Playing the BOOST Game with the Whole Staff

 During our last whole staff PLD session, the 5 CoL teachers presented where we are up to - blog post here

At the end of that session, we got the whole staff to play my BOOST game, which is based on inquiry teaching and planning. Blog post here about the BOOST game and where it is on the planning site is here.

After this PLD session, I sent a Google form around to staff to get some feedback about the game.

Were the instructions clear enough?

Yes

From what I could hear, yes. I also read the instructions on the screen. We also had them on a Laptop in front of us as well.

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Only when there is tie was not explained .

How did you feel about reading a scenario out in front of your group and then having to come up with a solution?

It was good having to think on the spot as most scenarios in the classroom happen on the spot as well.

Initially I felt nervous but once it was my turn, I was okay.

Interesting as we had some different and some similar ideas of how we would solve the problems.

I liked that the scenarios we could relate to.

Fine, it's very similar to the conversations that we have during the day

I was happy and the scenarios were true to class situations. The feedback encouraged collaboration.

Ok.

very useful

It challenged me to really think what I would do and some I as a teacher should do rather than giving excuses.

How did it feel to get feedback about your answer / idea from the rest of the group?

We didn't really give feedback this time as everyone had a clear strategy on how to handle the scenario.

It felt good getting feedback because what you do, someone else would do differently and you could use it for next time if the time arose.

Good

Felt great & encouraging

Yeah, fine - we were a pretty affirming bunch

Absolutely wonderful and uplifting. Much more, it showed that they were standing with me and saying, "we hear you, we are with you".

It was really good

very useful

It helped me to reflect and how I can improve . Helpful

Did you like giving feedback to others about their ideas on the scenarios?

We didn't really give feedback this time as everyone had a clear strategy on how to handle the scenario.

Yes, it reassures them that their solution is good and also the feedback was constructive

yes

Only sometimes

Yeah, it was fine.

Yes indeed , I did.

Yes

Yes

Yes definitely and a good way to exchange ideas to grow in this profession

How do you think the game could be improved?

Possibly give some scenarios that aren't as common, so we can learn how to handle them if needed (although we didn't get through too many cards, so maybe there were some in there).

More time given to verbally give instructions. Have the cards ready for players, as it what hard to figure out who needed what card from the pack. The scenarios could be a different colour from the rest, to stand out more.

Nothing at the moment

Great as is

Go cards-against-humanity style, where people have a certain number of cards to play, and the person who read the card has to match answers up with players.

Have written instruction explaining how to play the game and even add some point system to it.

?

good enough

I find it very interesting. I don’t think it needs improvement.

What was the best part about playing the game?

Hearing how other teachers would handle the different scenarios, as it gave me some ideas on how to approach similar interactions with students.

The support you give and get within the group about your scenario and solution. It gets those who usually don't speak, a chance to speak.

Listening to others solutions

sharing with other teachers and hearing what they do in the same situation.

Laughing with new people

Answering the question and giving feedback.

Sharing of ideas and listening to what others have to say

Learning about different opinions

Collaboration between the members .

Here are some of the staff playing the game

Staff PLD - CoL Presentation 3

 In today's morning PLD session, the CoL teachers presented where we are up to at the moment.

Presentation 1

Presentation 2

Here is my section from today

Here is the whole presentation with everyone's sections together.

Reading by Stealth

 My inquiry this year is about reading. I have been working with the school literacy specialist with designing resources and ways for my senior students to get more out of the reading and research they have to do in DVC. Blog posts about this are on this label. 

I have involved my junior Food Technology classes in this inquiry work as they have to read the recipes and analyse how things went. I hve tried out the techniques and planning on my junior classes first and then tweaked them before using them with my seniors.

Part of what I have been doing with my juniors is what I have nicknamed "stealth reading". I started making videos for the students last year and putting them onto social media (YouTube, Instagram and TikTok) - Link to blog posts about this. I have continued this for my junior and intermediate food classes (Y7, Y8 and Y9). The videos I have been making for them have to fit in the 3 minute deadline for TikTok and I make them with a music background and no talking. I then put all the instructions for the recipes on the screen so they have to read as they are watching.

On the class site, I have all the information that they need and I also put links to the videos on there. These are then emailed out to the students the weekend before the week of the lesson. 

• Example Y7 and Y8 site page - Sweet and Sour chicken
• Example Y9 site page - Chocolate Brownies

I have been keeping track of the videos that I have made on this spreadsheet so that I can find things easily and quickly when I want to shre them to the students. I also have a tab on there keeping track of the views.

I have had some feedback from the students this week.

• Y9 Student 1 - comes into the kitchen and gleefully tells me "I never watch any of the videos you send Miss!!"
• Y9 Student 2 - comes into the kitchen, gets totally ready while the rest of the class are coming in and says to me "Miss, can I start? I have watched your video and know what to do."
• Y8 Students - I always ask if they have watched the videos when they come in. I asked this week if they read the instructions on the screen as they were watching. Mostly yes. A couple of no's.

As far as advertising the Social Media option, as relying on students reading their emails is a little shaky to say the least - I have the links on all the site pages that I have content on. I have links on the front of my class website. I also hav this poster up in my class window.