MIT KPMG Session 3

KPMG Session Three

Feedback/ Next Steps:

-Includes mini lesson Plans with each argumentation board
- 'About this site' -blurb + short video. ( The why? Whats the deal with argumentation boards and critical literacy?)
-Site flow: The site will be in three parts.
Part One- Argumentation Boards + teacher notes.
Part Two - Prompts - Each question prompt will have a link with a short video showing how students use that particular prompt.

https://developingindigitalworlds.blogs.auckland.ac.nz/ 

MIT Tool

As the end of the year creeps up, I have been thinking about my 'Tool' for my MIT Inquiry. This year I have explored multiple options and ideas- each with its own advantages and disadvantages. I have to constantly take myself back to my problem; Student achievement in literacy. As my students have begun making accelerated progress I have reflected on the what? and how? What has made this shift and how has it helped them. I have changed many aspects of my literacy programme this year to suit the needs of my learners. The biggest change has been the use of argumentation boards to prompt critical literacy, critical reasoning and evaluating texts at a deeper level, and also my pedagogy has developed through my developing digital worlds PD.

Tool: 

My tool idea has been to create a resource bank of Argumentation Boards- to allow other teachers to use the resources that are already made. Sometimes the problem for teachers to give it a go is they don't know where to start. So I am wanting to have a place where the can view and copy our argumentation boards. 

Hurdles: 

- How will the site update? How can I ensure that it is added too?

- How can I ask other teachers for their resources to add to it?

- Should I include reflections on each argumentation board... What worked? 

- Could I add question cards as a resource? 

Science PD Term 3 and Science Observation

Staff Meeting Points:

• Use interest/ engagement to strengthen and go deeper.
• Changing their identity so they become competent.
• CrossCuts make the knowledge coherent.

We talked about how Identity, Interest, Contextual strands, crosscutting concepts, and science and engineering practices integrate to build strong scientific knowledge and lessons. 

I talked about how my squid dissection lesson focused on the living world. We carried out an investigation and collected data using our five senses. We used the crosscutting concept of function and systems to discuss how the squid's internal systems are suited for is habitat. 

This week Susan came into our classes to model more science lessons. She did a water-based science experience, a static experience and then with my class she did  "Can we heat water in a paper cup".

Introduction: 
Susan discussed the science field we would be working in; chemistry and physics.  (Using this vocabulary from a young age was important to help students make connections within science). She started with a story about the droughts in Australia. (Vocabulary: Agriculture, emergency, water needed for life, livestock, problem)

Discussion of Apparatus: ( Talked about the structure and function of each tool that we would be using, students drew each tool and labeled it  )

• Thermometer 
• Meth Burner 
• Gauze Mat 
• Tri-pod 
• Beaker 

- Students drew a diagram that represented the creation of heat. ( Discussed this is a symbolic representation for heat- it is standardized)

Experiment: 
Students set up their heat source. They had a beaker of ice cold water- they took the starting temperature. They then poured water into a small paper cup (Muffin case). They lit the meth burner alight and then watched the water in the paper cup start to steam and bubble. They retook the temperature and recorded it.

Reflection: 
PMI - What happened? Questions? Thoughts?
Recap of key vocab.

So what ? 

For me, the biggest take away was how Susan constantly stated and went back to the key vocabulary. At the end of the lesson, the students were using that vocabulary to describe different parts of the experience. Instead of saying 'I used the pointy thing' They were saying ' I used the thermometer to measure the temperature of the water'. This is the most important aspect of the lesson and I think would extend my students thinking and how they discuss science.

MIT Half way point

As term three has started I am currently at my halfway point for my MIT Inquiry. I have spent the first half of the year researching and trialing the best ways to effectively teach literacy. After comparing my Asstle data from the start of the year to the end of term 2 there was a shift in my students progress. This shift I believe was due to; reciprocal reading practices being implemented, and the use of argumentation strategies.

	Score	Consistent Gaps
A	2P	Find, select and retrieve information Make inferences Respond using understandings and information Skim and Scan for information Knowledge of Vocabulary Identification and understanding of main ideas.
B	2P
C	3B
D	2B

The tool I am wanting to design is a website which will be a resource bank with examples of argumentation boards- to help other teachers develop the skills to use argumentation strategies. I will spend this term focusing on developing this tool, to benefit not only the teachers but the students.

