Creating High Expectation Classrooms #2

“The curriculum encourages all students to reflect on their own learning processes and to learn how to learn.” 

The New Zealand Curriculum

Pupils’ learning is more productive if it is reflective, intentional, and collaborative, practices which may not come naturally but can be taught and can lead to pupils taking responsibility for their own learning. 

Black et al., 2006, page 126

It is important that teachers acknowledge, and set High Expectations for, abilities and talents of all students. These should reflect New Zealand's bi-cultural heritage and the it's increasing cultural diversity.

Today's workshop had me reflecting on how I personally set and maintain a culture of high expectations in my classroom.
Do I:

1. plan for goal setting and mixed ability groupings across the curriculum?
2. establish a positive culture of care?
3. promote student autonomy/agency?

To ensure a culture of high expectations I must:

• avoid bias when setting goals for/with students
• know my students really well through accurate monitoring and relationship
• set high expectations for all students regardless of race
• display/embed culturally responsive pedagogy i.e. acknowledge the Maori world view (te ao Maori) if there is a high percentage of Maori students

How do I see this working in the New Entrant classroom?

In my New Entrant classroom I want to ensure a positive learning culture therefore the classroom environment must firstly feel a safe place for all students. I want all the children who start off school life under my guidance to see themselves as great learners. Growth Mindset will be embedded into teaching/learning. Developing student autonomy or student agency starts with the knowledge of "I am a learner" and "I love learning." It also means developing the language about learning so there is a focus on oral language development which includes vocabulary development, talking about our learning, listening, noticing and understanding [comprehension]. Making learning models visible in the classroom has helped to develop student understanding about goal setting for e.g.   'What does good writing look like?' There are examples of student writing and visuals of what we need to do when writing. We visit the writing wall and students are learning to identify what they can currently do independently and what they need to do to improve [next steps]. We are at the beginning stage of learning to set goals.

My most valued take-home reminders from today's workshop: 

• The need to display unconditional warmth
• The need to build self-esteem for some students
• Teachers are role models. Teachers are central figures to some students.
• Students reflect teacher behaviour [ being calm, polite, sensitive, responsibile for own behaviour]
• Teachers need to know the family background of students
• The language teachers use is very important
• To seriously think about which students are most vulnerable and what actions I can take to help them develop a healthy self-esteem and become positive class members.
• I need to focus on the positive for each student
• I need to be aware of my non-verbal communications and what I am indicating by facial expressions and body language
• Is my behaviour management with some students preventive or reactive?