Influencing policy (training slides from Fast Track Impact)
Best literature circle presentation
1. Proudly sponsored by RELLCO & B.E.S.T Saturday 1 st May 2010 Literature Circles and Blogging Discussions. Developing Rich, Real & Relevant practices in Literacy Robyn Hurliman Improving Student Learning Outcomes
4. What does it mean to be literate in the 21 st Century? What does it mean to be literate in the 21st Century? Why do we teach children literacy skills? What does it mean for our teaching?
29. How much of what we do is the same…just because we have shifted the context or environment, have we really made a shift in our thinking? Are we giving children what they need? Are we doing it any differently?
30. Children want to move forward. They want to learn new skills and want to be challenged. They can take responsibility for their own learning. How much do we steer them when they can actually steer themselves? Do we really allow them the chance to choose their learning steps? Do we give them the right foundation steps to succeed? How much do we still remain in control?
31. Is what we are asking children to share really worth sharing? Do we already know what they are going to say? Do the other children already know what they are going to say? How interesting is that????
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38. Questions to ask yourself and your children? What are you doing about it?
10 efellows applied this time last year. In past years the criteria just asked for an e-learning context, you were released for the time of the e-fellowship and did all your own research. For 2009 it was literacy in an e-learning context. 20 release days, working in own school, a mentor from CORE/NZCER who worried about the research component. Changes – losing out on the benefits of the efellowship – keep it as real in the classroom learning. “ How are the literacy skills, knowledge, and dispositions needed for the 21st century supported through e-learning contexts?”
Think, pair, share
Play video, reflect on how this matches what our thinking was.
Play video, reflect on how this matches what our thinking was.
Our discussions take place on our wiki and by being challenged by what others share I hoped to see that their thinking will keep evolving and they will engage in discussions which while perhaps changing their thinking, will also challenge others to reflect on their thinking as well. I wanted to develop their thinking skills and for the children to take more responsibility for their own learning.
Began with all doing the same role. Then in pairs, then package of 4 roles. Now children choose own roles. Different books lend themselves to different roles.
Often it has been me as the teacher setting questions if I think our thinking has stalled. Pre-thinking questions to stimulate and get the hook for children to have buy in to the book/topic.
Easy in the beginning. When chn started choosing own books some were much longer in length. Emily – first long length book, couldn’t keep track of what she’d read so found summarising reminded her.
In the beginning, very much just words we didn’t know. Now we are beginning to choose more interesting words. Koare/Cullen – German accent – important for people who might read the story to know w becomes v. Discussions – ticket/voucher as prize.
Emily – Drawing pic about girl trapped under a bed. Read passage about how she tore strips off her dress to bind her wounds. Emily – What! She’s wearing a dress! Understood the importance of detail. Often give just the story typed out to not cloud their thinking.
Can spark off mini inquiries.
Some of the books we’ve used. I have no idea of the level of them. Sparked an interest in me. Children found a connection between the stories that I hadn’t thought about.
Children trusting of my choices but now wanting something more challenging.
Go to Kids alone in a cyclone.
Emily going back and back and back to first book. By blogging discussions, children going back to previous books/discussions and adding to them. How often do we allow them the time to go back to things and to change their thinking. Children logging in from home as they have a thought.
Quake safing our houses. First story, no understanding of what words meant for 3 little pigs – no pic in head – superficial understanding.
No full stops, spaces, spelling.
(Ticket (summary)/voucher (story)
This for me has been the overriding aha moment. The elearning context has given the children the chance to participate, for others to interact with them.
Next group involved – learning from the first group, reading, challenging their thinking. More mini inquiries Experimenting with using the roles for writing.
These skills are not tied to any particular software or technology type, but rather aim to provide students with the thinking skill and thus the opportunity to succeed no matter what their futures hold.”
