The difference intervention can make

One of the children in my ALL group has been part of my Inquiry - how can I make writing more successful for her with her dyslexia and elins glasses. I discovered that using different coloured pens would make her feel "special" and that she can write. Often her ideas have been over shadowed by her ability to write.
So here's the proof :-)

Student Lead Conferences

The weeks have flown and now Student Lead Conferences are here! This year I made the decision to let the children share "their" learning with their parents. This meant that I did not give them the graphic organiser with boxes to fill in, or teach them what to say during my guided sessions or put markers (stickie notes) in their books.

This was because a couple of weeks ago, a child in my class was going to be away for these conferences and her parents wanted to book in a Student Lead Conference, and because I had deadlines for reports and other school stuff I hadn't set her up as before. So one Friday, she came with her parents after school, sat down with her books, a whiteboard and proceeded to tell her Mum and Dad what she had been learning! Not the doing... She was confident and very clear about her achievements and what she needed to learn next. She even showed them the strategy she was learning in Mathematics and taught them how to do it.

The most surprising thing about all this was this was a child at the beginning of the year who used to drive me crazy asking for clarification every time after instructions were given. I taught a unit at the beginning of the year about how we learn best - she had great understanding of herself and now knows how to she can best learn.

So this week all I asked the children was to share their learning - and they are!  I have empowered them to share with their parents and anyone listening what they now know. It was refreshing to hear parents saying that they had learnt from their children, and were actually surprised by what the children could tell them.

I did mark their books vigorously and made sure that they had all work up to date. My style for teaching in my guided sessions has changed too. I now make sure I discuss the why and the success criteria - how do you know you can do this? The children help with the setting up of task boards and constructing the WALTs. I have tried very hard to give  the children a variety of perspectives and cross over ideas/concepts through curriculum areas to build a deeper understanding. THis has been most successful.

How will I run Student Lead Conferences in the future? I think that the children need to tell me.

Managing all the areas of need in the class

At the moment I am struggling to make time for the other children in my class with needs.
This morning before school after discussing Mathletics with a colleague, a couple of the children asked me to show them how they are going on Mathletics - certificates, points etc.
One of the child asked if I could help her tell the time as she could pass the measurement activity I had set for them. I spent nearly half an hour with 2 children learning to tell the time.

My question to myself then was _ "Am I doing for those in need or just those who asked?"
"What do I need to do to ensure that they get it? Mathletics?"

Then just before I received an email from our SENCO asking about a Maori boy in my class who sent alarm bells ringing at the beginning of the year, with his data. He is well below in all areas - reading, writing and maths. He had been in radar, but nothing had been done for him last year (2014) as far as we could find in the records. So I was able to have a Teacher Aide for him, covering Reading Mileage and another Teacher Aide for Mathematics knowledge  (Stage 4) for the first Term. This was such a boost for him and the other child failing.

But for this term there hasn't been any intervention for him - just me. He is improving and progressing as he is part of my ALL group and is having an intensive guided session for writing everyday and the language is flowing - such an improvement. So when the SENCO asked should he be on an IEP - Yes because he has slipped through the gaps before and No, because he is responding to the class environment and he beginning to share his ideas.

So what next? I need to make time to really look at my data and pinpoint those children who need a "lift" and explicitly teach so that they don't fall behind.