A key change in my professional practice!

In this reflection, I will be using 'Rolfe's model of reflection' to reflect on my Mind Lab journey over the past 32 weeks and critically evaluate one key change in my practice.

What?

The changes that I have begun to make for the last 32 weeks of my Mind Lab adventures are around my teaching pedagogy.  The explicit teaching of  21st century skills (or key competencies), and more specially using growth mindset (follow this link to view my teacher inquiry) teaching to raise achievement.  

These changes relate to my requirements at a teacher to meet the “Standards in the Teaching Profession” and in particular, standard 6 - Teaching;

Use an increasing repertoire of teaching strategies, approaches, learning activities, technologies and assessment for learning strategies and modify these in response to the needs of individuals and groups of learners. 

Provide opportunities and support for learners to engage with, practise and apply learning to different contexts and make connections with prior learning. 

Teach in ways that enable learners to learn from one another, to collaborate, to self-regulate and to develop agency over their learning.

So what?

I have used the "Reflective Practice Cycle for Educators" to critically evaluate this change in my practice.

Stage 1: Problem identification

I was driven to these changes by a desire to provide a learning for my year 1 and 2 learner that meet their needs, as learners from low socio-economic whanau. I believe it is important to teach our learners how to learn, to best support them to be successful, in life and in school.

In my teaching inquiry I wrote; 

Children from low socioeconomic families, like the learners I teach, are exposed to prolonged stress. Thompson writes, “the biological effects of stress undermine the ability of children to focus on their own thinking” (p. 44). When they are faced with challenges in their learning, they become disengaged, as they are unable to identify the strategies needed to continue learning. This adaptive response serves them poorly in school, where they much concentrate and cooperate to do well. However, the plasticity of child’s developing brain is an opportunity for these ways of thinking to be buffered or reversed when intervention happens early in a child’s development. 

Stage 2: Observation and analysis

Throughout this year I observed: 

Some learners (year 1 and 2)… 

• Become actively disengaged when faced with challenging learning (disruptive behaviours, avoidance strategies) 
• Are unable to select appropriate strategies to solve learning problems independently
• According to the ITL learning rubrics my learners mostly play alongside each other, sometimes cooperatively and they rarely play collaboratively (Microsoft, 2015)
• Come from low socio economic families

Some whanau… 

• Engaged positively with the implementation of Class Dojo with an uptake of (80% in the junior school)
• Would like their heritage languages and cultures to be acknowledged in the classroom
• Welcomed the introduction of play-based learning (evidenced by their positive verbal comments)

Stage 3: Abstract re conceptualisation

The learning theory that I found useful was the work of growth mindset guru, Carol Dewek. The core belief of Carol Dweck’s growth mindset, that a person who holds a growth mindset sees intelligence as changeable, that through hard work, dedication and time, new talents can be learnt and intellect can be expanded. 

Stage 4: Active experimentation

A new strategy that I have experimented with in my classroom this term is the use of picture books and videos to begin classroom discussion about growth mindset thinking. This has begun to create a shared language in our class about how we learn. 

We began our learning journey as a class this term by reading "My Fantastic Elastic Brain" by JoAnne Deak. This picture book teaches children that they have the ability to stretch and grow their own brains.

Now what?

Next year, I am going on an adventure with play-based learning in a new entrant class. Seagal Education shares that through play children are better able to understand abstract concepts, like growth mindset. The teacher plays a vital role in facilitating play that instills a growth mindset. I am looking forward to continuing my inquiry into teaching 21st century skills, like growth mindset thinking through play! 

Kia Kaha!