Module 3 Practicum Inquiry

The Teacher Inquiry template that I used differs slightly from the one that
you have supplied and the one that I have used to conduct my Teacher
Inquiry is the one I have used for my teacher inquiry for my appraisal at
school [which is on the approved school format] However I have
attempted to address all aspects for the assessment criteria.

Curriculum Cluster

Member of cluster

Health and Physical

Education

Neil Batohi

Date

Facilitator

What is the focus of your cluster?

Physical Education Year 9

What will be your focus class?

Junior education class 9 WI

Term 4 - 2015

HOD for P.E.

What aspect of learning will you be working to improve?

Raising students range of communication skills for greater participation and
engagement in physical activity (PA).

What data will you use to inform your enquiry?

1. Both middle of the year (MOY) and end of the year (EOY) E-Astlle testing data on
KAMAR.
2. Year 9 Self- Management logs and Social Responsibility Logs (assessed) where
students sets personal goals
based on their level of social responsibility [SR] and what
they have achieved in SR logs based on their
participation in different physical activities.
3. Student survey (google classroom)
4. Observation in physical activity.
5. Pastoral report.
Note all data and evidence in e-portfolio

What does the data show about the learning of my students?

1. Year 9 WI students have a higher E-Astlle reading but comprehension is lower.
Processing and Strategies are lower indicating problems comprehension and critical
thinking.
2. Year 9 students need to more engaged with each lesson. They need to identify the
effects of the changing situations, roles and responsibilities on relationships and describe
appropriate responses (NZC).
3. According to KAMAR data there is a need to improve the levels of the focus group by at
least two sub levels.
4. Focus groups will need to develop responsibility and adopt positive attitudes towards
learning new activities
5. Take responsibility for their own personal participation in physical activity and how this
can have an effect on the learning of other students.
6. Students will need to describe and demonstrate a range of assertive communication
skills and processes that will enable them to interact appropriately with other students.
7. Positive communication can affect all areas of Hauora.
8. Attendance times during class equates to learning time.

The students expected level is 4

Students at this level will :
Relationships
* identify the effects of changing situations, roles and responsibilities on relationships
and describe
Appropriate responses.

Identity, Sensitivity and Respect

* Describe and demonstrate a range of assertive communication skills and processes
that enable
Them to interact appropriately with other people

Focus students.
From the data and evidence choose four Pacific/Maori
students who meet the following criteria. These students will
be the focus students for the inquiry.

Descripti
on

Name of
student

Ethnicity

Data
Type 1
E-Astlle
Reading
MOY 3A
EOY 4P

Data
Type 2
E-Astlle
Maths
EOY abs
EOY 4P

High
Ability
High
Engagem
ent
High
ability low
engagem
ent

Peliatisi
Mahaloh
i

Tongan

Shania
Eliu

Samoan
50

MOY 3B
EOY 2A

MOY abs
EOY 4B

Low
ability
high
engagem
ent

Hamiora
McCullu
m

Moari

MOY- abs
EOY- 2B

MOY abs
EOY 3P

Low
ability low
engagem
ent

Joseph
TutaiSada
raka

Cook
island
moari

MOY 3A
EOY 2P

MOY 2B
EOY 3B

DataType
3
Pastoral

Data
Type 4
SR Logs

Incident
count nil
Attendanc
e : 98%

Achieved
with merit

Incident
count-50
Attendace
10
Discipline
-28
Guidance2
Other 3
Classroom
-9
Incident
count 18
Attendanc
e 10
Discipline
1
Classroom
7

Achieved

Incident
count 12
Discipline
3
Other 3
Classroom
-6

Achieved

Achieved

Goal and Target Setting [Construct a learning goal for

each focus student]
Name

Describe Smart Goal

Target 1

Target 2

Peliatisi
Malohi

Act as a role model to

others in terms of
behaviour and
involvement with others
Writing and evaluating
on all physical activity.

Demonstrate ontask independence

[do the task
without the teacher
standing over
them.
Increase
confidence in
utilizing these skills
in PA

Proactively applies
fair play/honest
rules.
Confidently use
skills and
strategies in all PA

Shania
Eliu

Demonstrate on-task
independence.
Use positive and
appropriate language in
class.
Writing and evaluating
all PA .

Is fully involved
and active [but not
dominating]
Preparation and
organizationfocusing on
leadership
strategies and
styles.
Participate in each
lesson actively, not
just going through
the motions

Plays by the rules

Hamiora
McCullum

Act as a role model to

others in terms of
behaviour and
involvement in activities.
Writing and evaluating
all PA.

Demonstrate ontask independence

[do task without
teacher standing
over them]
Follow and express
the use of AORERE
WAY in every
lesson.

Proactively applies
fair/honest rules
Demonstrate each
aspect of AORERE
in all assessment
tasks

Joseph
TutaiSadaraka

To be actively involved in
P.E. lessons

Try to give his best

and never give up.
Follow and express
the use of AORERE
WAY in every
lesson

Try new things and

persist when the
going gets tough.
Demonstrate each
aspect of AORERE
in all assessment
tasks.

