Windsor+School

"Thinking & Learning Bus Tours" 2009

 * 


|| ||  ||  ||   || After all teaching staff had been on a Thinking and Learning Tour we reflected on the experience as a whole staff. Some of the things that we commented on were:
 * [[image:UNI_0820.jpg width="192" height="144" align="center"]] || [[image:UNI_0826.JPG width="209" height="159" align="center"]] || [[image:UNI_0845.jpg width="192" height="144" align="center"]] || [[image:UNI_0901.jpg width="192" height="144" align="center"]] ||
 * [[image:UNI_0966.jpg width="144" height="192" align="center"]] || [[image:UNI_0988.jpg width="192" height="144" align="center"]] || [[image:UNI_0991.jpg width="192" height="144" align="center"]] || [[image:UNI_1014.jpg width="192" height="144" align="center"]] ||


 * The ways in which schools were using the "Habits of Mind"
 * Use of a standard set of mind maps within schools to promote understanding of these and a common language for children around them
 * Wall displays that clearly showed the "deep understanding" and the matrix for each inquiry so that children could clearly see where they were working and what they needed to do to move forward

Implications for teaching and learning at Windsor School:


 * Inquiry Lead Team has begun the process of developing the Windsor School inquiry model named "Ponder, Activate, Innovate". This team has been working with staff to develop this model with the help of Trudy from C21 Learning
 * Staff agreed to have a schoolwide inquiry focus of "The Future" for terms 2 and 3
 * Trudy led staff through a teacher only day to begin schoolwide planning for inquiry units for Term 2/3 - she worked with teams to help them co-construct their deep understanding and the focus/context for each inquiry
 * All teams to start teaching their PAI units for the schoolwide big idea of "The Future" in week 5, Term 2
 * One team, Team Kiwi, to start teaching their PAI unit in week one as their context for "The Future" is their team camp in week nine
 * Trudy worked with Team Kiwi to model the process of co-constructing a matrix for their knowledge outcome for PAI unit
 * Team Kiwi to display deep understanding, provocative statement and co-constructed matrix in classes

=Photos & Documentation of Development of PAI Learning Model as at 18 May 2009=

Room 17 wall display for PAI unit

Steps in PAI model

Co-constructed matrix - novice, apprentice, practitioner, expert ||

=Examples of PAI Planning to Date: = **Term 2/3 2009 **

=Results of Student Engagement Survey:=

So what does the data tell us and what are our targets? The survey comprised of 37 questions of which I have selected four that are of particular importance within ³The Culture of Learning² at Windsor. In the remaining 34 questions we performed at or above expectations compared to national norms. (full report attached for review) A local primary school of similair size, gender and ethnic composition was selected as control school. Strict test conditions were observed at Windsor.

1. ³Most of the time being at school puts me in a good mood²

70% of boys and 85% of girls felt that most of the time being at school puts me in a good mood. In 2008 the figures were 79% boys and 91% girls (same cohort) A negative trend with boys in a ³worse² position than girls Result Windsor 78% Control 80 % Target Windsor 90%

2. ³I often feel bored at School²

44% of boys and 25% of girls felt bored at school this compares to 39% boys and 25% girls feeling this way in 2008 (same cohort) A negative trend with boys in a ³worse² position than girls Result Windsor 37% Control 32% Target Windsor 20%

3. ³I do as little work as possible² 31% of boys and 20 % of girls said they did as little work as possible this compares to 23% of boys and 19% girls in 2008 with the same cohort A negative trend with boys in a ³worse² position than girls Result Windsor 29% Control 17% Target Windsor 15%

4. ³I find it easy to concentrate on what I am doing in class² 65% of boys and 77% of girls said they find it easy to concentrate on what they are doing in class compared to 57% boys and 78% girls in 2008 (same cohort) A positive trend for boys with little / no significant change for girls Result: Windsor 69% Control 71% Target Windsor 80% In most cases Windsor is within national expectations however the results are below our expectations and make for a good target for 2009/2010.

