Reading and Play Based learning Observations 28.6.18

Reading groups observations of New Entrants- 28.6.18

Today I had CRT and as my Teacher as Inquiry this year is on adapting the Reading programme to include Play Based Learning I decided to go and observe the other classes.

New Entrant Classes

Play based learning stations while two teachers read with reading groups in Room 3. One teacher roving and using social coaching in Rooms 1 and 2.

Browsing boxes for each group with previous readers. Read from browsing boxes when waiting for the guided reading session.

Group 1 observation (red robins)

Focus- recap “lips the fish” and what that means, letter sounds

Sally’s snowman (L3)- pre discussion

-show the cover of the book. Why might we choose this book?- Its snowing.

-What season is it?

-What can you make in winter?

-Predict what may happen.

Let’s use our “eagle eyes” and look at the picture-What do you see? How is she feeling?

Finger on the first word. Let’s have a go at reading all by ourselves.

Teacher modelling finger pointing.

Can you find the word “look” because finding our click words is our goal (points to modelling book)

While reading

Where’s the capital letter that goes with that letter (l-L)

Let’s have a prediction... What do you think will happen on the next page?

A tricky word… let’s use “lips the fish” to help us. What’s in the picture that starts with sssss? Let’s try that word to see if it make sense. Tries a few suggestions. Does that sound right? Because it sounds right we better re-read it because we use the “trying lion” and keep on trying.

-look, looking etc

Clipboard for next group sent next door for the third teacher to bring Children through.

Group 2 observation- “Blue birds”  

Focus-we have been looking at the word endings. Ed, ing,

Check reading log books.

-use modelling book to go through the focus. Who can tell me the ending in green/yellow etc. what happens to the word play when we add a word ending. Let’s put this word in a sentence.

-re-reading yday book and we are learning to read nice and smoothly.

“Brown mouse plays a trick” level 9.

Let’s start and remember I’m looking for smooth reading, looking at our first word.

Ready, go.

“Liked” save it in your brain and tell me what you saw at the end of the page.

Finger on your nose if you spotted a “ed” word. Added to the modelling book.

Reminded children if they see a word with an ending to save it to the end.

Teacher modelling reading along and pointing when needed.

Put your finger on a word with an “ed” ending. What’s the word?

I want to hear smooth reading. Child 1 will read aloud first. Then child 2 and 3- explained the second two children’s I’ll read in your heads and track with their eyes. Teacher listened to each child and praised their reading.

Recapped prediction from yday.

“Turn the page” let's read this together, ready, go.

What if we changed the word ending in the word looked. Looking- teacher gave sentence examples.

Let’s slow it down and read it together.

Book finished- thumbs up if you agree it was a good trick. Discussion on tricks. Good ending or sad ending to a story.

Books away.

Reading observation Room 6/7

-Blends craft in the main room. Teacher sends children through for the teacher.

-next group on the mat ready to come up to the teacher

-a group on the iPads in the middle learning space

-roll, checking the whole group is here.

-we are learning to be ready for our reading. Getting out book out, reading folder on the floor and starting to read silently with the old book while waiting.

-shut books, new book

Focus- We are looking at digraphs today

WALT- to find digraph some

What is a digraph- 2 letters, 1 sound

What are some digraphs you know? Ch, sh, ph, th, wh

Record ideas in the modelling book.

”rally car race” level 19.

Discuss the title- what’s a rally? Discuss the meaning.

The main focus is the look for digraphs. “Eyes on the first word” then we are going to “be a detective” and find the digraph.

We are reading together so we may need to read a little slower.

(Picture prompts)

“Be a detective” and find a digraph. Record digraph words in the book.

Now I will read with one person at a time. The rest of you read quietly to yourself and you need to find a digraph then write it in the modelling book. Children recording the words themselves.

Teacher reading 1:1 and making anecdotal notes as they go.

Reflection from observations today:

I really enjoyed being able to go into other classes and to observe what they were doing with their play based learning and their reading groups. It has been a long time since I have had time to do this. I found it really valuable. I saw many new ideas for play based learning that I am keen to bring up into out setting.

For example, in the new entrant classes they had an open ended craft activity table. There was a lot of different craft pieces for the kids to use like pipe clears, confetti, sparkles, google eyes, different paper, glue, feathers etc. The children really seemed to enjoy being able to make their own creations and take their creations in any direction they choose.

There was a Science table with Inquiry topic activities on for the children to do. I also saw a Numeracy themed table with a range of Maths equipment on that they can use with a range of play type options.

They had a range of building equipment out that the children could use to create things much like what we have in our rooms.

I thought it was great that the NE had musical instruments out for the kids to use and this is something I would love to adapt into our programme as the children love playing with the instruments however in the space we have I am unsure if it would work due to the noise level. This is something I will look into.

As I was watching the teachers take their guided reading groups I was reminded of some of the reading strategies cards I used to use which I will bring back out to help prompt children to use their reading strategies. There is a great range of reading strategy prompt cards you can use depending on the children's needs so I will make these up.

