Louise's Learning Journey

My Inquiry Topic from Term 2 was to understand being a NE/ Y1 teacher. This is the first time in my career that I have been a classroom teacher at this year level. First I will list the top 3 challenges I faced this year (of course there were so many more!) regarding being teacher at this year level and follow each one with a reflection. Next I will share some successes I feel I have had, and share my reflections about each of these. CHALLENGES: 1) Studying a diploma in te reo Māori and teaching a new year level REFLECTION: Focus on one new thing a year! If I had been in a year level I was experienced in, or had been working in my current position for a longer time, then perhaps I would have managed both studying and teaching. However this year has been exhausting and I know I have not always put my best foot forward when teaching. 2) Scaffolding appropriately for a NE/Y1 age cohort REFLECTION: Observing other teachers more. I know I would have benefitted from going to other NE...

I am in my 2nd term as a New Entrant teacher, and I have technically just had one term doing DMIC math. It has been an unsure and confusing  journey so far! When talking to other colleagues and DMIC mentors this is apparently a 'normal' feeling. I have been struggling with getting the children to listen to each other and use each others strategies. After a PLD session with Dom (one of the school's DMIC mentors), I got some clarity around what I could do and made a few changes. I now work with 4-6 children at most, and have them working in pairs at a bean shaped table. This has made it easier for us to all hear each other- and to have the children focus. I have also adjusted problesm to start with basic adding. The problem I posed the day after the PLD was as follows. We discussed the problem and what it was asking and the children said they needed to count. They then worked in pairs and used equipment (because it was there!) I managed to capture some of what happened. B...