Activity 2 - Reflecting on my Inquiry

Activity 2: Create a reflective entry in which you apply a reflective model to discuss something that has happened during your Inquiry so far, and how it impacts on taking action

I have chosen to use Rolf's Model of Reflection, Finlay (2009),  for this weeks reflective blog post.

Step 1 (What): Describe something that is significant and has happened during your Inquiry so far.

I am now into the second week of my inquiry on Hybrid Learning in Year 9 French. After getting through the admin and class surveys last week, it was exciting to launch into the Hybrid programme. As my students logged in for their first computer based lesson, something unexpected happened. Joe (as I shall refer to him in this blog) announced that he had already completed the entire task, that was set to last the class 2 to 3 lessons. I had set the task the previous day using Education Perfect, which automatically generates an email to students, letting them know they have work to complete. 

Although I was shocked that Joe had completed everything before we had even begun, the main point of this Inquiry is to support differentiation and to excel those who need it, so I was prepared with extension tasks for him to carry on with. After a conversation with Joe about not needing to complete French work at home in the future, I was able to praise him for having been so proactive. We had a really positive conversation about his enthusiasm for French and it was great to instantly be able to establish a rapport with him and to see his confidence boom. 

Step 2 (So What): Evaluate the most interesting/important/useful aspects of this event.

It always takes a good few weeks to get to know your students at the beginning of a school year. Joe has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a "developmental disorder that affects communication, social skills and behaviour" (Kids Health, n.d.). I had never taught Joe before beginning this inquiry, and therefore was not aware of the ways in which ASD impact him personally. I have now learnt that Joe is very intelligent and competitive in his learning. He feels a compulsion to continue working/playing/creating until the given activity is complete, which explains why, after receiving the email, he logged himself in at home and spent several hours completing the task. 

Joe's actions have made me reflect on the importance of getting to know our learners as quickly as possible. I was surprised to learn recently during Professional Development at school, that 22% of the school population in New Zealand has a learning or processing difficulty, affecting their learning (Empowered Learning Trust, n.d.). This further supports the knowledge I acquired during the Research phase of this inquiry, regarding the increased need for differentiation and individualised learning programmes for priority learners within schools. 

Step 3 (Now What): Analyse the implications from this event to the rest of your Inquiry.

Going forward, there are simple adjustments I can make to the online part of our Hybrid programme to better suit students like Joe - it's not only him! Because I am able to individualise content set for individual students, I will break down larger tasks into more manageable chunks for certain learners. In Joe's case, this will allow him to "complete" the task during class time, without getting too far ahead of the rest of the class. I can have extension tasks ready and waiting for those who finish early, and as I get to know my students better, I can remove certain sections of a task, so that less able students can also succeed and "complete" a task. My Inquiry is all about differentiation and increasing engagement, so I want my students to reach achievable goals, and to have fun doing it! 

References:

Empowered Learning Trust (n.d.) http://www.empoweredlearningtrust.co.nz/ 

Finlay, L. (2009). Reflecting on reflective practice. Practice-based Professional Learning Centre, Open University. Retrieved from http ://www.open.ac.uk/opencetl/sites/www.open.ac.uk.opencetl/files/files/ecms/web-content/Finlay-(2008)-Reflecting-on-reflective-practice-PBPL-paper-52.pdf

Kids Health, n.d. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/autism-spectrum-disorder-asd