All 23 entries tagged Teaching

The Rise of Third Space Professionals: Implications for Academic Practice – Abigail Ball

Back in March 2019 I attended a WIHEA seminar given by Dr Celia Whitchurch, Associate Professor in HE at University College London’s Institute of Education. Celia’s research focussed on academic and professional identities in higher education.

Celia considered the changing roles and identities of academic and professional staff in higher education. She shared results from two studies funded by the UK Leadership Foundation for Higher Education, which involved administering interviews in HE institutions in Great Britain, America and Australia to staff who worked in less-well-defined roles.

It was interesting to note the different terminologies that are used to describe these individuals, with ‘third space professionals’ being the commonly accepted term within the UK. I have since undertaken my own literature review to investigate what other terms are being used within the sector (and there are lots of them, including: hybrid, multi-dimensional, intersectional, blended, unbounded, fluid, fragmentary or peripheral, to name but a few). There is also a variety of terminology in use for the ‘space’ that these individuals work within (or around in some cases). This is frequently referred to as ‘the third space’ but other terms in use include: transformational space; complex and differentiated space, borderland zone, plural environment or academic periphery.

Celia defined third space professionals as those ‘with identities drawn from both professional and academic domains’ and observed that third space professionals are often appointed on the basis of experience in broad academic areas such as student experience, curriculum design, technology enhanced learning or pedagogic research rather than in specific subject or research areas. The emphasis being on cross boundary (and this is a contested term) or cross disciplinary working. She added that these individuals are likely to have master’s level (or above) qualifications and are often active researchers contributing to the scholarship of teaching and learning despite not necessarily having being employed on ‘traditional’ academic contracts.

She further added that these individuals also represent an increasingly diverse workforce characterised by career development within and outside of the HE sector. Partnership working and the crossing of boundaries between what are traditionally seen as academic and professional roles are common characteristics of third space professionals. Finally Celia considered the implications of all of these factors for both third space professionals and the HE institutions they work in.

At the event Gwen Van-der-Velden Deputy Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Student Learning Experience) and Academic Director of WIHEA announced that a new Third Space Learning Circle has been created. As I have been interested in this topic for many years I was really pleased to be awarded co-chair of this learning circle with Sue Parr, Business Development Director (PEP) in WMG.

Further information about WIHEA is available here: https://warwick.ac.uk/fac/cross_fac/academy

Here is a copy (she has delivered several of these sessions at different institutions) of Celia's presentation given at Sheffield University:

https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/polopoly_fs/1.97643!/file/rise_of_third_space.pdf

Abigail Ball : 13 May 2019 10:14 |  Tags: Administration Pedagogy Professionals Research Space Teaching Third |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

How beneficial can educational literature really be in such a practical vocation? – Beth

As a literature student, reading and researching theories has become second nature to me. However, when I began my PGCE I was sceptical- how beneficial can educational literature really be to me in such a practical vocation?

But I was proved wrong, from the very outset of the course. The reading I have undertaken during this academic year has provided me with many different ways to approach core elements of teaching practice, from behaviour management, to differentiation, to subject-specific pedagogy. This year, reading research has been critical to my subject (English), as a result of the reformation of the GCSE and A-Level specifications. Research is constantly evolving about how to approach these changes, and ways in which teachers can deliver information on the new texts that have been included in the specifications. The articles and journals that I have read always contain practical advice, which make it easy to adopt these ideas into my own practice. I have discovered this year that, as a trainee, I have been exposed to more research material than my colleagues at school have been. This means that I have been able to offer new approaches to teaching to my department, and they have been grateful for the information that I have provided. This has caused me to realise that there is no better way to keep my course material fresh and exciting for students than by researching, and ensuring that my teaching reflects current understanding.

