RPI - Day 2 - Know your Learners as Readers

Another great session today with RPI, with time to reflect on what we know about our students already and how we can use that information to accelerate progress.

A large part of this day was focused around assessment both formative and summative and how that as teachers we are always looking for ways to have the most positive effect on our students. 

With this is mind the idea that Assessment is a collaborative endevour between both teacher and student and needs to drive our learners to be on-board with asessment so they can actively particpate in the assessment tasks.  Early this week we had completed our PAT tests with one student in particular not doing as well as I had expected for exactly this reason - So this idea (not new but timely reminder) was good.

Another key focus area today has been based around Learning Intentions and Success Criteria.  Again not new infromation but was good to look at it again from a New Curriclum point of view and relates specifically to our school and cluster goal this year 'being the year of the learner'.
GOAL: For all our learners to understand what progress in reading looks like and to recognise the progress they are making.

A highlight for me...

was looking at the NZCER assist data (PAT results) as this has been a new process for me this year and being the 'geek' that I am delving deeper into this data, and even finding my way around this site has been useful.

Next steps...

I am also looking forward to re-designing my reading planning so it is more student friendly, which is always a big push for me.  This makes it easy for our students to navigate their learning but also provides both structure and support that is required to make the shifts in learning that we all want.  

My challenge will be ensuring that supports are in place to enable students to to work independently on their learning.  While for some of the learners this will be instinct, for some this will be a real struggle.

I also have a cluster of students who have really brought into the idea of 'increasing the number of students in our class that are reading for enjoyment' so finding time to support our collective motivation and focus in this is key as well.  Needing to timetable opportunties for students to work towards this shared classroom goal will both add buy-in from others as well as keep the momentum going for this goal.  

Reading Profile Survey Results

RPI - Day 1 (Friday 13th Feb 2026)

Todays session was base around Reading is Core.

There was lots of sharing and reflecting on what a good reader looks like which lead nicely into the 5 pillars of reading and how this can support us as teachers to create an effective reading programme. It was re-affirming actually that many of the things I use to do at this Year 4-8 level are still the basis for effective reading programmes and ways to effectively accelerate literacy learning in our tamariki.

One of the interesting points that was brought up was that reading itself leads not only to better educational and job opportunities for our tamariki, but it also supports their mental and physical well bring and that the effects of being a reader (regardless of reading ability) is likely to have many other knock on effects to an individuals development.

For me it was about seeing the links between what I had already put into practice this year as well as seeing the relevance of what I had implemented in previous classrooms to still support the structured literacy drive with the new phases 2 curriculum.

I will be interested to see the results of the students reading survey as it links well to a tracking sheet I have already started, related to individuals use of the library use at our school, but also support the discussion on why this as a resource is so important.  WE LOVE OUR LIBRARY AND OUR LIBRARIAN!  It is such a great space to be. 

I also have been trying to get my head around the new structure of our reading program (which has a large whole class focus) which for me hasn't sat well and I have been working out ways to tweek this to reflect the 30-31 amazing learners and their specific needs. I also like the idea of the 'taskboards' (AKA - Presentations) which are similar to junior versions I have used previously.