Tools, measures and approaches CoL #5

The tools, measures and approaches that I will be using for my Inquiry this year are as follows:

eAsttle - This assessment will be taken in Term 1 and Term 4. This assessment is helpful to see where basic gaps are in children's writing and helps inform my next learning steps using the eAsttle Rubric as a guide. This rubric is also made available to the children and used as a self-assessing tool when writing. 

In addition to formal assessment (eAsttle Term 1 and Term 4), I will also be measuring the qualitative changes towards students' attitudes to writing. This information will be taken through conducting student voice surveys and analysing the end of term reflections completed by target students.

Through including whanau in the learning and keeping parents engaged and connected with what is happening for their tamariki at school, I hope to positively contribute to the development of Year 6 boys writing. 

Learning conversations partnered with teacher led examples will be hugely important for us. It will Give the class real-time conversations about their writing will help them to connect with the strategies being taught and the safe space to experiment with their writing. Learning conversations will have to be structured initially (using my writing as an exemplar to be discussed) so children use the correct supporting language.

Lastly, I'll be observing learners and taking note of their dispositions to our writing lessons and how they engage with the tools in their own time.

Why this group of learners? #4

Writing can be a freeing, immersive and cathartic experience. With 60% of our learners sitting below the national average, it's clear that this is not the perception or experience that they have whilst writing. Writing is an essential skill as it helps individuals to communicate better — written and verbally— across all areas, be it professional, social or academic. It can also help give you the leverage you need to meet your needs. Being clear and concise regardless of purpose will help our ākonga succeed in their studies, careers and other important aspects of their lives. Writing is one of the foundational skills that will come in handy in school and in the real world.

Statistically across Aotearoa, Yr8 girls outperform Yr8 boys by 12 scale points. This means there is an approximately 1.5 year gap between boys and girls in writing at both year levels. Ākonga Māori score 10 scale points lower than non-Māori students by the time they reach Yr8. Showing a 1-1.5 year gap. Pasifika students score 3 scale points lower than other students on Yr8 writing, indicating a gap of approximately 0.5 years. These findings tell us that across Aotearoa our ākonga Māori and Pasifika needs for writing are not being met. Schools and the wider community are not providing the support or resources to develop and nurture the writing talents these ākonga could have. There is a lack of a national literacy strategy that works for all of its students regardless of gender, race, socio-economic factors or other.

These statistics reflect what is happening at our kura and in my classroom. Sadly, it is the majority of our ākonga making 3/4 of them the target students. Our personal writing results from the easTTle writing test in Term 1 show that of the 20 students I have for writing, 14 of them are writing below their age level. Currently, six of the 14 are writing at a Yr2-3 level or within the New Zealand Curriculum Level 1. Ten of these 14 learners are male. Our Māori and Pacific learners need a literacy programme that caters, excites and develops them. For who they are as Māori and Pasifika peoples. Regrettably, that is not our current programme.

School Leader Discussion #3

Our school is middle-senior heavy and male-dominated, with our latest testing results showing that 66% of our Yr4-8 students are achieving below the national expectancy for writing. As alarming as this statistic is, it provided us with two key thoughts and feelings. One, what an exciting inquiry this will be with much to learn, develop and implement. Two, we are in the right area to ensure we are putting the children's needs at the forefront of our discussions. Our Senior Leadership Team (SLT) conversation was very simple and precise. We used the data to confirm and inform our teacher judgement and assumptions and came up with the following key points that my inquiry needed to address:

1) Is there a love or passion for writing? - if not, what are we doing about it?

2) How are we teaching writing? Do we need to shift our mindset to better facilitate and prepare our students for their futures in high school?

• Kotahitanga - oneness - unity encouragement and moving forward together

3) How are we integrating writing across the curriculum and giving the children enough time to practice the skills taught?

• Maramatanga - Understanding. Can see the relevance in learning something and how they can apply it.

4) We need home engagement - set up workshops each term?

• Whakawhanaungatanga - belonging whanau inclusiveness and connectedness
• Rangatiratanga - self-governance - being in control. Giving tauira and whānau the information to create their own pathways

5) How are we measuring our success? Formative and summative assessment. How is this then being shared with staff, children and whānau?

6) Are we creating a safe space within our writing programme for children to fail successfully? Do we celebrate success and failure equally?

• Kotahitanga - oneness - unity encouragement and moving forward together
• Hakari - celebrating success

These points I felt were balanced within the realms of academia and holistic/hauora approaches to learning. Showing the balance we have within our SLT while leaning nicely into the original question I posed of: 

'How does a Māori centred theory and practice approach lift the achievement of writers in Yr 6-8?

Our next step