Sally led a session on the application and analysis of effective running records. Discussion flowed around clarification of seen/unseen text, reading to learn and learning to read, administration, RRec versus Probe, senior/junior similarities and differences, teacher judgements and a simulated test. For my own learning, I felt affirmed around my understanding of the administration of running records in relation to probes. One area of debate was the suitability of Probe testing for our students, particularly around texts that many of them found difficult to connect with due to language difficulties. It was agreed that all text must be seen, but not necessarily in guided instruction - to ensure testing of comprehension isn't compromised. Before students begin tests, teachers can ask students to explain/recount what the story/article is about and also ask if there are any words they didn't know the meaning to e.g names of characters, specific nouns such as 'quilt' - teachers must use their prerogative here to judge whether answers may interfere with comprehension testing.
Following our running record session, we went into unpacking what learn/create/share looked like in reading in our classrooms. Each syndicate brainstormed their approaches and shared their ideas with the whole group. In sharing with each other, we could see the progressions across the school of the learn/create/share ethos.
After morning tea, we began a session on 'Dialogic Practice'. If you look through this blog page, you will see a post that gives a bit of an explanation around what it is. Kyla lead this session with her and I sharing our new learning of dialogic practice from the Manaiakalani Lead Teachers meeting we attended 3 weeks ago. During this session we talked about what dialogic pracitice looks like, made comparisons between monologic and dialogic teaching practice and how we can enhance cognitive thinking and engagement through it. Towards the end of the session, we shared a clip of an expert teacher in a guided reading situation and identified what dialogic and monologic teaching took place. Teachers got a clearer picture in differentiating between the two and understanding become clearer as discourse took place.
The final session of the day was around our 'Professional Reflections Blogs'. Rhonda shared ideas for what and how we use the blogs and discussion centered around what reflections should contain. Teachers were directed towards John Smyth's framework for reflection. This framework is an excellent pathway to describing, confronting and reconstructing thinking around the tensions of a problematised topic or idea. Teacher's were then given time to create their own professional blog and we discussed regularities of posts and expectations.
Our TOD as always showed the professionalism and commitment of the staff at TPS. Our teachers are true LEARNERS, passionate about their subjects, enthusiastic to share and generate a genuine sense of value and respect for each other. I am a very proud member of a very professional group of people.
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