Burst and Bubbles 2024

 My inquiry is to explore effective ways to help my Year 13 Statistics students prepare for tertiary studies by setting up a quasi-university style approach in class. This approach mirrors tertiary study methods by integrating flipped classroom model , rewindable learning, and tutorial-style sessions. As an Assistant Head of learning, my personal goal is to improve Mathematics achievement in Years 12 and 13, contributing significantly to this and  Department, and Manaiakalani goal.

Through my years in education, I have seen how crucial it is to ensure a smooth transition from secondary to tertiary studies. Readiness for tertiary education greatly influences how students adapt to the academic culture and expectations of higher education. This awareness drives my commitment to support my students’ transition as seamlessly and empowering as possible.

I developed this approach using multiple data sources, including student feedback, past results, and topic tests, to comprehensively understand my students’ learning needs. 

This is a mixed-ability group of 14 students, consisting of five Samoans, four Tongans, two Cook Island Māori, two Māori, and one Asian student. Last year’s NCEA results revealed that seven of these students had come from the Statistics pathway, while the rest had varied backgrounds in Mathematics.

This Year 13 course includes five internal assessments, two externals, and a Scholarship program. To provide targeted support, I divided the class into three groups focused on internals, an external preparation group, and a scholarship-focused group, the first such initiative at Tamaki College. 

The changes I implemented in my teaching include:

• For Internals: Using the PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) structure, Miro online boards, and rewindable video lessons.

• For Externals: Introducing the Chunk-Chew-Check strategy, collaborating with the Pacifica Academy, providing annotated handwritten exemplars, study sessions, and working in partnership with Epsom Girls Grammar and Mount Albert Grammar.

I am grateful for the guidance of Dr. Janni for Designing my inquiry, Dr. Marion Steel Director of Mathsmatics Epsom girls’ grammer, Michael Walden( Mount Albert Grammer), Katalina Mau Pathway Manager Auckland University , and Matt Goodwin in making these adjustments.

Challenges-Teaching Statistics at the Year 13 level to students without prior Statistics experience poses challenges, as does managing deadlines and maintaining scholarship-level content.

• Qualitative Shifts: They became self-directed learners, prioritizing well-being and adopting a growth mindset.

• Quantitative Shifts: All students have achieved 14 credits, meeting the partial qualification requirement for tertiary readiness. We are now awaiting external results.

I strongly believe in the power of collaboration. Working with other teachers allows us to identify shared challenges, analyze data together, and refine our instructional approaches. You are welcome to view my blog for further insights.

Pacifica Academy

 What is Pacifica Academy? is a tutoring program run in several high schools. Students are provided an opportunity to receive after-school tutoring.

Auckland University runs this program to advance external results for Pacifica/Maori learners. With the influence of Katalina Mau's visit to our school, my learners enrolled in this program. Learners started this program last week and my learners found it very useful to explore/ collaborate with the other learners, it will be a smooth transition into university with confidence. My learner found it useful with their annotated exemplars and a few of them going to attend alternative week as they have another program at school too.

Here is an example of an Annotated exemplar:

I continue to monitor my learners as the time is getting closer to examination. Here is the monitoring sheet. So far getting better and better to aim for the prize.

Intervention design towards external examination

Annotated exemplars: 

There are two distinct types of learners in my class: those with an external focus and those who concentrate solely on internal aspects. The externally focused learners tend to be motivated by outside factors, such as grades, feedback, or peer recognition. These learners work in pairs at different stages of their learning process, which allows them to collaborate and share ideas as they progress.

However, I found it challenging to meet the diverse needs of all students, especially given their varying levels of ability and the different stages at which they are working. To address this, I took the initiative to create detailed exemplars in the workbook and past papers. These exemplars served multiple purposes: they helped me better understand each learner's specific requirements and provided a clear, annotated guide for students to follow.

By designing these exemplars, I was able to encourage peer teaching based on their ability levels—whether they were achieving at an  Achievement/Merit/Excellence level. This method allowed students to teach and learn from one another in a structured way, tailored to their individual capabilities.

The result has been very positive. The annotated exemplars have become a valuable resource, making the learning process more accessible and understandable for all students. This approach not only helps them grasp the material more effectively but also fosters a collaborative learning environment where students are actively engaged in helping each other succeed.

Monitoring week3

Term3 Topic- Plan

 

Learners have almost completed internals and stepping into external as the derived grade exam is on week 2/Term 4 and the External examination is on the 8th of November.

I have divided them into three groups, the first group focuses on two Externals, the second group focuses on one external, and the third group focuses on completing externals.

Topic1: As91585(3.13) Probability concepts(External- 4credits):

• Promoting the Flipping Classroom model: 

1. Every day prepare before class in the workspace by working on Walker's workbook.
2. SOLO taxonomy.
3. Every lesson conversation with learners about smooth transitioning.
4. Past paper practice.
5. Meeting deadlines/Deadlines.
6. encourage study groups.
7. Attending Pacifica Academy for extra practice.
8. Encouraging peer groups.
9. 
   

