All 60 entries tagged Teaching

What is your teaching philosophy? – Rosie

What is your teaching philosophy? How has this originated and can you evaluate how your educational touchstones will impact upon the teacher you aspire to be?

When faced with the task of writing my teaching philosophy I took some time to reflect on my educational touchstones. These include my personal experiences as a student as well as experiences gained in my role as a Learning Support Teaching Assistant.

Firstly, I believe in adopting a personalised but professional approach with my students. Making the effort to build a relationship with each individual will motivate them to increase their effort levels during lesson time. This coupled with positive praise promotes better standards of behaviour. In relation to fostering student-teacher relationships Ellis and Tod (2011) wrote that ‘good teacher–pupil relationships are crucial to the development of an effective learning environment’. Throughout my childhood I attended weekly singing lessons. At the beginning of each lesson my teacher always took the time to ask how my day was and at the end she would always talk about my interests outside of singing. This personalised communication meant that I always left the lessons feeling valued. This motivated me to practise in my own time and work harder in future lessons.

In addition, I believe in the importance of setting high expectations and establishing regular routines within my lessons from the outset. This ensures that the children know exactly what is expected of them in each lesson which gives them the opportunity to develop self-control. As a teenager I was a member of the Hertfordshire County Youth Choir. Throughout the year we performed at various events and concerts which required us to attend regular rehearsals. Our conductor had extremely high standards and would make the whole group sing a single bar over and over again until it was perfect. At times my peers and I found this frustrating. However, it gave me the opportunity to develop resilience and set high expectations for myself. Furthermore, I believe that inclusion of all students within the classroom is vitality important to their levels of progress. Prior to beginning my teacher training I was working as a Learning Support Teaching Assistant. It was during this role that I realised the importance of inclusion. I have seen first hand how children with one to one support can feel isolated and separated from their peers. Although the child may be receiving bespoke resources and making academic progress, if they are not fully included within the class it can have a detrimental effect on their social skills and friendships, as well as the possibility of leading to them being bullied. In a recent journal, Webster (2019) quoted Baroness Warnock who said that ‘it is important to include every child in the fold of true teaching, as required for a flourishing life’. As an educator I wish to have a truly inclusive classroom in which every child within my care is given the opportunity to make progress during every lesson, no matter their ability or additional learning needs.

Above, I have outlined my teaching philosophy as it stands. However, I understand that as I develop my teaching practise my philosophy will develop and evolve too, in response to pedagogical ideas,new experiences and professional development opportunities.

References

Ellis, S. and Tod, J., 2018. Behaviour For Learning : Promoting Positive Relationships In The Classroom. 2nd ed. London: Routledge, p.73.

Webster, R., 2019. Including Children And Young People With Special Educational Needs And Disabilities In Learning And Life. 1st ed. London: Routledge, p.69

Abigail Ball : 14 Dec 2020 10:47 |  Tags: Philosophy Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

What is your teaching philosophy? – Abbi

When stood at the front of a classroom of 25 students all wearing identical uniforms, holding identical notebooks and sat at identical desks, the keystone of my teaching philosophy is something that feels incongruous to the setting. That is, to ensure every child can be an individual inside my classroom. Volunteering as a one-to-one tutor I taught a girl who was falling behind in her GCSEs because she had fallen out with her English teacher after being embarrassed in a class. I quickly began to appreciate the inextricable correlation between student achievement and student-teacher rapport. Through building personal connections with students, a more harmonious learning environment can be fostered (Deiro, 1996). Subsequently, fostering a positive learning environment improves learning outcomes (Alvarez, 2007).

Linking to the importance of individualism in the classroom, is the understanding that all students do not learn in the same way or at the same pace. During my first full-time teaching role in China 2015, I was teaching classes of up to 60 students. Tomlinson (1999) notes that when a teacher can facilitate students to take different paths ‘to the same destination’ the learning outcome is greater. Planning lessons that were flexible enough to allow differentiated learning, regardless of class size or student ability, became an important part of my teaching philosophy during this time. Students for whom the content is not appropriate for (either, because it is too easy or because it is too difficult) are more likely to become disengaged (Willis, 2015) and therefore disruptive (Cowley, 2010).

