Science week

This week we set aside our usual learning plans, literacy and numeracy to engage the children in a week of hands-on science intensives. Our objectives were to learn about chemical change. So I undertook the teaching of bread making, something which I've personally been doing for years, but never really bothered to understand the chemical principals of. What resulted was in depth learning on my part, which I thoroughly enjoyed passing onto the children in years 4 - 8. 
We began the day by probing some of our prior knowledge about liquids, solids and gases and how things are formed by using this image from Cartoon Concepts: in science education about liquids. 

In particular I wanted the children to gather the understanding that whipped cream changes it's volume and shape by the whipping process where gas is added to the liquid. 
Using this diagram also enabled me to cover any misconceptions that they children had, and uncover their prior knowledge all while building their vocabulary and confidence in scientific discovery. 

Following this intro we went about making bread using Building science concepts book 56: Bread: The chemistry of bread making as a guide for my lesson planning. Refer to my gbsparker class blog post on our bread making discovery.  

I wanted the children to explore raising agents in several ways and understand that the raising occurs by a chemical reaction between the ingredients in which carbon dioxide is developed. We used baking soda, and yeast to prove this theory in several different ways throughout each morning. More so, I needed them to understand the nature of yeast being a living organism. I found a great narrative in Yet more everyday science mysteries. Stories for inquiry-based science teaching*, which supported children in exploring this concept and determine that yeast reacts differently from baking soda; requiring time and warmth to create the chemical reaction required to develop the carbon dioxide.

As a teacher the process of planning and teaching this unit reinforced the 'teacher as learner' immensely for me. Even though I thought I knew a lot about bread making, I too learned so much during this process. I enjoyed teaching it and my learners enjoyed being a part of the discovery process. 


This blogpost relates to RTC: 
4.iii) initiate learning opportunities to advance personal professional knowledge and skills. 
6.ii) Through planning and teaching, demonstrate knowledge and understanding of relevant content, disciplines and curriculum documents. 
8.i) enable ākonga to make connections between their prior experiences and  learning and their current learning activities. 
9.ii) Select teaching approaches, resources, technologies and learning and assessment activities that are inclusive and effective for diverse ākonga. 



*Konicek-Moran, R. (2011) Yet more everyday science mysteries. Stories for inquiry-based science teaching. NSTApress p. 93-97

The power of photoshop

We've all seen photoshop images and movies showing the drastic 'improvements' that media can make to photo's to make people fit the proposed beauty ideals to sell products or persuade.

However as digital immigrants we better (hopefully) at seeing through media images and not taking things at face value - no pun intended. 

Students on the other hand, are so accustomed to seeing made-up media that it's easy for them to take it for truth, showing examples such as the above are one thing, but the best way to really teach media awareness is to have students do this to themselves. 

Today I practiced using the multitude of free tools available to do this, should you not want to pay for the full photoshop version. Pixlr and PicMonkey are just some of the options available. As well as iphoto editing tools. I look forward to practicing these skills with my students and helping them to see media images as what they really are, glossed up sugar coated images. 



Moreover, the careers that are possible with skills and knowledge of photoshop, are increasing. This movie editing picture shared by Karen Ferguson is a prime example. 

Focus groups as a reflection on classroom dialogues.

During the research methods paper today we partook in  a focus group and then discussed the benefits and weaknesses of focus groups as a means of gathering data. 

Benefits are it demands an open brief, providing interviewees to share their different perspectives and may help narrow focus for further research. 

The discussion style may allow for people to say things which might not come up in a one-on-one interview. Moreover, with students it can sometimes be a safer less formal approach to getting ideas as they lose awareness of ‘recorder’ role.

In critique, the dominant voice vs. the collective voice does the loudest voice mean the strongest or most valid opinion. Common themes can be underrepresented, which is an important role of the facilitator - to check themes across the group for consensus or variation.

Reflecting on the practice of focus groups, leads me to consider dialogues with my students.

The one-on-one discussion's power of teacher authority as a disabler, unless of course the student-teacher relationship is already fully developed. This is something which I felt during my beginning of year assessments with new students, a hesitation, in fear of being 'wrong' or 'dumb'. Ironically through those same one-on-ones and other classroom activities I feel that I have further developed my relationships with students, in which they feel it is safe to share their thinking with me.

Then, like focus groups, are the small group and classroom

discussions that we have with students on a daily basis. 

Considering, that although this is somewhat a safe place for sharing of ideas, it also can give preference to those who have a dominant voice, and leave those who are not as vocal to share the same opinion by default. As teacher, or facilitator, it is my job to seek out the thoughts of all members of the group, not just those who freely share their ideas. Similarly to the one-on-one interactions, I as facilitator need to ensure the development classroom and small group discussion environments which are free from ridicule and a safe place to share. This is something I need to explore in further detail and build into my kete of classroom practice, as although it is something I personally advocate and encourage, I have yet to instil this in all of my class members.

Accelerating Learning and Developing Research Methods.

As a reflection from my learning today at the MDTA first lecture on research and practice today I have composed my thoughts and my many questions, which I intend to answer as the year progresses.

Accelerating Learning

Thinking about transforming how we teach not just substitute or augment existing practices. Adapting teaching practices to actually enhance learning rather than just replacing historic methods (pen and paper), with modern methods (digital), is what I want to achieve.   

This makes me consider the PPDAC Data Detective cycle that I have been using with my class.  

What is the problem? Where is the lag, and what are the needs of my tamariki?

Plan - How will I go about this, what are the steps I must take before implementing interventions.  

Data - what is the best way measure student achievement? asttle, Gloss, probe, PM, Peter’s Spelling, OTJ, etc. My reflection on research methods below questions the authenticity of test results as evidence of ability. What other ways can I gather data?  

Analyse it, and how can I know gains in achievement are results of my teaching?

Conclusion, was this successful?  Did my teaching practice directly enhance student achievement, have I solved/answered my problem from the beginning?

So then, what exactly is my problem? How do I accelerate the learning and development of my students, all students, not just my just belows. This is something that I need to consider this year. What exactly and how exactly do I focus my professional learning and refine my following teaching practice.  

Why consider ‘Research Methods’?

Results from laboratory testing versus real experiences. Context matters. People behave differently in artificial situations, therefore without authentic context findings cannot be generalised to anything but that artificial scenario. Therefore to make real conclusions about how we can accelerate our students learning we must analyse their work and learning in authentic classroom and learning environments.

This too raises the question I have over testing. How authentic is a ‘test’ as an indicator of a students ability? To me, a ‘test’ environment is a contrived environment and not natural to the usual learning experiences or their future work environments. Under real productive circumstances collaboration, discussion, feedback and feedforward are abundant, dynamic and  necessary elements. This is something that I need to take into consideration when planning my research.

As a beginning teacher I am somewhat of a blank slate in terms of current teaching practice, apart from those that I have modelled from over my practicum and observation experiences. I welcome your feedback should you have insight or answers to guide my questions.