EOY Teacher Inquiry Reflection

Now that we are coming to the end of another school year, it is time to reflect on my journey using The Code to enhance spelling and phonics skills in my students. Check out my progress and insights below : 

To answer my inquiry question : Using The Code in my teaching has significantly improved students' spelling and phonics skills. Through targeted support, extra practice, and engaging activities, I've seen increased confidence and progress, especially in students with English as a second language.

Here is a link to the report I read to my staff at our Teacher Inquiry presentation meeting.

2024 Maths Programme Reflection

This year in LS1, our maths programme focused on building strong foundations in number knowledge and strategies, helping my Year 6 students (aged 10-11) grow in confidence and enthusiasm. While our main goal was to achieve a 1.5x accelerated shift in progress, the true success has been the improvement in basic facts, multiplication skills, and attitudes towards maths.

Key Goals and Focus Areas
Our main goals were:

• Achieving 1.5x accelerated progress in maths.
• Reintroducing students to using maths books for their work.
• Developing a strong foundation in number knowledge and strategies, which are critical to mathematical success.

Although we touched on strand-based topics, the primary focus this year was on core skills in addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. This focus allowed students to strengthen their understanding and build confidence in the basics, setting them up for future success.

Our Maths Lesson Structure
To ensure students had a consistent and effective learning experience, each lesson followed a clear structure:

1. Quick Facts Warm-Up: We started with revision of basic facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, division) and simple key maths terms like ascending and descending. - this was because a lot of the scores on the PAT Maths tests reflected a lack of understanding of mathematical terms.
2. Teacher Demonstration: I modelled how to solve problems, explaining each step.
3. Whole Class Practice: The class worked through problems together to build confidence.
4. Group Practice: Students collaborated in smaller groups to solve problems.
5. Independent Bookwork: Students applied their learning individually in their maths books.
6. Create Task: Students used their devices to complete a creative task, such as making a presentation or solving problems digitally.
7. Blogging: Each student blogged about their work to reflect on their learning.

We marked work together as a class, and students received immediate feedback. For independent tasks, they marked their own work first before I checked it.

Supporting Students Who Need Extra Help
For students who struggled during class or group activities, I provided additional support in small groups. We worked side by side until they gained the confidence to try the work independently. This personalised approach ensured every student had the opportunity to succeed.

Making Maths Fun and Engaging
To make maths enjoyable, we:

• Gamified basic facts practice with challenges and sticker charts.
• Scaffolded lessons, giving students creative tasks to apply their knowledge after mastering the basics.
• Designed word problems based on our local community, cultures, and student interests, making learning relatable and meaningful.

How We Measured Progress
I used a combination of assessments to track progress:

• Quick Facts Scores: Recorded on a spreadsheet to monitor growth.
• Multiplication Challenges: Students marked their own work, and I verified their progress on a sticker chart.
• Maths Book Checks: I reviewed all bookwork regularly.
• Digital Work Reviews: Students linked their tasks to a spreadsheet, which I checked online.
• Standardised Assessments: PAT Maths, IKAN, GloSS, and JAM were used to assess progress across key areas.

Successes and Reflections
While we didn’t achieve the 1.5x accelerated shift we aimed for, our students made significant progress:

• Improved confidence in multiplication and basic facts.
• Better attitudes towards maths, with many overcoming initial reluctance.
• Noticeable improvements in PAT Maths scores.

The programme was a success in many ways, and I’m proud of the strides LS1 made this year. Moving forward, I plan to continue prioritising number knowledge and basic facts, as these are crucial to students’ mathematical development.

Term 4 2024 - Goal - Student Independence and Leadership

Term 4 Goal: Strengthen Student Independence and Leadership

As Term 4 gets underway, my main focus will be on helping my Year 6 students build their independence and leadership skills. It’s such an important time for them as they get ready for the jump to Year 7, and I want to make sure they feel confident and prepared for what’s next in their schooling journey.

I’ll be giving my students more opportunities to take on leadership roles in the classroom. Whether it's leading group projects, running class discussions, or helping to organise events, I want to give them chances to step up and take responsibility for their learning and the classroom environment.

I’ll also encourage them to set personal goals and reflect on their progress, helping them to take ownership of their learning. By introducing more student-led activities and celebrating their successes, I hope to build their confidence and self-management skills.

By the end of Term 4, I want my students to feel proud of what they’ve achieved, ready to take on leadership in Year 7, and equipped with the skills they need to succeed in the next phase of their learning.

What is the SAMR Model?

