It's working - we are scaffolding independence in the WHOLE CLASS!

Time to celebrate the success in the form of two separate and challenging boys.

Student 1 had started the school well part way through the year but rapidly declined into rude confrontational and violent behaviour.  We worked very hard on behaviour plans and things have made a huge turn around.  On discussion with the student he says the difference was his getting an Indenendent Learner Licence.

Student 2 had the problem of demanding attention accross the classroom in a range of challenging ways.  He was defiant and often violent towards those around him.  The RTLB has been on the job for three weeks and there has been a huge change.  On asking the student he said the difference was this…. pointing to his Independent Learner Licence.


It is clear to me with both these students and the initial resoponse of much of the class, the choice and trust went a long way to motivating them to independence and self management.

My Holiday and Term 4 Challenge:
1.  Complete the Google Survey Alice has designed to establish student voice on what difference having an Independent Licence has on learning then unpack the data to use within class.

2. Establish agreed sets of behaviour in different learning spaces.

3.  Set up our learning hub where planning and resource links can be attached for access from home.

4.  Investigate a format for sharing our 'Flipped Classroom' instructional movies.

5. Give students the opportunity for a 'Genius Hour' type AKOKids session, possibly within the Junior School Choice and Challenge Friday hour.

Most of all, I need to continue to enjoy the independence and excitement of my learners!

How's the independence going?

Here were my last targets:

Scaffolding steps to set up for Term 3:

• Continue with the class tracking sheet or trial the one from the neighbouring room. (Alice K)

We have set up a class master timetable and independent ones with gaps to fill in, supported by a checklist.  There is also a class checkist that the teacher monitors. Struggling students complete their plan with the teacher before school.

A checklist for the 'Not-yet' independent learners was developed but is no longer needed as most the class have their licence and any lapses are only for a day or two.

One of my 'challenging' kids wanted to use this planning sheet as it was easier than his daily whiteborad planner. He has managed to plan and follow it effectivelly.

• Set up clear guidelines about numbers and expected behaviour in the library, cloakbay or outside.

This is the start of Term 4 task.  We need to co-construct class expectations and consequences.  It will develop out of our 'safe place' aspect of the Term 3 health unit we are completing.

• Incorporate aspects of the Independent Learner Licence in the student Daily Planner.

This is an essential part of our daily planners as it looks at a personal target and how to unpack it.  Many of the success criteria of an independent learner are used as daily targets.  Daily discussions focus on evidence of independence and class points are awarded in response to these success criteria.

• Purchase more lanyards and make 5-10 more licences. 

There needs to be a class set and children are bringing in their own lanyards.  They don't always feel the need to wear their licence as most of the class have earned one.  

• Begin to incorporate more SOLO visual organisers.

We have developed a SOLO chart looking at where we are on the levels of independence.  We have discussed the next steps in our journey and highlighted where we are at present.

• Develop more 'How to' sheets for ICT based activities.

We can now make one for Glogster and I need to get the class to identify what other applications they could be AKOKids for and write the instructions.  We are also making more 'Explain Everything' movies for our Flipped Classroom resource.

Alice and I were talking today about how we will start with our classes in 2015 and how to get to this stage of independence more quickly.  We are planning to go right back the the basice and establish the Daily5 approach in both reading and Maths while focussing on the success criteria of independence.  We would hope to be introducing independent timetables in the last few weeks of Term 1.