Cluster Tour

Last week the ICWC cluster toured the remaining schools. We were first of the day and after some last minute panics with ICT hardware!!! we presented our progress. We had planned for a skype meeting with Nick Reed but he was away in Auckland so he recorded a video for us. Thanks Nick (see side panel).

A short video of some students being interviewed about inquiry, bridge to life and learning was also recorded (see sidepanel).

The principals and teachers toured classrooms superbly guided buy year 7+8 students. A couple of teachers were kidnapped for on the spot video interviews by some year 5+6s. Feedback was very positive. Comments included:

• Nice atmosphere
• Friendly open students
• Evidence of key competencies/inquiry in classroom displays
• Students able to talk about what and how they are learning.

The tour around the rest of the schools was very interesting and highlighted that we were as well and maybe better than others. We gathered a few cool ideas to think about.

Next year we are planning to link with Tiritea School to share ideas, buddy teachers and joint staff PD sessions. It would be good to maintain links with the ICWC cluster also.

Suzie Vesper- Web 2.0

Last term we went to Coley Street to work with Suzie Vesper. At that time, Nick Reed (Principal) left for Ashhurst school and Tony Greer (exDP/ Acting Principal/ Lead Teacher) was preparing to leave so Jo W and Roger K attended. Her workshop was interesting and shared a wide range of resources available online. The sharing student work online were discussed.
We have experimented with using blogs, podcasts and wikispaces but have had a very luke warm reception with the community. Most teachers at Opiki have decided to leave using these tools at the moment and investigate ways of effectively incorporating them into class learning and educating our community of the importance and value of online tools and elearning.

Cheryl Doig- Change management

Great day again... I felt that Cheryl had a great presentation style involving a lot of movement, discussion/dialogue and interaction.

Some ideas from the day:

• Johari window (www.plotpd.com)
• Doughnut Questioning Circle
  
• Sorting (silent/discussion)

SWOT analysis

• Key drivers of change (Leadership, Vision, Staff, Expectations, Resources)
• Key restraints to change (Lack of leadership/ shared vision, Staff attitudes and turnover, other PD focuses, resources)

TEAM (dysfunctions)

1. Absences of trust
2. Fear of conflict
3. Lack of communication
4. Avoidance of accountability
5. Inattention of results

Final word protocol- Shared reading

1. Number people 1-3?
2. All read back to back
   
3. Highlight key points
4. Turn chair when finsihed and ready to talk
5. 1 reads first text highlight, 2 comments, 3 comments, 1 rounds up ideas
6. 2 reads first text highlight, 3 comments, 4 comments, 2 rounds up ideas etc
7. Needs more structure for focus in class

Thinking Preferences

• Herman's Whole Brain Processing (analytical, planner, community, dreamer)
  
• Need a range of types in staff
• Work with students (peer review/ I am...)
• Multiple Intelligences
• Know yourself- know others: How to get cohesion/ reduce the distance

Graphical Data Presentation

• Consensus
  
• Table- 1 column several rows
• XY chart-
  
• Red dot worst/Green dot best
  

John Hattie

• Influences on student achievement
• Barometer...

Learning Talk
Discussion

• to decide- kill choice (competing, convincing, resolving- decision)

Dialogue

• to understand- (explore, reveal, build common understanding- understanding

Types of TALK

1. Non-school talk (News)
2. School talk

• Non-learning (admin, activities, practices)
• Learning (Analytical, Critical, Challenging- use data not just feelings and opinions)

Challenging Conversations
BeECON

• Be- Behaviour (clarify facts)
• E- Effect (immediate)
  
• C- Consequences
• O- Open for discussion
• N- Negotiate (What changes will occur)
  

Teacher Only Day

On May 8th 2009 we had a Teacher Only Day to continue our development of the 'Opiki School Curriculum'. We rewrote our curriculum documents in line with the 'new' curriculum. The key competencies and the 'Opiki Bridge to Life' were highlighted as part of the documents.

In the afternoon, Sarah Hatch came to talk to us about using Web2.0 tools. She showed some great examples from other schools who are using Web2.0 in interesting and effective ways (KPE podcasts). There was also a 'debate' about the merits of macs and pcs and which are better!!!

Thanks Sarah...

ROOM 3 INQUIRY - TERM 2.

