Activities to begin the school year

Teaching is one profession where there is no shallow end.

 From day one you are presented with up to thirty plus young individuals for you to shape into a learning community; and every class community will be different. Even experienced teachers have 

No shallow end for new teachers.

second thoughts about starting a new class .

This blog shares some ideas to select from..

Teachers need to negotiate with their students as much as possible to ensure empowerment or a sense of ownership and then to hold students to completing what they have agreed to do to develop a sense of responsibility.

First read this  excellent advice to make a shiny happy classroom!

Another link for new teachers

The challenge for teachers is to think up ways to tap into their students innate sense of curiosity. of curiosity. Educationalist Jerome Bruner has written that teaching is ‘the canny art of intellectual temptation’.Thankfully students are easily trapped by their innate 

curiosity if what is put in front of them appeals

Keep in mind during the year

An important phrase from the New Zealand Curriculum to keep in mind is for each student to  be helped to ‘seek, use and create their own knowledge’..

The whole purpose of education is to help every learner develop a powerful learning identity, a strong sense of self,  a feeling of being a valued and worthwhile person. This involves the teacher really listening to their students’ questions, ideas and concerns. With such a vision in mind teachers can slowly, as students develop skill, pass greater responsibility to their students.

First impressions count and the students' parents will be waiting to hear from their children what their teacher is like so it is important not to leave it to chance. Dress well!

Develop a class treaty

Teachers will be planning their first few days now. Wondering about routines to establish and behaviours they want to establish.

Treaty of Waitangi

 One good idea is to undertake a mini unit around the Treaty of Waitangi and use this as an opportunity to develop a class treaty outlining behaviors required of both students and the teacher.

There is a new School Journal that provides an excellent reference

My goals for the year.

An idea some teachers use is a letter to parents about your goals for the year - but if this is done it needs to be done with input from your team leader or principal. At least have something prepared to introduce yourself to your class . Students will be very curious to learn about their new teacher

Catching an eel

Best holiday experience

Another  idea is to share with your class one of your holiday experiences and then get them to do the same.  They could 'mind-map' or list all the neat things they did and pick one to expand on. This activity will give you an idea of their writing and handwriting skills. 

If you do the above them students could add a drawing - one again get them to focus on exciting event.

Crossing the wire bridge

Observational task - the power of drawing

Learning to observe is an important and overlooked skill. You could bring in a simple leaf for the class to draw. This is an ideal means to encourage the class to work carefully - many children spoil work by rushing.

Nature walk

With the weather so great do some nature walks.

What are your new classes attitudes towards areas of learning?
The first few days are a good time to assess your new classes attitudes towards areas of learning. Prepare a list of learning areas of aspects of learning and get  individual class members to indicate their attitudes towards items with a 1 to 5 scale - from 1 love it to 5 dislike it.. This would best be drawn up by all teachers. The results will give you an idea of areas you need to change for various individuals. Be interesting to use the same survey at the end of the year.  Do the survey with your class as if you were their age - and tell them how you have improved your attitudes since then - or areas you still want to improve.

Exploring your students; mindsets

If you know about the mindset research of Carol Dweck you could add to your survey  add : 

Well worth the read

1 Do you think were are born as smart as you are ever going to be ( 'brains' or sports ability) and there are some things you just can't do ? Or 

2 Do you think you can get better at anything if you try hard and practice? 

The first is a 'fixed mindset'.Low ability students get their lack of ability affirmed at school ( through ability grouping, national testing or streaming) and high achievers ( often girls) do not risk their status by new areas of learning becoming risk averse. Those with a 'growth mindset' just have a go at anything believing in effort and focused practice and see not succeeding as a challenge.This 'growth mindset' underpins the New Zealand Curriculum; ' have a go kids' 

Share your stance as a teacher with your class.

An idea to work on is to  ensure your class appreciate your stance as a teacher - what you stand for as a teacher.

How do children in your class think they learn?

What are your strengths

Discuss with your class how they think they learn. Discuss with your class what they have learnt recently and how they went about it.

What talent do individual bring to the class?

Take the opportunity to find out the range of talents class members bring to the class - and share the ideas about Multiple Intelligence of Howard Gardner.


Using group work in the class

A study based on sport

Personalizing learningis the ideal but the best way to get to the individual is by using group work. Most teachers use group work as part of their literacy and numeracy programmes but group work also works well for study ( inquiry) work as well.

