Elly Warnock

Words Their Way Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary and Spelling Instruction - Word Sorts - a systematic, sequenced approach. We want children to have a map of how it all works Layers of the Orthography - the ways words are written down Alphabet Sound Layer (English language - 56% as it sounds - would get correct) Pattern Layer Meaning Layer (Anglo-saxton, greek, latin) WHEN THESE ARE ALL IN PLACE, ENGLISH LANGUAGE BECOMES 97% RELIABLE This programme helps children to map the patterns. These layers relate to progression in reading and writing. Children who write how they speak are stuck in phonological knowledge... Schwa vowel (the vowel that is indiscriminate) - e.g.:  Forage (but we say forige) Emphasis (we loose the a - we don't say - "em - far - sis") Mother Butter Be curious about words! Children need to see a word spelt correctly 40 times before it gets locked in. Every time a child (or adult!) sees a word spelt incorrectl...

Standard 2: Use inquiry, collaborative problem-solving and professional learning to improve professional capability to impact on the learning and achievement of all leaners. Reflective question: What professional learning have I engaged in and adaptively applied to my practice? Firstly, I would like to focus on the professional learning that has come about through being a Lead Mentor this year for the Masters in Teaching and Learning Programme. This has really enabled me to practise the coaching and mentoring skills that I have learnt over the past several years, primarily with Carol. See my Leadership Inquiry 2017 for further reflections on this.  An example of 'collaborative problem-solving' is the approach we took to our challenging learners in the Busy Bees this year. Coming together as a teaching and leadership team to brainstorm possibilities was invaluable. I am SO excited by the direction of RSS and it has been great to be part of the development of that. Our...

Mel and I had a great session today discussing agency, dispositions, our RSS vision, the key competencies and our school values. We want to be able to see how they all link together.  We want to be able to simplify them, yet not loose the heart of any of them. Our discussion led to this...   Certainly still a work in progress, but a great start to aligning these important factors of what we believe is important at Russell Street School.  I just love that the work that was done in the Innovation Fund is not coming to fruition.  It is aligning beautifully with the PD we have had in maths, and the latest research. Next step - to take to Leadership.

Kelly and I were privileged to take staff meeting last night with Dinah providing us feedback on our content and delivery. As a Leadership Team in Term 2, we planned out the development necessary in maths. This was critical in ensuring that there has been coherence and consistency in our maths development - especially when we have been 'taking turns' in leading staff meeting throughout the term. This staff meeting was a result of a couple of things - firstly, the SM that Ebony & Mel led, was all about making OTJ's. What we found were that people were very narrow in the data that they were using. No one used a rich task to help inform their judgement. Secondly, we have wanted to do a maths 'moderation' for over a year now. It was in the plan for a TOD last year, but that TOD was cancelled. We had not revisited this.  It was important for us to tell people where this meeting sat with relation to the big picture. Having 2 hours to work with Dinah and Kelly ...

Effective Teaching & Learning in a Play-Based School Environment Sarah Aiono & Linda Cheer What is Play? Primarily, play is: self-chosen and self-directed; Children need to have the opportunity to quit. Children need to problem solve themselves. (It grows intrinsic motivation.) process rather than product driven; its about the means rather than the end. We don't have to always 'do' something with the e.g. poem contains structures or rules established by the players themselves; Play vs games or sports imaginative, non-literal and removed from reality; These days, children are faced with reality most of the time. Play allows for imagination/magic to develop. occurs between those who are active, alert and non-stressed. Play/imagination happens in the pre-frontal cortex.  If stress is present, the child is not able to be working in the pre-frontal cortex. Play involves higher order thinking. Gray, 2013; Brewer, 2007 Continuum o...

http://www.bamradionetwork.com/bloggers/why-we-need-to-abandon-subjects-and-focus-on-big-picture-learning What a great article outlining the need to flip education on its head.  Why do we continue to try to make the learning match the real world or make connections to the real world? What we really need to do is teach the real world! This makes so much sense, yet traditionally in NZ and around the world, we continue to teach subjects in isolation.  This is not what life is all about.

