Participating and Contributing at School Camp

School: Ridgway School

Year Level: 4-8

Teachers: Kerry Mathieson

Focus area: Participating and Contributing

Research Questions:

Question 1. Implementation: How can students identify key knowledge, attitudes, values and skills that could be addressed through a programme of work.

Question 2. Engagement: How engaged are students when they are involved in identifying knowledge, attitudes, values and skills that enable them to operate successfully at camp.

Question 3. Knowledge: What is the growth in personal responsibility that can be expected of students when they are involved in preparing planning and participating in school camp.

Question 4. Competency: What competencies can be expected of students to identify and overcome challenges in preparing, planning for and participating in their school camp.

LEVELS OF KNOWLEDGE	GENERIC SWELL KNOWLEDGE SCALE	SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE SUCCESS CRITERIA FOR THIS PROJECT (1)
An EXPERT is self aware	8. Proficient Be aware of own strengths and weakness in utilising knowledge and be able to plan how to improve knowledge 7. Beginning	Be aware of own strengths and weaknesses and plan to improve
A PRACTITIONER can retrieve	6. Proficient Be able to analyse how best to apply knowledge then utilise the knowledge to help you learn 5. Beginning	Able to analyse situations and identify the choices/responsibilities and make independent decisions
An APPRENTICE can retrieve	4. Proficient Be able to describe the characteristics of information and represent this to someone else 3. Beginning	Explain the link between independence, choice and responsibility
A NOVICE can retrieve	2. Proficient Be able to retrieve information without significant error 1. Beginning	Recognise the link between independence, choice and responsibility

LEVELS OF KNOWLEDGE	KNOWLEDGE SCALE	SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE SUCCESS CRITERIA FOR THIS PROJECT (2)
An EXPERT is self aware	8. Proficient Be aware of own strengths and weakness in utilising knowledge and be able to plan how to improve knowledge 7. Beginning	Be aware of own strengths and weakness in decision making and plan to improve
A PRACTITIONER can retrieve	6. Proficient Be able to analyse how best to apply knowledge then utilise the knowledge to help you learn 5. Beginning	Can analyse consequences and make appropriate decisions
An APPRENTICE can retrieve	4. Proficient Be able to describe the characteristics of information and represent this to someone else 3. Beginning	Can describe to another the consequences of their actions on themselves and others
A NOVICE can retrieve	2. Proficient Be able to retrieve information without significant error 1. Beginning	Can recognise positive and negative actions have consequences for self

Method:
We began our foray into Inquiry Learning by enlisting the help of Jane Hossack (from Island Bay School) for two professional development sessions on Inquiry Learning. During these the staff came up with a Big Idea and Deep Understanding. We then broke this down into significant questions and provocative statements. We began creating a rubric, this was challenging and bought about much rich discussion and debate in our team.
We used the new curriculum and key competency of Participating and Contributing throughout the planning of our Inquiry unit.



One class shared the rubric with the students first ( giving examples) and found that it needed further development by the teachers before it could be understood by the students. As a team we went back to our original and made changes to make it more user friendly and easier to understand for the students. Students were guided through using it to assess themselves in their ability to demonstrate personal responsibility. Our Rubric was designed to assess knowledge only as we felt it fitted better with the focus of our inquiry; personal responsibility - at camp.



Students took part in a variety of tuning in activities and began the finding out phase of the inquiry unit. This involved preparations for camp which the students were an integral part of. We felt that in many ways we forced the inquiry in a certain direction rather than allowing it to develop more naturally.

Students worked within and across classes to prepare for camp and this included developing; kitchen duty rosters, timetables, activity groups, negotiating a suitable bedtime, planning and preparing for wet day activities and organising and running the parent helper meeting prior to going to camp. This work involved students setting criteria for groups to work within, using co-operative learning skills to ensure group roles where defined and participation levels were high. Selected students were then able to use the co-operative learning skills that they had developed to lead the parents (at the parent helpers meeting for camp) to create a code of conduct for adults at camp.