(A link to some advice on classroom management )

Plan out a simple study unit.

Plan out a study unit to introduce to the class to introduce an inquiry approach to learning . TheTreaty of Waitangi might be 

Great mini study

one. Two good mini unit to make use of might be a study based on cicadas or aflax bush in flower. Develop a model of inquiry teaching to make use of during the year.

The units above, or any idea you have chosen, will provide ideas to introduce as part of your language programme - and, if appropriate, maths as well.

Few thought about presentation

Whatever is chosen it is worth helping students present their ideas well - and to encourage them to show gradual improvement  as the year unfolds. Encourage them to improve on their 'personal best' in all they do.

Teach simple layout skills

At first students may have little skill in presenting their work well but with time they will gain skill through your teaching ( if you think this is important) and as work is completed display it well. With time create a powerful learning environment.

All students buy a set of exercise books to begin the year. Some schools I know have reinvented these books as portfolios as they ought to show qualitative improvement (the Japanese call this continual small improvement 'kaizen'). The first days of school is the time to introduce students to this expectation. It is a good idea to 

Simple powerful display

introduce them to simple graphic presentation ideas. It is also a good idea to aim, by Easter, for all books to show improvement.In the schools that have developed their books as portfolios all books are sent home before parent interviews for their comments and later to discuss during interviews.

This last link provides a summary of the ideas presented above.

Advice - only use the ideas that make sense to you.

I appreciate that the ideas presented  above reflect my own teaching beliefs and as such  my advice is to take only ideas that make sense to you. I see the classroom as a community of young scientists and artists exploring ideas they want to learn more about - with an emphasis on the immediate environment. My emphasis is on inquiry learning with literary and numeracy as much as is possible seen as 'foundation skills'. I am not sure many school have the same emphasis.

The class as a learning community

Developing this learning community is the real challenge for any teacher. Good schools will provide structures, organisations and curriculum guidance to assist but it always worth having ideas up your sleeve.

Think about the message your students will take home after the first day

First impressions count and the students' parents will be waiting to hear from their children what their teacher is like so it is important not to leave it to chance. Put a few good thoughts in their head in the last five minutes of the day!

It is worth keeping in mind that the New Zealand Curriculum has its vision for all students to be 'confident life long learners', for them to have the necessary key competencies to do so - to be 'seekers, users and creators of their own knowledge'.

Advice for new teachers!

Have fun during your first week

A link to some quotes about learning to reflect on.

Good advice is regularly visit other classrooms to see what they are doing. They will be pleased to assist you and you will soon find teachers with experience and ideas to help - you need to 'seek, use and create your own knowledge' as it says in the NZ Curriculum.

Some quotes to think about before beginning the school year.

Something to think about before you return to school

Short quotes I've collected using the screensaver facility on my smart phone I think they are worth a quick read - they may confirm ( or challenge ) your teaching philosophy.  Obviously I've chosen quotes that  reflect my own view. Unfortunately I didn't think to note the authors or source of the quotes. The Modern Learners site is a great source of quotes.



About current assessment

There are those that seem to think that knowledge is no longer important as it can be accessed through the internet but I, for one, don't agree.

Many current ideas have a long history. For me John Dewey is as relevant as ever and possibly the best book on children learning as a community of scientists and learners is Elwyn Richardson's In the Early World first published in the 60s and recently republished by the NZCER

Now is the time to see the schools role as one of identifying and nurturing student talent 

Time to see identifying and nurturing of student talent as the number one role of the school

Giving the students' voice and choice

What happens to students' innate curiosity - their desire to make sense of their world?

An excellent quote from Modern Learners. The teachers' role is to create the conditions for students to do their own learning. As Jerome Bruner says  the teachers' role is 'the canny art of intellectual temptation'

How might we  provoke learning?

Promoting and provoking curious minds.

The inquiry model - it's not 'rocket science'

Dawn of a new creative era / Tomorrows Schools Review / For and against MLEs

Education Readings

By Allan Alach

Readings set Two 2019

The dawn of a new creative era in education

Our next set of readings will feature practical activities to begin the school year but this set provides reflective readings Bruce Hammonds and I have found that might to help you clarify your teaching philosophy.

