RPI: Analysing my Data

 PAT Results

* This was the first time that I have actually been able to access my PAT results and begin to use the data to inform my learning programme. I am still getting my head around fully interpreting the results but I did identify a common gap for my target reading group which was to work on 'local inferencing'.

* Once I had shared the learning intention (WALT: draw conclusions and get meaning from the text by 'reading between the lines' - making inferences) with my students we then all looked at their individual reports as a group. I was pleased that once I had explained the basics (black circle = correct, blank circle = incorrect, question types) that my students were able to understand why I had chosen that particular WALT. 

* I now have my reading groups WALT's displayed in class and make sure to refer to them at the start of each reading session. I then planned my task board/contract around inferencing and the novel that we are currently reading (The Witches by Roald Dahl). I have given my students week 8 and week 9 to complete their contract as we have had quite a few interruptions and didn't get started on it until half way through week 8. So far they have been enjoying working independently on their contracts and seem to be managing their time wisely. We will make time to check in and discuss the various activities throughout the week. 

Day 2: Reading Programme Intensive

 Know your Learners as Readers

Overwhelmed is exactly how I am feeling after todays session! I don't currently use google sheets so the introduction of the teacher workbook was hard going for me. Today definitley gave me a good insight to how frustrated my students must feel when they don't get something or feel left behind. 

Looking at the PAT reports was also completely new to me. In the past we have only ever done the PAT's as it was a requirement for Manaiakalani data, which I know is terrible but neither myself or my colleagues knew how to access the reuslts led alone interpret them....my NZCER account was only updated last week so that I could actually access my reports. So looking at what is now available in my NZCER account today was very useful. I will need to spend a lot more time familiarising myself with the reports and interpreting the data in order to be able to identify my students gaps. 

The use of WALT's and Success Criteria (S.C) is something our school is currently working on so I was relieved that this wasn't something extra to focus on. We have been working with a lady called Susan Arrowsmith and I was glad that everything we discussed today aligned with what she has shared with us so far. I am definitely still not confident with creating my own WALT's and S.C and find I spend a lot of time double guessing whether I have put the S.C in the WALT and how to make them as kid friendly as possible. I have attempted to collaboratively form the S.C with my students a couple of times and it was quite challenging and time consuming. We might need to take a step back from this until my students are more familiar with me sharing the S.C and revisit collaboratively forming them a little bit further down the track. 

One thing I will now introduce after my group shared today is the use of a tokotoko to assist with the 'Ground Rules for Talk'. I will also get around to sharing the results of the reading survey with my students. 

Reading Survey Results and Introducing the Ground Rules for Talk

Reading Survey Results

I completed the reading survey with my class and was pleased to see that the majority of my students believe that their whanau and myself think they are good readers. I believe that self-efficacy is one of the biggest barriers to learning so I was pleased to see these results. 

I also found the 'types of books I like to read' section useful for informing me about the types of texts that will hopefully engage and motivate my students to read. I had three of my reading groups complete the 'Reading for Enjoyment' slide deck and this generated some good conversation. 

I was not surprised with the results about having a public libracy card and borrowing books from a library. Unfortunately we do not have a school library anymore and we struggle with whanau support. However we have just signed up again for a delivery from The National Library.

The results about whether or not my students like to receive books as presents did not come as a surprise either. I think in this day and age with all the technology available unfortunatley many children don't see books as that appealing to receive as a gift. I hope to start changing that viewpoint by modelling my enjoyment for reading. We have set a school wide challenge for teachers to read to our students three times a day. We are onto our second Roald Dahl novel and my students actually moan each time I have to stop reading. They are aware that it is a challenge the teachers have set themselves and they enjoy keeping track of my progress and adding the stickers to my sticker chart.

Ground Rules for Talk

I have introduced the 'Ground Rules for Talk' with three of my reading groups and we worked our way through the provided slide deck. We have used the group reflection sheet a couple of times after our reading sessions and I think if we do this regularly my students will get more accurate at reflecting on how their group is going during discussion times. I think at this stage they are over rating themselves and not truly paying attention to how all members of the group did or did not participate. I have also noticed that I need to step away from the group during discussion for them to start to take ownership of the discussion. When I sit in on the discussion the whole time they constantly look to me to lead the conversation. A positive I have noticed is that some of my students have started to transfer these rules to other curriculum areas. We were having a discussion the other day about the success criteria during a writing activity and one boy mentioned that we weren't following the ground rules for talk.