This is the first time we are really using our new IDEA Inquiry model throughout the whole inquiry.
The class came up with the title of this inquiry and named it "NATURE'S WONDERS". This was quite cool as they linked it to the natural world focus as well as inquiry with the word 'wonder' in there - very clever I thought!

IGNITE- During this phase we have completed some background knowledge and discussed/re-visited some prior learning, things like the water cycle, river's journey, bush layers etc. We also had a visit from the Horizons 'Green Rig' and one of our major motivators unfortunately was postponed (and may not happen due to weather:(, but we were supposed to be going for a bush walk at The Fern Walk in Pohangina Valley. This was to identify some trees etc but mainly to let the kids enjoy our native bush and hopefully gain an appreciation of just how lucky we are to live in NZ. This would then lead on to the idea of guardianship and how, through inquiry, they can devise and carry out some action component to make a difference to our natural world! We will find other ways to ignite this passion if we don't get to go!!

DISCOVER- This is where we are pretty much heading into. We are initially discovering a bit more about our new model, what happens at each phase and making the links to our old model/s.
The children are focusing in on certain areas of the natural world that 'spin their wheels' and are beginning to formulate some wonderings in these areas. They chose their areas individually first and have then sussed out if anyone else is on the same wave length, thus forming a group of 2 or 3 to work together. Some will be happy to work individually I am sure.

This is about where we are up to at this stage. The learning, discussions, questioning and class justification of why we should want to inquire into this topic have all been really positive so far. The ideas I've heard floating around are encouraging that some great learning and action will come during the EXAMINE and ACTION phases!!

Questioning in Room 4

After going to the Trevor Bond Questioning day I have tried out some of his ideas in the classroom!

By making the teaching of questioning explicit and open the children have a much clearer idea of the types of questions and the purpose of questions.

We have

1. Looked at different types of questions
2. Sorted different questions
3. Investigated the purpose of different questions
   
4. Written questions linked to a relevant contextual scenario
   
5. Assessed the questions against Trevor's 7s stages of questions (quite challenging for myself as well as the students)

Interestingly once the 7 stages had been used many of the students tried to create stage 7 questions all the time even though we had discussed that these aren't the BEST questions!!! Trevor said this would happen...

More to come! I am hoping this will lead on to better questions during our inquiry 'wonderings'...
Another of Trevor's comments- If the students ask a question turn it into an activity!

Questioning with Trevor Bond

What a fascinating and thoroughly applicable day! I learnt so much! Trevor's website link. www.ictnz.com
Trevor highlighted the importance of questioning in the thinking and learning process!
"Questions are the engine house of learning"- de Bono
"Questioning is our most important intellectual tool"- Neil Postman (Teaching as a subversive activity- recommended reading)

Below are some notes I took on the day. These are going to be discussed at a TOD in term 2 and the discussion blogged...

Three Types of Thinking

1. Caring
2. Creative
3. Critical

"When we don’t know what to do- we think"
"Learning is knowing what to do when we don’t know what to do"
"Teaching is about sharing the skills to know how to work out what to do"

Different types of Knowledge

1. episodic- recall of events
2. Factual- storage of data/ cognitively
3. Linguistic- vocabulary bank to communicate (in and out)
4. Conceptual- concepts we hold (freedom, fairness)
5. Behavioural- skills (using tools) and social norms (cultural)

Linking all of these is understanding!?



















Understanding is formed most powerfully in the spaces between people (zone of proximal learning?).

• WORK IN GROUPS OF THREE.

Engage the passive passenger- strategies/support the others in including the passenger… (wait time, supportive comments, inclusive activities…) (Top reader, middle of road and less able)

Nuthall- The hidden lives of learners (recommended reading)

• 50% kids already know
• 80% learn outside the classroom

Collaborative writing

1. Groups of 3
2. Most able, least able, middle
3. Lowest recorder
4. Others use language and ‘teach’ to succeed
5. Metacognition to share ideas.

Values and Beliefs

• Learning
• Questioning
• Social
• Attitude- A choosable state of mind- tends to be habitual!
  

• Beliefs- strongly held
• Values- Less firm ideas
• Attitudes- choosable state of mind

Learning takes place from a place of discomfort. Most learning on the edge of threat

Questioning is a tool not a skill
To be able to question you need a set of data/information.
"...the art and science of asking questions is not taught in school"- Postman

Metacognition!
As effective questioners what do we do and how can we share this with our children?

