Monitoring evidence, sharing, and interrogation

Share/Describe: I have been recording the changes to my practice on a target student tracking sheet. This is also a space to record the implications and reflections of my changed practice on student outcomes. This allows me to keep a running record of my changes to practice as they happen and then look back and reflect on how effective these changes have been. 

The example below is taken from the tracking sheet. This example is my record of incorporating physical activities, that help develop foundation skills, into my daily program. 

Changes to Practice:	Reflections/Implications
Term 2-3 2021 Incorporation of gross motor skill activities that target aspects of developmental skills such as balance, eye tracking, stability, hand-eye coordination, were incorporated into our in-class program with activities set up in class, in the hallway, and just outside the classroom. This is done through circuits, games, and equipment is set up for students to do as a follow-up to writing.  This also allows me to take smaller groups for writing while the other students were engaged and developing foundation skills that they may not otherwise have had the opportunity to do. Having a learning assistant working with one of the groups allowed more targeted teaching to take place with both groups. Many of the games/activities were taken from PMP and Sport Auckland. Although it is suggested we incorporate skills into games, they enjoy both playing little games using the skill as well as just practicing the skill in an isolated fashion, eg balancing along a beam and skipping with a rope. I guess this comes down to setting personal goals for themselves. The skill they are developing and how it transferred into different areas is talked about. Week 4 Term 2 We have begun yoga once a week to help with body awareness, well-being and self-regulation. They LOVE it and work really hard to do it well. Week 7 Term 2 I have attached the yoga video link to the class site so they can do it at home during lockdown.	Date: 7/9/21 My students enjoyed the activities and seemed to challenge themselves and each other in little competitions.  The management of having circuits going while I took writing meant that both groups learning needs were being met in different ways. They are transferring the skill such as balancing, into different areas of the curriculum. They talk about ‘balance’ and challenge themselves to balance in different ways throughout the day. I’m seeing noticeable changes in student's core strength and ability to sit on the mat and in a chair to write. Fine motor skills of holding a pencil and writing have improved. They love to skip and will skip at any given opportunity. Also having the equipment such as balance boards set up in the room means they just jump on and start balancing at all times of the day in a really natural unplanned way.
Literature Link :  PMP Sport New Zealand PLC sessions with James Mcintyre; Sport Auckland

Explain: I have made many tweaks along the way and have used the tracking sheet to record these changes. With foundation skills being such a huge area to develop at one time I have taken the little and often approach. Putting the foundation skills I'm focusing on into my daily routine running alongside more traditional Year One curriculum areas such as writing and guided reading and maths as well as integrating them through games in these areas that involve movement. I am not taking away from the normal practice I hopefully strengthen it by having foundation skills being taught and developed alongside these programs. I keep having to ensure all students are challenged by the activities because there is such a range of developmental levels within the juniours and students master the skills quite quickly. Also, I have added choice by having inquiry stations set up within the same time so students can explore concepts and oral language introduced through inquiry. These times have been where I have seen the most engagement, oral language take place and independent learning happen. It takes it from being a circuit set up, where students move through like little robots, to an activity you can choose alongside other provocations that help them explore in their own way skills they need to develop. 

As the skills I'm focusing on developing are vast, ranging from teaching oral language, concepts, and phonological awareness to gross and fine motor skills and self-regulation skills it is a juggling act fitting them into your daily program. Recognising your student's needs at that time helps with this as it focuses your attention on those areas that might make the most impact.