Blogpost #7 - Causal Chain

 My Causal Chain for my intervention

Blogpost #6 - Intervention: Implementation & monitoring of new approaches

Before talking about my intervention, I want to make clear that the focus of my inquiry has changed, yet again. My inquiry focus is: How does a teachers 'Occupational Well-being' impact the learning of their students.

The reason for the change is because 'Well-Being' is a broad concept and as CoL teachers, we cannot save the world in a day. I also found it challenging to come up with an intervention because of how broad my inquiry focus was. After a talanoa with Fiona, She helped me refine my thinking to understand how huge Well-being is. I will continue to shape my inquiry to an achievable focus, so that I know my 2022 intervention is successful.

Share: 

What I've done differently this year is collaboration. I feel my team have hit the nail on the head when it comes to collaboration. We also do cross-grouping between the 3 classes in my team, that enables all learners to experience learning with the Team Tui teachers.Due to the previous 2 years consisting of a lot of home learning, we hadn't had much opportunity to ensure that this way of teaching and learning is executed effectively. 

Describe: 

Something I'd like to share from this change in practice is evidence of our planning. We have a team unit planning where we link in resources of what our students will be learning in the weeks of the term. We have resources for all levels (differentiation) and because it covers all the levels of learning in all 3 classes.

For Reading and Maths, we did cross-grouping, each teacher in the team would teach a level. For instance, I would teach Level 2 learners from all 3 classes, Mary would teach all the Level 3 students and Ronil would teach the Level 4 learners. We took into consideration our strengths, planned explicit whole class and guided group lessons and students in the team are able to connect with others outside of their classrooms, build trusting relationships with other teachers and work collegially with those at their levels.

Explain:

Some of the tweaks we made along the way was to ensure we planned for guided group teaching too. We did notice that when we were teaching the students all at one level, we tend to fall into whole class teaching and neglected group teaching. It wasn't until I was doing observations and I was being observed too, that this reflection was picked up. 

Blogpost #5 - Academic Research & Readings

 Reading #1: News Article Staff Absences due to Illness surge, Gaps in learning, Behavioural Issues..., Teachers Catching Covid at a faster rate

- All these articles have highlighted the issues around covid and other related illnesses that have affected students and teachers. This also brings awareness to the stress and worries that Principals, schools and staff have been battling the last two years.

Reading #2: Educational Article The Importance of Teacher Well-Being

- Research in NZ shows that Teachers have higher burnout scores than the average for workers in the human services sector. 

- Individuals may interpret well-being differently depending on their culture, their character and their situation.

Reading #3: Patterns of Teachers' Occupational Well-Being

- This reading was based on a study that examined profiles' of teachers occupational well-being during the Covid-19 pandemic. The data was collected from Finnish teachers, however, I am certain that many teachers here in Aotearoa could relate to this study. Some evidence from the research highlights that teachers around the globe experienced an increase in occupational stress in just the first 4 months of the pandemic. 

Blogpost #4 - Hypothesise & Research

 1. Share your findings about the nature and extent of the student challenge. Make sure it is clear what evidence from your inquiry supports each finding.

- From the 5 Achievement challenges, it was difficult to hone in on ONE particular challenge that I felt, best fit what my Inquiry is this year. I've decided to go with Achievement Challenge #1 because of the keywords "Cultural Visibility and Responsive Practices across the Pathways". 

My inquiry this year is on the importance of 'Student and Teacher well-being' and how it impacts the learning that takes place in the class. It's a broad focus, but I feel it holds power, especially in the times we're living in. The reason I made this decision, is because I have seen how chaotic it's been with student/teacher absences due to covid, the winter flu and other illnesses. Days of recovery take up to 2 weeks. The absences and even the returning to school after it, can take on a toll on everyone.

So, my hypotheses for my inquiry this year is: Schools need to consider HYBRID LEARNING as a new form of teaching (in this day and age) and should further implement it and not use it as a one-off mechanism. Taking into consideration the health and well-being of our learners and teachers and being well aware that the recovery process for covid and the flu, can easily take up to two weeks.

Some of my Findings: 

1. Student Absences may not seem like a big problem. But, absences add up quickly. And, these missed school days can have a big impact on the child's learning. 

Link to website: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/school/Pages/School-Attendance-Truancy-Chronic-Absenteeism.aspx

2. Staff Absences 'through the roof' at schools due to illness surge. This year, covid and the flu have hit hard, particularly in our schools.

Link to website: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/468695/class-cancelled-staff-absences-through-the-roof-at-schools-due-to-illness-surge

Blogpost #3 - Preliminary Findings

Begin to collect evidence and data and come to the next session ready to share your preliminary findings about the nature and extent of the student challenge i.e. using your baseline student data and evidence

With my inquiry this year being on "Teacher and Student well-being", I will have a mix of concrete and abstract evidence for my findings. 

My target group (teachers and students) is my team of teachers and my class as a whole. My team did partake in the 'Occupational well-being' survey and my students have completed a learner voice survey that I will conduct on a termly basis. 

I aspire to conduct the learner voice every term to ensure there is consistency but also to affirm the results are not just based on a one off experience. The most recent learner voice was based on Teacher expectations and Teacher-Student relationships. Here are the results:

Standards & Expectations:

-Believes I can learn

-Is sad when I not do well

- Tells students off if they have been naughty

- Students are well behaved and do not get in the way of my learner

-Is very good at treating everyone in the same way

-Is ready & organised to teach us there is no time wasted getting things ready

Teaching & Learning - Relationships

- Cares about me

- Trusts me

- Is excited about teaching me

- Is interested and listens to my ideas

- Takes time to find out things I am interested in

- Knows what I can and can't do in my learning

- Is someone I look up to; I think very highly of them.

Another piece of evidence i'd like to share is my class winning the Glen Taylor School 'Alan's Class Attendance Award'. Since the beginning of Term 2, Room 11 has won this award EVERY WEEK (that's 5 weeks). I consider this evidence because it shows me that my learners enjoy school. They are attending on a daily basis, the sound of laughter and chatter ripples through the class and the student work displayed around the class reciprocates this.