Introduction Meeting - 03.08.2018
Today I had my first introductory meeting with the N.P. School teachers in the middle syndicate. Both M and I were both keen to meet the different individuals and work out who our teachers to coach would be. By the end of the session we decided that S and L would be with me and F and G would be with M. This was subsequently changed to allow for the introduction of T to the coaching programme in Week 5.
Stacey = L, F and T. M = S and G.
Key points made in meeting
- The skills learned in learning through play is actually the facilitation skills needed to run age appropriate inquiries and many other modern teaching and learning approaches. Jump on board - these skills are useful.
- The coaching process is about the relationship between the coach and the teacher. This is not an official part of your appraisal and our coaching notes will not be passed on to leadership without teacher permission. However, using the notes we write up and emails we send around what we observed will ink to your teaching portfolio.
- Relationships are key for change so try not to stress about us coming in!
Reflection points for me
- The team seemed friendly yet reserved.
- Trina is a new team leader and will need support to make change and preserve the new relationships she is trying to forge within the team.
- M has a long history in leadership and leading change with learning through play. She is also keen to share her ICT skills as her previous school was an Apple distinguished school.
First observation - 07.08.2018
P-BLOT assessments to be taken on all teachers today
My first teacher to observe was L in Room 10. She introduced me to her class and continued with her Monday routine. The children came together on the mat in a circle and lit a candle to do the class whakatauki, roll, and then shared something from the weekend if they chose to. Very relaxing! The children then moved onto handwriting, basic facts and then Takaro Time. Takaro Time is a 'mini-discovery time' where the children ease into school with independent crafty activities. This leads into morning tea time and the discovery time continues after morning tea.
What I noticed:
- Children were settled and scored highly on the P-BLOT with the way the respected classroom environment, noise control and the resources.
- The children show a lot of construction play, however it is the only type of play that is resourced.
- L has a great relationship with the children and they enjoy her calm presence.
- Takaro Time activities at this stage is a focus on craft. Steps for L to resource her room for other types of play would allow for this time to begin to open the door to deep play appropriate to this year level.
After lunch coaching session
- I took the opportunity to focus more on building relationships with Lou and therefore start with resourcing as the focus. As Sarah suggested, we co-constructed this from the checklists by using the P-BLOT scores and transferring these scores to the corresponding learning goals on the teacher's checklists. This is a great way of feeding back to teachers the results from the P-BLOT whilst keeping the results positive and in teacher speak.
- I explained to L that resourcing is the basis of all the other learning goals and we decided on the introduction of 2 loose parts per week and an action plan was agreed on.
Reflection
- I am happy with the relationship forged with L today but am wondering if I have struck the right tone with her - time will tell with the movement she makes with the action plan this coming week.
- The P-BLOT was suprisingly easy to use but this was probably because both teachers observed today are not far into their Learning through Play journey.
- F scored similarly to Lou and is great practice but not a focus teacher due to her reliever status. When I observed F it was Discovery Time for the whole syndicate. Discovery seems to be a hands-off approach for the teachers and focused on construction. Lots of boxes, sellotape, hot glue and paint. No dramatic play promoted. This was the case syndicate wide.
Second observation - 14.08.2018
This session focused on the teachers improvement against their action plan. The teachers swapped observation times so F was observed before morning tea and L after. This allows me to see both teachers in their own class and in Discovery Time.
What I noticed:
- L had sourced driftwood and pumice for Discovery Time this week. The children were given playdough and craft knives. They began whittling the driftwood. L tried to encourage making driftwood families in the playdough and set one up on the table for children to look at. Nobody took it up and chose to continue whittling. It drew a crowd!
- Other children were painting rocks.
- One small group of boys were building a gokart out of cardboard boxes. They showed interpersonal skills as they divvyed up jobs to get the gokart looking its best. L sat next to me during this time and I was able to commentate the learning happening at the box. L was aware of the lead student's interest in all things planes.
- F had introduced no new loose parts for this discovery time as she had previously obtained hoola hoops and bean bags and some had gone missing so she had taken them back. Children were using metre rulers to roll marbles down the centre for her new loose part.
Coaching session
- This coaching session was a little more deflating as the teachers hadn't made much effort against their action plan.
- L had introduced driftwood and cleared some shelves for storage. And F as mentioned above.
- This little progress meant the action plan rolled over for another week. I emailed out resource lists and information around the importance of loose parts to help give ideas. I also mentioned having a look in the junior play based classrooms at this school for inspiration.
Reflection
- There was less improvement made than expected but M found the same thing with her teachers. However when we chatted about our coaching sessions, M had taken a far more directive approach whereas I worry I haven't been as directive and the teachers have either wiggle room or not a clear picture of what's expected.
Third observation - 21.08.2018
Sarah was in today to work on the P-BLOT with me with Trina this time.
Key findings today:
- T's room reflected a teacher conflicted with inquiry, STEAM and play. The focus for this term is really going to be streamlining her thinking so she isn't spinning so many plates! Her P-BLOT scores showed how she is a competent and confident teacher of play in NE/Yr 1 however the Yr 3/4 cohort is proving more difficult. The first step is going to be working on lifting the play invitations to a higher level in the curriculum.
- Both F and L continue to make no progress with the loose parts/resourcing for play and no movement was made from last week.
- It was decided that we would meet with T and S (principal) to discuss this in the afternoon whereby we asked to have Discovery stopped or moved on the timetable while we were in school. This would allow us to model the play invitations and move on from resourcing. Hopefully by looking at quality invitations and the learning that comes from them, the teachers would be more motivated to continue on the quest for finding them!
