The first two hours of the day primarily for Literacy and then maths after brunch goes for 1 hour.
Children have their own task board that they arrange their weeks activities on. This is generally done on a Friday, setting them up for the following week.
Children have literacy and maths activities on their taskboards, which they call Taku Mahi Cards - My Work Cards. 4 tasks are for literacy and 2 are for maths. Children work through their Taku Mahi cards when they are not involved in workshops with the teacher. Work shops some must do and others can opt into.
Task card for children showing agency -
Task card for new children to school and those that need support with agency -
For the newbies, teacher time takes up the rest of their time. For those who need support with agency, we can use a bigger task book like Fiona developed last year with help from an RTLB.
Some of their tasks are compulsory and some are 'can do'.
Compulsaries include handwriting e.g. the teacher may decide that handwriting is compulsory for a certain child and that they need to do it 4 times a week. Other children may only need to do it twice a week.
The teacher puts the compularies on the children's cards and then they are welcome to move them around as they add their 'can dos'.
Here are some literacy activities that we brainstormed -
We liked the name that Carolyn uses - Must Dos & Trust Yous
Must Dos - reading to self, reading to a buddy, word work, listen to reading and work on writing (as per the Daily Five). Handwriting,
Trust Yous - Ipad, fitness, computers, board games, spelling, puzzles, games box, big books,
The 'trust yous' should be meaningful and purposeful still, not just a busy activity!
Use a mirror with shaving foam for children to practise their spelling words.
Children choose their trust yous, which are organised in a fishing tackle box. Don't ever take all the cards off or you will go mad sorting them. Teacher monitors and helps children select their 'Trust Yous'. Robin may have to leave a list of suggestions with Sandi, if this is when we change them.
Fitness Activity - children can just go out by selves and do it. Little ones come and grab someone who can read to help them with the instruction card.
Some children have to ask if they can move onto their next taku mahi.
Browsing Box - will we still use this to settle kids back in after lunch?
Instructional Books go home for two nights to develop fluency in reading.
Wednesday is a Friday sort of day and then things resume on Thursday.
An iPad app they use is 'Book Creator' for making ebooks and sharing with the class.
They use Sunshine books for 'listenting to reading'.
Some children scheme to work on activities together. Dream up a reason to change them! I need to move this because ...
The top reading group works from a blog where missions are posted.
The teacher that teaches the top maths group, teachers the bottom maths group. This way everyone gets to work with everyone.
Grid on mat for controlled/strategic seating placement. The children with dots by their names get to sit on a chair a the back of the grid. 2 1/2 feet by 2 1/2 feet for grid.
Great storage bins with only 2 games in each. Rotate the games to keep the children intersted and this also helps with keeping them organised. Children can manage getting them out and putting back of them.
They hold Behaviour Workshops and Learning Workshops at morning tea and lunch time for children who fail to deliver!
Shared brainfood.
An oven made out of an old maths/literacy trolley.
Discovery time - t ball, wood work, cooking.
A finish box for completed work - handwriting, work on writing etc
Word work activity set up on TV with wireless keyboard and mouse.
Listen to reading.
Some writing.
Words around the room.
Handwriting and word work.
Thank you Kate Linklater katiel@stmarys.ac.nz
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