Strategies or Pedagogical Practices to bring about

Academic progress
Name

Pedagogical Practice

Peliatisi Malohi

Offer a chance to be a leader within the classroom. Push

for the understanding of positive leaders and the effect
they have on others around them.
Self- Management students have an input into what they
would like to play focusing on participation, challenge,
interpersonal skill, movement

Shania Eliu

Encourage the use of AORERE WAY in her decision

making. Offer one on-one teacher time.
Self- Management students have an input into what they
would like to play focusing on participation, challenge,
interpersonal skill, movement

Hamiora McCullum

Emphasize the importance of being involved in ALL

aspects of factors that influence his participation and
engagement.
Self- Management students have an input into what they
would like to play focusing on participation, challenge,
interpersonal skill, movement

Joseph Tutai-Sadaraka

Encourage more interpersonal skills and awareness,

routine and positive decision making.
Self- Management students have an input into what they
would like to play focusing on participation, challenge,
interpersonal skill, movement

Evaluation of Progress Towards Goals

Name

Action taken

How effective was the action

Hamiora
McCullum

Unfortunately he has not

returned to school. Referred to
the appropriate year level
Dean

Dean is making the appropriate

interventions but the time frames I
have with this class precludes any
further action.

All students
in
9 WI

1. Used set routines especially

around beginning of lesson.
2. Whole class goal around
self -management set at each
lesson. Major focus on using
positive comments in class
and encouraging each other.
3. Focus on social
responsibility. Teach nontraditional games unit using a
sports education approach
with class in set teams and
taking more responsibility in
the lesson.
4. Will try to award a Scholar
Of The Week initiative linked
to social responsibility.

1. Class have responded well to

routines and are all aware of them.
Students remind each other and
recognize that their behaviour will
impact on the rest of the class.
2. Very effective. Class was also on
an Academic Mentoring Log Book at
the same time as the goals on selfmanagement in PE and they
complemented each other well.
Having a focus for each lesson was
useful. The mocking and poor
language definitely improved within
the class and as a result the mood
and environment was a lot more
positive.

Peliatisi
Malohi

I have suggested that he

demonstrate management for
himself as well as informing
others what they need to do.
Leadership will be a factor
that influences his
participation.

He has demonstrated good

leadership when asked to captain or
be a leader of any team during
activity. He has communicated with
his teams about using different
strategies for the activities we have
done. Does sometimes go off task
when he is with friends. Working on
this.

Shanis Eliu

Every time Shania comes to

class have a 1-1 conversation
about the AORERE WAY and
how she can demonstrate it
during class. I have asked her
to choose one aspect of
AORERE WAY. This links to
factors of effective
communication.

Lately has made a lot of

improvement in her behaviour thus
far. She still often has outbursts
without thinking and uses bad
language, however it is less
frequent and she is more aware of
it. I only need to look at her now
and she will apologize for her
language. A good sense of humour
also helps to diffuse potentially
difficult situations.

Joseph TutaiSadaraka

Greater frequency of 1-1

conversations about
expectations, participation
and levels of engagement.
Has been referred to the Dean
to investigate frequent
absenteeism as there is
obviously others factors that
are having a negative
influence on his performance
and behaviour at school.

Joseph has really responded well to

the 1-1 interventions. He is starting
to realize that a lot of where he is as
result of his own doing. The fact that
staff are engaging him on this level
makes him feel as a part of the
school and the wider community.
I will need to find a strategy to have
a more collaborative approach with
all his subject teachers to making
positive changes. This co-ordinated
effort will hopefully pool our
resources.
This continued follow up is vital
because his general demeanour and
participation has improved and he is
showing a willingness to make a
positive difference to his life.
School counselling services are also
conducting an enquiry in his family
life etc.

Reflection
With this 9 WI class I started the unit of by setting an overall goal for the entire
class to focus on. The underlying focus on effective communication and social
responsibility was also motivated by the need to address a few issues in this
class [a lack of routine for lessons, mocking and sometimes inappropriate
language.]
We used the same goals for several weeks and then reassessed where we were
as a class. This reflection was done in an informal way at the end of each lesson
to allow both myself and the students to express /discuss their successes and or
failures in a non -judgemental forum. It was amazing how the students were able
to respond to the observations [both positive and negative] and take these on
board. I think that giving students a voice in a collaborative and supportive
context allows for teachers to reflect on the craft from different perspectives. I
know it challenged and changed a lot of how I conducted myself in the class.
With such a diversity of students I had to also learn to respond to the diverse
language and cultural experiences as this has shaped how students respond in a

class especially in Physical Education because a very euro-centric emphasis is

sometimes alien to our students who come from island backgrounds with a
wealth of experiences in traditional sports.
On reflecting on the overall experience with this class there has an improvement
with regard to establishing routines. The mocking and negativity has generally
decreased within the class however it needs to be a constant focus and also
across the curriculum. I found that instances of inappropriate must be addressed
immediately because if we as teachers ignore this even in its mild forms it does
escalate to more deviant behaviour. The students themselves are also not
tolerating inappropriate language and conduct and are expressing their views on
this. But this a process and not an event.
I found that some of the more reserved students are starting to benefit from the
improved environment within the class. They are more willing to get involved and
participate and are also receiving encouragement from others.
When reflecting on my practice I noted Bill Ussher and Kerry Earl writing in the
New Zealand Journal of Teacher Work that overall teachers must have the
ability to create and evaluate assessment tools of quality to ensure that they will
be gathering high quality evidence about progress and achievement. They must
also have the knowledge and understanding to ensure gathered evidence is fit
for purpose, is used for all appropriate purposes and is a sound basis for all
decisions made about childrens learning and teaching practice.
This has resulted in my needing to refocus on how lessons and testings are
planned to accommodate this new dynamic. While noting the numerous
successes there are areas where improvements could be made in collaboration
with other teachers and experts in the field. I will still need to reflect on
individual students and develop strategies to make my teaching more effective.
References
1. New Zealand Journal of Teachers Work, volume 7, Issue 1 , 53-63 Bill Ussher
and Kerry Earl. (2010)