Cultivating a classroom environment which enables every student to reach their full potential is the final aspect of my teaching philosophy. Good behaviour management ensures a classroom environment in which students feel they can fully participate without fear or embarrassment. Within my current school, the Principal of the school has praised my behaviour management. My practice is in line with the findings of Rogers (2015) who notes that a crucial part of classroom management occurs in the ‘establishment phase’ during which rules are decided upon and then consciously taught. During the first week of lessons it is important to establish clear and well-defined rules using language appropriate to the age and level of the students. Giving the students ownership of the rules and asking them to suggest appropriate sanctions that are in-line with the school policy makes the students more likely to follow them. After successfully implementing, and then following through on the agreed rules and sanctions of the classroom, I find that prevention is the best form of behaviour management. Preventing issues from arising in the classroom using eye-contact, non-verbal signals and use of student’s names can often reduce disruption before it occurs. Martin (2015) describes the ‘zones of proximity,’ and how moving between them can prevent disruption whilst also minimising loss of teaching time.

References

Cowley, S. (2010). Getting the Buggers to Behave, London: Bloomsbury

Deiro, J.A. (1996). Teaching With Heart :Making healthy connections with students, Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin.

Jones, F. (2007). Tools for Teaching: Discipline, Instruction, Motivation. 2nd ed. Santa Cruz, Ca: Fredric H. Jones & Associates.

Rogers, B (2015) Classroom Behaviour, 4th ed. London: Sage Publications.

Tomlinson, C A (1995). How to differentiate instruction in mixed-ability classrooms

Tomlinson, C A (2015). On Differentiation, Education Week, Vol. 34 Issue 21.

Martin, J. (2015). Working the Crowd: Behavior Management through Strategic Classroom Arrangement, Journal of Instructional Research, 4, pp. 52-56.

Willis, S. (1993). Teaching Young Children, Educators Seek 'Developmental Appropriateness’ [Online] (URL http://www.ascd.org/publications/curriculum-update/nov1993/Teaching-Young-Children.aspx) 1993. (Accessed 1st October 2020)

Abigail Ball : 07 Dec 2020 12:15 |  Tags: Philosophy Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

What is your teaching philosophy? – Judith

What is your teaching philosophy? How has this originated and can you evaluate how your educational touchstones will impact upon the teacher you aspire to be?

My teaching philosophy is based on the premise that every single child is unique with varying blends of strengths. Each is full of potential and has a plethora of different possibilities. I intend to foster their personal best in regards to academic, personal and social development so they can truly thrive.

As a teacher I feel it is my responsibility to cultivate a mindset that is open to change and full of curiosity. The foundations of my approach will be centred around Growth Mindset research and methodology. I view it as a key differentiator to achieving successful learning outcomes and flourishing children; “ With the right mindset and the right teaching people are capable of a lot more than we think.” (Dweck,C.S 2006 p 64).

One of my class mottos will be progress not perfection. Mistakes will be viewed as opportunities for growth and learning. Differences will be celebrated and focus placed on individual strengths. Success criteria will be personalised so each child can move forward with their learning in their own unique way with success and confidence growing. I want each child to recognise that we all are lifelong learners. Furthermore, I wish to develop a thinking classroom where deeper level questions and techniques are actively used and encouraged.

Wellbeing will have a high priority. Giving the children the tools and skills to flow through life’s inevitable rollercoaster with more ease is, in my view, paramount. Academic rigour will be upheld with a focus on “Learning to Know” and “Learning to Do” however equal weight will be given to the 2 pillars of “Learning to Be” and “Learning to Live”; (UNESCO 1996).

The importance of being a positive role model and developing an excellent rapport with each child will underpin my teaching. Mindfulness and yoga will be used to promote well-being. Elements of Vygotsky theory of learning will be utilised. I believe scaffolding is a great way to ensure personalised support and effective learning. Compassion for the self and others will be continually developed alongside a strong sense of community.

There are many touchstones that have lead me to wish to adopt such an approach, a few of which I will expand on. Having come from a competitive academic grammar school that fostered competition and had little time for rapport development, has lead me to desire a more collaborative and inclusive classroom. It has lead me to focus more on formative assessment with personalised goals. I left school with a sense of lack of possibilities of where I could go in my career and life. This perceived lack of choices has made me passionate about developing a culture of growth and possibilities for my students.

