First week back in schools after 3 weeks in Bali with my beautiful daughter, Tessa!
Warragul North Primary School has a whole school focus on Writing with the teachers focussed on a particular Inquiry related to writing. It is wonderful to see teachers researching specific areas of writing in their classrooms and using research and professional readings to guide them. Love this model of Professional Learning and enjoying being a small part of their team. On Friday, I worked in four classrooms modelling a Writing session and conferencing students. The students were so engaged and I got such a buzz from how they responded to the conferring – a focus on the writer and helping them to help themselves, rather than on the writing!
Had a great day at Blackburn Primary School modelling the teaching of spelling in different classes then debriefing with teams. Love the way they are working with spelling and really focussing on helping kids to be strategic as they focus on developing them as metacognitive spellers. There is no doubt that a whole school approach makes a difference – not about what one teacher does – it is about what we are all doing to ensure the best for kids as they travel through the primary years.
Melbourne Girls Grammar K- 8 Craft of Writing was the topic for a PD day this week. Really enjoyed having the primary and secondary staff working together. Our focus was the explicit teaching of Grammar, Writing Strategies etc through Mini – Lessons. The most important thing is that when we teach Grammar it needs to be done in a way that is connected to writing – Constance Weaver tells us that teaching it in isolation has never improved writing! I think we know this but teachers need a planning Framework to help them do this! Really enjoyed working with the teachers as they are so keen to improve their professional learning in this area. Strongly recommend Constance Weaver as a writer of great professional texts in this area.
Also at Templestowe Park this week – similar to Melbourne Girls Grammar but reflected their school needs. Another great school to be with! When I leave these schools, I travel home weary but buzzing from the interactions and just wanting to think and create more materials that will make it easier for teachers. Time is the greatest challenge in schools and teachers need all the support they can get!
I will organise to put the Grammar Planning Framework up for you!