Keeping Up with Mrs Faalili

Bursts and Bubbles - Live stream! That was fun! I really enjoyed this way of sharing, listening to everyone's inquiry for the year in a short, sharp, digital platform.  Check out my Bursts and Bubbles Presentation 2021                                    

Restate your inquiry question and your theory of action/chain of events My inquiry question is a 2 part sandwich; "How will being culturally responsive in my teaching and an integrated approach to teaching and learning accelerate achievement?" The focus of my inquiry is to be culturally responsive in my practice for this group of boys. In order to do this successfully I will seek information, relevant data to build a picture/baseline information on my group. We will start with teacher guided sessions with the aim to have our sessions fully run by the group. The aim is to work together with students, 3-4 times a week where we plan and create a shared authentic learning experience for the whole school. As a result of this, student engagement and motivation increases, they see themselves as learners, but also as carriers of knowledge, much like our 'Ava analogy as shared in our  Manaiakalani Teacher Only Day Presentation .   Describe how you will collect information about ...

  Finding your voice in a digital world Core Education blog post - Kit Haynes; Head of English Kelston Boys High School The power of talanoa. This reading is another one that supports what I know and believe to be powerful and effective in teaching, when done right. After sitting through a range of video calls with students this morning, popping in and engaging with what was happening in their class, with the goal to stay connected and support, I couldn't help but think 'Dang, I wish I had my own class because I'd be doing it way differently'. This has led to me write this reflection because I know at a point last year, I came to the conclusion that I spoke too much during our class calls. Way too much. And at that point I had to make a change, allowing students to share more, talk more. The bit that got me was the 'just mute your microphone' as kids are coming in phrase. So damn true. Even sitting here, now, a year later and still saying that in calls is off pu...

1. Plan and conduct detailed inquiry into specific aspects of your current teaching that are relevant to the hypothesis you identified in the literature. Inquiring into your teaching should give you: a) formative information about your current strengths and ares for development. b) baseline information that you can use at the end of the year to provide evidence of shifts in teaching.  Based on the research, professional readings and reflection into my own teacher practice, I have identified the following as my detailed inquiry that I aim to undertake with my target group; Hiss Hass Hoos Boys.  - See the boys every day, 1:30pm in their office aka my office space. - 4 sessions will be used on planning and learning for their integrated project 'The Taste of the Pacific' - 1 session will be used to support them with other work they have in class that they need support in. It's important that this session is flexible enough to fit their needs and still maximising the time that w...

The causal chain - What is it?  A causal chain is when a cause leads to an effect and that effect becomes the cause of another effect A leads to B. B leads to C. C leads to D. Any intervention you design will (consciously or not) be based on a causal chain you have in mind - this is your theory of action. The image below highlights the causal chain to show flow for my Year 7/8 Inquiry Group - The Hiss Hass Hoos Boys. One thing that I haven't mentioned on my causal chain is address the issue of a group of them always late. I timetabled the group so that I see them first thing in the morning. This, I hope will encourage them to be at school on time, ready for learning. Milo with Mrs Faalili is also on the menu - breakfast club 8:30am as another way to build relationships with the group. 

Share 3 pieces of academic or professional reading and explain how they and other sources helped you form hypotheses about aspects of teaching that might contribute to current patterns of learning.  If I want my learners to be coming to school on time, motivated, and ready to learn, I need to make sure that I am being culturally responsive in my teaching practice and setting them up for success. "Culturally responsive teaching... strives to increase engagement and motivation of students" Michael Valvurs (2008) Culturally Responsive Teaching  Throughout this reading, the 'why' of a culturally responsive practice is unpacked. Increase in student engagement and increase of student motivation, transforming perspectives and empowering learners by using meaningful cultural connections, just to name a few. My target group are a group of Year 7/8 Pasifika boys who are all operating below, mostly well below their expected level. Not only are they operating behind their peers, ...