Success... Could be #SOLOTaxonomy learning talk at the dinner table!

Our learners had input into planning our current learning journey last term and the direction was born from wonderings gathered during previous learning discussions - always noted, named and recorded so we can refer back to them.

This term we are exploring the idea of 'Success' (Twinkle, Twinkle Little Stars).  What does it look like in 'my' world - how is it visible? And what might it look like to others? A link I shared yesterday is this http://www.shidhulai.org/ourwork.html (love how with tech I can bring outside inside and visuals are so powerful). Also, yes while we are at it, let's notice Malala Yousafzai... Let's relate this 'noticing' to our learning in maths; remember the successful woman we talked about on our $10 note who we discussed during the elections last term... Noticing stars while our feet are on our ground. Making connections.

There will be a Social Sciences tilt to this learning journey, with Health very clearly evident - it always is, we are all citizens learning together after all. Our rubric, with 'key strategies' to prompt discussion at each stage is visible, unpacked from the beginning and the goals shared.

This week, we began by identifying something we felt we succeeded at during the holidays - because we don't just 'learn at school'!

I wanted to also see where my learners were at with using the hexagon strategy so I had them draw or write their idea and let them place and connect at their leisure. After each had completed I brought them together and asked what they noticed? Hexagons had been 'plonked'.

Bring in the Feedback Rubric... 'I finished MY work'...

So I activated discussion. We made connections verbally and they justified their ideas, the hexagons became weathered as the were moved from one place to another, to another... Then we always STAND UP and look at it from a different perspective - it helps us notice what we may not have noticed before. And yes, sometimes the 'notice' is "Ooo it looks like a dinosaur!"- I love this, it's why I love working with early years learners!

I was rather (ok, very) excited when one of my learners identified that she had been successful at talking about understanding SOLO Taxonomy at the dinner table with an older sibling. She connected to my hexagon and justified that it was 'because they were both about talking and SOLO'.

We then reflected and recorded the process that we went through using the generic SOLO rubric. We decided we are probably Unistructural as a class at using hexagons as a strategy because we still need lots of support, but if conversations about the HOW of learning are being had with family in homes...(and from parent feedback, this is not a 'one off!') I am feeling pretty inspired!

So heading into tomorrow; we each have visible starting points and next steps; we have our rubrics. We have outcomes to achieve. To scaffold, we have 'suggestions' on a plan (I acknowledge, it can be daunting letting learners drive). How we will get there? I have no idea yet, but I know it will be an interesting ride...  And I can't wait to see how learners in the rest of our team arrive at their destination!