RPI Day 1 - Reading is Core

Reading is Core and rocket science! Dorothy has reminded us about the detrimental effect of poor reading and the vital role of teachers for students' future success.

A good reader “has the ability to understand and use those written language forms required by society and/or valued by the individual. Readers can construct meaning from texts in a variety of forms. They read to learn, to participate in communities of readers in school and everyday life, and for enjoyment.” Progress in International Reading Literacy Studies (PIRLS), 2021

A good reader profile (my takeaways):

• Decodes, understands and uses texts in a meaningful way

• enjoys reading (widely and explores different genres)

• has strategies to process texts for different purposes

• draws on background knowledge to make sense of new information

• thinks critically about what they read - engages with texts emotionally and intellectually

• believes they can improve and grow as a reader (growth mindset!!)

• participates in reading communities at school, home, etc (range of context, connected to their lives and interest!)

We completed the Reader Profile as teachers and got a sense of what questions we could ask our learners about their reading preferences, and behaviours. We also read through the results of a survey completed by a sample Year 5-6 Class.

Reflecting on my Reader profile compared the the student’s responses to the same survey:
1. How similar/different are your reading habits to this class (see Qu. 4 & 7)? Write why you think  it’s important to be a teacher-reader for your students?
- I love reading fictions - same as many kids
- Borrowing books from the library - similar to some of student, I often find books online (esp research) and online libraries/ open resources rather than going to the library
- My interests are obviously different from kids:)

I noticed from students' responses that they see the teacher as a role model. They need teachers to plan and promote reading, give them time to read, and expose them to different genres!

2. Write the title of one text you would make the time to read (from Qu.10-11). Write why:

David Walliams books - so much fun, humour, engaging, love to know what my learners read and enjoy.

As Teachers, we need to know our students, know children’s literature and to share our enthusiasm for reading, being a role model and read to the class as well as encourage reading across curriculum and for pleasure (plan and allow time for this in the weekly programme)

Reading across the curriculum (example):

Link the multimodal learning to promote reading - purpose, real life application and understanding to extend their learning across the curriculum (science and reading)

Reading for enjoyment - Robyn’s case
Reading for enjoyment is more likely to raise student achievement in reading!!! They need to read outside of the classroom to achieve this!

There is a reinforcing reciprocal relationship between oral language influencing reading development, and reading influencing oral language development.

J., Hattie - Importance of the Extended Discussion

For planning - just write “Student discuss/ talk” to mark that you expect the extended discussion. Plan how will you facilitate the extended discussion

Developing the right environment to promote and achieve ‘extended discussion’

6 Ground rules for Talk:

1. Actively listen (includes not talking over others);

2. Respectfully take part giving ideas, reasons and evidence; 

3. Ask questions;

4. Be inclusive: invite the participation of others;

5. Stick to the topic;

6. Look at other sides of the issue (e.g. fully informed to think critically & make best decisions)

Could start by posing a provocative question or “would you rather’ question to practise these rules.

Use a game (see Rob’s class on air) - provide opportunities to talk, teach, scaffold and practise the use of Ground Rules.

We had to use the ground rules for talk to have a productive group discussion about: Which Reader Profile graphs would you share with these Year 5-6 learners and why.

Thanks to Naomi and the RPI team for including this activity - I really enjoyed practicing the ground rules! I believe my group did really well but I noticed that it's really important to go over or clarify the question to ensure a common understanding and stay on topic during the discussion.

Reflecting on this from a learner's perspective, I wonder if, when my students share additional (but not totally unrelated) thoughts, it might be because they’re not 100% sure about the question. Maybe it’s worth asking one of the students to repeat the question before or during discussion:)

Research Readings:
I chose to read:
Quote: “...None of these actions speeds a reader along. None of these can be done without thinking” (p.29)

My takeaway: Quality over speed! Let students stop, reflect and discuss, eg, reading one paragraph and then summarising in their own words before moving on.

Quote: “The most learning was obtained when multiple strategies were taught in combination.” (p32)

My Takeaway: Teach, scaffold and practise different strategies because by using a range of different strategies, kids stay engaged and actually understand what they read.

Comprehension isn’t just about answering questions, it’s about getting kids to think about what they read, connect it to their world and talk about texts in a way that makes sense to them. By using different comprehension strategies, students will move from passive reading to real, deeper understanding.

Final thoughts on Day 1 learning:

RPI Day 1 was such a great day - so much learning and so many reflections! I’m now itching to finally pick up that book I’ve been meaning to read for ages but never seem to have time for… Well, my weekend is officially sorted:)

This session reminded me that I’ve been on the right track in my teaching, which is always reassuring.
What I’d do differently now? Get familiar with the new curriculum! But it’s not about reinventing the wheel… It’s about improving consistency and making small, intentional tweaks that enhance good practices into more powerful targeted habits. For example: teaching students to find a good-fit book, making reading for enjoyment a structured, supported experience, modelling positive reading habits, encouraging discussions where students share discoveries, recommend books and connect reading to other learning areas.

I’m walking away from today feeling inspired to keep building on what works, fine-tune for effectiveness and consistency, and make reading an even bigger part of my classroom culture... And actually also getting some ideas for the MPI:) Thanks Naomi and Georgie!

Fundamentals of AI in Education

I’m so excited to have completed the Fundamentals of AI in Education (Micro-credential) course with Craig Hansen and to be one of the first certified AI educators in New Zealand! 

