Relational Pedagogy

In 2017 I taught only seniors. At the time I thought this would allow me to be really focused on lifting NCEA achievement. A nobel goal. But with the benefit of hindsight, a mistake.

Results, Credits, Achievement matters. But at the core of that is relationships. Educators spend a great deal of time learning to, and understanding how to build relationships with students. This year I have learned the best place to do that is in the junior school.

In the junior school achievement does matter, it is important to have a literacy and a numeracy focus to raise achievement BUT there is more freedom to be experimental without the pressure of the NCEA assessment due next week Friday.

Relationship pedagogy to me is building an effective connection with students, that is built on mutual respect and an understanding of where each other comes from. Its not a hard thing to do, if you take the time to get to know the students. In the junior school this is so much easier.

 

External Time

Over the last week the focus of my senior classes has shifted to preparation for their external exams. There is an opportunity for students to sit a mock exam in week 8 and then their actual exams in September.

I always start asking my students 2 questions. 

     1) Put your hand up if you like exams

     2) Put your hand up if you like essays.

Needless to say the response is fairly predictable. Students fear exams, so I see it as my job to help build their confidence and make them believe that they can be successful.

I have really enjoyed Team Teaching the year 13s with Mr Brown. We have used a number of different strategies to build self believe with our learners, and so far I believe we have been successful.

These include

   1) Breaking down the achievement standard so students are aware of exactly what is required

   2) Showing exemplars of former Tamaki Students who have been successful in the standard.

   3) Having surprise "pop" tests at the start of the lesson - eg write the topic sentence of every paragraph. The students are often surprised at how easy this is.

   4) Allowing the students to mark exemplars - making them think like a marker.

   5) Revising the content that they have previously learned.
   6) Allowing students to draw pictures as visual queues for remembering. For example for Hiroshima and the Manhattan Project, one student drew NYC letters as her way of remembering.

In the last 2 weeks their confidence levels have increased hugely - and I am hoping to see wonderful results at the end of the year.