=Rubric For Effective Implementation of ICT at Windsor School:=



=Example of PAI Planning Format:=

 Team: || || || (can be more than one, indicate where you have planned/taught as a component of Lit/Maths) ||   || || ||
 * Plan onto this format and as you use it think of areas where it can be improved for us as teachers. Focus on //rich and meaningful learning tasks// when thinking about your activities and how these can scaffold your children’s understanding of the deep understanding. ||
 * Curriculum Areas:
 * Pride Focus:
 * Key Competencies

|| ¨ **.** ¨ **.**  ¨ **.**
 * **Big Idea:** ||
 * **Deep Understanding**
 * Knowledge:**
 * Key Competencies & PRIDE**
 * **Novice** || **Apprentice** || **Practitioner** || **Expert** || **Significant Questions** ||
 * **Knowledge Outcomes** ||
 * Tuning In**

¨ **.** ¨ **.**  ¨ **.**  ¨ **.**
 * Finding Out**

¨ **.** ¨ **.**  ¨ **.**  ¨ **.** ||
 * Sorting Out**

||

|| || ||^  ||
 * **Key Competency / PRIDE value** ||
 * **Assessment looks for changes in children’s participation using three lenses:**
 * 1.** **Personal lens: would look for evidence of changes in the child’s level of understanding.**
 * 2.** **Interpersonal lens: would look for evidence in change in the way children interact with others, their new skills to collaborate, engage in dialogue etc.**
 * 3.** **Cultural liens: would look for evidence of change in the cultural rituals of the classroom, new ways children use resources or new values developing in the classroom.** ||
 * **Evaluation:** ||
 * **Evaluation:** ||

|| ¨ **.** ¨ **.**  ¨ **.**  ¨  ¨   ¨ **.**  ¨ **.**  ¨ **.** ¨   ¨ **.**  ¨ **.** ¨ **.**  ¨ **.**  ¨  ||
 * **Big Idea:** ||
 * **Deep Understanding**
 * Knowledge:**
 * Key Competencies & PRIDE**
 * **Novice** || **Apprentice** || **Practitioner** || **Expert** || **Significant Questions** ||
 * **Key Competency / PRIDE value** || **Making Conclusions**
 * Going Further**
 * Taking Action**
 * Reflection**
 * **Taking Action – Key Competency** ||
 * **Assessment looks for changes in children’s participation using three lenses:**
 * 1.** **Personal lens: would look for evidence of changes in the child’s level of understanding.**
 * 2.** **Interpersonal lens: would look for evidence in change in the way children interact with others, their new skills to collaborate, engage in dialogue etc.**
 * 3.** **Cultural liens: would look for evidence of change in the cultural rituals of the classroom, new ways children use resources or new values developing in the classroom.** ||
 * **Evaluation:** ||
 * 3.** **Cultural liens: would look for evidence of change in the cultural rituals of the classroom, new ways children use resources or new values developing in the classroom.** ||
 * **Evaluation:** ||

**Key Competencies & PRIDE**  ||
 * **Big Idea:** ||
 * **Deep Understanding**
 * Knowledge:**
 * **Novice** || **Apprentice** || **Practitioner** || **Expert** || **Significant Questions** ||
 * **Knowledge Outcomes** || **Provocative Statement (s)**

¨  ¨ **.** ¨   ¨ **.** ¨   ¨ **.** ¨   ¨ **.** ¨   ¨ **.** ¨   ¨ **.** ¨   ¨ **.** ||
 * Tuning In**
 * Finding Out**
 * Sorting Out**
 * Making Conclusions**
 * Going Further**
 * Taking Action**
 * Reflection**

|| || || ||^  ||
 * **Key Competency / PRIDE value** ||
 * **Taking Action – Key Competency** ||
 * **Assessment looks for changes in children’s participation using three lenses:**
 * 1** **Personal lens: would look for evidence of changes in the child’s level of understanding.**
 * 2** **Interpersonal lens: would look for evidence in change in the way children interact with others, their new skills to collaborate, engage in dialogue etc.**
 * 3** **Cultural liens: would look for evidence of change in the cultural rituals of the classroom, new ways children use resources or new values developing in the classroom.** ||
 * **Evaluation:** ||
 * 3** **Cultural liens: would look for evidence of change in the cultural rituals of the classroom, new ways children use resources or new values developing in the classroom.** ||
 * **Evaluation:** ||