Reflection:
- I am beginning to realise that my coaching style is too buddy buddy. I have focused so much on having the teachers feel like I am not intruding in their room that I haven't imparted my knowledge effectively.
- Trina got in touch with us 2 days after this observation date and remarked on the improvement from some of the teachers in the syndicate. L and F remained the teachers that were less agreeable to play changes.
- Next session I am going to be more direct in our conversations and front foot the question of why there isn't improvement happening in these rooms. Hopefully the invitations for play will change the coaching process and puts me in a vulnerable position and gives L and F a model.
Fourth observation - 28.08.2018
Key findings today:
- T's next steps were more around supporting inquiry with play. We talked about the need to model quite directly the invitations around play for Level 2. Play does not mean we have anything other than high standards!
- Maybe the social emotional coaching could be around resilience and pride in our work - discipline! All great entertainers had discipline to perfect their craft - hard work!
- Swapping inquiry and Takaro Time around so chn had a more focused and academic lens towards their play?
- Product vs. process. We discussed how students can have their eye on a goal for their learning and work towards it while the teacher keeps them honest to the learning process and focused on the inquiry process. This way you are building a work ethic and resilience whist making sure that you keep the assessment focus on the process not product. This was an a-ha moment for T
- L was focusing more on finding the curriculum within the play today. We talked about how if L continued the play tomorrow she could pick the play up from where it left off today and that would in effect be the making of a collection of mini inquiries.
Reflection:
- The modelling session today allowed me to have a more direct approach with L this afternoon. She was able to picture what I was talking about and see how the learning could follow through.
- I was impressed with L's diligence to the action plan as she provided evidence of a provocation that she introduced this week. She showed the children's interaction with it and evidence of their learning. L was able to identify 3 different urges in the room and some possible curriculum links.
What next:
- Email notes from today's observations to the ladies and ask them to continue to work on some next steps ready for Monday.
- L - show evidence of this week's invitations and what learning happened. Give an example of the teacher input that could happen to 'lift' the play.
- T - consider timetabling Takaro Time and Inquiry at different times in the day to help with keeping the children more engaged in their learning at play time. Complete some reflections and observations around engagement as a result.
Fifth observation - 04.09.2018
Key focus today:
- Today in T and L's classrooms, I modelled a play session. It was great to see the children from L's class take on board the different provocations. Equally, it was great to see that some provocations were not "picked up" by the chn and this was a vital point for L to see. The level of play was high and the only chn left with box construction as an activity, were those that were genuinely engaging in higher level play with it. Key urges were able to be observed with L, and she could see the different types of learning beginning to appear in the programme.
Reflection:
- Today's session was rich in play pedagogy and it earned me some 'street cred' with the teachers to be putting myself in the teaching role. although not necessarily 'sold' on play, L was able to see that the play of recent weeks that she has initiated was not rich and that the learning in the types of provocations that were put out today was of a higher level.
What next:
- Teachers to continue working on action plan steps to move their provocations and resources forward.
3 final observations - 11.09.2018 - end of term
Key findings:
- Teachers are beginning to be swayed by the power of play and have shown some improvements in provocations particularly with a maths focus.
- Modelling was the key turning point for the teachers.
- Resourcing and provocations overall still need to be worked on.
- School focus on inquiry is 'muddying' the waters and stopping teachers from 'jumping in' with the play pedagogy.
What next:
- Tidy up final action plans for the teachers.
- Send off conclusion email to wrap up where they are at.
- Meet with T in the school holidays to advise with planning.
Email sent:
Hi Team,
Thank you for having both Michelle and I in your rooms this term. We realise that once a week was a very regular basis to have visitors in your room and we appreciate the way you carried on and allowed us to see what really goes on in the Tui team at NP!
This term we have enjoyed seeing the conversations around play deepen and it's been a pleasure to be able to discuss with you where this approach to learning can lead for both teacher and student.
We have seen you all grow in awareness about resourcing and how this looks different in a learning through play space. The open ended nature to these resources have endless scope for Learning through Play/Inquiry. Both Michelle and I have commented on how your thinking around resources has branched away from construction alone and the developing role play/fantasy play in the rooms is pleasing to see. You certainly have a bunch of creative kids looking for outlets to share their ideas!
Resources and the invitations/provocations to play (as per your action plans) is the foundation for the all important observe, invite/provoke and teach play cycle. To be able to spot the curriculum in the play, enhance and develop that learning and resource accordingly, all starts with resources and engaged kids!
Therefore, during Term 4, Michelle and I believe continuing to strengthen your invitations to play and the observations that come from this to further inform the learning is key. Your immediate challenge would be to see if you could timetable play differently throughout the week to allow both yourself and the children to build on the learning happening in the play. The curriculum being taught through play hinges on the children interacting with it often. The fear with timetabling play for once a week, is that the quality of play will drop to a lower level than you see fit for your developmental stages in the room.
Your children are certainly engaged learners who feel comfortable in their classrooms - a real sense of belonging! We know just how hard you have all worked to create this atmosphere in your rooms. Your Term 4 Learning through play/Inquiry focus will benefit greatly from this foundation for learning!
I know that both myself and Michelle will be in touch to wrap up your latest action plan so you feel confident with your work for the term and can begin making decisions around how to approach Term 4 in your learning spaces.
Thanks for passing these notes on to the teachers for us T!
Kind regards,
Stacey