Some students created a visual record of the presentation they made to parents at the camp meeting. The camp meeting was a huge success and enable the students involved to demonstrate the many skills they had been developing and the work they had done in preparing for camp. This was really rewarding for the students and teachers and we were really proud of them!

Here is an example;



Outcomes:
When we returned from camp students again looked at their Rubric and used this to assess the progress they had made in developing personal responsibility. Students where also asked to write about something that happened at camp demonstrating that they had achieved a particular stage. Although most students had a go at this, some found it quite difficult and this will be something we will develop further in our next inquiry unit.




Outcome 1. Engagement:

SCALE:
1 = never
2 = not very often
3 = about half the time
4 = often
5 = always

STUDENTS ...	MEAN LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT BEFORE PROJECT	MEAN LEVELOF ENGAGEMENT AT END OF PROJECT
Offered ideas	3	3
Asked questions	3	3
Listened to and thought about other's ideas and responded respectfully	4	4
Used positive body language related to task	4	4
Perservered in order to enact related task	4	4
Showed evidence of being active learners outside school time	2	3
Showed interest in directing their own learning	4	4
Had behavioural issues that impacted on their learning	2	1
Show evidence of using what they have learnt	4	4

We found that the shifts in students engagement where not significant. Is this because our inquiry unit did not involve the students sufficiently in deciding the direction of their learning or was engagement already fairly high? Maybe it will take more time for a shift in behaviour and attitudes to take place? This seems to be the case for the teachers, who are taking time to become confident and competent in using an inquiry approach!

Outcome 2. Knowledge:

SWELL KNOWLEDGE SCALE (1)	# OF STUDENTS ACHIEVING AT LEVEL BEFORE PROJECT	# OF STUDENTS ACHIEVING AT LEVEL AT END OF PROJECT
8. Proficient expert	0	2
7. Beginning expert	2	12
6. Proficient practitioner	9	1
5. Beginning practitioner	1	8
4. Proficient apprentice	8	0
3. Beginning apprentice	6	2
2. Proficient novice	0	0
1. Beginning novice	6	0

SWELL KNOWLEDGE SCALE (2)	# OF STUDENTS ACHIEVING AT LEVEL BEFORE PROJECT	# OF STUDENTS ACHIEVING AT LEVEL AT END OF PROJECT
8. Proficient expert	0	3
7. Beginning expert	1	15
6. Proficient practitioner	15	4
5. Beginning practitioner	3	0
4. Proficient apprentice	0	1
3. Beginning apprentice	0	1
2. Proficient novice	0	0
1. Beginning novice	6	0

Conclusions:
I was pleased to find that there had been a significant shift in knowledge for the majority of students in both of the criteria that were assessed using the rubric. For a first attempt we were happy with the learning that occurred in the classroom and with our own learning as teachers. We know that we still have a long way to go, but have really enjoyed our first attempt and this has helped to give us a stronger direction for our second inquiry unit. Our experiences and reflections on our first unit have enabled us to plan more effectively for our second inquiry unit. So watch this space......

Kerry Mathieson
Deputy Principal
Ridgway School

Managing Self at Year 2 at Island Bay School

School: Island Bay School

Year Level: 2

Teacher: Jennifer Hunt

Focus area: Managing Self: To investigate ways to improve student capability to manage self including student understanding of self, especially their understanding of their own strengths and the strengths of their classmates

Research Questions:

Related to the deep understandings :

1. Everyone is successful and has strengths, needs and asspirations
2. I can contribute and learn from others
   

Implementation: Can we demonstrate improvement in the deep understandings over time?

Engagement : How engaged are the children in developing the deep understandings?

Knowledge : What knowledge and understandings of self has been developed?


