Teaching and Learning 

Welcome to November! 

A time when flowers are blooming, birds are chirping and, for me, unfortunately, hay fever is setting in! November is also a time when teachers work closely together to undertake whole-school assessment tasks in preparation for Semester 2 Reports. These assessments provide valuable opportunities to celebrate students' achievements, identify areas for further growth and determine the next steps in their learning journey.

I wanted to take this opportunity to share some thoughts about why we at Karoo Primary School place such a high value on monitoring, checking and understanding our students' progress.

The Importance of Monitoring Student Growth

Assessment plays a vital role in teaching and learning, providing teachers with valuable insights into students' progress, strengths and areas for improvement.

Importantly, assessment happens every day, not just during formal testing. Teachers continually check for understanding through questioning, listening, observing and providing opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know and can do. These everyday checks help teachers adjust their teaching, revisit concepts or provide further support and extension as needed.

Some of the ways teachers check for understanding in the classroom include:

• Mini whiteboards: Students write or demonstrate their answers, allowing teachers to quickly gauge understanding across the class.
• Turn and Talk: Students discuss a question or share their thinking with a partner.
• Exit tickets: Students respond to a short question or reflect on their learning at the end of a lesson.
• Targeted questioning: Teachers ask purposeful questions to encourage students to explain their thinking.
• Show me: Students use examples, gestures, drawings or demonstrations to show what they have learnt.
• Observation and feedback: Teachers listen to discussions, observe students working and review written work to identify next steps.

Alongside these everyday checks, we also undertake a range of formal assessments at Karoo Primary School to build a broader picture of student achievement and progress. These include:

• DIBELS: A reading screener that helps us identify students' reading strengths and areas where additional support may be needed.
• Digital Assessment Library (DAL): A collection of digital assessment tools that help teachers identify students' learning needs, monitor progress and plan targeted teaching and support.
• Essential Assessment: A diagnostic assessment tool, primarily in Mathematics, that helps identify students' understanding, strengths and gaps in learning to inform future teaching.
• Little Learners Love Literacy: A literacy assessment resource that helps teachers identify students' development in foundational reading skills, including phonological awareness, phonics, decoding and spelling.
• Moderation in Mathematics and Writing: Teachers work collaboratively to review student work, develop a shared understanding of achievement and ensure consistency in our judgements.

• PAT Testing: Annual standardised assessments that provide information about students' achievement and progress in areas such as Reading and Mathematics.

   

Together, these assessment approaches help us make informed decisions about teaching, identify learning needs and plan meaningful next steps for every student.

Assessment is equally valuable for students. Feedback helps children recognise their strengths, identify areas for growth, set goals and develop confidence and ownership of their learning.

At Karoo Primary School, we believe assessment is about much more than measuring knowledge. It is about understanding each child as a learner, celebrating their progress and identifying how best to support them to reach their potential. We also value giving students a voice in this process by providing opportunities to reflect on how they are progressing and share what helps them learn best.

With this in mind, I have taken some time to find out what our students say helps them learn in Maths and explain how they know, how they are going, in Maths. 

Here are some of their insights!

Emmy 5E

"I think what helps me learn is the way Mr. Edwards presents my learning by showing me first, then we do it together, then I practice on my own"

"Most of the time the teacher helps me and tells me how I'm going, we also stop during Work Time to check my answers. When I'm finished, I ask my teacher for feedback"

Riley 3M

" My notepad helps me and having a quiet room. My teacher Ms. Marker also helps me by giving me ideas and explaining how to do something"

I check my work and sometimes ask my teacher if I'm having trouble"

Vanya 4D

" I look at the screen and the board that shows me methods, it has arrows to show me steps to do. Ms. Davies also gives me materials to use, the unifix blocks help me"

"I check with Ms. Davies on the steps I need to do, and I practice in my homework or ask my parents if I'm confused"

Kiara 1D

" Counting and using number charts help me. My friends also help me learn maths"

" I listen to my teacher, I check my work and I practice."

Brodie FD 

" Miss Dias helps me learn Maths.I look at my work and say, that's good. Miss Dias also tells me."

James 6H 

" I like to have a calm room with less distractions, so I use a fidget. Using blocks and counters also helps me learn."

"Mrs. Hardware checks my work and tells me how I'm going".

Ava 2S

" I think using counters and a whiteboard helps me. Mrs. Simpson also tells me how I'm going and checks my work. I also check my work with a partner." 

Best wishes,

Assistant Principal

Peta Phillips