How can we capture learning and change growth for our whole community ?

As we come to the end of our first term of collaborative team teaching in our Engaging Learning Spaces (ELE's), it is time to gather some data. I am not referring to the kind of raw data that we collate from standardized assessments. I am referring to authentic and informative, evaluative reflections that Brian Annan referred to in a workshop that I attended last year. You can learn more in this blog link.  

Brian emphasized that the power of student agency shouldn't be confused with student voice. Student's learning must be driven by their own evaluation. They must be able to articulate what they need to change to take their learning forward. This is what must drive 'teaching as inquiry'. We need to move away from teacher ownership of the learning and change ideas and practices that we believe will support change. Instead we need to enable the students to articulate and action these.

For the last few years, as a staff we have been actively reflecting on our own pedagogical practice. We have been deliberately actioning change in our own practice to accelerate learning and achievement for our priority learners.

Yet, at times, we were still "doing learning to" or "doing learning for" the students.  How can we ensure that they truly take ownership of the learning process themselves ? They need to practice, to fail, to get stuck, to try again and to succeed on their own in order to experience authentic engagement in learning. They need to reflect on their learning and articulate what they need to change to take their learning forward and to a deeper a level. They need to drive their own learning.

We also need to involve parents in as much of this process as possible. We need to support parents to articulate what they can do to contribute to the learning process too. 

How can we support students and parents to reflect on purposeful learning and change ?

Last week, we attended a Learning and Change Regional networking day. The evaluative conversations that were part of the day focused on the wealth of informative knowledge that can come from "Learning Maps" and one minute videos. I decided that we need to revisit these authentic modes of data gathering as well as utilize google forms (surveys) to capture engagement and growth in learning and change for our whole community this term.

Here is a link to a video of TeAwitu a young boy, sharing his evaluative Learning Maps and Eli doing the same at this link.

We are going to start with a short learning survey for students, staff and parents. It was through a discussion about videos with a colleague, that I decided to ask our community in the survey if they would like to share their answers in a video. It helps to have time to reflect on a response. Even articulate adults need a chance to reflect to prepare authentic and succinct responses that truly capture the essence of their own learning and change. 

These are the questions for the surveys that have already been shared. All students who respond will go into the draw for a $50 gift card.

Online Google Form for year 5-8 students
What has gone well for you in your learning this term ?
What needs to change to make learning better for you ?
What are you looking forward to next term ?
Would you be willing to speak on a short video about this ?

Year 3-4 students will be able to complete a paper version. I will personally interview a selection of younger students. 

Staff will also complete a survey. It is important that they have a chance to reflect and share feedback as we prepare for the new term.

Staff Google Form 
What has worked well for you this term ?
What has been challenging this term ?
What would you like to change to make the next term better for you ?
Would you be willing to speak on a short video about this ?

Parents and caregivers also need a chance to reflect and give feedback. This form has been shared on our weekly school newsblog and on our school Facebook Page.

Parent Google Form. 
What has gone well for you and your child with learning this term ?
What has been challenging ?
What would you like to change ?
Would you be willing to speak on a short video about this ? 

As the responses to the surveys start to come in, we can begin to capture the authentic voice of a whole community involved in learning and change. Video interviews and learning maps will provide further evidence of learning and change reflections that will inform future and purposeful growth for the whole community.

Family Learning Hui 2 for 2015 - committed parents, children and staff supporting and sharing learning

After an opening prayer from Mrs Dooley and a technical hitch with our data projector, Mr Cartlidge shared the Learner Licence quiz that Mrs Frances-Rees had prepared for everyone. The quiz had been posted onto the school Facebook page. The questionnaire helped parents to understand what it would it be like as a learner at the different levels of the licences we use with the children.  What would you need to be able to demonstrate in order to get to the next level of the license ?

Here is the link to the quiz on Facebook. Have a go and see if you can earn the Elite Special Forces License. for independent learner choices.

Then we watched this video about the learning that children lose over the Summer holiday period. This shows the value of extra support by families during out of school hours learning times. Our digital Teaching and Learning Site supports out of school learning and research proves that such learning can be hugely beneficial for our children and their progress.

 
After that we watched a video of some of our children being interviewed by Mrs Frances-Rees about their learning. It was a good chance to reflect on learning for our children after seven weeks of our new collaborative approach to learning at St Joseph's.