To achieve the goal of thriving students I will need to work to the best of my abilities, continuing to learn, grow and adapt. I will need to create the inclusive and fair environment so I can successfully promote positive behaviours and increase positive emotions for all. I intend to keep reflecting on what effective teaching is in terms of student outcomes especially in the context of an international school environment. Whilst academic achievements will be fostered I believe this is not sufficient for them to flourish and thrive in our dynamic, fast paced and changing world.

Dweck, C.S (2006) Mindset. Changing the way you think to fulfil your potential. New York, Random House.

Seligman,M.E.P (2001) Flourish. A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being. New York, Free Press.

UNESCO (1996) Learning; The Treasure Within. Paris, UNESCO.

Abigail Ball : 30 Nov 2020 09:58 |  Tags: Philosophy Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

What is your teaching philosophy? – Richard

What is your teaching philosophy? How has this originated and can you evaluate how your educational touchstones will impact on the teacher you aspire to be?

My personal teaching philosophy directly applies to my touchstones. My touchstones are a reflection of the person I am. As educators we are rarely, if ever, asked to articulate our philosophy of education or core convictions and likewise, rarely if ever, take time critically to reflect and ask if our practice matches our philosophy, beliefs or core convictions. My philosophy is that every child deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential. This belief of mine comes from my experience of working as an International Baccalaureate (IB) grade five teacher. According to Sinek (2017) ‘Once you understand your WHY, you’ll be able to clearly articulate what makes you feel fulfilled and to better understand what drives your behavior when you’re at your natural best’.

I attained a First Class (A) TEFL certificate and moved to Thailand to begin a career in teaching. Following my first appointment with one of the private local teaching schools in the country, I progressed (through language institutes and international schools) to my current position as a Grade Five PYP Teacher for the Canadian International School of Beijing. Throughout my teaching career, I have worked tirelessly to improve my lesson planning and pedagogical practices. This has involved constantly reviewing and reformulating lesson plans, individual and group strategies, classroom management, and consulting with other teaching professionals.

I personally think teachers do not generally enter the profession for accolades or affluence but rather see it as a calling and a way to give back. According to the blog post Educational System (2013) ‘Education and philosophy are closely inter-related. If philosophy is love of knowledge then education is acquisition of knowledge’. As I get older and reflect upon my practice, I have a deeper understanding of what type of teacher I want to be, and I make the necessary adjustments along the way. I have great admiration for the International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum and feel that my educational philosophy is similarly aligned as I try to foster the potential of my student’s so that they can pursue their ambitions and become global citizens. The International Baccalaureate ‘aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect’ (IB).

Effective, intentional teaching begins with a strong set of beliefs, but even the best teachers struggle to make sure that their classroom practice consistently reflects their core convictions. One thing I have come to realize is that I can always learn from others in order to become a better teacher. No matter what age we are, it is important to take things into consideration before arriving at a decision. Reflection and seeking opportunities to grow wiser by learning about different theories of philosophies, then applying these theories towards my outlook on life, will most certainly impact my teaching.

References List

Educational System (2013) ‘Importance of eclectic approach in education’, Educational System, 27 January. Available at: https://educational-sysetm.blogspot.com/2013/01/importance-of-electic-approach-in.html (Accessed: 5 July 2019)

IBO. (no date). Mission Available at: https://www.ibo.org/about-the-ib/mission/ (Accessed: 10 August 2020)

Sinek, S. (2017) ‘The science of WHY’, LinkedIn, 16 November. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/science-why-simon-sinek/ (Accessed: 10 August 2020)

Abigail Ball : 25 Nov 2020 15:07 |  Tags: Philosophy Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

