Week 8 Update

Things are moving.......

Night Zookeeper

Continues to provide engagement and most importantly developing the skills of giving feedback to each other.  Sophie and I (especially Sophie) have provided a huge amount of feedback to children and we now allocated time in the writing block for children to read feedback and to make any necessary changes.
Interviewing several target boys and the feedback is extremely positive.  They like the structure provided and the "fun" factor and the fact that there is a wider audience.  Our focus is quality and each lesson we direct them to the progressions and what they need to be working on.

Read & Write

This is now added to all our students on their Google toolbar.  It allows the child to have anything they see on their screens, to be read back to them.  It is encouraging to see children use this feature.  I see this extension as one of the biggest "gap closers" in teaching and learning - It allows the dyslexic child or struggling reader to access any information on the internet.  They can gain knowledge, engage with others and participate in rich discussions and their reading ability is not limiting them.

Read Theory

We have just started this and it looks to be another amazing support program for reading.  Liam rates it and from what I see, I like the personalised nature of the programme - I see this as a side support to my normal Guided Reading and balanced Reading programme.  The children LOVED the trial pre-test.

Marae Trip

All Booked, and we are just waiting on BOT approval.  Feedback from parents is strong! A notice went out last week asking parents to register for Police Vetting if they want to stay the night.


Developing Culture

Using the KC Programme and traffic light to encourage and support the virtues of kindness have been a huge focus.  Whenever we see amazing manner, beautiful behaviour we do regular "Shout Outs" and the culture is now such that children are coming up to us to share their own "Shout Outs" for other children. I must say that the class is developing into a real "family" feel.  I was slightly overwhelmed when at swimming I was helping Rusal (new this year).  He was very nervous about the deep end so I pulled him on the noodle along the side of the pool, he felt safer with my support.  When we got to the end of the pool, spontaneously 4 children clapped, cheered and gave Rusal high fives.  He was so surprised and the smile was amazing.  He felt so happy he went up and hugged one of the boys and was beaming - it was like he had won the Olympic 50m!   Go Hub 2!


Friendships - Children's emotional Well Being and Safety
Before breaks, Sophie and I often ask the children who do not have anything planned to play or anyone to play with.  We do a kind of auction where others invite these children play with them.  It is wonderful for the children who normally would leave the classroom at break times unsure of who they will play with and what they are going to do.


Teacher Aid Support
I have met with Anne Sweetman and Niki Ormsby and together they are developing a literacy support programme for a few of our priority learners in a group.  This is being shared with Ann our TA in the hope she can continue in between visits from the RTLBs.

Parent Helpers - Reading Fluency
We have Parent helpers, Mags and Pam who are giving twice weekly reading sessions for building fluency.  All target children are included in this.

Feedback
Deliberate acts of teaching around Feedback and helping children move forward with their next steps.  We spent a huge amount of tie this week in developing the success criteria of Good (Helpful) feedback.  The children have seen "Austin's Butterfly" video twice and we modelled this - Very powerful.  We use progression terminology all throughout our writing sessions.

Boys Writers are engaged in Night Zoop