Professional Development: Mind Sets

As part of our Professional development we have been learning about Fixed mind sets and Growth Mindsets. I have taken a great interest in mind sets and found it very fascinating.
This theory was created by " Carol Dweck". She talks about how having a "Growth Mind set" can grow our minds capacity to learn and solve problems. A “growth mindset,” thrives on challenge and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence but as a heartening springboard for growth and for stretching our existing abilities. 

Below I have have included a visual image about the two mind sets Fixed and Growth mindset.

I am looking forward to find out which mind set the children have in my classroom and guiding them and supporting them to have Growth mind sets so that they able to succeed in their learning.

I have also included Carol Dweck's Video on " The power to believing that you can improve" which I found very interesting. 

The video talks about how fixed mind set people run from the challenges/errors and failures where as "Growth Mindset"people embrace the challenges and struggles to grow as a person as well as in their learning. They are more engaged in their learning. They learn from their mistakes/failures and they correct it. 

Carol talks about how as Educators we should praise children on the process praise such as prising the child on their strategies, efforts and progress in their learning. With this process of praise children then to gain more confidence in their learning and their self esteems.

Inspirational TED video "Every child needs a Champion"

In one of our staff meetings in Week 1 Term 3 we were shown an Inspirational TED clip called "Every child needs a Champion". This video was presented by Rita Pierson. Before being shown this video I had not heard of her or had seen her video. I found what she had to say in her video very inspirational. In her Video she quoted "James Comer says that no significant learning can occur without a significant relationship. George Washington Carver says all learning is understanding relationships. " I believe that this is true when it comes to a teaching context. We need to build effective bonds with the children that we teach and we also need to understand them too. When you have an effective relationship with the children that you teach and create meaningful bonds and understanding with them and they like you than effective learning is established.

I also believe that having good relationships with the teachers I work with at my school is also important. Being able to like each other and converse and have effective communication will also help with being able to learn from each other and share ideas so that can provide better learning environments for our learners.

Term 3 day One!

Monday 20th July 2015

Today was the first day back at School after a 2 week break. During the holidays I came into school and I played around with the setting of my classroom. So today when my students came in they all had huge grins on their faces and were all astonished at how different our classroom looked. They were all excited and the first thing that they said was "WOW MISS THIS LOOKS AWESOME!!. WE LOVE IT!"

Before, the classroom had a more closed atmosphere and I felt that in regards to that the children's learning was impacted and certain behaviours arose which made it hard to manage. So during the School holidays, being it my very first own classroom and being a BT  new digital immersion teacher it got me thinking of how I could better change the classroom environment so that this could be eliminated and more learning could be achieved in a more positive manner.
 
I found that before the teachers desk was in a position where I could not view all the children and it was hidden in a corner so firstly I moved my desk to an area of the classroom where I could see all the desks and see all the children. I also moved my student teacher table around so that I was facing the students instead of having my side or back to them. This was I could teach my group as well as monitor the children that were doing independent activities.

Our classroom did not have a library corner before where it actually looked inviting for the children where they could relax on the bean bags and couch and grab a book from the Novel shelves and reading shelves and sit down and read. I felt this was an important area to work on as I wanted to create an area where children felt comfortable and where they could be encouraged to go and read for enjoyed so that they could develop on their passion for reading as well as their understanding/comprehension and reading skills.

When looking at rearranging my classroom some other aspects that I thought about were:

1. Ways to maximize my ability to see and be seen by all of my students
2. Facilitate ease of movement throughout the classroom.
3. Minimize distractions so that my students are best able to actively engage in their learning.
4. Library corner: So that children know that that area is a quiet area and that whey they are in that area they are either reading quietly or working quietly.
5. Children's tables spread out and each group having their allocated tables- So that they know when they are at those tables that is where they are working together and working collaboratively. 

When designing my allocated tables I decided last term when I first began fulltime in my classroom that I would have allocated table groups. I decided to mix the students up so that they all were in different group. The reason for this was that I found that majority of the class needed to work on their co-operative learning skills and team skills, communication and oral skills when working with other peers in their class that they didn't usually work with. Each able group was named after popular animated cartoon that the students were into: Dragon Ball Z, Digimon, Naruto, Pokémon.

