Reflection Of Engagement With Learning During Lockdown

I have written a quick summary of how a selection of my students connected and engaged with online learning during the lockdown and reflected of the differences between families. Learning was provided via our class site and students were able to connect with me during two hangouts each day. The class site provided tasks across the curriculum, including high-interest hands-on inquiry tasks. Instructions and models were given using explain everything videos, teacher videos, audio and written instructions.

Student's 21 and 22 couldn't connect to hangouts but completed most of the tasks on the class site. They especially enjoyed the hands-on inquiry tasks that I had made videos for. They shared their video's with me via google drive. I was amazed at how much work they had done on their return to school as their mum had found it hard to motivate them to do work at the start of lockdown. The hands-on videos were a motivator.

Student's 7 and 16 had not connected at all during level 1. However, during level 2 they returned to school to work from school. This shows the need for some students to be at school.

Student 2 independently connected to each hangout but didn't complete the set work without the support from his parents. He has continued to be motivated and is participating and contributing but has fallen back a bit in his reading.

Students 6 and 13 connected to each hangout and were self-motivated in their learning completing most online learning tasks. Both had support from parents. These are the two highest academically achieving students in the class.

Student 3 worked with mum each day. Mum realised the difficulties he has retaining information and concentration. She now wants to continue supporting him with his learning at home and at school and has seen a huge shift in his eagerness to learn and confidence to talk about his ideas.

Student 5 worked with her mum and sister a year younger each day, They worked through the phonics, reading, writing and maths activities on the site. They left the hands-on activities as they didn't have the materials to do them.

Student 19 connected later into lockdown with help from the teacher. Dad helped with the hands-on inquiry activities and they connected each day to share their learning via hangouts. He also had help from other family members. Dad relied on my verbal instructions, videos and audio to follow the instructions for learning activities as he is unable to read written instructions.

Students 10, 11 and 14 were uncontactable during the lockdown. These families didn't answer phone calls. One of these families has not since returned to school. One family has discussed that they were unable to get their child to do any school work.

What you will notice is how every family was different in the way they connected and engaged in the learning. Each family had very individual circumstances and experiences during lockdown which influenced how and in which ways they connected with the learning activities provided. As a junior teacher, it was a huge job ringing each family on a regular base to help them connect. At times you felt like a stalker especially with those at-risk families that had seemed to have disappeared off our radar. However, those conversations and the talking through technical issues helping families to connect to google meet is what built the relationships that I now have with many of my families. I am so incredibly proud of my parents that lead their children's learning at home. Especially as many of them were facing their own challenges during lock-down. The difference they have made in their children's learning is so obvious now we are back in the classroom. These students are confident, happy and ploughing ahead with their learning.

Some families did not connect at all and for whatever reasons and have not completed any set learning tasks via google sites. Each child had an iPad and internet access. It is not my place to judge as I know the challenges many of our families have on a daily basis. This experience has left me continuing to wonder about ways in which I can better connect with these parents and help them if this situation was to arise again.

MIT and TAI2020 Gaining a Greater Understanding of Māori and Pasifika Perspectives of Play

It is a common perception that play is a normal way for children to learn about themselves and their environment and that the learning and development that happens through play reflect the social and cultural contexts in which the child lives. Also, that play is important for the holistic development of the child. (Bruce, 2001; Leaupepe, 2011)

The ENGAGE Programme takes this further by showing the importance games can make as a catalyst for developing self-regulation skills needed to navigate successfully through life.

My proposed project outcome is to create an online platform to connect our Māori and Pasifika whanau with the Engage programme that our schools are incorporating into their daily curriculum.

However, Leaupepe (2011) indicates through her research into Pasifika Perceptions of Play that the above common viewpoint may not a Pasifika viewpoint. Her paper illustrates the perception of play can sometimes be seen as inappropriate and taking children's time away from more productive activities like helping around the house.  Contribution/ service is a hugely important value in Pasifika cultures. 

If this is the case then will whanau see the value in the ENGAGE programme, and be willing to learn more about it through the proposed website?


To gain further insight into a Māori and Pasifika view regarding play I meet with Maori and Pasifika teaching colleagues using the Pasifika method of Talanoa. 

