Starting Collaboration Reflections

What's on top?

• Creating times in the day/week for normal classroom activities that are not curriculum based (hidden curriculum)
• Managing use of learning assistants as in the mornings there are 6 adults in the space
• Whole group sessions - split into 2?
• Getting to know students who are needing those strong relationships to ground them

Innovative Learning Spaces (ILS) are really bound by context.  The context will guide the programme. What may work for one school or class may not work for another. I am fortunate to be working with another teacher who has a shared understanding of how children learn and what an effective year 6 programme looks like.  We have 2 other teachers that support us that also have this shared understanding.

My wonderings to share with my teaching team:

• If there could be a block each week that isn't a shared learning time?
• If the structures that we set up for literacy and numeracy could be explicit about how the Learning assistants are used?
• If we could give feedback about having less Learning Assistants in the first 3 weeks as we establish our collaborative practices?
• If areas outside of literacy and numeracy could/should be done in smaller classes?
• Would more time with my smaller class help those students who need to anchor themselves and find their place?

Actions:

• Gather some student voice
• Do some reflection with my teaching team