Why LearningMYway?

In theONE6 we have started the Term re-visiting 

LearningMyway

The MAIN question I put to my kids was this...

What are the reasons some teachers are changing things from the way it has always been?

The discussion was vibrant and because many of my class are into their 2nd year of this change, this wasn't too hard to come up with some reasons.

We also discussed Self Regulation and all the concepts this involves like:

Goal setting * Planning * Motivation * Self monitoring * evaluating * Engagement * Help Seeking * Strategic thinking

Here are some comments which came out of the survey we carried out so we can learn from the kids what WE as teachers can do to help them with Setting Goals and Motivation...

“I need to be reminded about my goals so I would like a goal book, a wall display and / or a digital format to help me with this.”

“Having our goals displayed in the room or on the top of our timetables will mean we can see them easily everyday.”

“We should have ‘real time’ goal setting conferences / discussions”.

“We get motivated when we use different digital tools that WE choose to show our learning.”

“We get motivated when we get to choose what we learn because we can relate to it and it makes it interesting and engaging also when something is new to you or when you are curious about something it makes it really interesting.”

“We get motivated when we discuss our learning with our mates and the learning is fun.”

“We get motivated when can listen to music.”

Getting this sort of feedback is REALLY helpful as we learn what we can do to help the kids be more self regulated.

Today we had a great discussion about what it means to 

THINK DEEPLY.

Here is what they came up with   ...

I particularly loved the new category they came up with called 'feels like'.

It was an awesome conversation about what it feels like when we think hard - during deep thinking "a party in my brain" 

and after thinking deeply  "my brain is worn out".

I loved how one student decided "day dreaming" might actually be "day thinking"

I loved how one of them described deep thinking as "sound waves".

I loved how some students identified that deep thinking in collaboration leads to a good idea becoming an AWESOME idea.

This drawing summed up for one learner what THINKING DEEPLY feels like for him:)

Let's hope we see, hear, and feel some DEEP THINKING happening in theONE6 over the next half of the year. 

Thinking deeply shows you are getting into the learning pit.

How often are you in the pit?

  

Why LearningMYway?

In theONE6 we have started the Term re-visiting 

LearningMyway

The MAIN question I put to my kids was this...

What are the reasons some teachers are changing things from the way it has always been?

The discussion was vibrant and because many of my class are into their 2nd year of this change, this wasn't too hard to come up with some reasons.

We also discussed Self Regulation and all the concepts this involves like:

Goal setting * Planning * Motivation * Self monitoring * evaluating * Engagement * Help Seeking * Strategic thinking

Here are some comments which came out of the survey we carried out so we can learn from the kids what WE as teachers can do to help them with Setting Goals and Motivation...

“I need to be reminded about my goals so I would like a goal book, a wall display and / or a digital format to help me with this.”

“Having our goals displayed in the room or on the top of our timetables will mean we can see them easily everyday.”

“We should have ‘real time’ goal setting conferences / discussions”.

“We get motivated when we use different digital tools that WE choose to show our learning.”

“We get motivated when we get to choose what we learn because we can relate to it and it makes it interesting and engaging also when something is new to you or when you are curious about something it makes it really interesting.”

“We get motivated when we discuss our learning with our mates and the learning is fun.”

“We get motivated when can listen to music.”

Getting this sort of feedback is REALLY helpful as we learn what we can do to help the kids be more self regulated.

Today we had a great discussion about what it means to 

THINK DEEPLY.

Here is what they came up with   ...

I particularly loved the new category they came up with called 'feels like'.

It was an awesome conversation about what it feels like when we think hard - during deep thinking "a party in my brain" 

and after thinking deeply  "my brain is worn out".

I loved how one student decided "day dreaming" might actually be "day thinking"

I loved how one of them described deep thinking as "sound waves".

I loved how some students identified that deep thinking in collaboration leads to a good idea becoming an AWESOME idea.

Let's hope we see, hear, and feel some DEEP THINKING happening in theONE6 over the next half of the year. 

Thinking deeply shows you are getting into the learning pit.

How often are you in the pit?

  

Entrepreneurialism

I love Student Market Place (SMP) as it is an opportunity for our kids to delve into the world of making, creating, building, and constructing in order to come up with a product which will sell well.

The theme for SMP this Term is 

"Responsible Recycling"

The kids have come up with some great ideas recycling, reusing and repurposing items from home which maybe normally thrown away.

Here are some snaps of ideas in the initial stages...

Paris and Bianca making 3D letters and covering in patterned paper.

Mitchell and Andre with their Minions made from toilet rolls and coloured paper.

Jack, Ben, Aaron, and Alex G. are creating 'mini furniture' out of iceblock sticks.

Jehmial and his group are writing quotes and words onto canvas and recycled wood bits.

Andre and Mitchel's second venture idea is hotrods made with gladwrap tubes, skewers, and milk tops.

Chloe and Sharn are repurposing wine bottles and writing quotes in hot glue that they are painting over.

I also did a Periscope yesterday of the kids in action ... tweeting out live on Twitter. Here is the video of it...

A little spontaneity

Those of you who visit the blog fairly regularly will know that in theONE6 we like to be a little bit spontaneous!

So after a great day of LearningMYway we chucked some music on and did some spontaneous dancing to finish our day off nicely:)

And then ... I couldn't help myself ... had to video this one!

Week 7 Reflections

#NZreadaloud5PoT reflections

More Connected Learning

This morning at 8am we had another Google Hangout. 

This time with Laura's kids in Connecticut, USA. 

Laura has connected with us for #NZreadaloud5Pot - it is the first time we have had a GLOBAL connection for our #NZreadaloud so it is pretty special.

Laura and her kids are almost finishing their year and unfortunately will not finish the book before the year ends. However Laura is recording the last chapters so her kids can listen to it while on holiday if they wish.

Laura had organised this morning's Google Hangout and had her kids stay till 4pm especially for it. We are very lucky to have had this opportunity and her kids did well at the end of a busy day at school! 

The purpose for our Hangout was to share our thoughts, predictions, and ideas about our book we are reading Phantom of Terawhiti. The kids discussed what would happen to Tasha, Zealandia, the Neanderthals, what they thought Crawford's book was going to be about, and what Mikhail Popanov will do if he finds out Tasha is still alive. 

Then the kids talked to each other about other stuff like whether they have a uniform, what they eat for lunch, what they are doing for their holidays, did they know the 'running man', and then of course they all did 'the dab'! It was a great way to start the day!

Thanks Laura for organising this and thank your kids for staying back to talk with us. It was great fun:)

Here are some photos of our Hangout...