Updating our learning spaces.

The staff blog is a space for curating our learning. I enjoy seeing the the team blogs take their turn at the top of the RSS feed.

This week I have enjoyed reading the update of class happenings from Kowhai and from Puriri. I think how you are maintaining the team blogs have been fabulous. I get really excited when I see some of the side widgets developing. 

Check out how Andrea has created her digital modelling book and is sharing this with her children. Check out how Puriri use their blog to share their tumbles.

If you have a chance, do pop into the Emodo site. You should all have access to each team. 

Part of the MLP thinking for us and our children is getting used to communicating digitally with our children.

I have enjoyed hearing how staff are also becoming familiar with the groups on the VLN. 

A recent example of collaboration and sharing reflections has taken place with the development of the #edblognz site . As you update your own blogs I will add you to the RSS feed. I look forward to those teachers sharing what they got out from this weeks out of school professional learning. 

In addition watch for what is coming. October is known as Connected Educator Month. So on twittter look out for the #CENZ15 tag. October is also a busy time for Anna and myself as we prepare to share our learning at Ulearn. I have another TeachMeetNZ happening as part of CENZ15 and this time I am cohosting with the TMSydney team. 

In the holidays I thought I might run a half day's session for blogger. If you are interested in pimping your blog, do let me know and I will go ahead and set it up.

Term 3 Week 4 at NPS

What an incredible week we have had.

The highlight for me was Kowhai assembly and the children singing our new school song created by the amazing Andrea.
This is extended abstract thinking when we create.

Last Saturday we had our Kapa Haka Group perform for the launch of Sandra Morris Book.
The teachers involved in that were Ginny, Andrea, Elena and Sarah.

Sandra Morris's Discovering New Zealand Trees book launch our students mesmerized by watercolor illustrations - magic pic.twitter.com/uVBoVW25s5

— Newmarket Principal (@newmarketschool) August 8, 2015

In addition we had visitors come to us from Titirangi School and Medowbank school. This was through Belinda as they were coming to observe MLE. But we really know as Learning Pedagogy.
(Darn forgot the Grelfie- Wendy)

Hats off to Kahikatea with  their exploration into hacking the learning.

Discovery Friday in Te Ako Kahikatea - tinker day! @BelindaHitchman @JamiesonVeni @vanschaijik @newmarketschool pic.twitter.com/NebnxAN2Gj

— Anna Speir (@MissSpeir) August 14, 2015

Stop motion animation for #discoveryfriday @BelindaHitchman @vanschaijik @newmarketschool @JamiesonVeni pic.twitter.com/NSHejUuNMK

— Anna Speir (@MissSpeir) August 14, 2015

Arts and crafts for #discoveryfriday @BelindaHitchman @vanschaijik @newmarketschool @JamiesonVeni pic.twitter.com/2ppKccFK30

— Anna Speir (@MissSpeir) August 14, 2015

Moi?
I presented on the VLN and my interview with Pete Hall came live. You can read all about that here.


Finally the creme de la creme, Wendy shared her inquiry with us. Again demonstrating that she would not expect us to do stuff that she was not prepared to do herself. Wendy was also demonstrating extended abstract thinking when she reflected on her learning.

TeachMeetNZ on the VLN

Virtual Learning Network TeachMeetNZ from Sonya Van Schaijik

On Wednesday Sonya presented on the Virtual Learning Network Webinar.

The topic was Personalising PLD using social networks.

I spoke about the work I have been doing with TeachMeetNZ.

Differentiation

This blog post was contributed by Belinda.

Since the beginning of the year we have had professional learning in the area of Gifted and Talented leaners at Newmarket School. To view all the resources- check out our shared folder on the School Staff Site.
The sessions have been facilitated by Brooke Trenwith from Te Toi Tupu.

9th March Creating a shared understanding.

19th May The Over Excitabilities of Gifted Children.

4th August Differentiation

Our third Gifted and Talented session with Brooke was around the theme of differentiation. 





This session took place on Tuesday August the 4th. Brooke challenged us to define what differentiation was - and what it wasn’t. There was a consensus from the group when presented with scenarios designed to get us thinking about whether the strategies shown were differentiated instruction or not.

We then discussed the ways in which we establish which particular students require extension for a particular curriculum area. We talked about the importance of establishing students’ prior knowledge - both formally (pencil and paper tests) and informally (observation in discussions/scenarios).

We were then challenged to consider the levels of challenge we provide for our students by describing the activities we use to extend our students across the curriculum.

The Maker Model was then introduced. Some of us were familiar with the model, for others it was a new concept. This model describes how lessons can be differentiated in terms of PROCESS, CONTENT, PRODUCT & LEARNING ENVIRONMENT. We learned that it is not necessary to differentiate on all dimensions simultaneously.

Next we looked at the differences between extension, acceleration and enrichment, and what this means with regard to our gifted students.

Planning for differentiation was next on the agenda. We looked at the importance of providing a hierarchy of questioning: factual, conceptual, and provocative, in order to establish the levels of thinking in the class. It was stressed that we must ensure that we are planned for content, processes and products that allow for abstract/conceptual thinking - vital for our gifted students.

Engaging Pasifika Learners

On Monday 6th of August
Staff took part in a session with Manu Faaea-Semeatu from CORE Education.
The focus of the session was about our pasifika learners.