What happened to reading aloud in primary schools? – Kate Glavina

In a recent article in The Guardian, Michael Rosen wrote about the importance of reading aloud to children, even well into their teens. Since it is not uncommon for an emphasis on reading aloud to children by both parents and teachers to fall away after Key Stage 1, it is worth reconsidering why continuing to read aloud is important. Firstly, the way we speak, Rosen points out, is very different from the way we write, so it is through story that children are introduced to a much wider range of vocabulary and grammatical structures than from spoken language alone, especially if books chosen are literary and read with ‘expression, emphasis and inflection’ (Cremin). Through carefully chosen texts, children can be introduced to highly patterned language and challenging vocabulary in contexts which make them meaningful. Compared to previous generations, children today are bombarded by other forms of storytelling such as film and television; they are bombarded by images to accompany storytelling through screen and print – so for children to rely on their imagination alone to conjure an image is perhaps not a regular experience in their ‘reading lives’ and yet an invaluable one. Extending that idea further, imagination is central to story activity. Fleer argues that imagination is the means by which children ‘imbue meaning of stories and relate it to real life situations.’ While listening to stories, children imagine the characters they cannot see, conceptualise what they hear and think about what they have not yet experienced (Vygotsky). Therefore, listening to stories engages children in complex imaginative activity that reaches beyond the immediate parameters of the stories themselves.

Further arguments for urging teachers and parents to read aloud to children abound. Philip Pullman, for instance, treasures the pleasure he remembers from being read to as a child, regarding as irreplaceable, hearing a ‘beloved voice’ telling a story. He points out that additionally, of course, when listening to stories read aloud, children can access literature beyond their independent reading age, thereby being introduced to rich and more complex texts than they would encounter alone. Pullman articulates this in the following way: ‘Children can borrow your stamina, as a duckling can swim easily in its mother’s wake’. The act of teacher and children coming together to listen to stories read aloud creates a sense of ‘community’ in the classroom – it creates warmth and intimacy – it is a bonding experience through which participants build a very particular relationship based on a shared repertoire of stories. Clearly, then, there are very powerful arguments for promoting reading aloud to children of all ages and yet the profile of this activity is not exactly prominent in Key Stage 2 classrooms. One of the recommendations of the Rose Report (2009) was that all schools should have a ‘Read Aloud’ policy, but it is questionable how many did. It is interesting to consider the emphasis afforded reading aloud and the terminology used in the revised National Curriculum (2014). The non-statutory guidance for Reading Comprehension in Key Stage 1 states that children should have ‘extensive experience of listening to… a wide range of poems, stories and non-fiction’ (P12), although the phrase ‘read to them’ remains implicit. For children in both Lower and Upper Key Stage 2, the statutory guidance does state explicitly that children should ‘participate in discussion about…books that are read to them’ (P26 & 34). Despite this directive, however, it is frequently the case that dedicated time for reading aloud (aka ‘Story Time’) is absent from the timetables of Year 5 & 6 classes. Of course not everyone enjoys reading aloud and it is notable how uncomfortable and lacking in both confidence and fluency many of our trainees are when asked to read aloud in taught sessions. If reading aloud and listening to stories is to be re-established as a ‘communal art’ then all of us must engage. It must become part of a holistic approach to the use of children’s literature in the classroom; it must become a key component and central feature of a school’s reading programme across all year groups; it must be flourishing in libraries and cherished in our homes.

Abigail Ball : 08 Jun 2020 12:33 |  Tags: Reading Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Reading for Wellbeing – Kate Glavina

I have often shared with trainee teachers the analogy promoted by Professor Sims Bishop of books being ‘windows, mirrors, and sliding doors’ and how important these concepts are in terms of the range and diversity of books shared with pupils in school. ‘Windows’ is to do with ‘looking out’ – it is the idea that the books we give children offer views of the ‘worlds of others’, beyond their own reality. ‘Sliding doors’ is to do with stepping beyond the view from the window – enabling children to enter (albeit imaginatively) the world of the book to experience a different reality. ‘Mirrors’ is to do with book choices including texts that mirror and reflect the child’s own reality so that the pages of the book value and validate who that child ‘is’. In other words, the child is looking back at themselves. The combination of ‘mirrors, windows and sliding doors’ is a powerful way of encapsulating the different ways in which books enable children to enter new worlds, visit new places, inhabit the lives of characters and, most importantly, learn to empathise by ‘walking around ‘in someone else’s shoes’. These are surely undisputed reasons for all schools providing pupils with a rich range of texts and a wide range of reading experiences, including time in the day for independent reading and for being read to.

