Kia Ora,
The 2022 teaching year has begun, and alas, the education climate has again been influenced by the disruptions of covid. Low student numbers, isolating pupils, and an undeniable need to put student wellbeing at the heart of learning, have presented myself and my colleagues with challenges towards getting our classroom learning going successfully in full-flight.
Nethertheless, as a team, we have responded well to support each other, and have maintained a strong focus on building positive relationships with our students, and completing our literary and numeracy testing to the fullest extent possible.
On the first count, I have made having positive, supportive relationships with all my pupils the single most important goal for myself in Term 1. I know that this has been a success. So far, so good.
On the last, I have luckily secured myself a full complement of student data.
With the data close at hand, I have now commenced my formal learning programmes. So, what has this looked like, given the challenges we are facing as teachers?
Not surprisingly, the reality has been less than linear.
Despite the readiness of myself and pupils, there has been a hugely evident need to ensure that my students’ wellbeing has been well-prepared alongside proper classroom teaching.
So, to explore this, I have asked myself some questions to reflect and act on.
The first is question is: ‘what do I do, as a matter of habit, organisation, or structure in the classroom, for students to be well-prepared emotionally in order to learn?
Firstly, and primarily, I have been maintaining a structured daily and weekly routine. Our morning routine of preparing the classroom, calling the roll and date, reviewing the daily schedule, and sticking to the routine, has helped my class be “ready for learning”. I have taught my students what being ready for learning looks like and sounds like in Room 4. This has all culminated in students being really happy to learn.
The second question I have pondered is: 'What have I done to prepare the well-being of my students in our key learning areas?
And to answer - I have maintained a structured programme of learning in the core areas.
My writing program, so far, has been quite successful, as it takes place first in the mornings. I have structured it in this particular way: as a class we have mat time for teaching, writing time, and finally, student sharing and listening to writing time. I have a system whereby students know and expect that their name will be called at random at the end of writing time for sharing. This, I think, has added to the easy and happy attitude to writing I have seen in each of my pupils. Students are highly motivated to share the writing they have produced and are confident sharing their ideas with others.
My reading program is going well, too. I have organised activities and ability reading groups underway, complemented by a phonics routine, Big-Book routine, and reading for enjoyment after lunchtimes on the mat. Students have visual aides to help them know where to return their daily instructional reading book, have zones for bookbags, and named labels where they can locate their reading group.
For Term 2, my focus will be on building a routine and structure around my math program, which took a little longer to establish in Term 1, and which is a bit worse for wear. However, one thing I have done well is to have a fun focus in mathematics. We routinely play warm-up games, have a teacher-led warm up routine, and use ‘hands-on’ learning aides and digital devices to support learning. This week, I have made table rotation cards, and this has immediately changed the feel of the class during math, as pupils sit in groups at organised tables, while I teach small groups. I have also noticed that bringing math forward earlier in the day has increased student engagement, and this is to be not unexpected given how students attention spans and energy levels tend to wane as the day passes.
Now looking forward to Term 2, I will be asking myself the question: ‘how will, and what will I do, to ensure that student well-being is a priority in order to maintain pupil confidence and an ease of attitude towards learning over the long-term?’