In the latest Principals’ Magazine ( Nov 2018) the president Whetu Cormack makes the point, with the move away from standardisation with the change of government ( and their

Whetu Cormick - an exciting new era

removal of National Standards), that we are entering into a more creative era – an era that many teachers, he writes, have not experienced. He believes schools are no being given the freedom to rethink what learning experiences they want to offer young people. In particular, he writes about the importance of the creative arts and their role in developing the imagination. As he says that the ‘decades of neo-liberalism has almost suffocated the life out of the arts ‘We have a chance to ‘rebuild our battered

The importance of creativity

and bruised education system;. Another writer, in the same magazine, talks about the opportunity to have a ‘broader, deeper, richer curriculum’ and that a ‘fresh breeze is rising’ and that teachers need to be ready ‘to take up the challenge’. For teachers to ‘promote a bit more surprise, and dreaming, and wondering and creating in our classrooms'.

http://bit.ly/2FtkoXv

The Tomorrows School Review.  The end of a neoliberal experiment – don’t forget to have your say!

‘If Minister of Education Chris Hipkins needs confirmation that the Tomorrow’s Schools Taskforce

Chris Hipkins

report had got it right, the negative comments of several prominent Auckland secondary school principals will have him absolutely convinced the review is on the right track. .  Thirty years of a business model approach to education has wreaked havoc on our schooling system. It has created some schools as winners at significant expense to the poorest and most vulnerable communities. We have seen this two tiered education system mirror and then reinforce growing inequality, and the creation of an increasingly rigid class system.’

http://bit.ly/2FtkoXv

Our schooling system needs changing - and here's why by Bali  Haque

Bali Haque - Review Chair

‘The Tomorrow's Schools Independent Taskforce spent almost six months looking at the evidence and held over 200 meetings all over the country. So is our current education system still relevant? Does it work for you as a parent or school board member? Does it meet the needs of our children today?’

http://bit.ly/2DbKdJp

Forget literacy and numeracy – it’s all about talent development.

‘Surely our first task in schools should be to identify what each one of our students can do. What

talents do they have?  There’s increasing evidence that suggests that if students show a preference, passion or natural aptitude for a certain area, then ultimately, despite what “school” might think, there’s a very good chance that it will be those areas that will provide them with their best career and life choices. And then we have to have the discussion around expertise. To what extent do we provide our students with the opportunity to become exceptional? To be able to go deep.’

http://bit.ly/2sp15pQ

The importance of inquiry, imagination and agency.

‘The public debate around what our schools could and should be has finally reached a tipping

point.  It’s a tipping point where talk becomes action, a point when the need for change becomes so overwhelming that school leaders across the country are now urgently wanting to be better informed about the choices they now have and critically, the pathways to get there. The overwhelming pace of change in our personal lives can inhibit our ability to reflect on the consequences for our professional lives. Too often it causes us to hesitate or postpone making the necessary commitment to make changes in our practice and in our schools.’

http://bit.ly/2sCDemN

 How Curious Are You? What happens to students’ curiosity?

‘If we assume our young people arrive on the planet curious about the world around them, asking

questions about anything and everything, what happens to them? Do they just ‘lose’ their natural curiosity and ‘grow out of it’, or is it that we really do manage to teach the curiosity out of them? If curiosity is really the essential food of learning, then the obvious question is, why don’t we focus more on developing searchingly curious minds as a priority in our students?’

http://bit.ly/2DcRsk0

Inside an ‘Innovative Learning Environment  -  For.

‘Next year a fresh cadre of bright-eyed and refreshed students will enter schools around the

What are your thoughts?

country. For many, at both primary and secondary level, they will be walking into a sleek modern building.  Welcome to the Innovative Learning Environment, or ‘ILE’.  The Ministry of Education is committed to giving every school access to ‘a learning environment that best supports educational success. So what’s it like behind the glass? What goes on for students and teachers? Well, first of all there’s a terminology to master.’

http://bit.ly/2ssz4xo

Modern teaching trends a “monstrous threat to social justice” What do you think about this? 

Kevin Knight isn't keen!

‘Some of today’s school settings, typified by open-concept classrooms and heavy use of digital devices, are “downright dangerous and causing harm”, according to a leading New Zealand educationalist. Kevin Knight, a director of the New Zealand Graduate School of Education leader says despite good use of 21st century learning concepts, he has concerns about extreme interpretation and the wholesale promotion of the 21st century learning movement, and the denigration of traditional practice.’

http://bit.ly/2M3ozbQ

Rethinking Data: How to Create a Holistic View of Students

‘For at least a decade now, the driving force behind education reform has been data. We talk about collecting data, analyzing data, and making data-driven decisions. All of this data can certainly be useful, helping us notice patterns we might not have seen. And yet, we know this is not enough. We know our students bring with them so many other kinds of data. So many other factors contribute to academic success.’

http://bit.ly/2HcU99i

 What if personalized learning was less about me and more about us?

