Professional+Development

** Relates to RTC 1 i as I am contributing to the collaborative teaching practice and opening up opportunities for discussions in regards to different numeracy project practice. Additionally relates to RTC12 i ii, 6 i ii, 7i as the PD I have undertaken relatest to providing opportunities for all to learn, plan these and implement programs inline with what I have learnt. ** Last week and for three other times this year I will be undertaking professional development for Mathematics with a focus group of 6 others and two numeracy co-ordinators. This PD came with three foci – Assessment, ICT integration and awareness, and Fractions, decimals and percentages teaching and learning. We looked at what our assessment of individuals to date shows us. We reflected on PAT for summative assessment purposes in relation to Norm referenced information and formative assessment collections using Asttle and IKAN and most importantly, great importance was placed on conversations gathered from independent Gloss formative assessment and recognition of the stages of children. We looked at how to collate the data from these summative assessments to inform our multiple group teaching in the classroom and misconceptions by the whole class that can be taught as a whole class as warm up activities. We then looked at valuable wiki’s which are offered from Team Solutions, that have little relevance for a staff like ours but for the individual teacher in our department some of the information can inform our practice and aid our approach to teaching mathematics. Top of the mind is the numeracy project which enables teachers to recognise and teach knowledge and strategies. Fractions, decimals and percentages are daunting, even for the trained professional. Most importantly is that one cannot be taught without the other, as they are all related and there are many misconceptions from learners, and knowledge cannot continue into integers and ratios further if these are not understood. The three stages of teaching were modelled and learning and conversations were considered. Modelling with materials, adding in the numerical symbols and then visualising or working out in our heads was undertaken, no light task for an English brain like mine. It reiterated that the approach to teaching and learning mathematics I am undertaking in my classroom are nearly on the right track and it has provided food for thought – the biggest being that material/concrete manipulation for students is essential for learning so that they are able to relate it to a realistic context and visually solve problems. I have put some ideas already into practice in my classroom and the result is also evident – gloss testing at the end of this week will be supply data of its effectiveness. If anyone would like to know anything further or have the hand outs I can happily supply them.
 * 14th March 2010 This is the reflection I provided for the staff meeting in regards to the PD I have undertaken. **

Reading Leading and Learning Blog about a book published on dysfunctional schools []
Outlines the ways that schooling can have a negative impact on learners and their approach to life as a consequence. The most relevant points from this reading in relation to the RTC are: This initially caught my attention as school wasn't for me and there are a lot of children I can relate to who are wounded by the system. When dealing with some of the students this year and in the past I need to think and consider my actions as providing them with out the consequences of the "hidden curriculum" I teach as a white middle class person with different morals and expectations of them, then what they have grown up with. This does not mean that my expectation for thier success is improvised as a consequence and my conceptions of their possibilities to succeed and removing the borders to this needs to be maintained.
 * "Success in life is all too often determined by success at school. And all efforts to improve schooling very rarely take the trouble to listen to the voices of teachers let alone students**...**'Wounded by School' Kirsten Olsen speaks passionately about the experiences of young people whom the school system has failed."**
 * "She writes passionately about the need to develop schools where all students feel valued and empowered, where all students experience the joy of learning, and she writes clearly about the need to challenge school structures and practices many teachers currently use use without appreciating the harm they do.** **Olsen is raising fundamental questions about the purpose of learning.**
 * Olsen's findings conflict with teachers who became teachers to help their students.** **Equally the school system 'wounds' creative teachers who are forced to conform to current approaches...** **No one is paying attention to the real needs of students to ensure they all develop positive learning identities**; identities centred around the development of their gifts and talents. Success is solely determined on school orientated narrow 'academic' achievement."
 * __I agree with some of her findings:__**
 * Some of the school wounds are:**

Children who leave feeling they aren't smart; that they don't have what it takes to succeed - caused by effects of testing, grading, ability grouping and streaming //(This occurs right from the extension class at our school and into the years 9, and with this the proviso that all the lower ability have behavioural needs also, a way to promote childrens self efficacy is to praise praise praise in the classroom and create a ethos of positive self worth)// Students who believe their ideas and thoughts are not valued. //(We can prevent this by making sure that we answer all those with hands up and acknowledge their voice)// Students whose talents and gifts have not been recognised or valued. //(We have a class with "gifted and talented" students and therefore the mantra of others is that they are not as good, therefore self efficacy is lacking - I probably need to do more work with children realising thier potential and interests)// Students who have lost the joy of learning for its own sake. //(I believe there are a lot of children in our class that don't have the self efficacy to feel as though they have the ability to do well and therefore are stressed and confused at doing it and do not enjoy it. Greatly affects motivation)// Students who are risk averse to save face Students who have developed poor attitudes and feelings of alienation or anger //(Last year highlights these ideas, but so far I have not had these issues and hope not too)// Students who can no longer see connections between various learning areas. Other blog comments relate Olsen's work to Bishops focus and also a highly debatable area in education; raising Maori achievement overall - findings are that this must come through communication and developing an ethos of success to promote extrinsic motivation before intrinsic and gaining the support of all elements in life much like the Early Childhood education focus, derived from Brenner's concept of systems.

**Additionally I would be interested in involving Team Solutions or gaining professional development for "e" learning **
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**It is a priority of the Ministry of Education and team solutions stipulate that this maybe funded by Min Ed **
====**[] **==== ====**I would like to see if I can approach Team Solutions to gain help as many of colleagues are always busy with their own goals and this is one I would like to help me on my path to Rego. **====

//**Something to help Planning that I will see if we have []**//
//**Key competencies.**//

16th of December //Items I have found of interest for Professional Development - in school and out of school.//

PD ONLINE for Learning Media http://learning-media-pd-online.wikispaces.com/

Dyslexia Approach for consideration. []