From day one of Term 3 I have made sure that I went through the rules and expectations with the children reviewing them from Term 2. I made sure that the children understood that this classroom is our learning environment and we need to respect it by keeping in clean and organised because when it is clean and organised it makes learning easier and makes our classroom have a more positive happy nature to it instead of it being all cluttered and unorganised. I have found that if I show the children my mind set of being organised and that I care about organisation then the children will also develop that attitude too.

I also learnt that it is important to balance having structure and guidelines with having fun and enjoyment with the children as well and being that bond with them and that strong relationship. I wanted my class to know that even those I have this structure and guidelines I am also a fun teacher and enjoy doing fun activities with my class.

Overall I was impressed at how my students took it to having the classroom being changed around. They defiantly grasped it with open arms.

I am definitely looking forward to the rest of Term 3 with my awesome class!!

                                                                                   

                                                                              

My Inquiry Focus Term 2 2015

Hi everyone! This is my Inquiry focus for Term 2 2015 as a new Digital Immersion teacher.

Home School Partnership-Mathematics

On Wednesday the 25th of March we had the Junior Home School Partnership on Mathematics.
On this night it gave the teachers and parents a great opportunity to work together and talk about Mathematics and how we can help/guide the students families in implementing mathematics in the home setting in terms of helping their children increase their mathematics knowledge and move up stages as well as increase their love for mathematics. This session was also to encourage parents in becoming more involved in their child's learning and teaching them how simple activities that they can do at home with their child every night can impact and help with their Mathematics.

There were 6 Teaching stations set up where the teachers would demonstrate to the parents how to use an activity in the parent packs that were given out at the beginning of the sessions.

I chose to demonstrate the squeezy box to the parents. I had made up 2 squeezy boxes per parent packs.  I also made up an instructions sheet for the parents that entailed how to use the squeezy box and a whole list of activities that they can do with their child.

Being it my first time for the home school partnership this gave me a fantastic opportunity to build relationships with the parents as well as the students and get to know them better.

Firstly I introduced myself to the parents: letting them know that I teach in all the classes from year . -8. I went onto explaining to them that inside their Mathematics package they will find two squeezy boxes as well as information and activities on how to use the squeezy box.

I went into explaining to the parents that this is a very simple activity to make up but it has many benefits for the children in regards to their learning and maths.

For beginners: The squeezy  box works on numeral identification. Through everyday exposure to numbers children will be able to read as well as idientify numbers. So to begin with its best to start of doing one side of the box and then move onto the other sides. I also stated to the parents that if their child comes to a number that they do not know it is okay as a parent to tell the child the number because the more they are exposed to the number as well the more it is repeated they will retain the number more.

We than moved onto introducing  the mathematical language of before and after. I demonstrated to a student a number and asked them " What number comes before 10" they would reply 9. If for example the child does not know this I would tell them "The number before 10 is 9" and I would get them to repeat it. The more exposure and the more repetition the more they will retain.

Now to extend the children that already know their number to 10 we can flatten the box and the numbers then become 2 digit numbers. Again we would go onto getting the children to read and identify the numbers and then move onto the other sides. We would then move onto before and after. Once the children have grasped identifying numerals and before and after we then move onto addition and subtraction. Again we move down the box. what is 2 more than 10. If the child is having difficultly understanding two more I explained to the parents that you can say it as a learning story. For example: Mary has 10 Barbie's and mum buys her 2 more Barbie's how many Barbie's will she have altogether? 10+2=12. I explained its best for them to try and get them to imagine- (hold ) the number 10 in their heads and then add 2 more. If they are having difficulty with that then you can use materials to develop their understanding.

We would do the same strategy for subtraction. I also stated that it is very important that we also use the mathematical language such as: plus, minus, equals. etc as that is what they are exposed to in the classroom as well as in the world around us.

There are a range of activities that the squeezy box can be used for in terms of learning mathematics: Numeral identification, addition, subtraction, division, times, place value.


