2015+Yr+10+PLC+MN+LL+GW+SP+KM

PLC minutes 26.03.15 Present- LL, MN, GW

Discussed ‘Twelve Angry Men’ as a txt, the 1957 film version Could students do a written explanation plus an oral/ play response? Could create an extra scene. MN to present this idea to TH
 * Justice unit**- needs to reflect the new VCE

Excluding all EAL and LD students
 * Students underperforming:**

GW- 3/18 83% C or above MN- 6/13 67% C or above (this includes 5 LD kids but excludes 1 EAL and one approved for modified work) or excluding all LD kids: 2/12 83% LL- Class 1- 4/18 78% C or above, Class 2- 4/17 77% C or above

Raise 85% of students to C level through a focus on similarities and differences. It was decided last week to use this strategy because it has the biggest effect size and is suited to cartoon analysis. Question for DP- can we have separate SMART goals?
 * New SMART goal**

Hurdle task over the holidays Week One, term, 2- compare and contrast activity MN will finalise and email to all teachers LL will have a look for some cartoons
 * Cartoons**
 * Minutes 19th March 15 present- LL, PN, GW, MN**

__Moderation__ Discussed the rubric and moderated a range of ‘Curious Incident’ essays We questioned the ease of passing because students can only fail if they get all ‘not shown’, according to the rubric. If we are to mark consistently and fail those students who have only shown a very limited understanding, then the rubric perhaps needs to be changed.
 * We will request to bring this up in Fac meeting.**

__Cartoon analysis__ New SMART goal Raise 80% of students to C level through a focus on similarities and differences. It was decided to use this strategy because it has the biggest effect size and is suited to cartoon analysis. The exact form of this goal will be finalised next week when we have our figures for the current unit.


 * PLC minutes Thursday 26.2.15**
 * Present: MN, GW, PN, LL**


 * The design questions 15 & 19 were discussed and it was felt that both are somewhat relevant to our SMART goal. It was also not agreed that we should change our goal to an overall benchmark .**
 * It was agreed that we need further clarification about our SMART goal from DP.**


 * We suggested that over the next couple of weeks we could get students doing group Presentations using google docs ‘slides’. Each group would present on a technique.**

- How does the technique provide an insight into autism? - What does it tell us about Christopher?

Topics:
 * 1) 1. Narration
 * 2) 2. Intertextual references such as Sherlock Holmes ‘Hound of Baskerville’
 * 3) 3. Digressions and symbolism
 * 4) 4. Use of dialogue to reveal character
 * 5) 5. Graphics, illustrations and typography
 * 6) 6. Facts and figures
 * 7) 7. Action / description

We agreed also to bring in some hurdle tasks next week and to particularly focus on those students who are not getting it.


 * PLC Meeting - 5/2/15 **

Present: GW, MN, LL, KM

//Agreed to norms as per the PLC convenor handbook with the following amendments://
 * We will upload minutes to the wiki
 * Any issues that arise will be raised and discussed with the group

//Agreed on the aims for the ‘Curious incident unit:// Students will consolidate what they have learnt about writing text response in junior years and improve their ability to write a more sophisticated response. They will be able to write paragraphs that explore their ideas in depth and will be able to integrate quotes into their responses to support their ideas. Students to develop an understanding of how voice is created in fiction. They will include reference to the structure of the novel. They will also examine how the author shows us the subjective nature of life. It was noted that the ‘big ideas’ document is perhaps overloaded

//Looked at data:// 1. Attitudes to School survey. The results from 2014 show ‘stimulating learning’ as the lowest area in students’ estimation. The 2015 Year 10 cohort have been particularly low in this area since year 7. 2. We also need to use our own data from our classes- need to compile and look at this before setting a SMART goal so it’s relevant to our kids.

//Companion texts to mention to keen students:// The Imitation Game The Rosie Project

//Thoughts about SMART goal:// Opportunities- to use the iPads to stimulate learning, to find other strategies to stimulate learning in Year 10 English

//Agreements for the future// Bring some sample work (all) MN will contact Terri Campbell regarding strategies specific for this age cohort. Look into new VCE curriculum


 * Year 10 PLC Minutes: 25th June 2015**


 * Present**: GW, MN, KM, LL


 * Apologies**: PN


 * Study of data – C or above in all units including the examination. The data showed an improvement in student performance, except in the examination.
 * Conclusion – the “Justice” unit was most successful due to student engagement and drafting process.
 * Perhaps an easier task for “Justice” – students find analytical skills more difficult
 * Rubric needs adapting to be more rigorous, particularly once we have knowledge as to how the study design rolls out with Year 11
 * Suggestion - implement drafting and proofreading in other units to try to improve overall scores
 * PLC reflection task completed
 * o Norms adhered to except for using the Wiki for minutes – LL and KM to take responsibility for this next semester.
 * o Consideration of goals – to push use of technology even though this is no longer the SMART goal for the PLC group (e.g. Popplet for R & J character maps)
 * o To maintain PLC goal for the next unit – decision not to raise the target as the next unit involves more complex language and skills
 * o Emphasis on using key arguments to form topic sentences
 * o Discussion of how we dealt with students who didn’t “get it”
 * o At Risk process – form is not being returned by students making the process ineffective
 * o Consideration of what we do for those who need extension - to focus further on extension for next semester


 * Year 10 PLC Minutes: 30th July 2015**


 * Present**: GW, LL, PN


 * Apologies**: KM, MN


 * What do we want students to achieve?**
 * Discussion of the comparative structure for the new Year 10 unit – using the Ticking Mind models, it seems preferable to incorporate comparison within the body of each paragraph rather than separate, additional comparative paragraphs.
 * Topic sentences which are related to the big ideas rather than a specific text – paragraphs will then synthesize
 * Model reworked to match with these expectations – this has been finished by Sophie and sent round for feedback and distribution amongst classes.

Present – Jane, Geoff, Lisa, Kara, Sophie
 * Minutes English PLC August 6, 2015**

Used in different ways to try and highlight elements to compare and contrast. Perhaps needed more time to use or a list of quotes to support the text. Also used to help deconstruct model and then as a planning tool to support creation of comparison texts
 * Compare and Contrast frame**

Discussed areas to compare between the two scenes for the hurdles – eg about peacemakers and agressors in each of the scenes. Second paragraph about person v society, expectations

Students predict the elements of the rubric and then check with actual as a way of understanding rubric
 * Rubric**

Activities used to elicit structures, competition, use rubric to help create a list of useful structures
 * Compare/Contrast connectors and conjunctions**

Discussed how to present to year 10 class – power point seen as comprehensive – suggested to perhaps get current English Language students to come into the class
 * Year 11 English options**

Starting in week 5, play the film in a double and then 6 lessons to analyse film. Hurdle needs to be done at the end of week 6, beginning of week 7, perhaps to complete at home. Then the SAC is in week 8. Prompts for the hurdle and the Sac are on google docs.
 * The Outsiders**

Prompt for hurdle task is - Family and setting are thematic links in the Hurdle.
 * Teaching ideas –**

Assessment task prompt is -How does conflict determine the fate of the characters in R&J and the Outsiders?


 * Use of Compare and Contrast grids** around each of the themes eg setting for each of the texts to build up elements of setting and family that they can compare and contrast – **Kara** creating an example for setting and emailing to teachers

Good idea for teachers to put worksheets and activities to support teaching of this unit into the server – **Jane** to create folder for Comparison Unit ‘R & J versus The Outsiders’

Another idea is to take screen shots from both films to help gather ideas about conflict, eg setting

Write from the POV of one of the characters – interior monologue about the conflict they are experiencing (eg Johnny’s thoughts about his family)

Still need to create the task and the conditions under which the Sac needs to be conducted.
 * Learning Task**

**Minutes - 20th August 2015**


 * Present: KM, PN, MN, GW**

1) Comparing data from mini-hurdle task – areas for improvement not uniform across the PLC group. Some need to work on evidence, others on structure and coherence. Integration of quotations improved on the whole. Pleasing understanding of the play and the theme on the whole. Students to work on analytical writing skill rather than ideas / knowledge. IDEA: Get students to show teacher topic sentences in advance.

2) Discussion of learning task – sheet to perhaps remain the same but students to be provided with planning model on the board or planning guidance sheet (LL to prepare over the weekend).

