Teacher Inquiry Blog Post 3

This year I focused on implementing my RPI course into my reading programme.

I have managed to complete my RPI and continue to improve my understanding of an effective reading programme. This has been evident in my learners self efficacy especially. They have become more confident in their learning and are understanding more about comprehension. By using a specific guided reading format (example) my learners are getting word work, comprehension, prior knowledge and follow up tasks in one place. I have found that my learners are able to be more independent and start their work prior to coming to the session. This has helped with pre-loading knowledge and collaboration. Learners have been able to comment on the guided reading format and learn from each other. I included them commenting on the one document as opposed to having their own copy. This enabled them to collaborate more.

I found that occasionally my learners were becoming overwhelmed with a lot of activities in each lesson. This wasn't working for my learners so I made the change to use my original guided reading and adapt it to included all of the needed adjustments. By cutting this down to small simple tasks, my learners were a lot more successful in their work.

I have also started doing more small create tasks instead of one large one at the end. As well as doing different create tasks using a variety of apps. This has brought up engagement with activities and many of my learners have been completing more tasks.

Successes:

• Sharing my progress on my blog
• Sharing our findings at a staff meeting - effective create tools
• Seeing confidence and self efficacy improve in my learners
• Looking over the google form results based on my learners thought around reading

Changes to practise

• Continue to develop my reading skills
• Adapt and make changes to my weekly programme such as including more word work in each lesson
• Taking advantage of many smaller create tasks as oppose to one large create at the end of the week
• Giving more student agency in their reading programme

Link to RPI blog posts

RPI Day 8 - Creating

Creativity is a huge part of learning. By engaging learners through creative tasks and getting them to share what they have learned helps solidly their learning. With this comes agency, we should give our learners the opportunity to make choices about their learning.

These tasks don't need to be long. They can be short smaller activities throughout the lesson that keep learners engaged and having fun.

Linking tasks such as creating something and then using that to create a labelled diagram. There are two forms of design, tighter and looser. Tighter refers to constraining their create in some way such as giving a template or stencil to use. Verses looser, which means allowing them to have more agency in their learning.

Creating a One Shot Film

I thoroughly enjoyed today's lesson as it was engaging and fun. We made small videos, created illustrations for poems and reflected on our goals. Creating is not only engaging for teachers but for learners as well. By giving multiple creative opportunities for learners, we will engage the learners and allow them to show their learning. 

My goals are:

• Allow for more creative opportunities in lessons (short create tasks throughout).
• More collaboration tasks
• Change the types of create tasks and incorporate a wide variety of platforms to use (ie. video, voice recording, plays/skits, animations, etc).