With the writer's permission, we're uploading this letter as some of you may also have similar questions.
Thank you for arranging the Literacy evening last night, Christina I enjoyed your presentation! I also picked up some helpful ideas for my child. After reflecting on the session I do have some further questions that I'm wondering if you could answer for me?
Thank you for your time and I look forward to your response. Hi Parent, Thanks for your feedback - I'm pleased you found some ideas helpful! I've answered your questions below as best I can - feel free to follow up with me (or your child’s pod teacher) if what I've written doesn't make sense, or if you want information specific to your child’s situation. 1. Is there specific feedback given to children after they have completed their independent writing? Yes and no. It depends a lot on the child, on the day, and on the writing 'task' or 'topic'. For example - a child who is just beginning to write (a NE) would have a lot more support than a Year 2 who is writing independently. The feedback (for any child) may range from a verbal read through with a teacher and an oral comment, to a written comment from a teacher, to a comment about content, to a comment about surface features, or related to a WALT. Feedback might be a prompt to carry on writing, or a prompt to edit / check work etc. Some days there will be more feedback than others, some days there will be none - and there's no specific reason for this! 2. Are you currently running a sepcific phonics programme to all children? Yes. Different teachers will do this in different ways. In the HSS (Herring, Simons and Stuart) area of Kowhai, the children are ability grouped for phonics and receive specific phonics instruction using the Yolanda Soryl programme. In the other end of Kowhai, children receive phonics instruction based on the Gail Gillon phonological awareness programme and Yolanda Soryl (depending on the level of reading / writing). The difference arises from different teaching experiences (for teachers) and different professional development opportunities. Also, are there any specific follow up activities for the children to do that relate to their next steps? Yes - again, this depends on the level of reading / writing, and the focus of the session. Follow up activities might relate to a the book that's been read, or might involve writing a story in response to a book, or to a shared experience. (I personally think the follow up activities are actually no different to what I would have done in my single-cell or 'traditional' classroom). 3. What is the role of the 2 roving teachers while the other 4 teachers are in the breakout spaces? We've made some changes to our morning programme and the role of play in our programme. Currently we work in two groups of 3 - Thelma, Natalie and Louise (HSS) work at one end to plan and teach literacy in the first block of the day, and then maths in the second for the children in their pod groups. Nicole, Jo and I (ABS) do the same at the other end for the children in our pod groups. As we've had to compress the amount of time we have for literacy instruction, all three teachers teach literacy at the same time - two will work in the breakout spaces, and one in the larger classroom space. During literacy time (while not working with a teacher) the children will be working at various independent literacy activities - literacy games, reading opportunities, writing opportunities etc. A similar thing happens during maths time, and again there's a balance of large group, small group and independent work. Our play-based learning programme has been reduced to afternoons, and happens on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons. On Monday and Thursday we do inquiry as a whole group (6 pods) and mix teachers to work with different pod groups. On Tuesday or Wednesday the children will visit the library. During the afternoon, all six teachers will work / play in the large space, and the children are free to move and choose from the whole space and from any activity. Teachers are also free to either set up an activity (indoors or out), or join the children in imaginative play, or observe and respond to the play that is happening.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
Categories
All
|