|| **Reflection Key** Date Date Date || ¨  ¨  ¨   ¨  ¨   ¨  ¨   ¨  ¨   ¨  ¨   ¨  ¨  || || || || ||^   || || Future: ||   ||
 * **Name:**
 * Self Evaluation, Goal Setting & Reflection Matrix:** ||
 * **Novice** || **Apprentice** || **Practitioner** || **Expert** || **Significant Questions** ||
 * **Knowledge Outcomes** || **Tuning In**
 * Finding Out**
 * Sorting Out**
 * Making Conclusions**
 * Going Further**
 * Taking Action**
 * Reflection**
 * **Key Competency / PRIDE value** ||
 * **Taking Action – Key Competency** ||
 * **Assessment looks for changes in children’s participation using three lenses:**
 * 1** **Personal lens: would look for evidence of changes in the child’s level of understanding.**
 * 2** **Interpersonal lens: would look for evidence in change in the way children interact with others, their new skills to collaborate, engage in dialogue etc.**
 * 3** **Cultural liens: would look for evidence of change in the cultural rituals of the classroom, new ways children use resources or new values developing in the classroom.** ||
 * **Evaluation:** ||
 * 3** **Cultural liens: would look for evidence of change in the cultural rituals of the classroom, new ways children use resources or new values developing in the classroom.** ||
 * **Evaluation:** ||

|| **Stage of the unit** || **Purpose** **Sequence of Learning Activities** ||
 * Understanding Goals**
 * Key Competencies / PRIDE**
 * Thinking Hats** ||
 * **Ponder** || **Term 2 Week 5**

¨ **Prior Knowledge** ¨ **To establish** ¨ **Student questions** ¨ **Personal experiences**
 * __Tuning In__**
 * __Significant Questions:__**


 * __Milestones__** || **__Matrix Indicators:__**

¨ **Stimulate & maintain curiosity** ¨ **Provide opportunities for students to learn new information that may answer own questions.** ¨ **Further questions for students to explore in the future.** ¨ **Challenge prior knowledge, beliefs and values.** ¨ **Shared experiences.** ¨ **Develop research and information skills.** **__Significant Questions:__**
 * __WALT:__** ||  ||
 * **Ponder** || **__Finding Out__**


 * __MIlestones__** || **__Matrix Indicators:__**

¨ **Processing & representing information & ideas from finding out stage.** ¨ **Allows for diverse range of outcomes.** ¨ **Encourages application & transfer.** ¨ **Develops skills in other curriculum areas.** ¨ **Assists exploration of values & attitudes.** ¨ **Concrete records of experiences.** ¨ **Review what is known as a group.**
 * __WALT:__** ||  ||
 * **Ponder** || **__Sorting Out:__**
 * __Significant Questions:__**

¨ **Extend & challenge understanding.** ¨ **Provide more information to broaden understanding.** ¨ **Meet particular interests.** ¨ **Revise where necessary key understanding.** ¨ **Develop independent research skills.**
 * __MIlestones__** || ||  ||
 * **Activate** || **__Going Further__**


 * __Significant Questions:__**

|| ||  || ¨ **To make conclusions and generalisations.** ¨ **To assess and demonstrate progress towards understanding.** ¨ **Informs further planning.** ¨ **Encourages reflection.** ¨ **Fosters synthesis – helping students to see the ‘big picture’ ideas behind the topic.** ¨ **Explore & justify feeling values.** ¨ **Provides point of comparison between ideas at beginning to those evident now.** ¨ **Develops meta cognitive skills.** || ||  || ¨ **To make links between understanding & experiences.** ¨ **Enables students to make choices & develop belief that they can be effective participants in society.** ¨ **Provides further opportunities & contexts for ongoing learning about the topic.** || ||
 * **Activate** || **__Making Conclusions__**
 * __Reflection using new information gained from significant questions.__**
 * **Innovate** || **__Taking Action__**

