Awhi 4 ASD

Yesterday I was lucky enough to attend a PD session on ASD presented by RTLB Robyn Harawira.
I have a Year 4 student with ASD and ADHD in my classroom. As a beginning Teacher I did not have previous experience with children with ASD. So this year has been one of a lot of new learning for me. This learning continues every day as my student's needs continuously change and we (myself and TA) try new ways to see what will keep him on task and able to complete his work.

Fortunately I have a very supportive group of people around me (RTLB, TA, Team Leader, other teachers) to guide and encourage me so that I can best support his learning.
I have worked and continue to work very closely with my students family. We have a Home/School notebook which goes home at the end of each day. If anything more needs to be shared with his family I talk in person with his mum. This relationship with Whanau is so important.

The Awhi 4 ASD information session proved to be a good reminder of some different strategies I had previously discussed with Robyn but had not yet tried.
It was also a good opportunity to hear from other teachers about the experiences with their ASD students. With such a broad range of how ASD can manifest in an individual, I could appreciate that I have not had to deal with anything too severe with my student.
I came away from the session with a feeling of...wow...I'm lucky to have the support I have...I'm lucky to have the student I have.

This book has been leant to me by Robyn Harawira  and is full of great ideas for supporting students with ASD in the classroom.

This DVD was mentioned at the PD session.

I have had this DVD for a while now but still

haven't watched it. (I will this weekend)

Hauora - Keep myself in balance

Before School started at the beginning of the year, we had a PLD on Hauora. I came away from that day with big plans on how I was going to balance my school/home life. How I was going to look after my well being - My Hauora.
This is most definitely a work in progress

This is my first teaching whilst being in a relationship. Both require time in order to be successful. So far it has been a bit of a mission to find that balance. It seems like I tend to focus on one and the then other suffers. I am learning to not let one flow onto the other. (So hard)
I guess it takes time to figure out what works best for you...
I need to work smarter in the extra time I stay at school in the evenings so that I am not working all night at home.

Time together

My niece and nephews

Family is very important to me. They keep me grounded. We are very close and completely supportive of each other. I am lucky enough to be Aunty Jodie to four beautiful individuals who bring me so much joy. With this comes the feelings of guilt when I don't see them very often. "Can I come over Aunty?"...."Oh, not this weekend I have lots of work to do" :(
I need to make time for them.

Having a wonderful group of close friends both here and around the world helps to keep things in perspective. Being able to offload is really beneficial. Also, talking to friends is good to remind myself that there is a life outside of school. Having a laugh is SO important. Skype is fantastic. Makes it simple to stay connected with those overseas. I need to remember to give myself the time to see friends who are nearby.

I think my Wairua is at its happiest when I am surrounded by trees. Having lived in cities around the world in concrete jungles and millions of people - it is in nature where I can really breathe. Driving to and from work everyday means I don't get any walking in. As the days get lighter I will have to make it part of my day to go for a walk. In the weekends go to the beach, river, bush...anywhere where I can make that connection with myself.

Sleep Sleep Sleep

The Goal 

More often than I would like

Don't we all?

A big one for me 

- Be on top of my sleep - 

- Know when I am struggling -
- Do something about it -

Term 3 Maths Inquiry

I have a group of Year 5's who are working below or well below the National Standards for Maths. Four of them who are well below - working at Stage 4 - have been picked up by Roz in order to give them a push towards Stage 5.

This leaves four who are working at Stage 5.

I have chosen this four for my Inquiry group this term, with the aim to jump start their multiplicative thinking and get them to Stage 6. A couple of them are nearly there, so with this extra time given to them each day, I am hoping for some solid Stage 6 thinking by the end of the year.

Strategies to try:

• 5x table not locked in - quick fire flash cards
• visual learners? - materials, materials, materials
• Began arrays towards end of last term - revisit arrays
• The Multiplier  - drawing them ourselves and online activities (Digistore)

http://nzmaths.co.nz/resource/multiplier-small-2-digit-1-digit-numbers



Personal Goal - To timetable this Inquiry time into my daily timetable. I have not been very successful with this previously. I am doing it properly this term!