Shakespeare Reading Response

This term my students have been reading "Macbeth". It is not Shakespeare's original but a contemporary adaptation aimed for primary school age readers. The group had been working in a Literacy Circle for four weeks and to conclude their reading they had to discuss and identify the main themes in the text. When they had established what they thought the themes were, they then had to locate examples in the text. Once the examples had been identified and located in the text, the students had to share their learning in a video no longer that two minutes, with no dialogue and with music that fit in with the themes as well. The students decided to use WeVideo and came up with the following video. I am extremely proud of the work that has been created. This group of students consistently take ownership of their learning, require very little motivation and thrive on being given the opportunity to be creative and produce work to a high standard.

Comments

How is your school addressing the needs and aspirations of its community?

How is your school addressing the needs and aspirations of its community? In the last few years I have been fortunate enough to have been the recipient of several research grants. As part of this I have read many education and social research articles both international and national. This has allowed me to be aware of, and follow many international and national trends in education. It has also meant that I have been exposed to many different perspectives of what education could look like as we attempt to navigate the uncertainty that surrounds the future needs of our ākonga. There are many organisations that have discussed and provided evidence to help us recognise the need for change and the tools to implement them. Organisations such as the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) provide The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) study, which governments use to help them measure the effectiveness of their education systems for preparing stu...

What can we learn about community from our students?

This was my first real experience of asking a deep question and using research to explore it. It was a fantastic opportunity and one that has created a burning desire to question our why and to provide students with a platform to have their voice heard

Examine how indigenous knowledge and cultural responsiveness are informing your practice

After living abroad for almost 15 years, I came back to New Zealand at the beginning of 2010. For the previous 5 years I lived and worked as a teacher in an Aboriginal community in the far north of Australia. It was an isolated community that was only reachable by boat or a single daily flight. English was often a third or fourth language for the indigenous population and their traditional way of life was in many ways still intact. Being immersed in their culture, I learnt their language and was adopted into a local family. During my time there I developed a deep understanding and respect for their culture. I only mention this as a reminder to myself of where I have been and where I am now. On returning home after having been away for so long, I noticed how much New Zealand had changed in terms of its focus on honouring the Treaty of Waitangi (at least in the media and the attempts by Government Agencies to promote our bi-cultural status). This was evident to me as I began teachi...

Justin's Insights

Search This Blog