Teacher Questions
What type of questions do we ask as teachers?
1. Organisational
2. Didactic- what answer do I want….
3. Real engagement, controversial, challenging ideas, concepts and vales

Responses to questions as important as the question!

• Give positive feedback… Frustration, frown, negative, tone of voice…
• Record the number of questions the children ask and who… chart and challenge/game
• Record types of questions asked…
• We need to help them be better questioners…
• Write questions about questioning and the teaching of questioning skills.
• What are high order questions?-
• What strategies are there for teaching?
• How do we link questioning to Blooms or Solo taxonomies

Learner Questions

1. Requests- please can I… (Kids good at this!)
2. Inquiry
3. Rhetoric- Disguised imperative (Don’t need an answer really telling someone what to do!)

INQUIRY Questions


Primary Layer-

• Fertile, essential, inquiry, rich, reflective- questions
• Questions that can’t be answered without answering other questions first
• This usually results in gather and present exercises!
• Embed the questions within a real-life task! More purpose and more practical outcomes!

Secondary Layer-

• Open, closed, fat, skinny, key, search (Info seeking questions)
• Rephrase questions as a task- becomes more purposeful

How can I build a blokart for $500
Or- Build a blokart for less $500

Research Capt Cook and highlight 3 incidents that demonstrate his attributes as an explorer. Now choose another pioneer and find incidents that also demonstrate these attributes. Now present on how these attributes might be applied by you in your life.

Presenting shouldn’t be ‘what we have found out!’ but more ‘what this means to me…’ link this to the key competencies/ bridge to life.

What are the core skills of the effective questioner?

1. Identify the need or problem
2. Identify the relevant contextual vocabulary-Classroom vocabulary count! Display 300 contextual appropriate words to help children use the right vocabulary!Experiential thinking- images and sensations.Conceptual thinking- symbols, text, diagrams
3. Ask a range of appropriate questions
4. Take them to a variety of appropriate sources (thinking)
5. Persist, editing and changing as necessary, until they get the answer they need
   

Extend to a skilled questioner (see Trevor Bond’s wiki)
Teacher Directed tasks- can ensure the right info is available
Negotiated tasks- can lead to info holes
Independent tasks- needs higher order literacy and numeracy skills

What is a good question?

• Gets the answer/ info you need (closed?)
• Relevant and contextual
• Can be taken to intelligent and non-intelligent sources

Learner questions/ teacher questions

Convergent- move to where I am…
Divergent- opens up to all new ideas

Teacher questions- open (more uncomfortable, stimulates ideas/ thinking)
Student questions- closed (gets the answer)

Intelligent sources- human
Non-intelligent sources- not human

Poor Questions
• Where is it?
• It, us, they, we, I- contextual
• What skills do I need?

Modeling good questions
• Contextual- linked to audience in writing
• Answer the question in the manner it was asked! Be obstructive to encourage better questions

Questioning Skill taxonomy
RED zone (stage 1+2)

Stage 1- statements
Stage 2- question that is not relevant/ No contextual information
Stage 3- Asks yes/no/maybe questions (is, can, does, could, may, would) There are 42 question words…dice only has 6!
Stage 4- Uses the seven servants (w,w,w,w,h,w,w) and the key words to write relevant questions
Stage 5- Uses seven servants, relevant key words and phrases to write relevant questions
Stage 6- Uses relevant synonyms words of key words to edit key questions
Stage 7- Uses multiple question words to create a probing question when interviewing an expert

If a child makes a statement turn it into a question
If a child asks a question turn it into an activity

Assessment- Ask 5 questions about a scenario then mark against the rubric?
Question ANALOGY
Hammer- need
Nails- build
Build- question

What did you learn today?
- Facts?
- Small incremental changes to:

• Attitudes
• Beliefs
• Skills
• Opinions

RESEARCH
Research is going to find the answers to a specific question!
Shopping list of questions!
Underline keywords/ circle key phrases
Enter keywords and “key phrases” inside speech marks (whole phrase)

Google search • relentless- 15,000,000 • drink relentless- 1,500,000 • drink, relentless, “possible issues”- 250 • drink, relentless, “possible issues” “coca cola”-

Inquiry Model and Planning

After lots of discussion, frustration and of course joy we have come up with mark 56 model named the IDEA model.
I = Ignite
D= Discover
E = Examine
A = Action
We will use this model for our Term 2 Inquiry which is "Making Sense of our World". This will be a school-wide Inquiry and we are looking forward to see which direction it takes.
Our Senior Staff have had a couple of days looking at Curriculum statements. We have come up with an Inquiry overview as well as a revised planning sheet including what each stage looks like for kids and teachers. Added to this we have developed a self assessment sheet for kids. We look forward to seeing how these go as working documents.
In our foyer we have three new posters. They represent Inquiry, Thinking Toolbox, and our Bridge to Life model.These all interlink and support our school vision of life-long learners.

2009 is here already!

Quick note about 2009.

Jo has joined the team from Whakarongo . Welcome! I'm sure this will bring a new viewpoint and stimulus to our adventure.

We have revisited and discussed our school model and planning sheets. We have had a staff meeting where Jo talked about what she has done before. A major poit which was stated and affirmed was that "...to get a great inquiry going then a big picture with a deep question was needed..."

All classes are undertaking an inquiry this term term.

All teachers will be asked to add posts to this blog to record their progress this term.

More to come...

Room 2 Term 4 Inquiry

The initial planned theme was "How do we communicate". I had planned a couple of weeks of teaching and motivating sessions which would involve practical activities, research and problem-solving. I had then thought our wonderings might send us on an exploration about books, publishing, TV programme making, films and radio. We could have visited various places around Palmy and ended up publishing our own book, having our own TV or radio station or making a short film......... but that is not what happened!

All started well then at the wondering stage we had a wide range of questions the majority of which were quite closed and factual. Generally the wonderings were an improvement on previous units.
We looked at:

• What was the first language?
• Why do we speak different languages?
• How do we talk?
• How does a TV work?
• Who invented sign-language?

The children had lots of ideas about where we could look for information (mostly GOOGLE!)

We looked at the origins of sign language and how to say various things. We decided we could use more signs with Pono to help use communicate with her and maybe help her communicate with us...
The crunch came when they want to find the answer to "How does a TV work?" We looked at TVs in particular CRT screens, got a complicated answer we didn't really understand then said "Now what? What are we going to do with this knowledge?" No answers. We had a discussion about what is the use of 'knowing stuff'" if you don't need it!!!
The children decided they would like to know more about being blind and deaf and they would then like to do something to help blind and deaf people.

We used the internet to find more information and played more games.

Finally, we got ready for our EXPO to parents:

• We designed games to make people more aware of what it would be like to be blind, partially sighted, partially deaf and completely deaf.
  
• We designed and made posters and leaflets to inform people.
  
• We tested and made milkshakes which we sold at school.
• We made a book with an illustrated story "How Pukeko Turned Blue" that we wrote in literacy including animated movies, fact sheets, comicbooks and quizzes.
• We made Xmas cards to sell
• We made bookmarks to sell

Was our inquiry a success?

• Yes, all the children had a better understanding of the inquiry process and the purpose of inquiry.
• Yes, all the children had a better understanding of the potential risks that could cause blindness and deafness.
• Yes, there was a definite purpose to our writing and publishing which resulted in a higher standard of work.
• Yes, we raised over $100 for guide dogs for the blind.
• NO! Very few parents turned up to the EXPO but we did play the games with the rest of the school.
  

End of Year Celebration

We have had our end of year round-up where a few schools shared the 'Inquiry Journey NO! Adventure' so far. What came out of this?

• The cluster schools have obviously been working hard.
• The schools are developing their own 'vision' of their local curriculum and how inquiry will fit into this.
  
• All the school seem to be at different stages of the process depending on their infra-structure and the openness of their staff.
• It showed that we are all reflective practitioners who as Michael Pohl stated "...are too often too critical of ourselves but are actually doing a good job..!"

Issues directly applicable to Opiki school?

• We have made great progress and should be proud of our achievements...
• Other schools are also contemplating the depth and coverage issues.
• Quality higher order thinking and questioning is hard!
  
• Neil said "...the process should be visually evident and graphically presented to aid pupil understanding, inclusion and relevance.
• Reduce the number of stages but increase the steps within stages (more detail)
• Exemplars of the different stages
• Linked to the school vision and new local curriculum.
• Assessment of inquiry! Skills, process, knowledge, key competencies???

All in all, an interesting day. Finally a huge thank you to Jan Thomas for her hard work this year.

ICWC school tour

Last week we went on a tour of a few of our cluster schools.

All the school's have made great strides in setting up their ICT infrastructure, integrating ICTs into their curriculums and developing their own inquiry processes.

Features of note:

• Foxton school's thin-clients
  
• Koputoroa's inquiry model based on the kereru. It was also clear that they have worked hard to include all staff members in the development of the process

Looking at how these schools are developing it is encouraging to know we are on track and compare favourably...

We are having a debate about whether to get a couple of Apple Macs as most of the other schools have. We are arguing from ignorance- none of us have much experience with Apples!! So we are planning to get a couple as a trial...

ULEARN 2008

It was a great few days in Christchurch. Most of the breakouts Tony and I selected were very worthwhile. We started off with Tony Ryan's Transformational teachers which was very motivating. He spoke about the 4 roles being;
The Energiser
The Ethicist
The Entrepeneur
The Environmentalist
Lyn Ross delivered the Thinking Toolbox which was really useful in finding some great resources. Her "www.ebest.co.nz" website is well worth a look and has many practical ideas and resources.The Blooms framework is really easy to follow with a variety of planning templates too.
Decisions that Matter was a practical dialogue that gave an opportunity to share thoughts as to what schools willl look like in the next 10 years and investing in infrustructure. It was certainly thought provoking.
Tony Ryan's "thinking about thinking" was also practicle with 5 key ideas:
Self talk
Quality classroom thinking facilatating
Focus questions
Digital assessment tasks
Engaging thinking strategies
It was useful for Tony and I to attend the same breakouts to reinforce ideas and thinking. Next year I would like to take all staff if possible. We came away with some excellent practical ideas.

Developing a classroom culture of thinking

Last week we went to an ICWC day where Michael Pohl presented a session on thinking in the classroom.

The day covered many aspects of thinking to learn and learning to think...
He highlighted the point that; 3 of the top interventions that teachers can make are-

• Thinking
• Quality Feedback
• A Risk Taking Environment

Abandonment
He raised the point that our lives/ curriculum/ school day is so full already that to be able to innovate and introduce anything new we need to leave something behind (abandonment...)

• At Opiki school, what are we going to change/abandon to be able to move forward with a thinking curriculum?

Problems

• Problem-solving
• Problem-seeking!
  

School Culture of Thinking
We need an integrated pattern of thoughts and behaviours that bind us together...
Specific factors that work together to create productive thinking...

• Language (displayed, speaking, everyday activities)
• Planning and assessment
• Programmes

Scope and Sequence
Rather than trying to teach everything all the time. Explicitly teach different thinking skills at different year levels. Then use the skills/ strategies any time after ward...

All teachers need to be able to teach/ use all strategies

Thinking Strategies/ Thinkers Keys Acronyms
Attribute listing and Analytical thinking

• A technique to extend thinking and make connections
  

SCUMPS
Size, colour, uses, materials, parts, shape...

SWEATER- for characters
Strengths, weakness, emotions, appearance, temperament, evolution, relationships

TOMATOES- for artists
Tools, origins, media, artist experience, techniques, opportunities, emotions, subject

SCAMPER
Substitute, combine, adapt, modify, put to another use, eliminate, reverse or rearrange

CAMPER
Consequences, assumptions, meaning, prejudices, evidence, relevance

ICE
Investigation (surface/elicitation), Consequential (impact/ outcomes), Enriching (critical/creative/caring)

What if...
different size, different colour, diff use, diff material, diff parts, diff shape...

BLOOMS Taxonomy

• Remembering
• Understanding
• Applying
• Analysing
• Evaluating
• Creating

Question Chaining
From lower order to higher order...
what to when
where to who

Question Mapping (a process to get to questions?)

Inquiry meeting

The following day after our staff meeting with Jan, her and I met to discuss some goals etc and look at where we are at. This was a great meeting and I have since made some changes to our inquiry planning sheet to make it more relevant and teacher friendly. This included listing the thinking tools that might be used at each stage of our model during the inquiry. I have also modified our inquiry process model which I will take to the staff next meeting and see what they think. All is hmming along well, cheers Jan! TG

Inquiry Reflection Mindmap using Mindomo

Staff Meeting with Mrs Thomas

We had a great meeting yesterday with Jan. It was a good chance for the staff to go through the "Hats" and say how things were going. Our Junior teachers will benefit from a visit in Term 4 to Coley Street to see how they cope. We had a really useful round the table discussion.
We also went through various other things such as our model and the version 2 we have created. We also spoke about the Thinking Toolbox we had developed and how this is very much a starting point for us. We are looking forward to Michael Pohl's talk in a couple of weeks as well as ULEARN to firm up a few thoughts and ideas.
Assessment was something we are still coming to grips with and it was good to discuss this and how we will develop a matrix that will make this aspect easier as well as a shared understanding.
We also need to develop something for tracking and we liked Coley's MUSAC approach: nice and easy and very useful.
We have a long way to go but with Jan we sorted out some next steps. They do not look too onerous as long as we take them slowly. Jan was a real gem and we all appreciated the feedback we got from her and are excited about Inquiry and its future at Opiki School.

Inquiry Assessment Idea

I was discussing with my year 6-8 class how we would assess our current inquiry. Based on Muritai's 1-5 system, I gave them some options, eg, 1-5, A B C D, % etc. They all voted for an A B C D rating. Then I asked what an 'A' would look like and they came up with the criteria - they had some great ideas such as, excellent, relevant info and presentation , in depth answers to their wonderings, good evidence of some 'action', referencing etc... We then discussed a D and then filled in the B and C parts. Last time we peer assessed and this time they will self assess along with some feedback from me. We'll see how it goes!!

Muritai School- What an impact!

Tuis singing in the trees, blue sky and superb powhiri... What a great start to a great experience.

We had an overview of Muritai's 'Journey' into Inquiry/ Action Learning... There was a presentation by the children who answered questions and talked about their experiences, understanding and opinions. WOW!

Noted key points

• School Ecology/ Environment analogy...
• Do less but better in more detail
• Keep it simple- take small steps (for the staff and the children)
• Lead by example- model skills, behaviour and learning (for staff and children)

Other Inquiry Points:

• Start with a big picture then work smaller (Binoculars to microscope)
• eX... titles of stages- excite, experience, explore, examine, explain, express, extend...???
• Inquiry teaching at school- inquiry research... at home!!!
• Parental understanding and expectations
• Link to the wider world
• Current events/ issues
  
• Info-literacy skills
• Thinking tools
• Assessment!?
• Curriculum coverage
• Whole school/ syndicate- class units?
  

Children's Comments:

• Start of an inquiry unit is the hardest
• Questions a challenge
  
• What direction to take...
  
• Organising time and process
• Planning work- clear expectations and success criteria needed
• Next steps very helpful
  

A Blogging School?

• What we did/ found out/ learned today?
• Samples of work
• Photos of activities
• Teacher's Blog...
  

ACTIONS!

• Start a whole class blog as a record of our Room 2 inquiry process/ progress for our next unit
  
• Include as part of end of session plenary discussions
• Include the planning at the start- learning intentions, outcomes, links, resources...
• Use Voki/ Sound/ webcam movie... to enrich/ enliven
• Regular use should encourage regular visits

Inquiry Staff Meeting

Last Tuesday we has an inquiry staff meeting where we discussed a number of issues related to how we were going with Inquiry.
Inquiry Learning – Where are we at???

What is good
Internet access – instant feedback/information is accurate.
Good teaching skills/ framework
Good buy in by the kids; motivated to find stuff out.
Wonderings are child generated.
Questioning skills.

What is not?
Lack of knowledge
Low skill level of children when knowing how to access information and interpret this.
Time constraints with CRT days etc
More time needed for children to reflect.

What Does it look like in class?
Organised chaos
Wonder walls
Interactive
Independent
Collaborative
Noisy
Busy
Motivated

How do we assess Inquiry currently?
Tick sheets
Rubrics
Self Assessment

Where do Thinking Skills fit in?
Hats enable us to think form different viewpoints
Develop higher order thinking
As a tool to analyse findings/ideas