Method:

A matrix detailing the breadth of expected complex performance in the deep understanding was developed. It was decided that the descriptors of complex performance in matrix needed to be very specific in order for the teacher to design learning and assess against them. Descriptors were developed for knowledge and understanding, not competency. Due to the young age of the children only 4 stages will be used with no beginning and proficient used within each stage.

LEVELS OF KNOWLEDGE	GENERIC SWELL KNOWLEDGE SCALE	SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE SUCCESS CRITERIA FOR THIS PROJECT
An EXPERT is self aware	8. Proficient Be aware of own strengths and weakness in utilising knowledge and be able to plan how to improve knowledge 7. Beginning	Shows independence in using own strengths and strengths of others in a wide range of situations. (student rubric) I can ask and give help by myself. I can do this with different people during different activities
A PRACTITIONER can retrieve	6. Proficient Be able to analyse how best to apply knowledge then utilise the knowledge to help you learn 5. Beginning	Can use strengths to benefit others and invite others to help you. (student rubric) I help other people using my strengths and can ask others to help me.
An APPRENTICE can retrieve	4. Proficient Be able to describe the characteristics of information and represent this to someone else 3. Beginning	Can articulate the strengths and needs of others. (student rubric) I can talk about the strengths and needs of others.
A NOVICE can retrieve	2. Proficient Be able to retrieve information without significant error 1. Beginning	I can articulate simple statements about own strengths and needs. (student rubric) I can talk about my own strengths and needs.

An initial assessment was taken in week 6 term one using the matrix. The children after discussion with peers place themselves on the matrix and then used picture and scribed text to justify their positioning. One to one conferencing during this enhanced children's knowledge of both the matrix and the deep understandings. The conferences also enabled the teacher to make beginning judgments on where the children were at. Four children (low, mid, upper, top) were selected for assessment purposes for this research project.

















From the initial assessment four children were selected for ongoing monitoring. These children were ...

low -J; mid - O; upper - K; top - G

It was interesting to note that most of the class were at novice level in the initial assessment, even though we had been working on these deep understandings for some weeks. This altered my planning and teaching for the next few weeks.

Other assessments were collected as the topic was implemented. It was deemed important to collect multiple samples as we were seeking to ascertain whether the deep understanding is transferable to other situations and whether it is embedded (observed on more than one occasion across multiple contexts).

Learning Stories - activities designed to develop the deep understandings where key children were observed and their progress noted.

Learning story – Success Waka

Date: 8.4.08

DEEP UNDERSTANDING : I can contribute and learn from others.
WALT: identify our own strengths
TASK: crate a class waka with each child having their own paddle with their strengths written on it.
CRITERIA: Can you identify your own strengths and justify it?

The children were keen on the idea of class waka and in particular that I would take a photo of their faces. We brainstormed the different strengths we could have and why they would be a strength. The children identified two strengths to write onto their waka paddle. We then put all of the children and their paddles onto the waka. After finishing we completed a PMI on the waka.

G. commented that some people might not really know their strengths or they might need to change them.

K. and O. were able to use the class waka and success charts to identify someone who could help them with a specific topic.

J. needed help to use the waka and charts to identify an appropriate person.

Unless directed the children are not independently accessing experts from the waka or success charts – they just tend to ask friends or whom ever is close at the time.

Need to refer to the chart more often, also get children to reflect on who they asked for help at the end of the day and why. Also who they helped and why that person asked them. maybe transfer into the home situation – what can our parents help us with?

Learning story – Asking for help

Date: 14.4.08

DEEP UNDERSTANDING : Everyone is successful and has their own strengths, needs and aspirations

WALT: Ask for help
TASK: use the class waka and success charts to identify who could help us during the day after looking at the timetable
CRITERIA: Can you identify who to ask for help and explain why them?

As part of our morning class meeting we look at the timetable and share we are excited about and what we would like help with. We are now also identifying who we can ask when we need help with that subject.