• Rewindable learning- 

1. Video lessons on the workspace, weekly Study classes for poorly missed lessons, and catch-ups.
2. Written annotated exemplars, and written answers on the workbook.

• Face to Face tutorial lesson-

1. Clear learners' doubts.
2. Intensive teaching on merit and excellence is provided according to their needs.
3. Differentiated teaching.
4. Using Graphics calculator.
5. Annotated exemplars and Walker book to refer to.
6. Meeting deadlines/Feedback.
7. Literacy strategy-  chunk, check, chew strategy.
8. Monitoring using Excel spread sheet.

Topic2: As91586(3.14) Probabilty distributions.(External-4 credits):

• Promoting the Flipping Classroom model: 

1. Every day prepare before class in the workspace by working on Walker's workbook.
2. SOLO taxonomy.
3. Every lesson conversation with learners about smooth transitioning.
4. Past paper practice.
5. Meeting deadlines/Deadlines.
6. encourage study groups.
7. Attending Pacifica Academy for extra practice.
8. Encouraging peer groups.
9. 
   

• Rewindable learning- 

1. Video lessons on the workspace, weekly Study classes for poorly missed lessons, and catch-ups.
2. Written annotated exemplars, and written answers on the workbook.

• Face to Face tutorial lesson-

1. Clear learners' doubts.
2. Intensive teaching on merit and excellence is provided according to their needs.
3. Differentiated teaching.
4. Using Graphics calculator.
5. Annotated exemplars and Walker book to refer to.
6. Meeting deadlines/Feedback.
7. Literacy strategy-  chunk, check, chew strategy.
8. Monitoring using Excel spreadsheet.

Monitoring sheet:

My Inquiry Question (5)-Part1

 

Hypotheses:

1. Encouraging students to have a genuine purpose increases their motivation.

2. Extending tasks at home with pre-recorded lessons or reading articles promotes student independence.

3. Providing video lessons for all work makes learning rewindable.

Inquiry Steps:

1. Self-Observation and Reflection-

• Maintain a daily teaching log noting the strategies used, student engagement levels, and any notable successes or challenges.

• Reflect weekly on the effectiveness of strategies aimed at increasing student motivation, independence, and the benefits of rewindable learning.

2. Peer Observations

• Schedule regular peer observations focusing on specific aspects such as student motivation, independence, and the use of video lessons.

• Use standardized forms to collect structured feedback from peers.

3. Student voice

• Design surveys to gather student opinions on how the teaching strategies affect their motivation, independence, and ability to revisit learning materials.

• Conduct focus groups or interviews periodically to delve deeper into student experiences and gather qualitative data.

4. Class Site/Workspace Analysis.

• Perform a thorough review of the class site to ensure it is well-organized, accessible, and contains all necessary resources (pre-recorded lessons, reading materials, video lessons).

• Use analytics tools to track student engagement with the materials provided on the class site.

5. Formative Assessment Data

• Regularly assess student progress through internals, practice tests, and assignments designed to measure understanding and engagement.

• Track class participation and completion rates of home tasks and video lessons.

Implementation Timeline:

Initial Phase :

• Conducted baseline surveys and initial peer observations.

• Set up reflective journals and teaching logs.

• Review and enhance the class site with necessary resources.

Term1 Reflection: 

• Continue self- and peer-observations.

• Collect and analyze end of term1  student feedback.

• Review formative assessment data to identify trends and areas for adjustment.

Term2 Reflection:

• Conduct final peer observations and student surveys.

• Analyze term 2 data to measure shifts in teaching practices.

• Reflect on overall progress and identify areas for future development.

Evaluation and Documentation:

• Formative Information: Use ongoing reflections and peer feedback to adjust teaching practices throughout the year.

Baseline Information: Compare initial and end-of-year data from surveys, observations, and assessments to evaluate shifts in teaching effectiveness.

My intervention

Here is the intervention for my internals and will be stepping into externals next term. I strongly believe:

• "If I encourage my students to have a genuine purpose, they will be motivated." 

• "If I focus on extending tasks at home by setting pre-recorded lessons/reading articles, they will become more independent."

• "If provide  video lessons of all their work, their learning is rewindable”

I could reach reach my dream goal.

CoL PLD

 We had the privilege to present our CoL Inquiry at Tamaki College this week, Here is my part,

Katalina Ma

 Katalina Ma, Pathways Manager came to my class on Wednesday, 29th of May to talk to my class and students from the 12Mac class too. It was a beneficial talk, and she emphasized the external credits to to successful at university.

Here is the video link.

What is my Hunch?

 My Inquiry is 

My Hunches are :

1."If I encourage my students to have a genuine purpose, they will be motivated."

2."If I focus on extending tasks at home by setting pre-recorded lessons/reading articles, they will become more independent."

3"If provide  video lessons of all their work, their learning is rewindable”

I discussed the above hunches with Dr. Jannie: