Engaging in New Directions

While encouraged by the gains my students are making in Reading, I find myself inquiring in new directions. My team have been fortunate to host Dr Jannie Van Hees in our space for two sessions this term. She has guided us through ways in which to enrich our students' writing and encourage them to become quality authors who write the detail. So this area will, undoubtedly, be an area in which I direct a lot of effort in the term to come.

 I also, was lucky enough to attend a Professional Development session on ENGAGE. This programme aims to grow students' capabilities at managing themselves through co-operative games in three learning areas: Feeling, Thinking and Doing. Through playing these games in meaningful ways, supported with purposeful language, for 30 minutes each day over 10 weeks, children have been seen to make significant gains in their abilities to manage themselves and problem solve. I was intrigued by the (anecdotal) data I collected on my students while reflecting on their abilities in my meeting. I will include a screenshot of this to explain my thinking further:

This is a snapshot of how well I feel my students are performing in the areas labelled above. 

I found it intriguing how many children I marked as merely 'emerging' in the realm of 'Thinking' skills. Before recording these levels, I had expected that the behavioural and emotional challenges would probably prove greater than the thinking. This result however, suggests that perhaps I am already aware, and already provide much necessary guidance in the emotional and behavioural realms and need to work further on helping students to gain skills in remembering instructions and blocking out distractions as well as some fine and gross motor skill improvements.

By engaging in this programme for Term 4, I hope to see some real positive change, particularly in students abilities to remember multiple step instructons!