My Inquiry Focus

From the data analysis and discussion with Debbie, I decided to focus on Achievement Outcome 4 - To raise achievement of Years 7 to 10 in Reading, Writing and Maths as measured against agreed target. I focused on my target students that been identified by the school. 

My Question: - To develop dialogic teaching, together with talking tools and signals (talk moves) to improve students’ oral language, confidence and participation in learning.

I am excited to explore and look for opportunities to make a life long impact on my learners and hopefully lead to successful and happy future. I am open to learn and change my practice to maximise the learning of my students.  Happy journey 2019.

My Hypothesise

My Hypothesis

Having delved into the data and creating profile of each learner (target students especially) I want to take the learning conversation to the next level as I think that my students are struggling with expressing their thinking and having a proper learning conversation that can build up their learning.

The beginning teen is an issue. The students are very self conscious. This is a big social issue that I see that hinders learning ability.

Learning disposition is still a major issue.

More Thoughts

Further Testing and Focus Observation

Having looked and analyse the data, I also observe the learning behaviour of my students. 

For a week I observed the participation and contribution to learning of my students with particular focus on my target learners. I tracked their work daily and checked their home learning for the week.

From 11 - 15 MARCH 2019, this is a summary of what I recorded.

From this informal observation, I learnt that they seek each other's help in maths but not so much in literacy. There was a lot of distraction and incomplete work. 

Therefore, I need to develop their learning habit and teach learning conversation.  Overall from the data, Reading and writing do not show huge fluctuation as it is in maths. This is another sign post for my inquiry and my hunch.

Profile of Learners

I have chosen  the students below to be my target students for 2019. The reason for choosing them are:-

- they are just below for maths.Their reading are fluctuating but within the PAT band.

- The over time record of their PAT shows fluctuating in their progress.

- My concern is that they are able/capable to maintain their progress over the summer holidays and over the course of the year.

The writing, I wonder about teacher judgement. The result from writing is also fluctuating. I want to investigate into the marking that we teachers do.

Click on each name to learn more about the child’s.

Sia .  Kesa .  Lili .  Dianne  Charis .  Sateki .  George

Hunches About Teaching and Learning

Looking at the data from the PAT Student Report Overtime , it is evident that
students' achievements are fluctuating from year to year and even from February
to November of the same year.

The question is what is happening over the course of the year? OR is the summer effect
still a great impact on my students progress?

For Writing - The student Result Summary over the years has indicated teacher judgement is fluctuating too. I am trying to make sense the progress that some of my target students made over time. Was it good teaching or was it a wrong judgment.

I look at my students (the target students in particular) These students and majority of my learners come into school below the expected norm. All they do is playing catch up in learning. By the time they get to Year 7 & 8, the nature of development and looming teenage years has huge impact on them. I always noticed that the Learning Disposition is their enemy and so to me. I tried tirelessly to be encouraging and support my learners to be serious about their learning. I think, there is something I am not doing right.