A further reason for parents and educators to recognise and understand the importance of encouraging children to read is the fact that research by The Reading Agency has found reading can benefit our wellbeing and help us to make social connections. Research suggest that people who read regularly are more satisfied with life and more likely to feel that the things they do are worthwhile. Reading for pleasure can improve relationships and reduce symptoms of depression. Considering these research findings in relation to children, it seems fair to suggest that emotionally, books can offer children dual benefits – they can be an opportunity for the reader to become rapt and delighted in an ‘escape’ from the ‘real world’ into a magical, fantastical one. Equally, books can be transformative for children who are feeling isolated, worried and vulnerable, in the way that they can offer children scope to share and identify with a character who is depicted as sharing similar ‘life challenges’. Jacqueline Wilson highlighted this exact point recently, emphasising the power of books to reassure children experiencing difficult times, helping them to feel that they are not ‘alone’. In terms of wellbeing, then, the world of books has the scope to provide both reassurance to children and a sense of ‘connection’. More generally, books which invite and enable children to enter the lives of others and inhabit their concerns and preoccupations – whether mirroring their own or not - can be a key antidote to the inward-looking, self-absorption which is engendered by many social media platforms which isolate and create anxiety for many youngsters in our classrooms.

At a time when the Education Inspection Framework is placing an emphasis on reading for pleasure and schools will consequently be reviewing their reading programmes, it is timely to build on the issues around diversity of text selection and opportunities for reading and to make explicit to parents and educators, the role books play in promoting emotional wellbeing. What should we be doing? What messages should we be sharing? Perhaps a key message to convey to parents is that ‘family encouragement’ to read beyond early childhood is invaluable. In areas of social disadvantage where literacy levels may be low and some parents may be holding enduring negative memories of reading themselves, teachers could invite them to share story time during the school day so they can observe ‘how it’s done’ and recognise that sharing a book is not a threatening or difficult thing to do. Class and school libraries should offer diversity in their stock so that both teachers and pupils have ready access to books which reflect important themes and highlight pertinent issues. Steadily, in these ways, it is possible for schools to develop a culture in which it is routine for staff, children and parents to reach for a book for solace, ‘company’ and understanding. That is to say, in terms of supporting children’s wellbeing, the power and potential of reading has never been more important.

Abigail Ball : 28 May 2020 13:12 |  Tags: Reading Research Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Stepping Backwards to Move Forwards: A very honest reflection – By Lauren

The end of term was fast approaching and I was, like most, in need of a break. I was so pleased with my progress this term and was very much looking forward to being that one step closer to finishing the course. Then the morning of 22nd March came, my formal observation with my Head of Department. I had avoided having a formal observation with my Head of Department for the past couple of weeks because I wanted to focus on my areas of development and show some improvement.

The lesson came and pretty much everything went wrong. I was settling the class when I realised I was in the wrong classroom and another teacher was lining her class up outside. The starter task took 20 minutes instead of the designated 10, not good when you have decided to include a whole host of activities within the lesson. The students did not seem their usual, engaged selves and I was faced with 30 distant looking faces staring at me. Let me confirm here, these faces were not that of students who were gripped and mesmerized by my teaching, more disengaged and most likely thinking about what they were having for lunch that day from the school canteen. The activities were unappealing and you could see that the students were not impressed as they dismissively wafted the worksheets I gave them and looked at me as if to say “Miss, why are we doing this?” At this point, I received several echoes of “Miss, what do we have to do again?” It is fair to say at this point, I knew things were not going great and I wanted to run out of the classroom; I have never wanted a fire alarm to have go off, anything to leave the lesson. I could picture my Head of Department highlighting the boxes on my observation form, and I just knew that this was not going to be the result I had hoped for. After delivering my verbal feedback she slid the form across the desk; I felt embarrassed and disappointed. I folded the form up and placed it in my bag with the plan to shred it as soon as I got home.

