STANDARD FOUR

Learning-focused culture
Develop a culture that is focused on learning, and is characterised by respect, inclusion, empathy, collaboration and safety.

Manaakitanga-Showing integrity, sincerity, and respect towards Māori beliefs, language and culture.
Tangata Whenuatanga– Affirming Māori learners as Māori, providing contexts for learning where the language, identity, and culture of Māori learners and their whānau is affirmed.

What is the learning/teaching experience: This week we had a professional development session that introduced coding. I personally did not know anything about coding so I had no idea where to start. With the new digital technology coming into to New Zealand Curriculum, it was a great place to start.

Coding teaches a lot of things- perseverance, resilience, and problem solving skills, logical thinking and creativity. It also teachers children to collaborate and cooperate with each other and support each other with their learning.

We had a look at the websites below and got to have a play. Gosh some of them were hard but they were lots of fun and you can see how coding can teach you so much. I introduced coding to my students not quite the ICT part yet but with grids and teddy bears on paper. The students had to use arrows to work out how to get the teddy bear to the house. Some of the students picked it up straight away and some had no idea. It was interesting at how many students were not aware of up and down, forwards and backwards, so this was a great learning experience for them. Majority of the girls in the class understood how to do it, but most of the boys did not have any idea. I decided to create a big grid on the mat using tape. As a class we worked on which codes would work for the student to get to the spelling books. This gave those students that were not sure what to do a more visual of how coding works. They really enjoyed this and with more practice, they will be amazing at it. At the end of the lesson, I put the screen on and showed the students some computer coding. They helped with the codes to complete tasks.

So What: What did I learn?

1. Do not underestimate what students already know and can learn. I was very surprised by some of my students!
2. Give those more capable students to be in control and teach others and themselves.

Now What: Next Steps

1. Set High but realistic standards and expectations for all my students. Help them to set high and realistic goals and standards for themselves and to always do their best.
2. Start using the ipads for coding now that the students have an idea of how it works bring out the ICT.
3. Find ways to extend the more able students in all learning areas.

For What: What criterion does this fulfill? Standard 4, Standard 5, Standard 6.

 WHAT: What is the learning/teaching experience?

When setting up the classroom at the beginning of the year I moved it around at least 5 times before I was happy. When teaching year ones last year I gave students a choice with where they want to sit each day and thought I would try out the same thing this year, also I didn’t have enough desks for individual spots. I went for the modern learning environment in a single cell classroom. The first two weeks of this went very well but as students have got to know each other the classroom noise level was loud and I didn’t have any spare space. I had some lift top desks, small round tables and jellybean table to work with. I then had a new student arrive in my class and that threw everything. Even with just one extra student, there was no space for her. My syndicate leader organized for more desks so I could now have a desk for each student and this was the best thing for the students. The management of the class was so much easier and they each designed a classroom layout to put the desks in place. They loved changing the classroom around and it ended up being a great writing subject.

SO WHAT: What did I learn?

It is a novelty for year 3s to have a lift up desk. Many of my students did not have them last year so it was special for them to have an individual desk to put their belongings in.Not all students learn in the type of learning environment and some battle with having such free choice to where they can sit. Having individual desks means I have control of where the students sit and make sure they are making good choices.

NOW WHAT: Next Steps

To continue to observe the students learning environment and although they now have individual desks there could be opportunities for those students that can also work in areas of the classroom to do so e.g. sitting at jellybean table or on the floor with a knee table.

FOR WHAT: Which criteria does this fulfill? Standard Four Standard Five Standard Six