Inquiry Focussed Professional Learning

Nicki Dowling

Shift Learning Facilitator

Whakatauki

E kore te tangata e pakari i runga i te wai marino

A person who remains in calm waters will never get strong

Outcomes for Session One-Teaching as Inquiry-a practical, interactive

approach to new understandings-9.00am-10.30 am

• Share current understanding about the process of inquiry

• Discuss some other considerations

• Look at a case study to reinforce the thinking

• Work on a Teaching as Inquiry Jigsaw to further embed understandings

• Agree that the Teaching as Inquiry process will be the cornerstone of PLG operation, re-registration, appropriate personalised PD and linked closely to the NPGHS Appraisal process.

Protocols for this session

• Willingness to be a learner

• Respect for colleagues

• Confidentiality of information

• Honouring timeframes

• Following instructions and remaining on task

• Being prepared to move outside comfort zone

• Be present and focussed

• Stay in view!

Can we all commit to these please?

Activity One: Creating a framework

What do we know about Teaching as Inquiry?

Use the Expertise ladder activity to create the groups.

In 10 mins, in groups of 5-6, pool your understandings and come up with:

• A statement about what Teaching as Inquiry means to the group – using your own words. Please send a ‘gopher ‘to collect the A3 paper and some pens. Please put the statement at the top of the A3 paper.

• Now add a graphic representation of what the process looks like.

What the theorists say:‘Teaching as inquiry allows me to investigate my own wonderings

in a deliberate fashion. I use the tools of a researcher to investigate my own environment and practice. Teacher action research provides the impetus for teachers to find solutions to their own professional wonderings’ (Borst, 2009)

‘Teaching as inquiry is a systematic, intentional inquiry into one’s own practice. Inquiring professionals seek out change by reflecting on their practice. They gather data to gain insights in to their own wonderings, analysing data alongside other relevant readings in order to make changes’.

(McRae, 2011)

Activity Two: Anything else to add?• Please send a ‘gopher’ to collect additional

resources

• Using the quotes and the resources supplied to your group, is there anything else you would like to consider for your statement and your diagrammatic representation?

• When you are ready (no more than 10 minutes please) put your group work on the wall.

• With a partner spend 5 minutes discussing the connection between Teaching as Inquiry and this diagram

An inquiry focused culture,

enhancing outcomes for

all learners

Induction and mentoring guidelines

and high quality educative mentoring

RTCSelf Assessment Tools

Professional Learning groups and

conversations

Appraisal for learning

Focussed professional learning

Reflect and Review

Next Steps planning

Registration and re-registration

Dept reviews, observations and 4 min

walk-throughs, self-reviews

Critical friend, peer mentors

Standards are not met

Vision Leadership

Strategic Goals

Adapted from Nicki Dowling’s Professional Learning Ecology,

Massey University CED, 2012

Whānau Hapū

Iwi Community

BoT

NZC Ākonga

Activity 3 - 2 bus stops to reinforce the learning

• Divide into 2 groups for approximately 40 in each.• Now divide into groups of no more than 6. Send a gopher to

collect kits.

Big Group 1-you will all be working, in your smaller groups, for the next 15 minutes , on an actual exemplar of Teaching as Inquiry using resources supplied (Scenario, question bank, student voice, A3 sheet) Write on A3sheet where all the exemplar statements might fit.

Big Group 2- you will all be working for the next 15 minutes on a Teaching as Inquiry Jigsaw, using the resources supplied (A3 sheet and envelope containing statements)Match the cut outs onto the A3 sheet.

After the first 15 minute session you will all change activities and repeat the processes. Please ensure all bits of paper are returned to the envelopes and resources to kits. Scenario groups will need to send a gopher to collect a new A3 write on sheet. Thank you.

Morning tea will be at 10.30-11.00

Session Two

Professional Learning Groups-11.00-12.30

Outcome:

To reveal how can PLGs can support our inquiries, our re-registration, our

appraisal process, our personalised professional learning opportunities and

New Plymouth Girls’ High School’s vision and strategic plans for ākonga.

What do we mean by PLG?• Each person will receive either an ‘A’ reading or a ‘B’

reading.• Join with someone you have not worked with this morning

and who has the other reading.• Skim through your reading and highlight key phrases or

words that resonate with you and your concept of PLGs.• Taking 5 minutes each, share your findings with your

partner.• Now join with another 2 pairs (a group of 6).• Send a ‘gopher’ to collect the A3 sheet .• Complete the A3 sheet –what we need to consider in order

to operate in a successful Professional Learning Group?

Protocols for the PLGs and the relationships within them.

• Co-constructed and agreed to protocols create a safety net for PLG operations.

• Protocols support group trust

• Protocols encourage and support discomfort

• Protocols support vulnerability

• Protocols enable professional dialogue

• Protocols are a good starting point for building skills and creating a climate of learning together

• We can use them in every class room and during every lesson.

Activity.• Access the Protocols reading

• Stay with your first reading partner from the last activity

• One person skim and scan from the front and one person skim and scan from the back (No.....not backwards, just from the back!)

• When you both reach the centre, share your learnings and understandings with your partner.

• Join with 2 new other pairs, send a ‘gopher’ to collect the A3 sheet and complete the PLG protocols A3 sheet together.

Are we all on the same waka, paddling in the same direction?

Video for PLGs at NPGHS_avantages.wmv

Now in your groups of 6 complete the A3 PLG waka-record your learnings and consider the gift of this new way of working-in other words:

How can we actively participate in the PLGs to support our inquiries, our re-registration, our appraisal process, our personalised professional learning opportunities and New Plymouth Girls’ High School’s vision and strategic plan?

(PSSST...Less work and more fun!)

Next steps.......?????

Or...Ultimate team work

After our lunch break, we will all return here at 1.30

The PLGs will be allocated and the LOLS (Leaders of Learning) will spend the afternoon supporting you with:

• Introductions• Relationship building

• Protocols• Queries around Inquiry

• Possible action plans discussed

We will then return here at 3.30pm for more fun and

less work.

!