Whenever I have encountered a problem in my teaching practice, I have turned to research to help to resolve those issues. Although teaching can at times seem like a solitary career, there is a huge network of support to be found in educational research and theory: whatever setback you are currently facing, the likelihood is a preceeding practitioner has experienced it before, and has documented the remedy for it! The wealth of knowledge you can find is reassuring, and although there is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ technique to apply to the classroom, there will be several approaches you can take until you find one which works for you. During my first term, pace was an aspect of teaching which I struggled with, and my reading of educational theory provided me with techniques to try in order to improve this, such as the benefits of incorporating timers into lessons, and creating timed challenges for students, which simultaneously increases their engagement.

One key question that every practitioner needs to ask themselves during researching is: how will this theory benefit my teaching and, above all, the learning of my students? Placing research into action can be motivating for both teacher and learners who take enjoyment in adopting new strategies and refreshing the classroom environment. Reading research also encourages teachers to maintain self-reflectivity, as you must evaluate how well the theory worked in practice, how your students responded and above all, how it helped or hindered the progress that was made during your lesson. By immersing yourself in research throughout your teaching career, you remain a learner - and this allows teachers to relate to their students, maintaining understanding relationships. I hope that reading research will remain as beneficial to me throughout my teaching practice as it has been to me in this first year.

Abigail Ball : 09 May 2019 08:48 |  Tags: Pedagogy Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Surely there’s no place for research in PE? – Harriet

How did reading research affect my teaching practice?

Physical Education (PE) is just a time for pupils to run off some energy and have a play, surely there’s no place for research in the subject?

Over time, PE has evolved to become a holistic subject that engages both the mind and body and places emphasis on not only physical literacy but also the development of life skills leading pupils to adopt informed, healthy lifestyles. Though the public’s perception of the subject varies dependent on their own experiences - I can confirm that research has a very important place within PE. The development of pedagogy to name but one aspect of the profession. Throughout my teacher training year, research has been pivotal to my improvement as a teacher; shaping my practice and informing me of a variety of ways in which I can lead my pupils to make good progress whilst also achieving high levels of engagement.

Research is continually being developed about the pedagogy of PE, advancing the way in which we teach. From Mosston and Ashworth’s Spectrum of Productive and Reproductive teaching styles and the more traditional “Motor Learning Theory” type lesson (where drills are delivered before a game is played), to the more student-centred explorative game-based, competitive focused models such as Bunker and Thorpe’s “Teaching Games for Understanding” and Siedentop’s “Sport Education”. The reading that I have undertaken during this PGCE year has opened my eyes to the spectrum of PE pedagogy that exists and has given me a great insight into how these can be embedded within PE. Their detail and case studies have meant that I have easily been able to implement this within my own practice. Having a range of styles within, what I like to call, my “tool box of teaching” enables to me to select styles that are most appropriate to the pupils I am teaching but also to be experimental, take risks and try out new ideas.

As a result of my reading, I have seen my own “socialisation” be reformed during my journey to become a PE teacher. Socialisation is the process of how I, or any individual, is influenced to become a participating member within the teaching field (Lawson’s Occupational Socialization Theory is a very interesting read on this!) Throughout my schooling I was exposed to command style PE teaching, where all decisions are made by the teacher, and as a result of this saw this as the way to teach PE. Through exploring research and applying this to my practice I have shifted to predominantly adopting student centred teaching styles, where my responsibility lies in scaffolding, differentiating and facilitating, the pupils are empowered. This has had a great and positive impact on my teaching, especially with my higher ability groups where my mentor encouraged me when I adopted the use of the “Teaching Games for Understanding” model as an innovative, engaging style of teaching- which I then shared with the whole department.

Obviously, you cannot expect that research will work in your environment in the same way that is reported- but taking risks and experimenting can lead to a refreshing, stimulating learning environment. Reflection is a big part of being a teacher and by asking yourself about the success of approaches, comparing this to the literature, considering pupil response and progress you can come to your own conclusions on what works and what doesn’t. But I have learnt that one approach does not fit all and to therefore test methods with a variety of pupils- they’re all different! For me, I intend to continue to engage with research around the pedagogy of PE, to continually add to my tool box in order to positively benefit my teaching career beyond my training year.

