Springin17 with TER

August 21, 2017

Long day 0800hrs to 1900hrs at school.

Start of a push with Year 7 WAKA cards with an emphasis on being learners who are PREPARED for each class. All of year 7 had an assembly, run by their dean, who showed a powerpoint about WAKA cards and how students showed that they are prepared for each lesson. Class representatives handed out blank cards as the students left the assembly. The cards are a good positive reinforcement for students which I have extensively used in my role as a relief teacher. If a student can accumulate 250 points across all four values (We are learners/Act with respect/Keep ourselves safe/Always proud) they are elevated to Rangatira (leader)status. In many classes, junior students will be organized and have their WAKA cards on their desks while they work. All the teacher has to do is endorse the card with a signature or stamp. Recognition of achievement in being a good role model is given as the students get to various milestones (50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 points)

Students had a “Warm Up” this morning. Such an activity is a great way to start the class giving them something to keep them occupied as you do the roll. Students given instruction while all gathered at the front. Plenary session with just 5 minutes to go also worked very well. This is the structure of how I hope to do my lessons. Warm up of up to 10 questions reinforcing previous learning. Formal presentation of the days WALT with clear examples of what is expected especially with setting out. Plenary session to gauge understanding of the class (formative assessment).

Caught up with the ITC Manager, Guy Ellingham, and was brought up to speed with the use of my cell phone to get on to the schools’ attendance system (Spider). This now means that I can mark a class roll without having to use a paper copy. It gets better. Guy told me to bring in my tablet which he will also adapt to do the same job. Having the larger screen will make the task a lot easier than trying to work on the small screen of a cell phone.

Mid-winter hui began at 1530hrs and went through to 1900hrs but this included a meal in the school cuisine department. Main emphasis was Dawn Lawrence’s presentation on her interpretation of the Maori metaphor – AKO. However, she followed a speech by our principal, Elizabeth Forgie, who detailed KKHS’s endeavours to lift the success of our Maori students. In 2005 the level 1 pass rate amongst maori students was 43.2%. By 2016 this had changed to 93.0%! A dramatic change which was attributed to various changes made at KKHS including being a founding school in the Te Kotahitanga programme.

Dawns presentation was thought provoking and she often had us speaking amongst ourselves to clarify what we understood of the terminology she was using e.g. We had to consider the continuum between transmission (chalk and talk) and dialogic interactions (continuous curiosity).