MTPS Learning Story

1. MTPS Learning Story Beginning Middle End

2. In the beginning... • Who? • Heidi Patterson: Principal (26 years experience, 2nd year EPCI) • Barb Eady: JK/SK Teacher (29 years Primary experience, 3rd year FDK, 2ndyear EPCI) • Sherry Belanger: ECE (Daycare + 3rd year FDK experience, 1st year EPCI) • Where? • Margaret Twomey Public School, Marathon • JK/SK Class • What? • How do we incorporate the explicit instruction of Writing in a play-based/inquiry-based classroom?

3. The middle...

4. We questioned explicit instruction.

5. Researching and Redefining Explicit Instruction

6. Researching and Redefining (continued)

7. Our new “definition”/thinking

8. Next, we established Learning Goals and Success Criteria... • by deconstructing the Writing curriculum to assist us when moderating student work and prepare us to notice, name and extend learning “in the moment” • to focus our planning, instruction: • ~model and rehearse communicating ideas (oral, drawing, writing, singing!) • ~introduce “writing workshop rules” and different ways to “write” (scribbles, random letters, stretching words, etc.)

10. Then, we planned intentionally. • by collecting baseline writing samples and moderated marking (Where are they? What can they do? Where can we provide support?) • to make sure there are daily authentic “writing” opportunities where we can enter the play/inquiries and apply Learning Goals and Success Criteria

11. Applying the Success Criteria Video: Gabby is helping Carson to “use letter sounds”.

12. Daily Writing Opportunities Stop Signs (when you don’t want “it” touched) Surveys

13. Daily Writing Opportunities Theories (based on pictures in books)

14. Daily Writing Opportunities Recording findings Recipes (Witch’s brew)

15. Daily Writing Opportunities Books Instructions

16. Daily Writing Opportunities Class Graphs Predictions

17. Daily Writing Opportunities Center Instructions Labelled Diagrams

18. AHA! Moving beyond “conventions” to “forms” + Reading and Writing connected

19. An example: letter writing

21. Finding a reason for letter writing Thank you for the cupcakes

22. Also, we focused on assessment for learning.

23. AHA! • Assessment for learning forces us to move beyond writing “conventions” to “elements” (in JK/SK!!).

24. “I Wanna...” Letters (attending to “voice” and “ideas”)

25. Video: Sophie’s self-assessment

26. The end? Our learning/beliefs Needing further refinement • Explicit Instruction of Writing CAN/DOES happen in a play-based/ inquiry-based classroom...and lead to Reading instruction. • Embedding explicit instruction into play and inquiries allowed writing behaviours to emerge (they were not just practicing skills!). • The “Gradual Release Model” and Learning Goals and Success Criteria helped keep us focused...our planning, our interactions with the kids • Self-assessment: WOW! The kids know what they can and cannot do...they know what they need...they know which peers can help them!!! • Intentional Planning is needed in order to provide authentic writing/reading opportunities that honour inquiries. • Pedagogical Documentation is a MUST...if we are to keep moving forward—the kids and ourselves Pedagogical Documentation: *We need to examine our documentation (Is it limiting us? Are there better ways of gathering evidence of student understanding?) *We need an effective tracking system. What does that look like? *We need time to collaborate about our documentations of the day. (Monograph, Pedagogical Documentation, p. 6) *We need to involve the students in the documentation through regular self-assessment and making this a piece of their learning stories (making the learning visible + integrating feedback and self-assessment!!) Our “Puzzler”: *Why is there such a huge disconnect between Kenzie’s reading and her writing? How do we help her close the gap?