Abigail Ball : 29 Apr 2019 09:00 |  Tags: Research Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

I'd be lying if I told you that it came naturally

In the beginning: I’d be lying if I told you that the thought of reading around teaching pedagogy heightened my excitement to a state of euphoria. I’d also be lying if I told you that it came naturally, was easy and was something I looked forward to whilst also trying to balance writing assignments, lesson plans, reflections and oh yes, actually teaching in the classroom.

Initially this reading felt unfocused, for without much teaching experience my reading was undirected and without context. It felt like starting on a journey with no end or meaning; nothing made any sense nor did it have any relation to my practice, for I did not yet have a practice. Bombarded with reading lists, and suggested reading I was overwhelmed not only by the work but also by the enormity of such a mine field of knowledge.

Little by little: Like most things in life, it became apparent to me that in order to embark on what seemed like an impossible task, it would be easier to start at the beginning… with my subject’s pedagogy. Rather than looking at specific areas of teaching like behaviour, I started to read into the pedagogy of my subject. This was far more accessible for me, for whilst I could not yet connect to teaching pedagogy as a whole, I could connect to my subject thus a door into the pedagogy behind it.

Towards the end: I am now over half way through my PGCE year and my reading has become a lot more natural. I am now able to seek advice from pedagogy, and I am able to understand the theory behind it. As my teaching practice has evolved, my passion has been drawn towards behaviour management. With the experience I have gained from both the classroom and my PG assignments, I am able to read more efficiently and focused. Not only has the reading become easier, but guess what… I actually enjoy it!

My advice to you: Don’t be put off by the recommended reading lists: these are there to guide you through not only the entirety of your PGCE year but also your entire career as a teacher.

Start with your subject: by reading about your subject pedagogy you can ease your way into the minefield of teaching theory, using your existing subject knowledge as a foundation.

Don’t just read books: Look at blogs, articles and other media sources. The Guardian education section has some great reads which aren’t too lengthy and are very accessible.

Check out the references: When you get more confident, check out the references in existing reports, journals and books. These will guide you to the next level of reading.

Keep going: Teaching isn’t easy, and the hoops you have to jump through don’t make it any easier. However there is a wealth of support and knowledge out there. Even when you are struggling, google it! You will realise you’re not alone, and that this will get easier.

Talk: Ask your colleagues, chances are they may have read something which has helped them and could also help you.

Abigail Ball : 23 Apr 2019 08:33 |  Tags: Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Reading books on behaviour management

One of the biggest fears for someone just entering the teaching profession is often around behaviour management in the classroom. Some of the thoughts that may enter your mind are ‘Will the students listen to me? ‘How will I deal with bad behaviour?’ and ‘What should I do if I can’t control the class?’. As a trainee, it can be quite overwhelming when you realise that the profession you are about to enter requires you to stand in front of 25 young people for 6 hours a day and help them to learn. There are many horror stories floating around the internet and also through word of mouth which can very easily discourage even the strongest willed people from this career.

I was one of the people who thought I would struggle with behaviour management but by the time I started teaching, I had covered a wide range of topics related to classroom management at university and through independent learning. My first lesson was totally different to how I had envisaged it. Although students were participating in the activities there was a lot of low level disruption throughout the lesson, such as talking amongst friends and tapping the desk continuously. A lot of planning had gone into that lesson, ensuring that the work during the 1 hour period was accessible to all students and low level disruption can be very distracting, especially for a trainee teacher. It can also be very difficult to manage without the right knowledge. It can be frustrating when you have spent 3+ hours to plan a lesson and the students find more amusement in discussing what happened during the lunch break than what you have to teach them. In this instance, reading definitely helped with my classroom management.