Then Mrs Brookes and Miss Clouston shared information about the junior Reading Eggs programme and Mathletics. Everyone had a chance to explore these sites using the junior school ipads.

Miss Clouston also spoke to some of these slides from this Mathletics slideshow. http://www.slideshare.net/karen3038712/mathletics-blog-presentation           

    
We finished with a reminder of how to comment on blogs. This is the video that Mannix made last year. We offfered personal support from staff as well.
Mannix’s video for blog instructions: https://youtu.be/mWAleYiSkfk


We finished by thanking families and staff for their support and reminded them that they could contribute to the agenda at our next Family Learning Hui in Term 2.

Next time : What can we learn from our first open morning ?

In my last post, I posed some questions in relation to our inaugural open morning. It's time to reflect after the event and see what can be improved about the open school process for next time.

1.Will any parents actually turn up?

Yes they did ! We had about twenty-five in the end. The majority of us started in the hall after a chat about the Teaching and Learning site. However, some visitors went directly to the hubs and missed the introductory session.

Next time: Ask all visitors to sign in at the office first. This is the normal procedure and by following this protocol, everyone could have been directed to the meeting place in the hall or to an existing tour group.

2.If they do come along, will they be open to understanding how the Engaging Learning Spaces (ELS's) work ? and 3. Will they be brave enough to ask questions ?

Yes. Our visitors were open to understanding how our ELS's work and were comfortable asking questions. 
Next time: Have some clarity around how available teachers would be to answer questions for parents. I would need to ensure that parents direct questions to the "tour guide" on the understanding that the teachers need to be fully focused in the learning spaces with the children. Teachers could be free to approach the visitors to talk if they were available.

4. Will they be able to link what they see to the planning on the Teaching & Learning Site ? Verbal feedback would suggest that they were able to see the links. I will send the visitors a brief google survey to obtain direct feedback.

5. How will our teachers and students feel about the experience ?
I have repeated the same reflection for number 5. as from my previous post
We have to remember to be supportive of our staff and students and remind parents and visitors that the staff and students might feel a little nervous with us around. Hopefully, everyone will respect each others feelings. After all, "respect" is one of our school values.

Overall, the feedback was genuinely positive from visitors. My next step is to get some feedback from students and staff. Our open sessions need to work both ways and be an enlightening experience for everyone concerned. I will share feedback from visitors, students and staff in another blog.....

Engaging Learning Spaces ELS's: 5 questions on the eve of our first open morning for parents

We are continually striving to stay focused on our school wide goal : Engage every student in deep learning for success
Seven weeks ago, we launched our new 'Engaging Learning Spaces' (ELS's) across the school from Year One to Year Eight.
In a valiant effort to support parents to understand how our collaborative team teaching spaces operate, we planned some open mornings.

I am writing this post on the eve of our very first open morning and wondering:

1.Will any parents actually turn up?
 We have advertised it on our calendar since the start of the year. It has been in our newsblog and on our Facebook page.

2. If they do come along, will they be open to understanding how the ELS's work ? 

 We hope that the support we have provided through the Family Learning Huis and the transparency on the Teaching and Learning site will help.

 3. Will they be brave enough to ask questions ?

 It will be up to us to create the environment where they feel at ease to ask questions and make comments. We will need to be prepared for challenging questions.

 4. Will they be able to link what they see to the planning on the Teaching & Learning Site ?

 We will be able to point this out before the tour starts by having a quick look together on the site and seeing what we expect to be happening in the ELE's.

5. How will our teachers and students feel about the experience ?

 We have to remember to be supportive of our staff and students and remind parents and visitors that the staff and students might feel a little nervous with us around. Hopefully, everyone will respect each others feelings. After all, "respect" is one of our school values.

This afternoon, Lorraine Frances-Rees and I gave a presentation to staff at St Joseph's in Timaru (an hour north of Oamaru). We shared our journey from the past few years in relation to our ELS's. Their staff will be coming to visit us in a few weeks time to see our learning hubs in action. Our open morning for parents will be an excellent opportunity for all of us to reflect and review on how our students are engaging in deep learning for success as we continue to strive for transparency around everything we do.

I will let you know what and who tomorrow brings...........