||

**Aspiring Team Leaders GoogleDoc**

Hi TeamFollowing the sessions with Terri I thought it would be good to collaborate a little about the benefits of the sessions, the "where to" and any other thoughts you have had. Through the two sessions we have covered the team profiles, difficult conversations, our values and what they mean, initial concepts of the Windsor Way and a number of incidental matters. So some feedback from you all would assist with the direction from here. Please take the time to add your thoughts.Neill We have a good range of skill/ team strengths in our school. The areas we do not have a strength in can be managed. These are difficult and take some strength of character to have in a meaningful way. We need to practice speaking good things about each other and celebrate our strengths and contributions || Strong positive teams, take time and energy- we need to make space for this development || Thanks Terri and Neill for the wonderful opportunity! ||
 * Name || Things I have learnt || Things I would like to explore further || Other matters ||
 * Neill || **Team Profiles:**
 * Difficult Conversations:**
 * Values**: We need to unpack these as a staff on an ongoing basis
 * Self Confidence**: We don't say enough good things about each other and we cringe when other say these to us || Although people learn assertive skills and have the ability to have difficult conversations self awareness is critical to ensure that we do not create new conflict through our assertive behaviour. Perhaps some role plays?
 * Sue D || **Team Profile:** We have a lot of creative people on our team. This lends itself well to being an innovative school.
 * Difficult Conversations:** Probably something we could all do with practicing. If you open your mouth and the wrong comment comes out, the damage is done. Worth having a few sentence starters up your sleeve.
 * Self Confidence:** Many of us are overly harsh on ourselves. More self belief is required - we wouldn't be where we are now if we weren't special! ("I am") We need to practice being more assertive, and work hard at rephrasing those negative thoughts that often pop into our heads. ("gants" - gloomy automatic negative thoughts) || We have explored the individuals, and seen how we fit into the team. I feel the next step would be to inter link the team with the school, by exploring the Windsor Way more thoroughly. We then all become one. ||  || I have absolutely loved being part of this team workshop with Terri. The first session was great for self reflection, affirmation, future guidance and direction. The second, for dealing with conflict and communication in general. I think the more we know and understand ourselves and each other, the better we are able to work together as a team.


 * Lesley ||  ||
 * Team Profile:** It was very interesting finding out about the strengths of ourselves and the others in the team. It has given me a greater appreciation of the ways that others work and also taught me to value my own strengths more.
 * Difficult conversations:** I will never be the person that looks forward these (if there is such a person) and I will always probably be a bit soft, but with some role play practice (Glad, sad, we) I hope that I can at least handle these a bit better.
 * Values:** I think that we have come a long way in the last year and 1/2 in regards to common values and I think it will be of huge value to continue to unpack our values and develop that ownership of language and expectations. Many of the schools that we visited had done this and this was seen as a real strength of those schools.
 * Self Confidence:** We are who we are and self confidence has never been high on my lists of achievements but it was nice to hear that others appreciate my contributions. ||  || More role play opportunities for "those" conversations. ||   || I have really enjoyed sharing this learning with the others and getting to know everyone outside of the rush of school. It is also very nice to be taken out of our normal environs and to be treated as valuable professionals. ||


 * Wendy dt ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||


 * Wendy D ||  ||   || The things I would like to explore further are the role plays and having the opportunities to practice those difficult conversations in the safe environment of this day. Exploring the Windsor way and what these values mean to us and then to Windsor is extremely important. If a fundamental difference in these values underpins conflict, then we all need to be on the same page as a school and have that collective understanding of these values.  ||   ||   ||


 * Debbie ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||


 * Dianna ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||


 * Jacqui ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||


 * Kaye ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||


 * Sue ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||


 * Vic || **Team Profile:** ||  ||   ||   ||   ||


 * Craig ||  ||   ||   ||   ||   ||

It has been interesting finding out how other people view themselves and how this can be toatlly different to how we see them. Having an understanding of how other people 'tick' I feel is definitely worth knowing especially in the close working environment we sometimes find ourselves in. A very useful tip for me was the 'glad sad we'. The role plays don't overly worry me however, I wonder how much you can practise when you don't have the 'caught off guard' moment or your own adrenaline running, which is often the case in a high anxiety type conversation. I agree that the work we have done on unpacking our school values is good. To have a common language unites a school and gives the children good boundaries to excel in. More of this including other staff would be great. It is wonderful to hear good things about yourself, however, I would like to know how to respond better to these without feeling stupid. || How to better respond to positives without sounding stupid and more unpacking of the values. ||  || It has been great to meet in a comfortable place away from school, so that we are not disturbed by daily school comings and goings.Thanks to the organisers for the info, location and food. ||
 * Cindy ||
 * Team Profile:**
 * Difficult Conversations:**
 * Values:**
 * Self Confidence:**