CoL 2022 first PLG

 At our last CoL teachers PLG we were asked the question: 

"How do I have present, happy, healthy, engaged tauira who are learning in the “Goldilocks Zone” 

This was an interesting question because initially looking at my inquiry this year I was so focused on how am I going to accelerate reading in my classroom rather than thinking about how to integrate learners back into a learning environment.  I think that this was a really great question to be asked because it really change my though process and what is the most important thing to inquire into this year. 

This shifted my focus from an inquiry perspective. I was already thinking about how to do this with my classroom
teacher hat on but I didn't think of it with my inquiry teacher hat on as well. This question made me reflect on how I have started the year with my students and the focus was on making school a happy place to be considering all of the things going on in the wider community. 

We were then asked to reflect on how we were feeling as this has such a large impact on our students in class and how they are feeling coming back in. This was another great reflection on what we have been building as a school, team and then as an individual classroom teacher. It was a great reminder that we can look at as much data as we want and try and change outcomes but if we don't have the happy and healthy tauira then how can they be engaged and showing shift in reading, writing or maths. 

This completely changed my focus for my inquiry to making sure that my learners are engaged and wanting to learn. Some of my students haven't been at school since August last year so there is anxiety of coming back to school. So this is what I have changed my focus to for my inquiry - how can I make students feel safe, happy and wanting to come to school? While also having that engagement focus on wanting to learn. 

This CoL PLG has given me a lot to reflect on and think about in my inquiry. It has made me look at my original focus and think I need to focus on learner success in feeling safe and happy and engaging i school which will then filter into that overall focus of shift in reading. Without being happy and engaged at school how can we expect our learners to focus and make shift in subject areas?