‘The project in this article typifies the mix of personalized and social learning that has been a mainstay for 25 years at King, a founding member of a school network called EL Education. The network sets these schools apart from a more recent wave of personalized learning, which has been dominated by technology and dogged by criticism that it isolates students from each other and from larger purpose of learning.’

https://wapo.st/2FAWZmf

 We Need to Make Kindergarten Engaging Again

‘Across the country, kindergartners are being told what to do and how to do it, every single step along the way, all day long. They play less and study more than they did 20 years ago. This is what kindergarten has become, and it’s not a good thing. Besides diminishing children’s sense of wonder and their ability to see themselves as learners, this constant push for children to learn academics through routinized activities can negatively impact their learning.’

http://bit.ly/2FCdzlR

Make Your Classroom More Like a Playground Than a Playpen Using ‘Hard Fun

‘I often use the metaphor of “playgrounds versus playpens” to distinguish between learning experiences that are likely to have a wealth of benefits and those that are less useful.’

http://bit.ly/2Mdjhf8

A message to high school students who hate school

 ' I believe that every sing;w subject taught at  high school is a mistake. What I write here will infuriate teachers, but teachers are not my enemy. It isn't their fault. They are cogs in a system over which they have no control.'

http://bit.ly/2ClOU1v

Holiday readings

Education Readings

By Allan Alach

Start your year with some reflective readings.

Bruce Hammonds and I search out articles about creative teaching to share with teachers who might be interested in a progressive or holistic approach to education. This first set for 2019 includes general reading to think about for beginning the new term. Please share with others.

If you come across articles worth sharing send them to  - Allan Alach   allanalach@inspire.net.nz

Making Learning Whole – an excellent book about learning.

‘Recently, I've had the pleasure of reading a text that validated many things that I have experienced in the classroom with actual research. David Perkins' Making Learning Whole: How Seven Principles of Teaching Can Transform Education was full of ideas and research that demonstrated why project-based learning or other embedded learning experiences produce more impactful and lasting learning.’

http://bit.ly/2QCkOft

Student-Centred Learning: It Starts With the Teacher - a short read.

‘Teachers encourage student-centred learning by allowing students to share in decisions, believing in their capacity to lead, and remembering how it feels to learn.’

https://edut.to/2AzCRh5

How to Use Problem-Based Learning in the Classroom

‘What Is Problem-Based Learning? The roots of problem-based learning can be traced to the

progressive movement, especially to John Dewey's belief that teachers should teach by appealing to students' natural instincts to investigate and create. Dewey wrote that “the first approach to any subject in school is to  organize education so that natural active tendencies shall be fully enlisted in doing something, while seeing to it that the doing requires observation, the acquisition of information, and the use of a constructive imagination, is what needs to be done to improve social conditions’. Dewey 1916, 1944, p. 13’

http://bit.ly/2ABKT8X

How children learn naturally. A great pre term read

 ‘In order for educational settings to be successful they need to be aligned with how children naturally learn. Children’s innate curiosity, enthusiasm, creativity, playfulness, individuality, imaginativeness, resourcefulness, social intelligence, and love of learning need to be respected and supported. It isn’t rocket science, it’s just basic wise parenting and effective teaching. Most of us have helped children develop skills and learn informally, before they went off to school. And all of us mastered skills on our own, so this is something we understand intuitively.’

http://bit.ly/2rBonK6

Why Kids Need Wilderness And Adventure More Than Ever ( for your own kids! )

‘Our younger kids and teenagers need wilderness and adventure in their lives and who better to model it to them than us, their parents. I would actually argue that it is more important than a lot of the scheduled activities we have them in now. Wilderness and adventure will help develop them into well-rounded young adults.’

http://bit.ly/2M3suXg

How the Outdoors Makes Your Kids Smarter – a quick read.

‘The freedom to move and play outside inspires creativity and improved brain function.’

http://bit.ly/2TJCGqG

‘What is a teacher’s most important quality? Likeability’

‘This head says it is crucial for teachers to be liked by students, and to see themselves more as coaches than educators’

http://bit.ly/2THfhGe