I also went onto talk about how they can help their children in building knowledge of numbers (In our every day lives and the world around us)- I have listed just a few below.
Counting:

1. Cars
2. Shells on the beach
3. Pegs
4. Counting the vegetables that we put into our trollies when we go shopping.
5. How many steps you walk

Numbers before and after:

1. Using dice
2. Saying a number asking what number comes before or after
3. Reading numbers on mail boxes and saying what number comes before and after

Identifying numbers:

1. Reading letter boxes
2. Reading number plates
3. Reading speed signs.
4. Reading how many Km's to go.

Ordering numbers:

1. Writing numbers down
2. Ordering playing card numbers.

Below I have included a video that has information on a squeezy box.

http://prezi.com/nbroptk2dae4/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share


In conclusion, I felt that the Home School Partnership on Mathematics went really well. There was a good amount of parents and student's parents and they were very satisfied on how the night went.

Malama Honua

 

 

On Wednesday the 25th of March 2015 our School, Tamaki Primary went to Point England Beach to welcome the crew from Hawaii who have travelled to New Zealand on two Va'ka's named "Hokule'a & Hikianalia. The name of the Voyage is called "Malama Honua" which in English means " To care for our earth".

All of the local communities Manaiakalani Cluster Schools were present to welcome the crew.This wonderful and spectacular heart warming event was held in remembrance of our ancestors as we are all decedents of our ancestors.

The event prided on how our ancestors were extraordinary navigators and the amazing skills that the accentors held and the way they provided for their families.

Here is a video I found useful in regards to the journey and background of Malama Honua.

http://www.hokulea.com/worldwide-voyage/


Below I have included a video that was made on the day as well as photos taken.

 

 

Tamaki Primary I felt did exceptionally well with the Haka as well as the Waiata's. The children sung with such pride and honour which was just fantastic to see as well as be apart of. It was an amazing atmosphere to see all the cluster schools come together as one and welcome the crew.

 

 

 

 

    Here is a photo of the Va'ka coming into Point England Beach.

 

 Here is the 2nd Va'ka coming into Point England Beach.

 

 

 

 Here we have all the children ready to welcome the Crew.
This was my very first time to be part of such an amazing event. I will defiantly remember this for years to come. Especially when the children stood proudly and sung with great pride and with such soul. It was defiantly touching.

Teaching maths session on operations.

 



In one of my class sessions with the Seniors we learnt about different Maths operations. Our learning intention was:

WALT: Make a number in many different ways.

 

 During the whole part of the class session I went through what operations were with the students. We talked about that + (plus)  means when you add two or more objects such as counters or lollies   to get a  end sum. For example: 10+20=30. We talked about how that sum is interpreted as- ten plus twenty equals thirty.

We talked about the - ( Minus sign). How minus is also known as take away. For example if you started of with 27 apples and I ate 7 of them you would have 20 apples left.

We talk about the times/multiplication sign and how  2 times 3 is also known as 2 groups of 3.
For division we talked about how if we have 6 lollies and you shared them equally amongst 3 of your friends each friend would get 2 lollies each.

I modelled a number on the white board for the children and then we talked as a class on how we could use the different operations that we just talked about to create this number in different ways.


This activity gave the children an opportunity to work as a team collaboratively and work co-operatively together and put ideas together on how many different way they could make the target number.
Here are some photos of the children working co-operatively together and trying to find out how  many different way they could make the target number that I gave them.

Here are some photos of the students working together.

 
 
 
 





In relation to co-operative learning I came across this very interesting article By Jan Terwal. In that article that I read it said how "Co-operative learning helps with developing social strategies and social attitudes in students, and to improve
social relations within and between groups."

Cohen(1994) States  "Students
learning is supported when they have opportunities to describe their own ideas, hear others
explain their thoughts, speculate, question, and explore various approaches".  Co-operative learning with each other enable children to also develop skills such as problem solving skills as well as I believe gives the children an opportunity to have their own voice to be able to voice their ideas and thoughts regarding a topic/problem or question.



Here is an example of a few of the groups work and thinking.

 

 

I was really impressed on how the groups all worked together and how they really thought about how many different ways they could make the target numbers. Some groups not only used one operation but extended their thinking and used two operations in one equation.