Plickers

plickers

plicker video

Introduced the class to this, they were excited to try something new.  I modelled it using basic facts using imaging.  It gave me instant feedback who had the right answer and who still needed to check in.

Some problems we found were 

Chn blocking the plickers image

Unsure which way to hold their card

I was taking too long to type questions

I can see this being useful for group responses, having questions preloaded. Reflecting at the end of the day (using as a survey/poll)

I also had ago with surveying the chn how they found school today.

I need to use this tool more so the children can become automatic.

Bookless Wednesdays!

Bookless Wednesday's

You know you are hooking in the kids when they are wanting more bookless days! Yesterday Maree lent me her 5 iPads to use while they were at technology. Reading time the chn were reading our class and team blogs and leaving comments or reading ebooks or ipad apps relevant to literacy. The class was humming and full engagement! (Rotation of chn typing up their Mum poems on keynote, and changing their title font was a huge hit) 

Writing time we looked at what makes a great blog comment using some of SOLO criteria.  Used Cushlagh's Happy video as a model and the chn TPS comments, which were written up.

We spoke about thin and thick questions 

And how this takes a blog comment from good to GREAT! 

We also decided that we wanted to create a conversation and engage the blogger/author so asking questions would do this as well as give us more information about the bloggers post. 

The chn then went off and made GREAT blog comments.  Most chn achieved this and relished the opportunity, where some mucked around.

Overall an excellent and exciting opportunity to have and injects some authentic MLP into LC 10.

Can't wait for next Wednesday! 

P   chn engaged, writing was authentic

M  LC 15's ipads needed our apps

I    add reading apps, Puffin include bookmarks

QCT

Having so many newbies to West Melton was proving problematic and causing some disruptive behaviour especially around friendships.

I've used Jenny Mosley's Quality Circle Time programme before with a lot of success so I deliberately timetabled once a week  for 45 mins.  I found specific lessons around friendships, making friends and helping each other out.  It started off with the intention of building relationships, but I quickly learnt that if there was a problem in the class i.e. chn constantly coming up asking "what to do" or interrupting I turned it into role plays and used it as a problem solving time.

From time to time problems came up in the playground with other chn so I helped the chn become more empowered in speaking up for themselves when someone is doing something they didn't like.

There is a very specific process for each lesson, you really can't "wing it" but there is a lot of flexibility.  I also like QCT because it builds relationships with the chn, chn have opportunities to be paired up with different chn and it's fun even though we are dealing with some big issues.

For more info search Quality Circle Time

And Jenny's site here, there's also some free resources available on her site : )

Shared reading

I have been focusing on reading fluency as I found at the beginning of the year children were word reading, thinking it might've been a "holiday" mishap, I left it thinking it would improve.  It did not. So where to next?
What am I targeting?
What value am I adding?

Firstly sharing WALT with home on our shared poems to help parents with our focus.

Using voice memo app for the children to "hear themselves" reading.

Modelling what GREAT readers sound like when reading to the children.

During guided reading time implementing strategies I used in reading recovery helped targeted specific children as well as using the buddy system to check how their reading was sounding (thumbs up, down and sideways for self and peer assessment).  Phrasing, masking, re-reading and reading.

Great resources on fluency!

Shared-reading

louise dempsey shared reading.pdf

fluency app