Mind Lab - Week 17 - Choose your topic (Scan)

Over the next 16 weeks, I will be carrying out a small-scaled teacher inquiry cycle. 

In order to document and share my teacher inquiry journal, I considered creating a google site. I have previously created google sites for school, and have a google site for my thoughts and reflections when completing my Digital Passport. However, I did feel that I was doubling up and that a google site is not naturally the best way for me to learn. So I have decided to continue to keep all of my documents, notes, lessons and resources in my Google Drive, where is a shared with my collaborators. I will then post my thoughts and reflections to this blog which is open to all to see and give me feedback.

I have this blog linked to my appraisal as well as reflections to all of the teaching standards.

Within my google drive, I have made copies of both rubrics for the 2 assignments for this course (first 8 weeks - research). I have also made copies of the Research Essay template and Action Plan template. I have also printed these off as sometimes it is easier to read on paper.

So my essay for the first assignment will be on the Research Essay template.

The Spiral of Inquiry model that we will be using is a continuing process that normally takes longer than the 16 weeks we are giving it. However, it is a valuable process, to go through it quickly.

The Spiral Playbook is a valuable resource detailing what occurs at each stage of the spiral.

My first step was to choose the Meta Topic.
On talking with the Principal I discover that all TAIs next year are to be based on maths. Having looked at the list of metatopics studied during the first 16 weeks there are a few that stand out.

• student agency
• engagement
• robotics

I will be narrowing the topic to Digital and Collaborative Learning (and leaving the Leading for the moment.)

I am also interested in narrowing the topic

• boys
• maori boys
• maori students
• girls STEM
• maths

Currently, I don't know the makeup of my class for next year. Whilst I think it would be interesting to work with Maori boys, until I know the numbers in my class (and this year it was only 3 out of 30) I don't want to commit. So it could be Maori boys, Maori students or girls (with a STEM twist).

Inquiry Question - How can we engage our boys learning using robotics.
We found out that since boys are start schools at a disadvantage (brain development) to girls they are more likely to have a bad experience. Play based learning has a positive impact on boys because it caters to their developmental needs. Robotics could be a provocation that could engage boys and make them feel successful.

How can the use of robotics and collaborative learning be used to promote student agency as well as having a positive impact on Numeracy outcomes for Maori boys in year 5.

Scanning the community
education stakeholders comprising “students, families, community members, practitioners, policy-makers, society at large.

For the moment I will be scanning my prospective students and their current teachers. I will scan all the current year 4 students as I don't yet know who will be in my class.

Halbert explains in “the importance of scanning video” that we all have assumed knowledge of our students but we need a deep understanding of them. We have opinions but we need to test them out.

What’s the experience of kids? Do they get the kind of feedback on a daily basis that helps them own their own learning?

Do they feel connected to this school? Can they answer the question, “Can you name two adults who believe you’ll be a success in life?”

Do they have the opportunities to see the links across subject areas and to the community so that they can understand the relevance of what they’re learning, or do they see it as a set of discreet tasks?

Do they, do they, have the opportunity to coach a younger child and to learn from an older child, or conversely to coach an older child and learn from a younger child?

But think about the checking part in the future.
“How will we know that we’re making enough of a difference?”

Think about the whole spiral at the beginning and all the way through - don't leave it to the end.

So, just to emphasise, this is about starting with a deep understanding of what’s going on for our learners and then coming back to that to say are we making enough of a difference for them?

In a normal inquiry it can take up to 2 months to complete this scanning phase - we will be much quicker than that!

Conversations with the principal highlight the need for more inquiry into maths, Talking to the maths curriculum leader, there is a concern across that school that basic facts are an area that needs to be developed. Students don't know their facts well enough. 

Observations based on my current class are that student agency and engagement are closely linked, This term I have investigated the use of digital tools on student engagement, and the use of a digital taskboard to increase agency over the tasks that students do as well as when and where they do them, This has all led to improved student outcomes.

So how can I take what I have learned about agency and engagement and apply it to maths, whilst using the topic of robotics and coding? I don't know yet but I know that robotics and coding are engaging and I'm sure they can enhance maths learning.

So I have devised a survey for the students that contains the following questions.

• Can you name 2 people at HNPS who believe you will nbe a success in life?
• What are you learning?
• Why is it important?
• How is it going with your learning?
• What are your next steps?
• How is it going with your maths learning?
• What are your next steps in maths?
• How do you feel about robotics?
• Is there anything else you would like your next teacher to know about you and your learning?

I also surveyed the four year 4 teachers.

• Which area(s) of maths do you think should be an additional focus in 2019?
• What aspects of robotics are your students familiar with?

I am currently awaiting some results to see if I need to modify the inquiry topic further.

Integrating the Principles of Kaupapa Māori into Your Teacher Inquiry

Tino Rangatiratanga - the self-determination principle

The principle of tino rangatiratanga has been discussed in terms of mana motuhake, sovereignty and self-determination. Tino rangatiratanga is about having meaningful control over one’s own life and cultural well-being. This principle is embedded in the Treaty of Waitangi. In signing this Treaty in 1840 the sovereign chiefs of Aotearoa New Zealand sought to protect their taken-for-granted, sovereign rights into the future.

Taonga tuku iho - the cultural aspirations principle

Kaupapa Māori theory asserts a position that to be Māori is normal and taken for granted. Te reo Māori (the Māori language), matauranga Māori (Maori knowledge), tikanga Māori (Māori custom) and ahuatanga Māori (Māori characteristics) are actively legitimated and validated. This principle acknowledges the strong emotional and spiritual factor in Kaupapa Māori. Kaupapa Māori knowledge has its origins in a metaphysical base that is distinctly Māori. As Nepe stated, this base influences the way Māori people think, understand, interact and interpret the world.

What relevance does the topic of interest have to your Māori students? - In my current classroom, my Maori boys enjoy the challenge of coding and using the robots. They are engaged in the hands-on activities in ways that many other activities just don't grab them.

Have you taken into account the ways your students think, understand, interact and interpret the topic of interest? How would you know? I know that there is a need for development in maths. My current students are far more engaged with hand on practical activities, and real-world problem-solving activities. As long as I continue with these I should see engagement and increased agency. My Maori boys are often those who struggle with self-regulation and student agency and I will put the task board into place and scaffold those boys as much as they need in order to succeed. Over time they should become more independent.