One of the first books I read when I entered the profession was ‘Getting the buggers to behave’ by Sue Cowley. This is a simple and easy-to-read book that breaks down some of the most common behavioural issues that a classroom teacher may face. These issues range from students shouting out answers when not being questioned to students getting out of their seats and walking around the classroom. Sue Cowley outlines some effective techniques that can be used to create a positive learning environment within the classroom such as use of body language, tone of voice and language. After reading the book I began putting what I had read into my practice and I saw noticeable differences quite quickly. I started by using assertive body language which involved standing up with my shoulders pulled back and my hands open and visible, as well as utilising the classroom space to exercise my control of the lesson. Simple techniques such as greeting every child at the door upon entering and leaving worked a treat and are now part of my daily routines.

There is a countless amount of literature on behaviour management available to read for new teachers. My advice to new teachers would be to start with simple techniques that you can repeat and embed into a routine. When trying out a new technique it is important that time is allowed for the technique to settle in with the students before trying something else. Adults do not warm to change and students even less so. Be patient with students and get to know your class before trying to fix what may not be broken to begin with.

Abigail Ball : 15 Apr 2019 09:33 |  Tags: Practice Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

How has reading around pedagogy affected my teaching practice? – C.L Davison

After being set our initial university assignment exploring the ‘implications of current theories of Cognitive Development in teaching and learning’, I was dubious about what effect theorists who died decades ago could have on my day to day practice in the classroom.

The importance of research-led practice had been drummed into us, but even after writing my initial assignment on the work of Piaget and Vygotsky, I was unsure where they fitted into my educational experience, or how I was supposed to use their theories. Part of the issue was, it seemed to me, that they were summarising the obvious. Piaget’s description of the development of children (Muijs 2012) and Vygotsky’s points on supporting or ‘scaffolding’ students to get to the next level of understanding (Gray and Macblain 2012) all seemed to be common sense, except coined in elaborate terminology.

I couldn’t be sure whether my perception of these theorists was because their points seemed obvious, or whether because, and I think more likely, they were so fundamental in shaping modern education, theory and research that their ideas have become ingrained in the education system and those of us immersed in it.

Despite my initial, somewhat uninspiring, encounter with pedagogy my engagement with pedagogy and research was far from complete. I was concerned by what I initially deemed to be the restrictive nature of the theories. Piaget suggested specific ages at which children develop, but was that still the case almost four decades after his death? Was behaviourism (Skinner, 1974) the only way to develop effective behaviour for learning in the classroom? Did I need to include all of Gardner’s multiple intelligences (Gardner, 2004) in every lesson?

Then, however, the light bulb moment occurred, in which I connected with a piece of pedagogy. I realised my misconception was that pedagogy was a script, an idea that one subscribed to unconditionally and acted upon unquestioningly. In fact pedagogical theories could be used as a device, developing my understanding of the way students learn. Once understood they act as an informed base from which to experiment and explore different ways of teaching and learning, not a straightjacket dictating the direction of my practice and my development as an educator.

The first piece of pedagogy which inspired me to recognise the versatility and power of research-based practice was Bloom’s Taxonomy (Bloom, 1956). Initially created by Benjamin Bloom and a cohort of educationalists, its intention was to categorise different levels of thought, enabling them to be quantified and therefore compared and tracked. I originally used Bloom’s Taxonomy to structure my lessons, demonstrating to students how we were going to make progress and ensuring I had progressive levels of challenge throughout. Moreover, I soon realised the flexibility of the taxonomy as a tool to develop students’ critical thinking skills and encourage their own independent learning skills. I have since experimented with a variety of ways to do this, including creating Bloom’s question cards, which can be used by students to challenge themselves or each other to develop higher levels of thinking.

The realisation that pedagogy wasn’t restricted to its original form and purpose, that instead it could be used as a platform to explore different teaching techniques and ideas and that a variety of ideas can be synthesised to create new and exciting investigative techniques in the classroom, was a turning point in my cynicism against pedagogy. I am currently exploring a variety of cooperative learning techniques, creating a pick and mix of ideas and theories that I think will work for my students, in my classrooms, for my style of teaching. This is not to say that I’m ‘improving’ pedagogical theories, but rather exploring how they can work for me, as a way of ironing out some of the difficulties I face with some of my classes.

