrinsic rewards with the children as I have previously done with Class Dojo and other reward systems. I want to develop intrinsic rewards, to develop the children's growth mindset and positivism. This has come from reading The Leader in Me, listening to Mike Scadden at U-Learn and speaking with Mary Gordon, the writer of the Roots of Empathy Programme, who i was fortunate to meet. 

This year I have also taken on PE/Sports and Health Leadership which I am really enjoying. 

Teacher Inquiry and reflective questioning

Staff meeting today was led by NpEW on reflective questioning and peer coaching

Wrote down strengths and weaknesses then fed back to partner- neutral

Looked at levels of questioning and wrote a series of questions based on them.

Asked partner the questions.

Discussed challenges of questioning. We looked at and developed and questioned the use of the following.

Found it tricky to not want to show agreement or disagreement or to add own thoughts or interrupt when listening and difficult when not given any acknowledgement when talking. Something I need to learn. Will also try and use these reflective questions with the class, may help in my inquiry this year on self-directed learning.

What is the vision for our school? TOD 2017

An interesting day looking at the our mission and vision statement and what we see as our vision moving forward. Having read the book The Leader in Me and listened to the talk from Western Heights Primary I really like the 7 Habits and their initiatives especially as it fosters an inside out approach, starting with teachers and that it is not a curriculum, it is integrated throughout the school and community. I will try and introduce this into my practice and life this year. A summary of the day can be viewed here