A quick post: Today my students focussed on adjectives. Adjectives are introduced as colouring in words. My students understand we colour our pictures in to make them interesting and exciting for ourselves and others.
Introducing adjectives using this explanation works for this age group. The children and I completed several examples together. The example
sentences were: I have a dog. I have a kite. These sentences definitely needed colouring in.
After completing focus examples the children had to independently complete the activity. Their sentence was, I have a cat. I’ve included a number of random examples. This activity needs to be completed many times, it’s quick, and the children enjoyed sharing one of their coloured in sentences.
I’ll be looking for the transfer of my teaching in my students work. Just because I’ve taught something doesn’t mean they’ve learnt it. So important to remember!
Using a recount exemplar to scaffold writing structure is assisting my students to develop needed control of their written text. My students have been extending their writing to include a title, sequenced detail and a personal comment. All children, at every stage of writing development are benefitting from using an explicit structure to support their writing. The examples below display the children’s use of the taught structure and features of a recount. These samples are of unassisted independent writing. The Level 1+PM Writing Exemplar book is providing extension at ‘point of need’ for students.
Before writing their journals, the children focus on the exemplars discussing the main features, punctuation, spelling strategies, title, events and
time words. When modeling a genre to my students I always use the structure outlined in the PM Writing Exemplars. This term I am using a combination of PM Exemplars for Teaching Writing Book 1 and Book 1+.
Title
Orientation: When? Who? Where?
Sequence of events: What happened?
Personal Comment
A large number of my students are now extending their writing and are excited by their ability to record events. These students are 5 & 6 year olds, and I’m amazed by what they are capable of. It’s interesting to see their use of punctuation developing in the examples below. Using commas, capital
letters, full stops, appostrophe of ownership, spaces between words and time words is evident.
The PM Writing Exemplars for Teaching Writing are large format books designed to help teachers model the conventions of written language in whole-class and small-group sessions. The books provide the initial introduction to each text type, presenting and deconstructing exemplars of the 9 text types taught across the 4 levels. The Exemplars for Teaching Writingform the start of the PM Writing suggested teaching pathways. The material presented in these books is reinforced through use of the Interactive Writing Pro Formas and Student Books. Each exemplar text is presented over three double-page spreads.’ NELSON CENGAGE Learning
I wrote this post in January 2010 after an IBO workshop – The ‘Concept Based’ Curriculum. I remember carefully selecting Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement address to share, and support my educational philosophy. As teachers, and humans we need to reflect on our purpose, our goals and the footprint we leave behind. Steve Jobs’ footprint is amazing. The world lost an innovator, educator and ‘good bloke’ yesterday. Steve Jobs 1955 – 2011
“you can’t connect the dots looking forwards, you can only count them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future” Steve Jobs 2005
Original Post: January 2010
I’ve just spent three days at the IBO Asia-Pacific Workshop and completed the workshop – ‘The Written Curriculum’. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but on reflection it was far better than what I thought I’d be learning. The notion of the ‘teacher proof’ curriculum was introduced to me and now I understand why this is not the curriculum I want in our schools. I also now understand what a ‘concept based’ curriculum is. These two notions seem small, but in reality they’re huge.
It has enabled me to understand the difference between teaching a topic versus a concept. So what’s the difference?
A concept is,
broad and abstract
universal
timeless
share common attributes – represented by different examples
The concept based curriculum enables students to build knowledge and inquire. The ‘dots will connect’ as in Steve Jobs’ speech included in my earlier post and this post. I can see the connections between what Ken Robinson and Steve Jobs are saying. What do you think?
I’d like to thank our presenters, Scott and Nicole for reintroducing me to Sir Ken Robinson. We watched and discussed Ken Robinson’s interview on the 7.30 Report -ABC. You’ll have to go to the ABC site to watch the interview, but I have included two presentations by Ken Robinson below.
‘stay hungry, stay foolish’ Steve Jobs 2005
Post Script: I’ve listened to Steve Jobs’ address today and what have I learnt? Reflect to ‘connect the dots’, reflect to learn, leave a footprint you will be proud of, reflect to set goals, except your past, learn from life’s experiences, but most importantly move forward to achieve your dreams.
‘Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart. … Stay hungry. Stay foolish.’ Steve Jobs 2005
For my international readers, Term 4 of our Victorian school year commences next week. Thank you for your emails, and I’ll do my best to write on the specific topics requested. I’ve made a committment to post twice a week, and I’ll be including detailed explanations of educational pedagogy (time permitting). To my Australian colleagues, hope your holidays have been restful and all the best for Term 4.
