Week 1 - Writing Programme

Week one, I really focused on getting my writing programme up and running. I have introduced writing group's to the class with different learning objectives for each. Each child has a independent writing journal as well as a group activity box to work from when they are not writing with me. We started off getting to know what was in our group's activity box on Monday. I used the fishbowl approach to do this and the children were really excited to use the activities. The activities I have used in each box are activities that suit the needs of the children in that particular group. They are creative and engaging and allow children to practice and apply their knowledge in different contexts. Problems that occurred over the week, was the time it took to pack up some activities and some children not using the activities correctly. We have since talked about our golden rules and how we treat other people's property and the importance of making sure everything is put back as they found it. This week they have been great and have demonstrated packing up quick and making sure everything is put away in the correct bags etc. Groups using play dough start to pack up slightly earlier. Group work really encourages akonga to take responsibility of their learning and behaviour and I feel most children are doing a fantastic job at working independently. I have definitely seen a huge improvement in just a few days. Narrative writing is going well, using character and setting cards has really helped children make a start quickly. Children are excited to tell me about their stories and I feel the amount of writing the children are producing has increased hugely.