Every learner has a particular set of needs that we as teachers try to meet. Meeting the needs of learners with high and diverse needs can be challenging, but having teachers share their personal experiences, strategies and pedagogy builds the knowledge of the school.

In our most recent professional learning session, VLN Primary asked our eTeachers to contribute to a set of shared slides to help better understand diverse learner needs, and some of the strategies recommended for catering to learners with high academic needs. eTeachers had time to contribute in the week leading up to the staff meeting, then spent the session unpacking and discussing experiences and ideas - a flipped model for teachers.

Seeing student needs, changing teacher behaviours

First, teachers were asked to think about how student behaviour could hint at particular needs - academic, cultural, emotional and physical - not being met. They noted down their experiences across several shared slides before our staff meeting. 

During the meeting, we utilised the breakout rooms in groups and shared ideas for what we could do to meet those needs. By asking eTeachers to think about what actions they could take, it begins to shift 'problem behaviours' into teacher focused solutions.

Although all students have a particular set of needs, some needs are higher and more diverse. Dyslexia can be a debilitating physical need, anxiety to share ideas, challenging emotionally, and ‘gifted’ present high academic needs, but needs that are mutually exclusive. Each student will have a different package, as is the case with students who have been identified as gifted.

Drawing on the theory

The second pre-Zoom task teachers were asked to contribute to related to a combination of literature relating to academic 'gifts' or needs. There is an abundance of literature on gifted learners available to educators, but the three we touched on were Françoys Gagné and his diagram of how gifts develop into talents, Tracey Riley's differentiation of the learner experience, and the more well known Bloom's Taxonomy.  

Riley (2012) provides a table unpacking learner experience by separating the what (content), from the how (process) and the end result (product). Several strategies, of particular importance to our online programmes, were highlighted. Teachers were asked to create a slide that demonstrates how they use a chosen strategy in their programme and teaching.

In the Zoom session we discussed the first of our focus strategies: 'providing an integration of higher level tasks alongside basic skills.' Differences were highlight between activities that may have appeared similar at first glance, and the true depth of juicy 'create' tasks explored. Teachers broke into groups and unpacked their higher skill examples - what other skills provided the foundation, how could they be improved or deepened, how could they be adapted for other programmes. 

In the above example, students needed to remembering a handful of IT skills for capturing images, remembering key logo traits, they also needed to understand and apply key design concepts (composition etc) covered in Zoom, analyse both their own and others ideas at each stage as they provided critical feedback, then evaluate those ideas and decide on changes. All of these skills provided a solid foundation to the creation of their logo.

As a staff we're looking forward to delving deeper into how we provide learners opportunities to develop real life skills, integrate a range of skills and subjects, and accommodate student choice. Sharing our successes and challenges openly and honestly to help our own practice, and those we teach alongside. 

Kia kaha koutou! Kia pai tō mahi.

Interested in this model of professional development with your school? Flipped learning on shared slides is a great way to give teachers time to reflect on their practice and utilise the expertise of their colleagues. We're happy to share ideas on what worked well, get in touch.