As part of my of my Teacher Professional Leave (TPL), which has continued into 2011 due to the nature of the project, my TPL partner and I have produced a number of videos – BYDAVIT Productions. Our Southern Metropolitan Region, Victoria photostory has been available via a link and now has been posted on YouTube for general viewing.
Recently my TPL partner and I were part of a team set up to evaluate the Central Peninsula Principal’s Network – Instructional Round Program. We used SurveyMonkey to create a questionnaire to collect data. This data has been collated and presented as a Powerpoint. Once the data and feedback has been formally presented to the network, we will upload the presentation in the ning, and I will share it in my blog.
My students participated in a walkathon last week. They were given a few ‘freebie’ words (walkathon, raise) to assist them with their recount. The structure of a recount is now embedded in many of my student’s writing. This is the ‘transfer of teaching’ that I often write about. Just because I teach something, doesn’t mean they’ve learnt it! Evidence of learning needs to be empirical. This independent writing is about a common experience. My students have applied the recount structure to a recount which is not a personal journal entry. Fantastic!
I’m often contacted by organisations wishing me to promote their cause via Nina’s Arena. I only support non-profit organisations which promote the well-being of children as their mission. Link: http://www.freshair.org/
Hi again Nina,
I wanted to thank you again for helping to support the Fresh Air Fund this past Summer. You’ve helped support the efforts of our local volunteer leaders to recruit more dedicated host families who are willing to open their homes to a Fresh Air child for up to two weeks during the summer. By sharing our Volunteer Host Family Program and wonderful summer memories, we were able to spread the word to other potential supporters, who help to keep our programs flourishing. With your help, thousands of Fresh Air children embarked on free summer vacations this summer. I was hoping you could post a mention on Nina’s Arena to keep the Fresh Air Fund alive in the minds of your readers and followers.
My Preps (5&6 year olds) are in their final week of Term 3. It’s wonderful to be their first school teacher, and I’m enjoying their enthusiasm for learning combined with their sense of fun. They love to dance, sing and create, and Friday afternoon is their special time when I’m the DJ and they, including their parents supply the weekly music. They’re an active and industrious group of young learners.
The random examples of independent Recount writing contained in this post displays their understanding of the Recount structure. I’m using the PM Writing Big Book exemplars and structure to scaffold writing development.
Extending my Prep’s writing is a focus and relates to our current inquiry. The children realise that their journal is a record of their personal history. They understand that detail in their journal will provide a better record of their experiences when they read their journal in future years.
I’ve included pictures of our WALT – ‘we are learning to’ and WILF – ‘what I’m looking for’ our success criteria. These are wiped and changed for different tasks. I’m very pleased with my Prep’s writing development, particularly their use and interest in punctuation and detail.
Differentiation of instruction to cater for the learning needs of my students is my focus when planning. Planning tasks based on careful assessment
combined with quality feedback has enabled my young students to move along their learning continuum. Differentiation involves instruction which is whole class, incorporates fluid/flexible groupings and individual instruction.
Differentiation is not total individualised instruction. It is the provision of multiple approaches to content, process and product. It’s embedded and centred on the continuous learning of both student and teacher. Individual needs are catered for within the task by allowing choice. Providing choice engages young learners and enables them to build on their prior knowledge, skills and understandings.
Assessment is embedded in the program and carefully planned to provide information ‘for learning’, ‘of learning’ and ‘as learning’. Rick Wormeli discusses planning based on quality assessment and states ‘90% of differentiation is what teachers do before kids walk through that door’. Differentiation is ‘good teaching’.
I’ve been asked to provide some posts on teaching maths. Last week I planned a series of counting tasks, one which had my students complete a recorded counting activity. Our focus has been pattern and order, place value, ‘trusting the count’, ‘counting back’, and ‘counting on’ to solve problems.
My students have been counting by 1’s, 2’s, 10’s, 5’s, 100’s from zero and are now exploring ‘skip counting’ from different numbers.
Children are working at different places on the continuum and tasks are planned to cater for all. The continuum for teaching mathematics being developed at my school is Prep to secondary level. Children progress along the continuum after careful and continuous assessment. The children could choose to count by any number they wished. Some chose to count by 1’s, others by 10’s and 2’s. They all worked independently for this activity.
As part of our inquiry into personal histories, the children have been learning about themselves, their family members, migration and traditions. This is the last week of our present inquiry. My students will be completing their summative assessment this week.
I love children’s drawings, their use of color and perception. Just beautiful!
Nina Davis: Teaching & Learning in Australia 