The Power of Possibility - Cultivating a growth mindset in YOUR classroom

The Power of Possibility - Cultivating a growth mindset in YOUR classroom.- Lindsey Wesner 

What is a growth mindset? The power of 'yet', using our failures to move forward.
failure is an opportunity to grow

Strategies for a Growth Mindset

• Design Tasks
• Teacher Mindset
• Student Mindset 
• Language of possibility 
• Praise and Award 
• Assessment and feedback

Task Design 

How do I create a task and make sure that it is cultivating a growth mindset?

1. Clear instructions - set up for success 
2. Not a ‘recipe’- Giving students choices, ‘openness’, not one route to success 
3. High expectations- 
4. Differentiated Pace - Moving away from ‘faster is better’, how are we phrasing deadlines?
5. Real-world relevance- getting students ready for the ‘real’ world/ real problems.
6. Critical thinking required
7. Opportunity for reflection- build it into a task design. 
8. Choice of product/ output - 
9. Audience - a Wider audience
10. Choice of topic/focus - Choose the challenging focus
11. Extension and enrichment - Ninja task/ ninja belt
12. Cooperation - multiple perspectives/ challenges our mindset 
13. Scaffolding
14. Value process over product. 
15. Divergence over convergence - Follow passions/ inquiry
16. Assessment methodology- Have to know what success looks like. Co-constructed S.C.
17. Goal creation

• Google forms Differentiated Learning - Build a form that helps to scaffold for students depending on their answers.
• Choice boards- Give students OPTIONS. Give students opportunities to demonstrate their understanding.  
• Google maps- Map things add notes/links etc 
• Draft back extension- Playback of how students completed a task. gives your data/ summary of how much each student has done. Moving away from the product to process.

Part Two

Assessment and Feedback 

Why?

Why are we doing assessment?

Assessment FOR learning 

Using the suggesting mode 

Students need to engage with each comment 

Kaizena- allows voice comments on docs!

Who?

Austins butterfly 

Peer assessment 

Google Form- Create a rubric 

What? 

Assessing the progress 

GROWTH of Learning

Version history - Name the version- First draft / improved/ feedback from Jimmy/ My best work right now.

When?

Where?

Questions over a comment. Questions promote cognitively. 

- Ask students questions and get them to respond with a short video. Formative feedback.

What did you find hard about the task?

How did you work well as a group?

How did you solve this question? (Maths) 

What do you think the answer is? (Could do for our which one doesn't belong). 

Speeches- Looking at different techniques of a speech. 

Praise and Award 

What are we praising? 

Growth Mindset theory- Praise effort and strategy 

Ed Tech Summit - Day One

Jessie Lubinsky- Capes not required 

Key Note Speaker

20% time- giving students time to follow a project they are interested in. Allows students to follow their passions.

Jessie's school created a fund, where students could apply for money through an innovation fund. The framework of the projects was around 'Improve the school community'.

1. Following their passion
2. Celebrate their Stars - (Daniel Kish Story) "Running into a pole is a rag, but never being allowed to run into a pole is a disaster"- using echolocation to ride a bike. Focus on allowing students to celebrate what they have - give them opportunities to do anything. Project Unicorn (10-year-old girl with one arm created a glitter shooter. "You cant be sad if you're covered in glitter".
3. Honour Individuality -Help students navigate challenges.


Next Steps:
Brainstorm how could we improve our school's environment?
Get ideas from the kids- allow them to follow their projects during their 20% time.

Observation of Reciprocal Reading

Today I went and observed Dani and a reciprocal reading group. 

What I noticed: 

Dani encouraged the student to ask questions to each other opposed to her

Encouraging them to google unknown words or answers to questions they have. 

The Boss 

The Predictor 

The Clarifier 

The Questioner 

The Summarise 

The boss sits at the top of the table. The teacher sits as part of the group. This was a big take away for me as I am trying to move away from being the center- and I think where I choose to sit is an important aspect. 

The students did a great job of asking questions and answering them. My students are currently writing down questions but I wonder if they should just ask each other. My focus is to get the students to think about the text- maybe there isn't much point getting them to write it down??

It was great for me to see what year 7/8 students are doing so that I can see the next steps for some of my students. I went away thinking I need to play more of a guiding role as opposed to being at the center of my reciprocal reading groups. I am finding it hard to juggle proving teaching and also letting them think for themselves and run the session. Dani had the balance perfect! 

Also as students used a strategy it is important to name the strategy. Dani told the students when they used different reading strategies- This would be extremely beneficial to my students so that they actually know and understand what strategies they are using.

This, with my argumentation focus, would help me create a strong reading programme for the rest of the year! And will hopefully see some accelerated progress :)