My Colleague Talking From a Māori Perspective:

"Games are viewed as learning- you are learning as you play, through play learning is achieved. Maori believe should be enjoyable because through play learning is achieved.

What memories do you have of play as a child?


"Marbles, pūrerehua, ti rakau, poi, spinning top hit with a harakeke, pole with ropes like a swing, kōruru (cow knuckle bones), and calabashes,"

What games do you play as a family at home? Are they different from when you were a child?


"Video games, more electronic games. The Whakawhanaunga, the intimacy, wairua, the spiritual connection has been lost. It is missing, noho ngātahi (being together as one)"

What are the positives about helping your child learn at home?

"Whakawhanaungatanga , spiritual connection. We are very kanohi ki te kanohi."

Two Of My Colleagues Talking From a Pasifika Perspective

Some families are strict and children have to do what they are told to do. Others allow for time to do something and spending time together as a family and play. 
Traditionally games are competitive... egg and spoon races, sack races.

The conversation turned to opportunities and challenges of sharing the ENGAGE programme with families and expecting them to implement the games at home. 

It was mentioned that it can be difficult to have the drive, and daily routines and there is the distraction of social media e.g.facebook, this takes time away from spending time interacting with children. They said that there is the risk that they will say they will do things that the school recommends but in reality when they get home it probably won't happen. 

School is school, and home is home. It is polite to say the right things and families don't necessarily say what they think. When discussing ways of sharing... Culturally, if it is fun families will come especially if it is something simple ..... food and their children performing.... bring families in to share. 


My Reflection after meeting with colleagues:

• It is important to value Whakawhanaungatanga and embed this value throughout the process and within the prototype.
• Include Maori games such as ti rakau 
• Incorporate competitive games
• Students demonstrate games as an incentive for parents to connect.
• Launch an online platform through a celebration for our Pasifika community, sharing food and cultural performances.

References

Bruce, T. (2001). Learning through play: Babies, toddlers and the foundation years (pp. 112-124). London: Hodder & Stoughton.

Leaupepe, M. (2011). Pasifika perspectives of play: challenges and responsibilities. Peer-Reviewed Paper: Vol2, Num4-March 2011, The University of Auckland.

MIT May 7th Meet- What impact did this meet have on my thinking and planning?

With the COVID-19 lockdown came pressure and extra work as educators moving into a completely digital way of teaching and learning. Also came the extra work as SENCO helping our whanau navigate their way through this period.

My passion and excitement from our hui one week prior to lockdown turned to frustration and zero output as I became time poor, extremely busy with the extra lockdown workload.

I entered the meeting feeling frustrated and feeling like I was failing. 

However, the meeting quickly allowed me to gain a positive perspective.

What we have just gone through as educators is unprecedented. We have had to change how we teach and connect with our leaners, and deal with situations that are new to everyone. Being kind to myself is not something that comes easy to me and this is what I needed to do.

Taking the pressure off myself has allowed the passion and excitement to return in a natural way. Since returning to school, being open again to this journey and where it is taking me,  has made me look at the project with new eyes.

I have returned to the empathise phase of the project with the learnings I have gained from the COVID experience connecting with whānau. Exploring the 'partnership' aspect of the challenge focus as become key, as it was the partnership between home and school during lockdown that fueled our successful teaching and learning opportunities during that time.

Constructing Learning Using SOLO

I just found this old post about using SOLO Taxonomy with my students.
Thought I would repost as my team begins to plan our next topic of inquiry.

Constructing learning using SOLO is not just a one-way street. Sometimes you need to make a U-turn to pick up that missing jigsaw puzzle piece, or that key ingredient that you didn't see the relevance of until you needed it.

When planning using SOLO, I make sure students have the opportunities to climb to the top of the mountain, to feel the exhilaration and excitement, and view of possibilities that lay before them. But I also make sure that they have to keep going back down to get extra resources, information, skills and experiences that they need to extend them further in their journey.

My overall goal is to facilitate inquisitive learners who dive deeper under the surface of learning. That is not just satisfied with being told that something is 'just so', but to explore their wonderings about it and find out why it is like it is. I want them to know the purpose of the skills they are learning, the relevance in the real world and when to use their skills most effectively in real-life situations. 'Why?' is my favourite word.

Here is a fantastic clip that explains SOLO using lego blocks.