The course was an inspiring experience, packed with practical strategies and real-world ideas for using AI in the classroom and beyond. I learned so much about integrating AI into lesson planning, assessment, personalising learning for students and addressing the ethical questions that come with these tools. I’m already putting this knowledge to work by using AI to boost student engagement, provide targeted feedback, analyse data and choose the best approaches for specific learning needs. 

The possibilities and practical applications are endless! 

Algorithmic Thinking in Maths and Life: Integrated Resource

Algorithmic thinking is now a key focus in the new maths curriculum for Algebra. When thinking of algorithms, many people might imagine vertical algorithms - the structured approach to vertical addition and subtraction. However, algorithmic thinking extends much further, enabling students to break down complex problems, recognise patterns, and apply logical solutions in both mathematics and real-life situations.

To support teachers and encourage an integrated approach to maths, I’ve adapted the "Connected 2018 L2" text "Amazing Algorithms" into this ready-to-use slide deck, complete with:

activating prior knowledge questions

learning intentions (WALT) and Success Criteria, 

comprehension questions, 

a CLOZE activity for assessing understanding,

a creative follow-up task to engage students 

extra resources (SplashLearn and Tynker)

Amazing Algorithms

Manaiakalani Share Staff Meeting (Maths, Y7-10)

I’d like to share some highlights and points of concern from the recent Manaiakalani Share Meeting, where I had the opportunity to facilitate discussions with Year 7-10 teachers about our maths teaching practices. Our sessions were rich with personal insights and shared challenges as we talked about our tamariki and their learning in maths. It was truly inspiring to witness the dedication and passion our Manaiakalani teachers bring to their work! 

We all agreed that improvements in the maths curriculum are needed to better support our students - something that seems to be a common theme in education globally:) We discussed the new curriculum approach announced by the government last week, which draws from Singaporean and Australian models. We all felt that while these international approaches have their strengths, there is genuine concern about maintaining the focus on 'maths in authentic contexts' and understanding each learner’s unique needs.

We also discussed the idea of using workbooks to improve maths outcomes and agreed that workbooks can be a valuable tool. However, we also believe they are just one piece of the puzzle. Our goal as educators is to create engaging and context-rich learning experiences that truly resonate with our students. Some teachers from DMIC schools noted that integrating more structure and direct instruction with their rich problem-solving approach could be beneficial but no one wants 'drilling' and a lack of creativity in maths. At the MPI (Maths Practice Intensive), we promote a balanced approach: three days of ‘structured’ targeted teaching, followed by a day of ‘rich tasks’ or investigations, and ending the week with conferencing and/or workshops. We’re already receiving positive feedback from our participants and their mentors.

As we await the release of the new curriculum next week, I’m staying optimistic and hopeful for positive change. I believe we will continue to collaborate and ensure our maths programmes remain both effective and meaningful for our learners.

Matariki Maths: Connecting Culture and Curriculum

Matariki is coming! This special time of year is not only about cultural celebrations but also offers an incredible opportunity to weave Maths into teaching and learning. From exploring symmetrical patterns in Māori art to analysing data related to Matariki traditions, we can engage our students in a fun and meaningful learning experience. So, let's embrace the spirit of Matariki and embark on an exciting journey of integrated maths learning!

Here is a LINK to some great Matariki lessons on nzmaths. These lessons cover Levels 1-4 of the current NZC and provide numerous ideas for cross-strand and integrated units. Last year, the teachers' feedback on implementing these resources was very positive, so I've decided to share more for this year's learning

I highly recommend exploring these resources, as they contain excellent lessons and ideas for teaching and learning various maths concepts and skills in a relevant and practical context.

As a teaser, feel free to explore the three ready-to-use lesson slide decks below (click on the image to access). For more ideas and variety, please follow the nzmaths link.

Manaiakalani Mathematics Practice Intensive (MPI)

The inaugural MPI Cohort 1 kicked off at the beginning of this term. We had two productive and intensive days full of learning, reflections and 'aha' moments.
Sign up for the MPI 2025,  as spots are filling up quickly. 

We have a diverse range of participants in the program, each finding their own areas to enhance their teaching of mathematics... Check out their blogs

"...This is exactly why I wanted to go on MPI. My strengths are in my content knowledge, as well as my own mathematics ability. However I needed to know how to strengthen my own understanding of current pedagogy, and in turn, hopefully, this will help with my planning of maths."

...how to use the PAT maths data to inform the next learning steps for the learners. This will be very useful for us as it is clear and easy to understand what the next steps are for the students. We will be able to use these and offer them in our workshops to extend and progress learning."

"One of my big take-aways is the fact that I am being delivered all of this research based material and I can pick and choose as to what will suit me and my class at this point.  Speaking of which, how fantastic do these slides look?  I am very keen to be working towards my planning for my students to be as enticing and interesting as the examples that we are having shared with us."

 

Thinking of my TAI 2024: Focusing on Mathematics!

I will continue to improve my teaching practice and support other teachers in enhancing their teaching of mathematics. While participating in the pilot MPI, my main inquiry focus will remain on developing teacher pedagogical and content knowledge to ensure the effectiveness of their maths programmes. Additionally, I aim to promote critical thinking in both students and educators to achieve the best outcomes.

Here is the Causal Chain that I developed last year and am continuing to implement this year. It helps keep me on track and has received positive feedback from my COL colleagues and leaders.