Keeping Up with Mrs Faalili

Identifying a target group to work with this year, more than other years was quite tricky. Because I don't have my own classroom this year, I have the lucky opportunity to work with students across our whole school and therefore am able to pick and identify students from Y0-Y8. This year, my target group identified are a group of 5 Pasifika Year 7/8 Boys who are all learning below/well below their expected year group in all Reading, Writing and Maths.  The collection of data (assessments, student voice, teacher observations, my own observations) lead me to find the following trends:  Punctuality - Ready for learning These boys were in no rush to get to school. They were often late (3-4 a week), sometimes rolling up to school after 9:30am. 'Slept in' was the most common reason for coming late.This made me wonder 'why there was no sense of urgency to get to school', 'what is happening in class/school for them that isn't motivating them to come' followed by...

To in form my inquiry, I will be using the follow tools, measures, and approaches: Tools -  • A google form to collect student voice on learning and key ideas for Term 1 and looking forward, for Term 2. Student voice is essential in gaining an insight to how they are feeling about what they are learning. Student agency is important and is a big driver in 'what' is being taught/explored so it allows an opportunity for me to provide a space for my learners to be engaged in their learning and see relevance in it, therefore making connections.    • Collect  student voice  and  self assessment  through interlead (teacher practice and a structured set of questions). This self asssessment is important because my goal is to ensure that how I am teaching, my practice, is effective for my learners. My expectation is that my teaching practice will change and adapt to the needs of my learners - my students don't adapt to my needs. The importance of student voice,...

 Wow. Just wow! My tinana and wairua are overflowing after listening to and sharing at our Manaiakalani Teacher Only Day.  Our keynote speaker, Dr Rae Si'ilata and Kyla Hansell spoke about the importance of students' identity and culture in our classrooms and teaching practice. It was such an amazing keynote that I didn't even take notes - I was too inspired to jot down anything.  My key takeaways from them:  • Continue to use students frames of references to inform the way in which we approach students learning and their needs.  • Continue to use culture and identity in my teaching • Continue to provide spaces and opportunities for our tamaiti to lead, learn, share their expertise.  • The importance of understanding bilingualism and the brain  • Continue to find and expose students to texts that are 'windows and mirrors' and provide a balance in my setting.  • Continue to build awareness ... My biggest learning from today came from our very own ...

 With our Manaiakalani Cluster Teacher only Day coming up soon, a lot of our teachers are preparing to share and run workshops.  I was very fortunate at the most recent CoL PLG to 'speed date' with Dorothy Apelu (Tamaki College) and Christine Tupou (fellow colleague here at GTS). Our talanoa left us with wanting more. We walked away from that PLG eager to reconnect and run a workshop at the up coming Manaiakalani Teacher Only Day.  Each talanoa session that we've had to date have been overwhelmingly reassuring but also filled with frustration at what our tamaiti, our tamariki are having to deal with in our classrooms.  Our workshop session, we are planning to include STUDENT VOICE , and this I'm excited about. Our tamaiti have such powerful voices yet in different settings do not see themselves and their peers as valueable and knowledgeable beings. It is proven that student voice is important, is powerful and should be evident in our classroom and teaching practice, ...