Learning From the Advisors

Today I was fortunate enough to spend the day observing the maths advisors who are doing math PD with the rest of the staff at Porritt.  The focus was on 'Talk Moves' and 'Getting Children to Explain their Thinking'.  It was an incredibly worthwhile day watching Robyn, Sam and Deb model teaching with groups of children.  It really reinforced the constant-ness of using talk moves and how they draw out the thinking of children.  It also reinforced the importance of selecting rich tasks which children of different abilities can cope with.

Afterwards the focus of the staff meeting was to consider what an ideal class environment would look like and how we could shift towards that ideal.

I am going to centre my inquiry focus around integrating talk moves more effectively and the rules around talk: to look at the person talking, to listen carefully to the person talking and to ask questions.

I felt after observing the sessions that my questioning and general structure of lessons was OK.  I just need to firm up on the talk moves.  I have a couple of weeks left to get s handle on them with my current groups and then I will start right into them with the new groups.

I hope that the other teachers have taken them on board and I will make sure that they can come a observe any time they wish just to get some ideas around questioning and problems to solve.