Group+Communication

This page contains group discussions and communication as well as minutes from group meetings.

20 April 2012 First group meeting. Present: Justine, Michelle, Ryan. Apology: Robyn is ill today (doctor certificate). Our topic was chosen today: Transitioning students to a new classroom teacher, we are focusing on transitioning students between years 4 to 7. The resources developed will support both beginning teachers and established teachers in setting the scene for their classroom within the first weeks of a new school year. It was decided that a wiki would be the best means for communication and sharing of information to scaffold this assessment. Ryan will create the wiki and email an invitation to the other members. a brainstorm session was completed on the white board in the collaborative learning space at uni and a photo taken that will be uploaded to the wiki for all members to refer to. This brainstorm identified the areas of focus to provide a starting point for research.

23 April 2012 Hi everyone, First of all, thanks Ryan for creating our wiki I've made a couple of changes. I have discussed creating a cartoon type character with my children to become a class mascot to introduce students to a new classroom culture and to support the teacher's lessons in creating this culture. The have woked hard and have come up with two mice. I will introduce them on a separate page, please leave feedback and comments for improvements.

Michelle, Like the mouse idea, my mentor teacher uses a similar tool, only 'mousie' is a clay character and is always on the desk at the front of the room. The idea is to have a place for things to be put, so letters, books, and homework for example are available to students and the teacher can say, 'the such and such is on mousie's desk and the students all know where that place is. A tool which gives the students a sense of comfort knowing where 'mousie's' table is and they don't have to feel awkward searching around for things. Oh and thanks for the wiki Ryan. Well done. Could the girl mouse be called Mikki? Just and idea. Mike and Mikki.....lol. Robyn

26 April 2012 I was thinking about 'what' our resorce will actually be and I am thinking that it will simply be a pack of information, suggestions and suggested activities for teachers to draw upon when setting up their classroom at the beginning of the new year. The classroom set up obviously includes the areas we have identified: culture, rules, expectations, routines etc. Michelle

That sounds like a good option Michelle, a pack that can be adapted for use with any year cohort too so it can be used by any classroom teacher in primary. How do you guys want the wiki to look, are we going to put our ideas up, with photos etc, others can comment to create understanding from us all and to allow for feedback. Robyn

26 April 2012 Robyn, the wiki is not our main resource it is simply our communication tool to record our journey towards our goal of a resources booklet for teachers. Ryan, could you please invite Justine to join the wiki again as she did not receive the email.this wiki will work most efficiently if all group members could log on and check progress daily or at leaset every second day as we only have 2 weeks to complete this task. Michelle

26 April 2012 Second group meeting. Present: Justine, Michelle. Apology: Robyn - did not receive an invitaion to the meeting (she was away at the time the meeting was set) due to a break down in communication. It was discussed that the assessment would be broken up into 4 areas with each member to research and create a teachers resource and activities for each section, this will include (but it no limited to): definition, justification (link to theory), SEL, HOM, activities (work sheets, games, role plays etc), pictures or photos where relevant, with a mouse mascot on each page. 4 areas: Classroom culture - Michelle Physical Environment - Justine Emotional Environment - Ryan Rules/ routines - Robyn An A4 poster will be created for display within the classroom to be used as a visual stimulus for rule walls, or culture walls etc. The resource will look like a bound teachers manual with activities that can be easily created and pages that can be photocopied for use within the classroom. A reference page will be created. Each member will add correct references to this page so that we have a group reference list at the completion of the task to hand in.

Sorry for not making it to the group meeting. I was unaware that we were having one today. Love the cartoon mascots!!!

27 April 2012 Hi group. I am very sorry to inform you all that a family matter has arisen and that Ii am needed to stay at home. I understand the importance of this assignment. I have assigned myself Emotional Environment to do. I hope you can all understand. have a great day!

Thanks Ryan, hope to see you next week. Please keep in touch, we need your input... I have put my name down for Rules/routines. Are we using the same two mice posters for the rules and routines? Have some ideas already, will make them up in a word document as agreed then put them into the wiki for your comments.

Yes robyn we are using the mice mascots on all areas of the reference, particularly the material for students. Ryan: could you please add Justine to the wiki as she really needs to be on today so she can start adding her content. I just had an issue with this page and somehow deleted everyone's comments. I have added them again, but please check your previous comments to ensure they are correct.

April 29th Just a general question, are we going to provide a booklet for any year level? So can the rules and routines be aimed at general use but with some more specific for certain ages?