Exploring the SAMR Model

Before completing my own research, I had not heard of the SAMR model before, so I broke it down and created a my own DLO to understand it better. It’s a framework that helps evaluate how technology is used in teaching, moving from simple substitution to transforming learning experiences.

SAMR stands for Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition—a progression that shows how technology can enhance and transform learning.

In my practice, I would like to think that I often work in the Modification and Redefinition stages, redesigning tasks with multimedia or flipped learning to make them more engaging. This aligns with the Manaiakalani cluster’s "Learn, Create, Share" approach, helping students learn in innovative ways.

Teacher Inquiry - Reflection 2

Term 3 has been full of learning and growth, not just for my students, but for me too. I’ve noticed some shifts in both my teaching and the way the students are approaching spelling and phonics.

Changes in My Teaching:
This term, I focused more on differentiating my lessons. Breaking the students into smaller groups meant I could give more tailored support to those who needed it most. I also started to use more gamified activities and made my lessons more dynamic to keep everyone engaged. The data tracking also helped me a lot – by checking their progress regularly, I could tweak my teaching on the spot if things weren’t working.

Changes in My Students:
I’ve seen so many improvements! Many of my students, especially the ones struggling early in the year, have gained confidence in identifying phonics patterns and applying them to their spelling. They now know more about vowel sounds and blends, which is awesome to see.

However, some of the students still slip back into old habits when they write independently, and I often need to remind them of the strategies we’ve worked on. But overall, there’s been a noticeable change in how they approach their work – they seem more confident and motivated.

What’s Next:
Looking ahead, I’m planning to keep working on the foundation we’ve built this term. I’ll make sure the students who still need more support get the time they need to consolidate their skills. I also need to balance the repetition with more variety to keep all the students challenged and engaged.

Equivalent Fractions - Class on Air Observation

This week, I observed Rebecca Henderson from St Francis of Assisi School teach a Year 7/8 maths lesson on equivalent fractions. I did this by accessing the Manaiakalani Class on Air website. The focus was on changing fractions to have the same denominator and applying this understanding to problem-solving tasks.

What I Liked :

• Direct Instruction: The class unpacked key terms such as numerator, denominator, and equivalence. Students practised finding a common denominator and changing fractions into equivalent fractions.
• Learn Task: Students worked through fraction problems, either individually or with a buddy, and used tools like Mathigon to represent their learning visually.
• Create Task: Students created videos using the Screencast app or Google Slides to explain their understanding, then shared their work on their blogs.

Students collaborated effectively, using clear mathematical vocabulary and explanations during discussions. By the end, they confidently identified common denominators and ordered fractions on a number line.

My Takeaways : 

• Visual tools like Mathigon help students grasp abstract concepts.
• Collaborative tasks encourage deeper understanding and effective communication.
• Including creative tasks like video-making boosts engagement.
• Managing classroom devices can be tricky but rewarding when done well.

This lesson showed me how to blend direct teaching with hands-on and creative activities to make maths lessons more engaging and interactive.

Thank you Rebecca for sharing your mahi for us to learn from!

Click here to see the Class on Air lesson I observed.

Teacher Inquiry - Reflection 1

These notes are in reference to my 2024 Teacher Inquiry which focuses on delivering The Code.

What I Did:

I planned lessons that catered to different student needs, balancing group activities and individual support. To make things more engaging, I used gamified activities for those already doing well in spelling. For the ones who needed more help, I provided extra practice time. I also kept track of their progress with spelling assessments to pinpoint where they needed more focus.

How the Students Responded:
The students generally responded well to the approach. The ones who needed more support really started to build confidence, especially when we focused on phonics and short/long vowels. For the more confident spellers, the gamified activities seemed to work, but there were moments where they got a little bored, especially with the repetition.

Some students still struggled with handwriting, and they were really focused on making everything perfect. This meant that sometimes, they'd get caught up in writing and not focus on spelling as much.

What Worked:

• The gamified activities were a hit with the stronger spellers.
• The consistent, repetitive lessons helped the lower learners feel more confident.
• Targeting phonological awareness gave students a clearer understanding of vowel sounds and consonant blends.

What Didn’t Work:

• The repetitive nature of some lessons caused a few students to disengage, especially those who were already stronger in spelling.
• Despite the lessons, some students still struggled to apply what they'd learned independently, especially without reminders.

What I Could Change:

• I’ll try shorter lessons and smaller groups to keep things fresh and engaging for everyone.
• I need to add more variety to lessons, especially for the higher learners, to stop them from getting bored.
• I could also link handwriting practice with spelling, especially for those still struggling with both.