BT Talanoa - Week 3

During my first BT meeting with my mentor teacher, we went over the following things :

Like all kura, Panmure Bridge School have set values they seek to uphold through the teaching and learning that happens in their place.  PBS created these values in consultation with their community of local residents and parents. These are summarised as CARE values : 

Confidence - about taking risks, and giving things a go.

Attitude - Participating, having a good attitude, making good choices.

Respect - We respect all opinions (may not agree with them but still respect them)

Excellence - set goals for ourselves, sharing of ideas.  About thinking about learning.

These values are separated across the school as follows : 

Years 1-6 : Can be "caught using CARE values" and receive a care ticket which they need to take to the office, where they go into a draw where 6 names are drawn out on a Friday at a formal assembly.

Years 7-8 : Care badge system - Silver / Gold.  Students complete tasks that are signed off by Intermediate teachers.  These students then email Mr Johnston (school principal) and then go on to receive a badge during the assembly.  My mentor teacher explained that this enables her to prompt students in their learning by asking things like, "Who can show me confidence?"  

All in all, the CARE values are what "make the school go around" as a shared message of instruction.  The CARE values are learnt from New Entrants up to year 8 students.  They are reinforced everywhere, and in every context.  From learning this, I have made a note to myself to use these values when I am teaching students in a group setting.

We've agreed that my BT release days would be more effective and beneficial for my teaching if I split them into 3 blocks that need to cover : Planning - Growth - Reflection.  I recognise that having this structure will enable me to complete the BT requirements while continuing to develop my professional learning.

Planning is a way to organise your thoughts.  Planning should allow you to connect to what you are teaching.  Ultimately my planning needs to show clearly : How am I going to do it? / How am I going to get it across?  Planning is a very important part of being a teacher. It helps you to : be well organised, to have a clear idea about what you’re teaching, when you plan you have a chance to rehearse the lesson/go through it, and identify the resources you need. Planning also allows for continuity in learning if I am not there.  It should be done in a clear concise way so that any teacher should be able to pick it up and teach from it. Planning is not a decoration - nor it is a chore ; but it is the recipe for the how to.  My mentor teacher emphasised the importance of always referring to the planning.

From our discussion we have set the goal for me to : 

- Split my release days into 3 blocks : Planning reading (in accordance with RPI) -being observed / observing - blog reflections.

- Post once a week to my professional blog related to the mentor's focus.