3) Discussion about level of support provided for students with learning difficulties. There seems to be some debate about how much we should scaffold in light of issues at VCE.

4) Agenda for next week – PDP goals and working out how we can incorporate these in our practice.

**Minutes PLC August 27, 2015**
 * Present**: MN, PN, LL, GW, KM


 * PDP Goals**


 * Jane**: What do I typically do to provide opportunities to talk and write about themselves?


 * Sophie**: What do I typically do to help students revise knowledge?


 * Kara**: What do I typically do to help students reflect on their learning?


 * Lisa**: What do typically do to use friendly controversy?


 * Geoff**: What do I typically do to acknowledge adherence to rules and procedures and apply consequences for lack of adherence to rules and procedures.

Choosing Kara’s goal and Sophie’s together and apply to last part of Comparison unit in order to support the PLC goal below:

PLC goal - 80% of students achieve a C rating or higher through similarities and differences

Using the ‘TREE” to help enable students to reflect on their learning. Kara to send tree to PLC After the hurdle Beginning – Put yourself on the tree and reflect and how you will climb the tree and how will you get yourself to the next branch I can integrate a quote seamlessly (ie without using the whole quote or Johnny said) to support my idea I can integrate a quote into my sentences I am using quotes but have difficulty integrating them within a sentence I can’t integrate a quote – help me
 * Example – Goal for the lesson –‘integrating quotes’**

Then create revision activities to match the needs of the students based on their reflection, this could to other areas such as analysing prompts, writing topic sentences, writing introductions and using connectives.

**Minutes PLC September 17th 2015**


 * Present**: MN, PN, LL, GW, KM


 * EVALUATION OF ROMEO AND JULIET VS THE OUTSIDERS UNIT 2015**

Class results

MN: 78% GW: 67% LL1: 78% LL2: 78% PN: 75% MK: 79% Numbers will need to be adjusted after catch up SACs
 * Overall Total 76%**
 * Almost made SMART goal of 80%.**

//__Student feedback__// KM Socrative- used for feedback

Overall student feedback on Survey Monkey. 97 respondents- roughly half the cohort

Negatives
 * 60% thought unit not interesting
 * Able to find links b/w this unit and the real world
 * Doing homework helped me understand rest of class were interested got to talk about myself
 * Some mentioned being confused about watching the film R & J
 * Confusing
 * Boring
 * Difficult
 * Simpler SAC question would have been better

Positives
 * Challenging
 * We able to see similarities and differences
 * Note-taking
 * Rubrics and model essays were helpful
 * Practice essays and paragraphs were helpful
 * Homework was completed by 78%

//__PLC feedback__// Positives
 * Comparison forced them to analyse deeply. Generated a deeper understanding.
 * Better topic sentences
 * Almost every student was able to compare within a paragraph
 * Almost all used connectives
 * Student feedback showed that our work on rubrics, model essays and compare and contrast grids was helpful
 * Some outstanding essays were produced

Negatives
 * Too rushed
 * Some students didn’t have a detailed enough understanding of both texts
 * Student absences & school demands
 * Final essay question was too hard
 * NEED MORE TIME
 * iPad version of book didn’t help and students agreed with this in their feedback

Interesting
 * Needed to analyse key scenes of outsiders after watching to ensure their understanding
 * Do we need to find more links between the texts and their own lives
 * Student survey could perhaps have been more detailed- eg. asked students to rate the unit against other units, broke down the reasons for preferring paper books.

Language Analysis

GW showed GYs pictorial THE GROUP WAS A BIT OVERWHEMED BY THE PROSPECT OF THE LANG ANAYLSIS SAC BEING IN WEEK 2. NOT ACHEIVEABLE WITH CAMPS ETC.


 * Minutes 12/11/15**


 * Present**: GW, KM, PN

- A model paragraph on the film ‘Boy’ (can be used for revision) - Samples of good and bad sentences (topic sentences, from conclusion…) from the hurdle on the film ‘Boy”. Students can then work on the sentences and identify which are good and why and which are bad and why. (can also be used for revision) - The difficulty of completing the Year 10 course – too much to cover. A year 10 focus group in a faculty meeting should look into this. This may have already been arranged. - discussed further activities for revision, GW to circulate to year 10 teachers Meeting ended 9.15
 * Discussed**: