Today's task was to bring our two Extended Learning Conversation groups together and brainstorm what our DLO's could look like for presenting our 'golden moments' from inquiry so far and to support and inspire each other in how that looks.
I made the suggestion that I felt that the teacher's voice and following on, the students voice seemed to me to be the most powerful 'tool' in making a DLO that is centred on conversations, and that I wouldn't be adverse to just holding up a cell phone and listening to everyone tell us their moments directly. Given that no one had a strong idea of what was expected today until 24 hours previous, this would be a lot to take in and may not be an idea that flies anyway. Though I still see it as the strongest as I am not sure lots of trick and gadgets is absolutely necessary, as this is about some of our more introverted tamariki and rangatahi finding their voice.
I will leave that concept to the side, as it may or may not be a reality.
Once we had clarified the expectations of the DLO each participant would send to the leaders and that the leaders will then pull 5 minutes of something rewindable together for the Uru Mānuka site, we moved on to zooming our individual focus in to one student and/or moment so far that we felt showed a shift in engagement through developing their extended learning conversation skills beyond wherever they started at.
The notes I took while our participants were speaking revealed some underlying themes from new entrants through to high school:
- The process is educationally significant and positive for the introvert - the type of personality a school is not really developed for (Stade, Linda. Knowing Girls. 2018) (Matt, Ali, Abi, Kate)
- Feed the Language; Language needs to be given before it can be used - 4 comments to one question is a successful strategy in doing this as it helps provide modelling of learning language first. (Julie, Rovenna, Megan, Georgia, Matt, Kate)
- Reflective open questions need to be provided with academic take up time (Warwick, Kate, Sheri) which will be longer than we are used to. Intervention, not interference (Heather). The adult needs to learn when to shut up.
- Relationships for learning are required before any of it works (Abi), these are not always formed within the formal classroom - extracurricular (Allan).
While I have felt like I am swimming badly in the deep end facilitating a group that runs across education levels I am not an expert in, today was my gold, in that I heard first-hand themes that run across education from new entrant through to senior high school.
The gains I made in understanding were valuable and something that I will continue to ponder. Without this model of inquiry, I wonder if I would have this new lens to see my learners and my teaching practice through.
[Free image from Pixabay]
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