That evening, I was sorting my planner out and I found the observation sheet inside it. I was thinking about the lesson and the bemused faces of my students throughout. I was frustrated that a lesson on Civil Rights with a class usually so involved was so flat. Then I thought about the planning process. Usually, I plan my lessons with the focus in mind and then decide on tasks I know my students will respond to. I didn’t do that on this occasion, I planned to please my observer and ultimately, I planned with ‘outstanding’ in mind, not my students; I had taken a step backwards. Recently, I had changed how I planned which meant that my lessons were more engaging for my students and they were central to the planning process, unfortunately the observer did not see the students at their best because I had prevented that from happening. If I had thought about the tasks properly, I would have known that they would not have bought the best out of my students. However, despite taking a step backwards here, I decided to use this lesson to move forwards. Yes, you could argue I was making the same mistakes as I was in September, however, I was reflecting on them differently and able to identify the problems. I made a promise to myself after this lesson that I would resume my usual planning process and focus on having the foresight to know what tasks would get the best out of my students. This observation highlighted to me the importance of everything I had learnt, sometimes you do need to step backwards to move forwards.

Abigail Ball : 27 Apr 2020 17:59 |  Tags: Lesson Observation Reflections Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Increasing student voice in class discussions – By Lauren

When facilitating class discussions, I was asking the same questions, ‘what do you think of this?’ or ‘how is this historical event important?’ I wanted a strategy that allowed students to identify where an answer could be challenged or developed without me asking the questions. The card technique was recommended to me by a colleague and I decided to try it out.

I gave students cards with ‘challenge’ written on one side and ‘develop’ on the other. Students were invited to hold up the cards when they wanted to challenge or develop their peer’s answer. Students could use these throughout the lesson. Additionally, I would begin a discussion with a basic question for example, ‘why was the Gunpowder plot important?’ Immediately, I found myself facilitating discussions and my students were leading them. My role changed from asking various questions to simply selecting students by name; the student voice increased greatly!

Instantly, students were looking for ways to challenge or develop one another’s answers. The quality of response improved as they were explaining their points in greater detail. On occasions, I would find myself gesturing to students to keep talking so they developed their response. From a teaching perspective, I was able to observe my students debating with each other rather than thinking of questions to encourage discussion. The challenge and develop cards help to improve students written work too because when I mark their books and write ‘how can you develop this answer further?’ or ‘how could your argument be challenged?’ students have a better idea of what I am referring too. If on occasions students found this difficult, I would direct them to the discussions we had in lessons to prompt their thinking. Particularly for higher attaining students it provides an opportunity for them to access higher order thinking skills. By challenging, they are analysing and evaluating arguments. I have since used this strategy with my other classes and it has been a success too.

Abigail Ball : 20 Apr 2020 12:45 |  Tags: Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Tasty Teaching

Chemistry is an abstract subject riddled with possible misconceptions and areas for confusion. One of the educationalists who made great contributions to tackling this was a Scotsman, Alex Johnstone. He approached chemical education from an information processing perspective, which views the mind in a similar way to a computer. The best way to deliver chemistry to young people, he argued, was to introduce challenging ideas in a concrete way first of all. There is perhaps no more concrete of examples to students than food and drink, and these have worked wonders for engagement and understanding.

To demonstrate the concept of conservation of mass in chemical reactions, it is common to carry out reactions on scales to show that mass is not created or destroyed. Inspired by Johnstone, I instead bought a pack of microwave popcorn and asked my Year 10 pupils to predict whether the mass of the pack would go up or down, or stay the same. To my surprise, the pack lost mass as well as whetting the appetite of the class before lunch. Students explained that this was caused by the pack not being air tight, allowing steam to escape. When it came to chemical reactions, they had little difficulty then applying their knowledge to explain mass changes in open and closed systems.

Popcorn typically goes down well with a drink however, and it was a 2L bottle of Pepsi Max which served me in demonstrating trends in the Periodic Table to both Year 8 and Year 10 classes. Using the bottle as an electron, I asked one student to hold onto it closely while another tried to take it off them. Of course, the ‘electron’ was held. I then asked the student to hold the bottle at full arm’s length, and repeated the exercise. The bottle was easily taken, and each class managed to use this to explain why elements lose their electrons more easily as their atoms get bigger.