All teachers used modelling books to show and recap learning. I really liked how one of the teachers got the children to record ideas as they found them while reading themselves while she worked 1:1 with the children. The children really took ownership of this and it kept them very focused on their task. This is something I want to adapt into my reading groups with the higher levels.

From a lot of today's observations I have decided what I am doing with Play based learning and reading is going very well and we are well on the way to having a successful play based setting.

Moments of Praise

Being a teacher you are constantly giving praise and feedback to the children in your class. It is a way of life and seems very ingrained in how we do things. It seems to be quite rare that we ourselves have other adults in our class who can give us praise and feedback about our work. I forgot how rarely it happens until recently when I received a couple of emails with a short time frame praising me for my work.

It was such a satisfying experience. It made me want to continue to get comment like this. It made me reflect on how the children must feel when they get praise from us. And that feeling of pride that they must feel. I felt I could walk tall and be confident that I had been doing a good job. 

I am going to aim to praise my colleagues more regularly about things they have done. I want them to know they are doing a good job and that I value what they do.  This will hopefully help foster a good team environment and be great encouragement. 

Creativity Meeting/PD- Manaiakalani

Creativity- Lessons need to have a hook. This helps with behaviour management. The more interesting the lesson the more engaged the children will be. Creating is part of the Manaiakalani Structure. Creativity empowers learning.

Today's Tasks:

Make a duck out of 7 pieces of lego. 7 pieces, no more, no less. Share back to the group after.

-The task was very engaging and would be achievable by 5 year olds. 

Belfast Year 1 Term 2 Staff Meeting- Creativity Slideshow

Task: to create a paper plane that flies forward 3 metres, then turns to the left. You need to record this to share with others. Use the link below to scaffold your learning in the task.

Paper Planes

By doing this task you use your prior knowledge and the information provided to create something and learn something new.

These are the video's we shared as evidence of our task. It was a fun task that I'm sure would engage the children also. At the end of the task we were asked to evaluate our work and discuss and the materials we used and how the creative opportunities would work for our children. Tasks like this encourage and develop creativity.

Use as a reading task and take notes on what works. By playing around with the facts and trying to create something the children will learn more and retain it. 

Today's session was a good reminder as to why creativity is important. We discussed how engaged we were and ways to use technology to advance the learning and share the learning to have a purpose. Use the iPad's as an avenue to help share their learning. This is something on reflection I need to do more as creativity empowers learning.

RIRO- Resiliency Promotion Workshop

RIRO-Travelling the "Road of Life" with Resilience.

As part of our school Professional Development this year we have been attending the RIRO workshops. It was in the hopes to help us get through serious challenges in our professional and social lives and to develop some good strategies.
We learnt about the how the brain reacts in stressful situations and particularly how children can respond in fight, flight or freeze due to the cortisol.
Resilience helps cope with stress, bounce back from trauma and reach out for new opportunities. People who are resilient are healthier, happier, live longer, more successful and are less likely to be depressed.
Through the workshop we discussed coping mechanisms and ways we can calm and de-stress.
In the moment strategies for me include, deep breaths, pausing, music, having a picture of a relaxing place to look at. Long-term strategies for me include, holidays, sleep, having a good support network, chocolate/wine, massages, trashy tv.
Through discussion we had to develop a plan. I am going to keep going to the gym, having "me" time, keep chatting with my colleague next door, prioritise and not always put work first. I am going to stay accountable by sharing my plan with Lisa, one of my best friends and teaching colleagues.

It is important to use our own strategies and to model behaviour for children to learn.
A great clip to teach self-regulation and self control is the Cookie Monster clip "Me wait".
A clip to teach Empathy to watch is... Brene Brown on Empathy.
The "Inside Out" movie is a great movie to get children talking about their feelings.

Under pressure and stress we can all jump to conclusions. This is automatic and based on past events. We need to pause and reflect before we react. The thoughts we have make us feel a certain way and then we react. This goes round and round. We need to stop and notice how we respond in stressful situations. A thought is just a thought,it can lead you up the garden path without having all of the facts. To help develop resilience it is important to try catch your thoughts as these can help or hinder your resilience.
It is easy to miss what you are not looking for. Sometimes your brain is so busy it makes shortcuts and your brain filters out information that doesnt align with your beliefs. Video- Awareness Test.
It is often that we focus on the bad behaviour and not the good. We see what we want to see and hear what we want to hear. We need to focus on getting out of the thinking habit traps.
To help build resilience in our children we need to keep to routines, use class strategies and give children choices. We can teach children resilience by using mindfulness , spending time in nature and in green spaces, see mistakes as ok, use humour and express gratitude. Ask yourself "What are you grateful for?"
I chose for myself to be in nature regularly, be grateful (incorporate into class), and be mindful and live in the moment.

The course was a great reminder to have a work-life balance. It is important to give yourself time to relax and de-stress. This makes us happier and also gives us a better quality of work. Being in teaching can be very stressful and to be able to de-stress having good coping mechanisms in place is vital.

RIRO notes

RIRO Certificate