G, K and O were able to use the class waka and success charts to identify someone who could help them with a specific topic. They were all able to say that they chose that person because it was on their paddle. Karma added that it was that person’s strength.

J was absent.

The children are getting better at knowing others strengths, but still need prompting to think about it. Maybe discuss how we can ask for help, when to ask for help etc in co-operative learning groups.

A final assessment was made at the end of the project with the children positioning themselves on the matrix again - with a justification of why they think they are there using pictures and text scribed by the teacher. During the completion of the matrix and picture one to one conferences with key questioning by the teacher aided in developing and clarifying the child's understanding and in teacher knowledge of the child.

Outcome 1. Engagement:

SCALE:
1 = never
2 = not very often
3 = about half the time
4 = often
5 = always

Note : The engagement reflection was very difficult to administer due to:

• Criteria being very dependent on classroom culture and environment. The class is based on a co-operative learning environment with high expectations in regard to participation and engagement, with interdependence, individual accountability, equal participation and interaction (Co-operative Learning in NZ Schools, Brown and Thomson, 2000) being valued and explicitly taught.
• Short time frame of pilot - esp to show deep understanding
• Subjective nature of the assessment
• The high level of parental support for learning outside the classroom.
  

STUDENTS ...	MEAN LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT BEFORE PROJECT	MEAN LEVELOF ENGAGEMENT AT END OF PROJECT
Offered ideas	3.52	3.76
Asked questions	3.44	3.44
Listened to and thought about other's ideas and responded respectfully	4.00	4.00
Used positive body language related to task	3.60	3.60
Perservered in order to enact related task	3.28	3.36
Showed evidence of being active learners outside school time	3.52	3.52
Showed interest in directing their own learning	4.68	4.68
Had behavioural issues that impacted on their learning	2.16	2.16
Show evidence of using what they have learnt	3.32	3.44

The children improved in their ability to offer ideas, persevere and using what they have learnt. However these improvements were minor and may be within margin of error esp when considering the subjective nature and human error (and caffeine intake for the day)

Outcome 2. Deep Understadning:

SWELL KNOWLEDGE SCALE	# OF STUDENTS ACHIEVING AT LEVEL BEFORE PROJECT	# OF STUDENTS ACHIEVING AT LEVEL AT END OF PROJECT
8. Proficient expert 7. Beginning expert	0	1
6. Proficient practitioner 5. Beginning practitioner	1	6
4. Proficient apprentice 3. Beginning apprentice	1	13
2. Proficient novice 1. Beginning novice	22	4

Conclusions:

Implementation: Can we demonstrate improvement in the deep understandings over time?
The children needed a lot of unpacking to grasp the deep understanding and the related matrix. The use of the matrix during multiple sessions, with multiple contexts aided in this. The use of learning stories enabled me as their teacher to improve my knowledge of the child's learning, understanding and engagement with the deep understanding. The use matrix has clearly shown an increase in the children's complex performance related to the two key deep understandings.

Engagement : How engaged are the children in developing the deep understandings?
This is difficult, needs a wide range of assessment tools that are contextualized, individual and flexible. The use of learning stories along side the complex matrix provided a base for which to show improvement. The children developed their awareness of their own strengths and needs and began to grasp the idea of interdependence alongside individual responsibility to themselves and the class. Having the children justify their position along the matrix increased engagement and also regular referrals to the matrix and the goals set by the children kept the deep understanding "ontop" and in focus.

Knowledge : What knowledge and understandings of self has been developed?

Because knowledge and understanding of self were an integral part of the deep understandings the children have clearly become more aware of their own strengths and needs and begun to extend their awareness to others. They still need to work on understanding why someone might ask them for help - they don't connect their strengths to others needs without prompting.

Key notes -

• simplify matrix to suit age level
• use a range of assessment methods
• collaborate with children to develop matrix, assessment tools, activities
• all data must be considered in the context of the classroom environment, activities and individual children