Last but not least, chocolate. When tasked with teaching bottom set Year 10 classes about chemical formulations, I looked to the ‘concrete first’ approach for help. Chocolate is a complex formulation of cocoa, sugar, milk, and other ingredients, and the composition affects how it looks, tastes, and feels. My technicians were able to find the best white, milk and dark chocolate money could buy at Asda, and the students did the rest. Initially in disbelief at being allowed to eat chocolate in a science lesson, the students made excellent observations about how the different chocolates tasted, snapped, and melted. Students with usually very weak literacy skills used a wide range of good words to describe what they saw and relate these to the formulation of the chocolate.

The research literature shows that understanding is stronger if the learner actively engages with new information. In turn, this is more likely if that information is presented in relevant and relatable contexts. For this approach, Dr Johnstone, both my students and I have you to thank.

Further reading:

The biggest contributors to 'meaningful learning' and its relation to engagement were Ausubel and Novak and a nice research paper, looking at students doing compulsory chemistry at American universities available freely, is: Grove, N.P. and Bretz S.L. 2012, A continuum of learning: from rote memorization to meaningful learning in organic chemistry Chemistry Education Reseasrch and practice, 13, 201-208 Accessed via: http://pubs.rsc.org/en/Content/ArticleLanding/2012/RP/C1RP90069B#!divAbstract (you may need to cut and paste this into your browser)

Abigail Ball : 06 Apr 2020 16:04 |  Tags: Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Reflecting – “…through a mirror darkly…” Keith

So, term starts, and there you are in the classroom, pen in hand, notebook at the ready, senses sharpened, dutifully primed (Christmas pun intended) by the well-oiled operation of the Warwick CPE induction team (leave that one with you!) and ready for applying yourself to observation. Observing, do it all the time, have done pretty much since birth, should be good at it. Off we go. An hour later and that’s one down. Much as I thought. Kids lined up, came in, sat down, slapped down a bit for being noisy, reminded that underlining is done with a ruler and, according to my notes, did some exercises. Oh yes, I recognised a strategy or two going on: countdowns; gentle rebuke to the disengaged; reminder of expectations. There we are job-done.

A week or two passes, more notes are taken when the sneaking feeling that these notes are all much the same and, dare I say, somewhat dry and moribund. I’m even writing down the topics and annotating the exercise questions? There are now bits of scaffolding jottings in my pad where I have broken away from observing to get involved in the doing (not that there is anything wrong with that per se). But is writing about whether the ladder leaning against the wall is safe, really going to help my classroom practice (short of the classroom’s openable windows being elevated to a significantly lofty location.)? I need to re-focus, and probably even take-a-look at the session we had on ‘observation’ at uni., which, I am sure, would have almost certainly been useful. Ah yes, focus on one aspect, study all the techniques used for BfL or AFL or differentiation. Makes sense. Right, I’m ready to go. I’m focussed. A few lessons pass. A quick look at my notes. What! Is that all I’ve written? Even some of my least diligent pupils would have recorded more than that! Needs re-thinking, but for now I need to concentrate on delivering my first full lessons.

What went well? I emerged, relatively unscathed. Excellent level of heat generated, possibly accompanied by a flicker of light. What, ‘could be better’? I’m left reflecting, but the next lesson is imminent, so I’m back to a bit more ‘observing’.

The Epiphany. Ah! so that’s what’s been happening. The Teacher ensures the students are admitted in good time, they are settled quickly, they know the routine, they have stuff to do immediately. The teacher glides effortlessly and with minimum instruction to the main focus of the lesson. The students are all, according to their respective needs, and with a relaxed freedom, on task. A flicker of disengagement is smoothly quelled and students are transitioned easily through effortless orchestration from the steady to appropriate, more challenging, tasks. Students are acting as autonomous agents, doing work, at consummative ease in an environment of unspoken, yet understood, boundaries. There is peer to peer support. The teacher is almost subliminally aware of the proceedings. There is a sense of safety and mutual respect, which seems to underpin the whole operation. Assessment of learning leads to a careful transition of tasks achieved effortlessly due to prior preparation. A brief round-up and the class ends. Students are reminded firmly but respectfully of the exit procedure. Staff and students are relaxed and smiling as they depart.

Funny, for all those previous notes and years of experience of ‘observing’, I somehow seemed to have missed all that, until I’d had a go myself.

Abigail Ball : 31 Mar 2020 15:34 |  Tags: Lesson Observation Reflections Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem