As a staff we went and listened to Michael Pohl on Inquiry Learning at the Event Centre, in Levin. I found the seminar very interesting. Michael spoke about aspects of the Learning Inquiry process. He backed up our ideas of inquiry, which we are already thinking about and trying to incorprate into our classroom programmes.
The one thing that I did worry about with Michael's seminar is that he spoke about Bloom's Taxanomy which confused me as we are focussing on using Solo Taxonomy with our inquiry model. Both taxonomies are similar and can be applied in the same way of Inquiry Learning. I would have liked to hear more on other taxonomies rather than just the main taxonomy of Bloom's. I was hoping for ideas on the use of Solo with inquiry.
The one thing that I would like to find out more about as a result of the seminar are when to use the tools used beside the thinking skills of Inquiry Learning. The big question I have and would like to find out is whether you use a variety of tools at various levels, as mentioned by Michael or do you use one thinking tool such as De Bono's hats and use it until well used and then start introducing another tools such as Tony Ryan's keys?
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Fabulous Room 4's Inquiry Journey
This term our focus has been on self assessment and linking that to solo. We used freeze frames to retell parts of the well known fairy tale "The Gingerbread Man". The children enjoyed being creative and using there bodies as a form of art. After introducing the idea of looking at our selves and talking about the idea of self assessment the children really enjoyed the opportunity to not only improve themselves but to have input in helping others.
From there we talked about solo and the journey of learning something new. We talked about where we would sit on the solo model in relation to self assessment. To my amazement the children got it and came up with some fab self assessments, used what they wrote to place themselves on the solo model and produce awesome freeze frames.
From there we talked about solo and the journey of learning something new. We talked about where we would sit on the solo model in relation to self assessment. To my amazement the children got it and came up with some fab self assessments, used what they wrote to place themselves on the solo model and produce awesome freeze frames.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Term 3 Inquiry development
Kia ora,
With regard to our current ICT development goals my major thrust this term has been to recognise the fact that we have enough PD and internal capacity to achieve the goals that we set for the year. One of the primary focus areas has been the continued development of our Inquiry model. I was heartenend by the fact that the language of this model has been, to varying degrees and in varying ways, introduced to our students. The term inquiry and a basic understanding of this, has been slowly embedded in the school. To celebrate this I was very keen for teachers to share their current classroom practices in terms of delivery of Inquiry which now forms an integarl part of our curriculum. This has been happening in in school PD sessions with each teacher challenged to share their work in this area.
Through continued exposure to other schoolwide Inquiry models through the ICT development programme I am absolutely certain that path we have taken will meet our school's needs.
Further to the above, next term I do want to achieve a consistent presentation of the model in all our classes so that Inquiry can be easily referred to. We also need to make absolutely certain we all have a shared understanding of the different dimensions to our inquiry model and our set of assessment matrix indicators needs to be fine tuned.
Well done and many thanks to Fiona for stepping into the lead teacher role. She has embraced Inquiry and is now presenting a highly effective model in her class. She is truly leading the way for our school and other now turn to her for advice.
It is hoped that we can get everyone to a comparable stage by the end of the year.
Neil Hirini
With regard to our current ICT development goals my major thrust this term has been to recognise the fact that we have enough PD and internal capacity to achieve the goals that we set for the year. One of the primary focus areas has been the continued development of our Inquiry model. I was heartenend by the fact that the language of this model has been, to varying degrees and in varying ways, introduced to our students. The term inquiry and a basic understanding of this, has been slowly embedded in the school. To celebrate this I was very keen for teachers to share their current classroom practices in terms of delivery of Inquiry which now forms an integarl part of our curriculum. This has been happening in in school PD sessions with each teacher challenged to share their work in this area.
Through continued exposure to other schoolwide Inquiry models through the ICT development programme I am absolutely certain that path we have taken will meet our school's needs.
Further to the above, next term I do want to achieve a consistent presentation of the model in all our classes so that Inquiry can be easily referred to. We also need to make absolutely certain we all have a shared understanding of the different dimensions to our inquiry model and our set of assessment matrix indicators needs to be fine tuned.
Well done and many thanks to Fiona for stepping into the lead teacher role. She has embraced Inquiry and is now presenting a highly effective model in her class. She is truly leading the way for our school and other now turn to her for advice.
