Sally Avern's Professional Journey

  My original thoughts: Thinking about differentiation prior to the observation I was thinking about how I differentiate for the group based on the things I do already. Concerned I wasn't differentiating effectively,  I explicitly listed the things I think I do: -ask the students to indicate silently they have an idea so that all students have to take part/ have thinking time -ensuring that the children that find it harder to follow along are next to me with the louder and more focused participants at the other end of the table -ensure we record our ideas so that we can return to them later if needed, or for those students are away often, they can see what happened while they were away.  -I often walk away from the table while they talk, giving the shy students an opportunity to talk without the teacher present. To eliminate that fear that they will say the wrong thing. (I am always within ear shot and paying attention, but pretend I am not.) -ensure I use the 'STOP' call...

  To be continued.... Next Reading: 

 Morning Circles Evidence suggests that by using the Berry street model will help us to ensure our students are able to access the social and emotional development they need to access the learning.  (This is available on the BSEM website here ) One of the ways we can achieve this is by starting out day with a morning circle.  The basic outline involves practices which create a positive start, community and a sense of belonging.  The proposed steps will be:  Greeting Check in with higher needs children Flash focus (a focus on our school wide expectation for that week) Announcements  Positive Primer to create an upbeat mood Brain break to use for the day Friday Reflections on what went well. This will be rolled out across the school.   My personal thoughts: I am really excited as this aligns very closely with our Morning Meeting. As we have older kids I would love to keep calling it a Morning meeting and I am not sure how easy it will be to have a c...

As you can see from the reading I have highlighted what I think are my own next steps. Those parts of my practice that I know can do with improving.  I can definitely work on these parts, I think I will start with feedback. We all know that good feedback is the key to success, so perhaps I can make mine more effective. I think if this is incorporated with my goal of helping the students be reflective as well, it will be easier. If I can help them reflect and then guide my own feedback around that at the same time (at the end of each lesson) then it will be hitting '2 birds' as well as making sure it is something the kids can use.  Again: these are my 'how to' next steps. If I want to be using/giving effective feedback and helping the students to be reflective. I need to build it into everyday.  Make sure I am using the splitscreen approach to boost the metacognitive process' of reflection. (This is what we are leaning and HOW I best learn).  As part of my Science an...

 The Literacy Continuum is obviously going to be helpful for me to use to work out where to go next for lots of my students- Especially in a curriculum that I am not very familiar with.  It also shows how to use the early start information (which we didn't do this year due to COVID, but will in the future) to plan on the continuum.         EARLY START --> CONTINUUM --> GOALS      " There are many supporting videos and powerpoints that will further support your understanding of Early Start and the Literacy continuum. There is a brand new video on using the literacy continuum to develop literacy goals. Early Start data is entered straight into OneSchool through the curriculum tab."   (Margaret Martin-Saunders, 2020) Next Steps: Find and watch the Goals set from continuum video.  Find the resources suggested in the learning areas to help with activity types.