E-learning Goals Term 4

My e-learning goals for this term is to use twitter networks more effectively.
To use gaming in mathematics to increase student engagement and achievement.

End of term Reflection

The term has been really busy with so much exciting learning having had Tamara our student teacher for the first 6 weeks was fantasti and then with our big cultural focus ending with a cultural feast and our cultural presentations. We have had speeches, cross country which has been full on for everyone. I have stepped up in my leadership role in Mathematics where I have started a Mathematical inquiry I have booked in a session to have one of the numeracy facilitators come in working with Frankton School as well to create a two year overview. I also have plans to work with Korokonui school to help reconstruct our implementation plan. Other highlights have been the gymsport competition which we are haeding off to the regionals tomorrow. Drama club has also been working well with so many children attending of mixed gender and from all across the school junior middle and senior I would definitely like to make this happen again next year.

The message I have taken away from the Tedx video is rememebering to have a "time in"  for the little messes to solve class room problems and enrich relatonships and just how powerful this our circles are and restoritive chats to create our children into citizens that advocate this in their own personal lives in the future.

Maketu Marae Trip

Ko TeAroha taku maunga
Ko Waihou te awa
Ko Ngatimoi te marae
Ko Ngati porou te iwi
Ko Workman te whanau

Our trip to the Marae during the holidays was really refreshing. Not only was it an unbelievable locatio but the bonding as a staff and combination of new and old learning I feel would have been beneficial for everyone.

What has changed since returning from Maketu Marae
I was able to demonstrate presenting my own mihi with more confidence and I have integrated a Maori Waita everyday which the children have loved learning and making up their own actions for.

My goals and next steps in my practice from this new learning was to use Maori comands more naturally within the classroom. For example using the terminology Tuakana Teina instead of buddy reading.

Leadership in Maths

So far this year I have been on three mathematics courses so far these courses have provided support in moderation of strand and setting units in strand topics to gain coverage through integrated units. I have found these courses extremely beneficial as it has allowed me to offer a series of up to date new material to other collegues and also made my classroom programme richer. I have been given a variety of websites and places to support our beginning teachers in their mathematical journey.

Maths buddy: Our school has been fortunate enough to have a trial taster of  online maths resource "Maths buddy". So far this is working really well supporting students in my classroom and several others teachers and classrooms around the school. All children have their own passwords and a newsletter has been sent home to parents so that parents can get involved and keep up to date with their children's learning. I am looking forward to checking childrens progress reports at the end of our fractions and decimals unit and seeing the individual gains. This programme has saved me time in marking and coming up with new ways to teach the same concept when children need more support with understanding.

First Reflection 2013

Great start to the year, I have24 excited and also a little nervous students. So far my goal for this term is to really get into blogging and eventually participate in quad blogs. I want to make an effort to make more regular posts on my personal blog as well as student blogs, immediately after lessons. I would also like to see regular posts from home.

ICT 2012 Elearning Journey

This year the main challenge for me has been time. In future I want to make regular blog posts on my personal blog and also take more time to comment on my students blogs. I have developed my ability to let go of the 'apron strings' and allow my students to have more responsibility with our class blog. The introduction of the 4 netbooks and 2 new PC's has made this more achievable and I am now confident to let students do things with out me :) This has also created more responsibilities for a variety of students. I have used tech sperx as teachers and the children are now confident to sign up for new tools, independantly use photo sharing tools such as photo peach and animoto and use recently introduced new web 2.0 tools to help support our learning. I have been very proud of the way our class blog as developed now that I am not the only one responsible for adding posts.

In reflection to the new tools that I signed up for at the end of last term and in the holidays I have found Bit strips to be an absolute success, however we only had a 30 day trial. I have tried to sign up for little bird tales but the csv code wouldn't work. I will have another look at this tool over the xmas holidays.

I also need to find time to teach other members of staff that had requested how to use Audacity.

Interwrite reflection

Since the interwrite session I have managed to implement several aspects into our classroom programme. I have had one group working on the teaching station with me and the mobi pads during rotations in maths. As a whole class oral lanaguage activity we have been capturing photos and using these photos to discuss what is happening in the pictures. We have created speech bubbles, captions and brainstormed ideas. We found this really fun to look at images of the Tongariro eruption and images of athletes expressions around our big idea of performance.

Room 9's next steps is to get the children working on the teaching station and on mobi pads independantly. I would also like to use the interwrite software during all rotations.