It is hoped that we can get everyone to a comparable stage by the end of the year.
Neil Hirini
Michael Pohl Seminar
Kia ora,
I refer to our day at Coley Street on the 11th Sept. 2008 with Michael Pohl. A wonderful opportunity to meet and then work with such a notable educational practioner. Thoroughly enjoyed his manner and the way he comminicated with us. This was highlighted by the fact that he wasn't promoting his beliefs as " the one and only way" but presented his ideas as one of many that educationalists could grasp. Having said that, his focus on Blooms Taxonomy suggests that he thinks this is the most powerful tool.
My first impression of the presentation was that it served to remind me of the many number of models that could be adopted in order to enhance the skill of thinking in the learning process. It took me back to my teacher's college days when many of these models were introduced and covered in depth. For me, they are all saying the same thing, only in differeent words. Learning is far more greatly enhanced if we actually do more in our minds with the information that unfolds.
I was very interested in his schoolwide thinking model whereby a number of different tools be used at diferent ages acroos a school. For a school that is still grappling to introduce one model effectively I didn't see us pursuing something like this for a while yet.
Disapppointed not to see the model we have adopted,ie SOLO taxonomy,metioned in the programme. We have made the committment to implementthis at our school in the first instance and although not promoted in the day, we are happy this is taking us where we want to go for now.
I once again feel privileged to have been part of this day and had exposure to an educational guru.
Neil Hirini
I refer to our day at Coley Street on the 11th Sept. 2008 with Michael Pohl. A wonderful opportunity to meet and then work with such a notable educational practioner. Thoroughly enjoyed his manner and the way he comminicated with us. This was highlighted by the fact that he wasn't promoting his beliefs as " the one and only way" but presented his ideas as one of many that educationalists could grasp. Having said that, his focus on Blooms Taxonomy suggests that he thinks this is the most powerful tool.
My first impression of the presentation was that it served to remind me of the many number of models that could be adopted in order to enhance the skill of thinking in the learning process. It took me back to my teacher's college days when many of these models were introduced and covered in depth. For me, they are all saying the same thing, only in differeent words. Learning is far more greatly enhanced if we actually do more in our minds with the information that unfolds.
I was very interested in his schoolwide thinking model whereby a number of different tools be used at diferent ages acroos a school. For a school that is still grappling to introduce one model effectively I didn't see us pursuing something like this for a while yet.
Disapppointed not to see the model we have adopted,ie SOLO taxonomy,metioned in the programme. We have made the committment to implementthis at our school in the first instance and although not promoted in the day, we are happy this is taking us where we want to go for now.
I once again feel privileged to have been part of this day and had exposure to an educational guru.
Neil Hirini
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Michael Pohl Cluster Day
So much stuff to ponder on from today! Some points:
- We need to create a culture of thinking within our school and individual classes...we need to think about thinking!
- There were lots of different thinking tools discussed today, and I am very excited how it all fits into SOLO as the big umbrella.
- We need to have school wide thinking tools that are used, under the umbrella of SOLO, to enhance students thinking processes (using SOLO, thinking hats, and maybe Thinkers Keys?)
- Lots of little things that I can't wait to use in my classroom, and ultimately share with rest of staff...introduce SOLO as a visual representation on inquiry planning (thanks Jan for our talk about this today too!), further develop the reading activities I use in class to be more generic for use by other staff (based on SOLO), develop CAMPER stations school wide to use with information part of inquiry process, and trial the use of a Question Map to generate questions for next terms inquiry.
Hmmm...not much to do!!
- We need to create a culture of thinking within our school and individual classes...we need to think about thinking!
- There were lots of different thinking tools discussed today, and I am very excited how it all fits into SOLO as the big umbrella.
- We need to have school wide thinking tools that are used, under the umbrella of SOLO, to enhance students thinking processes (using SOLO, thinking hats, and maybe Thinkers Keys?)
- Lots of little things that I can't wait to use in my classroom, and ultimately share with rest of staff...introduce SOLO as a visual representation on inquiry planning (thanks Jan for our talk about this today too!), further develop the reading activities I use in class to be more generic for use by other staff (based on SOLO), develop CAMPER stations school wide to use with information part of inquiry process, and trial the use of a Question Map to generate questions for next terms inquiry.
Hmmm...not much to do!!
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