My Inquiry Focus- The how, what and why...

This year as an across CoL (Community of Learning- Kahui Ako) teacher I started focussing on the following question as my inquiry focus. When I started thinking about my focus question for this year the omicron outbreak was at it's full swing in March. So, I started by asking a question to myself that needed to be dealt with at that time- 

The question I asked myself in March when I began this inquiry was- 

How can I engage with my learners and establish relationships with them and their whanau and at the same time engage them in their learning irrespective of the circumstances we are in?  

The reason for me to ask this question was many fold. The main reason was majority of learners and their whanau being affected by covid yet again. Either getting it themselves or being close contacts or just being scared of getting it. 

So, after nearly two months of forming this question I am sitting here today thinking is it still relevant? The answer is yes but there is another layer that has popped up since March. I now not only have to focus on keeping my learners engaged in their learning but also have to support a new teacher who has just started teaching this Term and her experience during practicums in classrooms has by and large been online. It has been an absolute surprise for my team member who has stepped in a class that is not virtual and has real people and real stuff happening in front of her. 

So, now my inquiry has evolved down the track of supporting my team member who is absolutely new to a real working classroom. 

I am supporting her by working alongside her on my CoL days (outside of class) and after school twice a week to design learning programmes, demonstrating the implementation of the designed programmes and providing her ongoing feedback. 

My team member has been coming into my class on her beginning teacher release days and observing me engage learners in learning, implementing learning programmes and working with learners providing them with feedback and feedforward. We also have been co teaching. 

As a result of this support given to her she is feeling much more confident in implementing the learning programmes on her own. 

Some snippets from our mahi so far...

Implementing the use of think boards for my team member during Maths. 

Forming learning groups together and planning for next week. 

Modelling unpacking learning intentions.

My team member working with a group of learners during Maths. 

Forming groups

Forming groups

Learners working with my team member during Maths.

So why am I providing this level of support to my team member? 

The answer is I identified very early on if I don't provide this multitude of support levels then my team member might not be able to experience success in her first year and feel burn out. 

Engaging my team member or even my colleagues and of course my learners is my primary focus for my inquiry so far. 

I would like to conclude my post with this quote-