Dear Teacher I am a student in the UCOL School of Photography, Arts and Design, Palmerston North. As part of my study I am undertaking a research project that sets out to investigate illustration as an educational tool for new-entrant school children. To achieve this, part of the project is to determine the perceptions of primary school teachers about child readiness for starting school and any resources that may be useful for teachers and pupils during the transition into a new entrant class. Participation in this survey is entirely voluntary. You will be asked to complete a brief survey that will take approximately 25 minutes to complete. Completion of the survey implies that you consent to take part in the study. Responses collected will form the basis of my research project and the basis for a report. All responses will be analysed on an anonymous basis. Only my supervisor, Andre Te Hira and I will have access to the data collected. All data will be stored securely...

Joy Cowley Poem - "I enjoy looking at other people's roads" What does the Treaty mean for us to RSS? The lens of Education Act 1989 - Principles of Partnership, Protection and Participation. NZ is both Bi-cultural and Multi-cultural. We have all come from somewhere.  What do we know about the first people who were here in NZ? 1100 - First people came 1769 - Cook 'discovered' NZ 1790 - Traders 1840 - Treaty 1860 - PN established 1931 - RSS began Language I use tells a story - we need to be conscious of what language we use. Were my descendants called to come to NZ? We all come from multi-cultural backgrounds - and we make up this nation. Who defines as Maori? How is that defined? Whakapapa (You are Maori if you can prove you are) If you have all of that, you can still choose not to be. We learnt as children that the Moriori were in NZ first, then the Maori came and 'eat and beat' the Moriori.  What in that is true?  M...

It has been so refreshing to come back to participating in JK with colleagues from RSS!  It is so much part of our culture where everyone feels valued and an integral part of the process.  What a great opportunity to bring together our shared knowledge and nut out possible solutions to problems.  I really feel as though this has been one of the best JK rounds I've been a part of. We started by sharing knowledge of P4C (Robin, Suzanne and Rosie) and Inquiry Maps (Fiona).  I really wondered how we were going to merge the two, but merge we sure did.  And how powerful! We used Inquiry Maps to help our students improve their abilities in P4C. There is HUGE potential for this to infiltrate throughout the school.  This is exciting and we feel as though this could be the next stage to our SLC's.  Rosie, Fiona and Robin will be trialling this at this term's SLC. I'm looking forward to using Learning Maps in Room 4 next term.

As part of our COL, our Maths team are working alongside Jodie Hunter from Massey University.  This presentation outlines the important features of a successful maths programme.  I love that everything here links up with the work we have done with Dinah over the past 2.5 years.  A powerful presentation with key messages included.

We are fortunate enough to have an MST @ RSS this year. This programme is specifically designed to support the development of students well below, below, and 'at risk' of the National Standards.  Mel, our MST, is doing a fabulous job implementing this programme and it has been a pleasure to spend time with her and relieving for her in this role on one occasion. There is certainly a huge change in the attitude of these students to their maths development - what a great start! In reading Mel's assignment for her Massey Post-Grad Paper, my reflections are as follows: For students who are struggling in maths, the following elements are key: Engagement - of students and teachers Understanding of a learners maths identity, which is so often impacted by misunderstandings creativity problem solving collaboration anxiety It is crucial for students to see how maths applies in the real world Teachers have the biggest impact on student learning. Task choice is in...

Longworth Education carried out a seminar specifically designed for Leadership outlining the important factors in implementing a play based environment. My notes, a little bit different to usual, are taken from the Webinar. What are my thoughts?  Play based learning fits in so very well with our vision - to inspire creativity, agency and excellence - why would we not inquire into this and see the benefits for our children?!

PTC 01: Professional Relationships, PTC 02: Promoting Well Being; PTC 03: Bicultural Partnership; PTC 04: Professional Learning; PTC 05: Leadership; PTC 06: Learning Programme; PTC 07: Learning Environment;  PTC 08: How Ākonga Learn; PTC 09: Diverse Needs; PTC 10: Bicultural; PTC 11: Assessment; PTC 12: Critical Inquiry; Appraisal, Carol Lynch, Dinah Harvey, Sabbatical