And in my opinion, this is the most effective way to use pedagogy. Initially it should be used as a base to develop understanding, but after that you have to make it work for you; test it out, create resources, synthesize ideas until you find the best fit for you. Pedagogy is not effective until it is understood and treated as a vehicle for exploration, not a rulebook.

Abigail Ball : 02 Apr 2019 09:30 |  Tags: Pedagogy Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Trainee teacher blog: What the books don’t tell you…Libby

My life has always been happily entangled with books. As a bookseller I charmed my customers into buying stacks of glossy new novels, biographies and special editions. As a Librarian I suspiciously eyed up students daring to annotate upon their precious pages. In September, as a trainee teacher on the School Direct Salaried route, I clung to them in the desperate hope of deliverance.

This first year in teaching has been a learning curve of steep proportions. I don’t doubt that many a secondary trainee never fully realises the pitiful state of their own resilience and stamina until thrust into the bustling circus of energy, hormones and defiance that is the average British secondary school. To navigate the shiny new ideas of differentiation, challenging behaviour and positive management, I eagerly devoured “how to” teaching guides, googled behaviour gurus and sought out pedagogical theory with the firm belief that if I learnt enough, I would be a good teacher. In short, I attempted to give my brain a sponge-like absorbency that is, simply, unrealistic.

The immediate result of this self-education was a bombardment of my poor KS3 classes with new behaviour management techniques run a-mock. Lollipop stick questioning collided with raffle ticket incentives and over-resourcing bull-dozed through the lesson plan to successfully baffle my students: and all this when I still struggled to wait for silence. It was a mess. In my feedback session for the lesson in question I was praised for my enthusiasm and engagement with the pedagogy but the implementation of this learning was definitely categorised “even better if”!

Upon reflection (there’s that word again!), and a much embittered struggle (“but it said it in the book?!”), it began to dawn on me that, (shocker), books can’t teach you everything. This was unusual to an academic minded, book-loving historian like me, and something I am still grappling with. Just because Vygotsky theorised that peer discussion is the way forward does not equate to a successful class debate with my, shall we say, “spirited” Year 8 class. They may easily allow debate to slide into argument, into squabble, into a brawl. In the same manner, my enthusiasm for “how to” guides by the likes of Phil Beadle and Sue Cowley is not a negative feature of my learning but, rather, a lesson in pertinence.

I have learnt so much already these past few months of teaching and one of the more important aspects of this has been learning about my own learning as well as that of my students. I am beginning to involve the theories I have engaged with, steadily, and only as appropriate depending on the class, the subject matter and also taking into account my own developing teaching style. This focused and individual approach is gradually allowing me, through trial and error, to discover which techniques work, which don’t and how they can evolve and be developed to suit me and my students. Some teachers have their desks in rows, some in groups. Some teachers focus on written work while others spend more time on active learning tasks. Through observation and my own sweat and tears I am learning that the books, enlightening as they can be, can only take you so far. Much like in History, a piece of evidence is only as good as the analysis and argument to which it is put. So far, from what I am gleaning from both my maniacal and miraculous days in school, pedagogical theory should always be subject to individual criticality and individual teaching style; and that is something the books don’t tell you.

Abigail Ball : 25 Mar 2019 08:36 |  Tags: Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

Reflections on E. D. Hirsch’s Cultural Literacy – Luke

In Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know, author E. D. Hirsch forces the reader to address one simple question; Why do we educate children? Depending on how sympathetic you are to Hirsch upon finishing the book, you may conclude that we educate children so that they are capable of functioning, that is living, working and communicating, in an everchanging society. This definition is a reasonable one but issues arise when looking for the most effective way to implement education.

Hirsch states that a functioning society requires that citizens share a common non-specialist knowledge of their culture when participating in public discourse. Citizens able to engage in this discourse are defined as the culturally literate. A culturally literate Englishman, for example, knows the intended meanings of a catch 22 situation, a Scrooge, flying too close to the sun, fighting them on the beaches or having the heart and stomach of a king without having necessarily read Heller or Dickens, knowing Greek mythology or being fully aware of the setting of our most famous speeches. Hirsch believes that being culturally literate has become the great divider simply because where education has failed to teach this knowledge, the middle classes have been able to impart it to their children at home.

