SocCon2015Creating Collegial Connections

INSPIRING TEACHERS!

Margaret LeamyNational Coordinator Social Science

Te Tapuae o Rehua Consortium

Catering for Priority Learners

WithinSocial Sciences

Whakatauki

Te piko o te mahuri, tera te pupu o te rakau

The way in which the young sapling is nurtured, determines how the tree will

grow

By the end of this session I will:

Gain a greater understanding of how to cater for our priority learners

Identify how Tataiako relates to our priority learners

Have practical ideas to cater for priority learners

Intention of today: To understand how to cater for Priority learners and what it can look like in reality

Who are our Priority Learners?

Ethnicity

Socio-economic

Special education needs

Below curriculum level

What we know about learning

• Learning involves thinking

• Experiences are critical

• Actively engaged – doing, thinking, saying

• Structure – intentions, criteria, exemplars

• Variety of settings – placed based contexts

Social Science priority learners

• Build relationships/Build connections• Contexts – meaningful and relevant• Learning Intentions and success criteria• Variety of activities to motivate and engage• One on one support• Group work

BES Social Sciences

Connections

Alignment

Community

Interest

Spiral of Inquiry

Effective practice

• Focus group of students• Evidence about what is happening for these students• Identify an aspect to help students improve• Take actions & apply teaching interventions to create improvements for students

• Quality thinking about the value and effectiveness of actions• Meet and share regularly with your colleagues• Include as part of appraisal

Culturally ResponsivePedagogy

The culture of the child cannot enter the classroom until it has entered the consciousness of the teacher. Basil Bernstein

Tātaiako

Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Māori learners

Tātaiako in reality...Ako: Taking responsibility for their own learning and that of Māori learners.

Student voice:

My teacher:• lets me and my peers know when we’re doing well• never gives up on us• knows what works for me and my learning• asks us what we know• shows me how to learn• expects every one of us to do our best all the time• believes I can succeed• tells me that we are both responsible for how well I do – we both get to celebrate when I do well, or have to try harder if I don’t!• seems to enjoy learning from us too

What are the actions we undertake to support our students to ensure their voice is heard?

How do these look for you?5 Cultural competencies in Tātaiako

1.In small groups, brainstorm what is it that you do in your classroom to ensure you are supporting your students around this cultural competency?

2.Move back to your original group and share each of your ideas around the use of the 5 cultural competencies.

My History teacher is very strict and she is the only one who asks me to move when I talk. She explains to me, she teaches us well. I thought I won’t cope with History, but I achieved one Merit and one Excellence grade in the internals.”

“I wanted to change my subject after I spent two weeks in the History class. I did not like the high expectations, the homework, the exemplars that she gives us and wanted to go for an easy option. My teacher made me stay, and she helped me to achieve well. I am lazy but after my first Merit grade, I started working hard, and now my parents have received an invitation to attend Senior Prize giving. I know that I am getting a placing in History, I love it, and will continue with it next year.”

“I was given extra time and opportunity to learn and achieve well. Mrs B. removed me from externals and said that I need to come to tutorials four times a week and work with her to get Numeracy and Literacy credits. I am happy I got 13 in Geo Level 1. I struggle with numbers and reading, but Ms asked a few people from the Level 2 Geo class to sit by me and help me. I achieved better in Geography than in any of my other subjects.”

“Geography is an interesting, but tough subject. I love it because of Ms, she made me achieve Merit grades. I was happy with just Achieved, she said, “You have another two days to make it for Merit, you are clever, you must re-submit for a higher grade.” I did not want to do it at first, but she did not take no for an answer, and I did not want to disappoint her because she works so hard for us. So I listened to her, did the resubmission, got Merit, and now I feel so confident and decided to try and pass one external exam in November.”