Teacher Talk - 14/05/17

Teacher Talk

• Recent research has shown that good teachers do not spend a lot of time in telling mode. I think this understates that need to be explicit sometimes as a teacher
• Our choice of words as teachers impact on how children see things and how others see them. Both positive and negative.
• Noticing and naming e.g did anyone notice: inviting students to identify and naming what can be noticed. Did anyone try - these questions normalise the practise of trying out new possibilities. This is super important for us as a team to develop learners who are self directed.
• Helping students notice where they are doing well, rather than telling them, particularly when it involves stretched their abilities and tried something new. Even if it is only partially correct.
• Showing children that they have changed as community members, learners, readers, writers shows that they are in the process of becoming. The advantage of drawing attention to change in learning and behaviour is that children can then project learning futures.  This links with our talk about that students need to know where they are going and what their strengths are.
• Teacher talk and agency - as a teacher we try to maximise childrens feeling of agency: The the belief that the environment can be affected and the belief that one has what it takes to affect it
• How did you figure that out? This invites them to review the process or strategies that they used to be successful. This is important I believe because it shows to the students that the process is as important as the outcome.
• To set up agentive narratives, children have to face problems. What problems did you come across today? This normalisation helps students to realise that it is normal and perfectly ok to encounter problems. Our language is important here - we want to encourage students to not be afraid of problems, rather see them as a chance to push our limits as problem solvers.
• How are you planning to go about this? The most conscious part about being strategic. These are the kind of questions we can ask students at the beginning of the week when they are mapping out their learning.

Session with Rita:

• Teacher questioning is so important, Asking one answer questions allows a number of students to tune out or disengage. Other options are turn and talk or get students to give a grade 1-5 for something.
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