30 April 2012 Robyn: the booklet will focus on years 4, 5, 6 and 7 so rules and routines for these year levels, they can be general and or age specific. I've created this new wiki due to some technical issues with the last one. Could everyone upload what they've done so far, even if it is just notes so we can all support each other. I don't know where I heard this (one of the lectures I think) but it was recommended not to have pages of theory for a resource, just put the important parts of the theory into dot points as teachers do not have the time to sit and read pages of theory in order use a resourse, they want a resourse they can just pick up and go with.

30 April 2012 Hey guys. Was just thinking that it might be a good idea to try and make sure we have everything completed by next Thursday so then we can print and bind at uni? and office works is just around the corner if we need anything. That will give us Thursday afternoon and Friday morning to practise our delivery? Thanks Justine I have a binder machine, just need some more combs and front and back covers, these are not too expensive and are available at officeworks.

2 May 2012 Wow the time is just flying! Welcome to the wiki Robyn, glad the invitation finally worked! Still having some issues with Ryan joining, just waiting for a reply to my latest email so see if he can join. My thoughts today are directing me to search out some activities to establish and build a classroom culture, I am thinking that I will create some short activity cards and some hand out time sheets for teachers to photocopy and some game cards for games that would build culture in the classroom.

Hi guys, Michelle, thanks for the new wiki invite, it worked, as you can see...lol. Thanks. I will upload what I have done so far. Thanks for the focus years info. Robyn. Hi again, let me know if what I have got so far is too wordy and theoretical, I'll keep the rest of it too dot points.

Group Meeting tomorrow, 3rd May I have messaged you all on facebook and sent an email to your uni email (sorry I think I put the date wrong in those emails). Please bring your section completed so we can put it all together and start planning the presentation. Thanks

Robyn, what you have so far is awesome! It's like we are reading each other's minds good to know we all seem to be on the same page. I would appreciate some feedback on my information also.

Hi guy, thanks for the feedback Michelle, just read over yours and Justines pages, they are easy to read and some great information there so far, well done. I'm good for the meeting tomorrow and will see you all there.

Group Meeting 3rd May 2012 Third group meeting. Present: Justine, Michelle, Ryan & Robyn. Today we shared what we have done so far. We are finding that we are all on the same page with our research. Our information interlinks well with other areas. We have decided to create activity cards to put into the back of the resource for easy access for the teacher. Ryan has finally been able to join our wiki, so welcome Ryan. The format for our resource has been decided and will be uploaded to the wiki for all the edit. For the next week we all will look at the wiki every day and complete the resource. We need to make sure we each read the other sections to avoid repeating ourselves and to see the links. We need embed HOM more rather than just a definition. And if everyone could study the criteria sheet to ensure we meet it. We are aiming for the HD. Our next meeting will be next Thursday 10th May at 12pm at university.

3rd May 2012 Here is the web site I was talking about, i think it will relate to all of our areas :) Justine []

Hi Ryan, here is that part from mine that will suit your section :) ** Meet and Greet **  Sit the class on the floor in a circle. Go around the circle and have each students introduce themselves and their cultural backgrounds. This may include where they were born, where their parents were born, if they have lived in another country or where their name originates.

http://www.griffith.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/184853/Creating-a-Culturally-Inclusive-Classroom-Environment-mcb2.pdf - this is where I got it from

4th May 2012 Hey guys, Ive uploaded a draft of my resource. Let me know what you think. Its a very rough draft, have I done the HOM right? Do I need to add more? Thanks Justine

Hi Justine, had a read of your resources, looks good, do we need all of the detail though? If we are trying to keep the written details down as teachers have little enough time as it is, I'm not sure though. Are we all adding to the one resource sheet or creating our own for each section? Cheers, Robyn.

I have looked at your document Justine, and made some suggestions and uploaded it again. Robyn, either way is fine for now, we will collaborate the documents at the next meeting. It is important that we follow the same format so there is less work to do when we put it together

9 May 2012 It seems we have all be a little silent on the wiki of late, please add what you have completed so we can ensure we are all coping and on track. Robyn: I read through what you have added, well done it is looking great. I have added some comments on the evaluation page under each heading, could everyone please build on these (or change them if necessary) as we need to hand in a group evaluation on Friday that totals 500 words and it would be better to not leave it all to the last minute Dont forget the group meeting tomorrow at University from 12 onwards (until we have finished).

Hi guys, I've just finished putting all my bits up. Are we still doing 4 acitivites each? I'll look at the evaluation page now too. See you all tomorrow. Robyn.

10 May 2012 Wow what a marathon we put in today. I have just looked through the power point closely, well done Robyn, I have made a couple of changes and uploaded it again. I cut the references down and gave each section in the booklet its own page. I will text you all in the morning to make sure you saw it and are happy with it then I am happy to re-print it again at uni in the morning. See you bright and early ready to present