Blog post #2: Collaborate with school leadership team...

In our meeting with the senior management team, we identified our priority groups for 2020 using results from end of year assessments in 2019. Our priority groups are:

1. READING: Maori
2. WRITING: Maori & Boys
3. MATHS: Maori, Boys, Girls, Pasifika

Reflecting back on my Inquiry from the previous 2 years, I've learned a lot as a teacher and have seen some great shifts from students' attitudes & abilities towards literacy. 

As I begin to think about my inquiry for 2020 and after great discussions with colleagues and management, I realised that I need to maintain my focus on literacy and continue to build on this. Through observations and guided sessions with my students, I've identified VOCABULARY & IDEAS as areas of weakness.

I received a book from a colleague of mine, titled: What every primary school teacher should know about Vocabulary - by Jannie Van Hees & Paul Nation. I endeavour to read this to develop my understanding on new strategies and approaches to implement in class.

This year, my inquiry focus is going to be: 

Inquiry Question:
How will I change my teaching practice to ensure my learners are developing a deeper understanding of vocabulary (in Literacy)?

Blog post #1: Inquiry Stock Take

Reflection

What worked well?

• Using data to make informed decisions about selecting target students to work with, forming hypotheses, 
• ALL intervention strategies
• Whanau Engagement with intervention
• Student voice
• Talanoa sessions 
• Having another CoL Teacher to work alongside with at school 

Challenges

• Consistently monitoring/reflecting on my inquiry
• Identifying WHAT & WHY some students assessment results were inconsistent (probe results different to their PAT results)
• Finding time to commit to professional readings & research to help with my inquiry
• TIME!

Additional Support I'd like

• Taking it upon myself to reach out to other CoL Teachers (across & within schools), communicate with Woolf Fisher research team for some insight/advice
• Seek support from experienced practitioners to further enrich my inquiry this year

What I aim to learn about Inquiry this year

• How to be a more effective within schools CoL Teacher
• How to have a purposeful Inquiry - ensure my achievement challenge is relevant to school data results (ie. Our priority groups are Reading: Maori, Writing: Maori & Boys, Maths: Maori, Boys, Girls & Pasifika)
• How developing relationships with Woolf Fisher Research Team and Manaiakalani Team could enhance effective teacher practice and my understanding of research.