Sally Avern's Professional Journey

Working with Aldia, who is currently studying the ELL course outside school, has been beneficial in terms of ideas to implement in class for our EL learners but without an observation it is obviously hard to fully understand what has been explained. There are a few strategies and 'games' that she has discussed with us. One being the 'Say it' game. She came and taught the lesson in my class. Step 1: Introduce the vocab. She did this by discussing it as a group (though it would be much better introducing it in context before the lesson if possible.  After the explanation she went on to let the students as each other: Name, I want you to answer A2. Then read the square.  Then they answer, very simple.  And the 'answerer' chooses the next person and the square. What I learned from this.  Alida's explanation was very simple. Not too many words, very clear. The students found it very easy to follow because of this. She explained to me also when pla...

What exactly is it I want to celebrate? This term we have been focusing on Kia Kaha as a way to create a more positive school culture and to extinguish any power imbalances that exist between the students.  Prior to the programme we had a discussion about the importance of community in the Maori culture and how whakapapa is at the forefront of Maori life, as well as hauora as a model of well being. This was just done as a surface idea and quite briefly. But I am trying to be more culturally responsive and use the little I do know to peak interest in the students.    As part of this program we have been looking into the outcomes of bullying and the emotions/ harm that can come to those being victimised.  In doing so I have become more aware of their emotions and their ability to articulate their feelings. Because of this when dealing with a fight I have begun using restorative justice properly.   What specifically about this achievement is it th...

As part of our Learning as Inquiry topic Sustainability,  The students looked into what action they could take as part of our community to help be more sustainable. Their 2 main ideas were, plant some trees and help by growing more plants/ food. The students wrote to our principal and asked for permission to go on a field trip and also if she could help with some materials. Luckily, I heard there was a planting day coming up on the weekend. With this is mind, I contacted Sustainable Coastlines and arranged the for them to go and plant some trees in Drury, close to a new subdivision where the water-ways will suffer.  We made it on a Friday though so that they could attend in school time. This was such a successful day. We planted in excess of 200 trees and the kids were all so happy and into it. It was a really encouraging thing to see, especially after a few morning comments of how 'dumb' this was going to be. :) Matrix was keen to go back and do more on t...

Sam's writing that we have been working on What is happening and why? My students are now producing more quality work. Their planning is improved now that I have worked on what else they need to be including in their writing and looking at it before the lessons in models with them. They are including details that are being selected more carefully and the work is becoming far more relevant. This is happening because the process of pulling apart models and then using that info to increase our writing is helping. What is not happening and why? Some of my students that need extra support are writing their story in a kind of list.  They have gotten the things they need in their intro/ body/conc and have included them but it doesn't really flow and I don't know how to make this better.  They have done what I have asked of them but now I need to know how to make it better. What am I going to do to change that? I am going to continue to use models, although more ...

  Inquiry/Goal: 2017: How can I improve the achievement in for my target students in Reading, Writing, Maths. This is the goal that I had from the beginning of term from writing observations.  My writing is going to be totally rearranged- to be more quick workshops and less long whole class stuff. Every lesson will now be a 15 min spot: 15 min workshop with 2 groups and then a 15 min spot to conference with a whole group. That way I really will get to conference with each child at least once a week. Ensure that we are fitting in to my writing 15 min workshop: A clear LI and SC, as well as: I do, We do, They do. Telling them they have a short amount of time to get it done. By just doing one small thing at a time this will be easy (as this is also what I do it reading and maths). Even when I am finding the ways things happen in an exemplar it should take way less time. But this can be a whole class activity). By doing things in a shorter, more specific way I will be...

As part of the Kootuitui Cluster of schools developing their digital skills for teaching, I am regularly observed to help with data and research for further developing practice.  As part of this I am now in my second year of facilitating a 1:1 classroom where all students have Chromebooks.  From this observing and recording I have been flagged as having effective digital pedagogy and am very excited that I might help shape something in the future. I am hoping that this will not only result in a close inspection of my practice that is going well but also an opportunity to see what else is happening in other classes and an ability to learn from other classrooms that demonstrate effective digital pedagogy.