Sonia Glogowski - Key Competencies

This was a cluster workshop organised by Jan Thomas and Richard McMillan of Coley Street School. They invited Sonia Glogowski from the Ministry of Education to speak to the cluster on Key Competencies in the New Curriculum. First Sonia went briefly over what the Key Competencies are and how they relate to skills needed to equip people in all occupations. Then she went on to explain how the drivers of change – globalization, ICT revolution, demographic changes and shift in values are impacted through levels of Key Competencies and that we need people to bring ideas together. Sonia reinforced Ohau School’s beliefs that it is impossible to assess the Key Competencies but that they needed to be planned for explicitly in how they are to be taught. The value of e-learning and how it has the potential to change pedagogical practices was looked at and how it is interwoven with Numeracy, Literacy and the Key Competencies. The Key Competencies were also looked at as adults and also how context dependent and value laden they are. Sonia also linked them back to the Principles that are listed in the New Zealand Curriculum and how these form the basis for all learning. This made us think of revisiting the New Zealand Curriculum and the Principles are ensure that staff are aware of all of them and how they are connected to the Key Competencies. This workshop through a Ministry approach was completely different to one attended at Learning at Schools even though based on the same Key Competencies. It provided a different aspect with valuable learning to share with the other staff at Ohau School. Along with paying more attention to the principles in the New Zealand Curriculum, planning will now include a more specific outline of how Key Competencies will be taught.

Inquiry Learning in Room 2

Personally I feel fortunate that I spent six months completing a paper in Action Learning because it helped me to intepret what Inquiry Learning is. It is not a matter of children writing a question and being let loose to find the information.
I needed to go through the steps thoroughly and do exercises in the steps to get the processes in place. It is on going teaching / learning. Eg. Deciding on an area of interest, Questioning skills and levels of questions, Where to find information, How to make notes then write into their own words, How to access information (parts of books), Managing time, Researching, Presentation skills, Bibliography, Evaluating.
After each homework inquiry I find the need to reteach / elaborate on some of hte inquiry processes. During term 1 on average there were 6 pupils who did not hand in an inquiry every two weeks. The pupils improved each time on their level of questioning, researching and presentation. I have had some excellent results from some pupils but very little effort on the other hand from a handful of pupils. I have rung the parents recently to explain what is expected and had good discussions as some supposedly didn't know about it so have not been reading or maybe not getting their newsletters or the children have not been telling their parents.
Those children who have been consistent with doing their homework have embraced it and obviously enjoyed it. Hopefully the rest will cotton on. Their inquiry processes are improving. I have set up a system to record what questions the children have inquired and monitored when it is handed in.
I am unsure how to mark the Inquiry so simply write a comment giving praise or suggesting improvements. A rubric will help.
In class Inquiry I have found difficult with my special needs children and low readers as I need to guide their questioning and research / read with them and even write for them. G.B. Room 2

Inquiry Learning in Room 3

Yesterday our ICT lead teachers asked us to write a paragraph on how we felt about Inquiry. Hmm. One had to think about where we have come with questioning, answering and inquiring. The SOLO workshop was very intense yet food for thought where I constantly have to revisit the diagram of the different levels and stages of questioning. Then there is the ICT involvement which I am still trying to integrate with the whole inquiry process especially when students seem to think of a question, google the key words and then their questions are answered. The purchase of expensive digital equipment is successful for all involved if it is used effectively and students receive quality feedback for their experiences. I support the Quest article that ICT is not an educational solution or a magic fix. The real magic comes from teachers who have high expectations, create relevant and challenging learning experiences, support and scaffoldm pupils to success, and provide quality feedback for their pupils (ref Quest Article about the author). But I shall persevere with the Inquiry Rubric that was received last week and whatever more printout or workshop that is needed to improve on to better Inquiry Learning through ICT at Ohau School.