Teaching Inquiry 2019

Summarise the challenge of student learning you plan to
focus on in this inquiry. Be as clear and specific as you can
about the evidence you about this to date.

Malo e lelei EVERYONE,

Earlier this week all schools in the Manaiakalani cluster met down at Tamaki College to look at the achievement data across all schools in the cluster for 2018. It always is a great learning experience for both teachers and Woolf Fisher research team to identify the strengths and weaknesses in our students learning.

Before attending the meeting I was still indecisive about which achievement challenge to inquire into this year. After the meeting, I decided that my inquiry focus for 2019 will be: Achievement Challenge #3 - Lift the achievement in Reading for all students, with a particular focus on boys and Maori students (both genders) Years 1-13.

Describe how and why you have selected this challenge of student learning. Locate your inquiry in the context of patterns of student learning in Manaiakalani overall.

Listening to Woolf Fisher present their findings and learning that the gap is widening between Manaiakalani schools achievement levels and the national norm provoked me to focus my inquiry into reading. Leaving the meeting, I was adamant that Reading was the way to go.

Explain why you judge this to be the most important and catalytic issue of learning for this group of learners this year

Being a Year 7 & 8 classroom teacher, it becomes a goal to ensure my students are prepared and advanced in their learning, ready for high school. Having had success with my focus in Writing last year, I'd like the same outcome for Reading this year.

Summary of my CoL experience for 2018

Summary of CoL Journey for 2018

Having started the CoL within schools teacher role half way through 2018, I decided to apply for the role again because it was an informative learning opportunity for me. I became more interested about Inquiring into students' learning and my own teacher practice.

Last year I had the opportunity to work with a group of 6 Year 8 boys and 1 Year 7 who were disengaged and not interested in Writing. They lacked self-confidence and self-belief in their ability to write. I implemented the Accelerated Learning in Literacy strategies of front-loading, double dosing and gradual release of responsibility into my teaching practice. I asked questions about their interests and incorporated their adoration of music and visual images into Writing.

Long story short - here are the results made by my focus group from 2018.

Learner Voice about ALL Journey so far.

I thought to get some student voice on what the learners think about the journey thus far. I wanted them to give me feedback on what they've enjoyed most and what they're most proud of. I also asked them to provide me with feedback on what to do next.

Here's what they had to say:

 ALL Boys Responses

ALL Workshop #2

At the 2nd ALL workshop this year, teachers were invited to briefly share about their ALL journey thus far.

Here are some of the highlights from Cycle #1 and Cycle #2 and some of the successes we've had on this journey.

In Cycle #2, I was privileged to have 3 more teachers jump on the "ALL wagon". It was a sign of success because it meant the intervention was proving to be a success and was slowly making it's way across the school.

Front-Loading using a video.

Today in our ALL session the boys watched a video about the HUMAN BODY. To front-load them for what the whole class will be learning tomorrow, they were withdrawn from class to go and watch the video in our breakout room.

Front-loading your target students can be something as simple as watching a video. You're preparing them for what you will subsequently be teaching. This way, if you are going to ask questions, your target students will have prior knowledge about the topic and could contribute in class/group discussions. Setting them up for success!

Inside Ralphie's Body - Magic School Bus video