Well today was hard work. We started off this session with home work - to be honest, home work has never been a highlight for me, in fact I am not keen on it at all. So I have decided to make a stand and change the word from homework to .....Consolidation Time or Strengthen It or maybe Stabilisation Requirement! Sounds way more fun than homework! I din't really do the Stabilisation Requirement time well this time so it will be more of a focus this coming time!
Learning Intentions and Success Criteria - I love this part of my lessons and think it is one of the most powerful parts of a learners journey. I think I really started focusing on this when my son and daughter were is high school, they would bring home an assignment and ask for help, the first question I would ask them is 'what is the LI and SC?" They would just look blankly at me! Which I then reflected through my own teaching. I often ask myself 'How can a child succeed if they don't know what they are to do?'
Pilars of the maths - I am enjoying learning more about this and hope to explore it more. I need to make this part of my daily planning. mental note to self - print it off.
Class Site - Dorothy was wonderful as always. It was great to get a reminder of the class sites and has made me think about how I can improve that and get it up running. I use it more for reading but need to refresh how it can and probably have virtually everything on it. I feel that has fallen off the plate and needs to be rescued.
Stock Take - what a great way to reflect on what has or hasn't been happening. In an ideal world most of the elements have been present at some stage. This term has been a crazy term, yes I can see you all going "When isn't it a crazy term?" and I don't like using that as a reason why things aren't being done. Within that though, I haven't had two consistent weeks this term which makes planning, routines and embedding a foundation a tad difficult. I feel like I have constantly been chasing me tail not just with maths but everything else we are doing - I know I am not alone in this emotion! The detailed information shared has given me hope and excitement of getting things back to were they need to be. The resources and ideas are useful on so many levels. I have to get my head around them, and then, allow the team to embrace them. I feel good about this and know that in time we are going to be amazing. Thankful for all that you have given us this time and all the times before.
As it draws to an end....my head is swirling! During these sessions, I often find myself four slides behind the speakers as I am still engrossed or processing that slide! Thats a me problem - very much a processor.... I did have a light bulb moment today in the midst of it all, I remembered from varsity that we worked on the belief that '1 hour in the lecture meant another 2 hours in the library'. The only way to really get your head around what was being taught and offered to you. So with that in mind, its 5 hours in front of the screen is 20 hours exploring and consolidating! Thank goodness I have 3 weeks in between! Oh and we have the holidays this time!
Feeling good, exhausted but good!
Use these prompts to get you started (Note: the prompts are not prescribed questions and should only be initial fuel for a wider reflection).
What did I learn that increased my understanding of the kaupapa and pedagogy of the Manaiakalani Maths Programme ?
What did I learn that could improve my capability and confidence in teaching mathematics?
What did I learn that could be used with my learners?
What did I learn that could be shared within my wider community, with either colleagues, or whānau/aiga?
*Feel free to add images / slides to make your blog more interesting