Hirsch is keen that the reader reflect on the case of Cicero who used Latin phrases and terms common to culturally literate Romans to explain complex Greek science and philosophy. Cicero used the shared language to deliver new concepts and skills. Consider the amount of specialist and non-specialist skills that modern society requires of its workforce – it is quickly changing, and the education system cannot teach every skill required. Now consider how little the written English language has changed since it was made uniform; non-specialists can still read the language of the American Declaration of Independence regardless of the changes to society over 200 years. Therefore, it is plausible to suggest that learning new skills is secondary in importance to being culturally literate, but education hasn’t always reflected this. For Hirsch the solutions lie in a knowledge-based curriculum where facts are imparted through rote learning.

The evidence used in the book is compelling and one could certainly argue that books for primary aged children that help decode but deliver no cultural content only do half the job that is required of them. A knowledge-based curriculum explicitly tells students what they need to learn and what they need to do to succeed. It seems unusual to think that university students are fed a diet of instructivism from the lecture hall but have grown up with discovery-based learning ideas.

The theory is not without issues. Toward the end of the book we see a criticism of Bloom’s Taxonomy as Hirsch believes that knowledge should be at the top of the taxonomy. This seems problematic as there is a significant difference between knowing that pulleys enable us to lift greater weights and using them to build the pyramids. A strawman perhaps, but those great revelations of man which were surely made standing on the shoulders of giants were discovered through synthesis of previously learned knowledge and to completely remove exploration and synthesis from our schools may well send the pendulum too far the other way.

Abigail Ball : 25 Feb 2019 08:48 |  Tags: Cultural Literacy Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

How the English Literature GCSE text requirements alienate and disengage young people

How the English Literature GCSE text requirements alienate and disengage young people - Anna

The changes in the GCSE requirements for English, while challenging, go a long way in disengaging students and alienating them from the enjoyment of literature. The new English Literature syllabus focuses on ‘classic literature’ and ‘substantial whole texts in detail’, taken from the following categories:

• Shakespeare
• 19th century novel
• Selection of poetry since 1789, including Romantic poetry
• Fiction or drama from the British Isles from 1914 onwards

Although elements of this specification can engage and certainly challenge students, this GCSE specification is creating issues in our society, specifically disengaging young people with reading and also creating dissent in classrooms, as often literature lessons do not inspire, and can be seen to be irrelevant by many young people.

Shakespeare

Due to the language barrier in Shakespearean texts, some students (particularly low ability students) feel alienated and intimidated by the texts given to them. Considering the amount of time needed to unravel the archaic language in order for students to understand the stories fully, as well as the amount of analysis needed in order to prepare students for their exams, there is little time to allow students to take part in engaging activities in order to understand and analyse these texts. Most teachers do not include acting or directing, for instance, in their scheme of work as most time is given over to essay practice and quotation learning. Although Shakespeare remains relevant to student’s lives with highly relevant themes (Purewal, 2017), most teachers are under increasing pressure to deliver exam results so are unable to explore these themes in detail and how they relate to student’s lives.

19th century novel

Due to the language and style of most 19th century literature, students tend to find the novels tedious and strenuous. While there is significant merit in studying some 19th century literature, studying a whole text, and expecting students to be able to memorise quotations from this is disengaging to many students. Potentially, the study of such difficult and potentially alienating texts, with the added pressure of exams, will discourage young people from pursuing reading for pleasure. Although the department for education has cited reading for pleasure as being “more important for children’s education success than their families socio-economic status” (DofE, 2012, p. 3) schools are alienating young people from reading and subconsciously discouraging them from reading through the study of a range of disengaging texts.

Fiction or Drama

Although being the only real ‘modern’ area on the syllabus, most schools choose an older text. “An Inspector Calls” (1945) is one of the most engaging texts on the syllabus, similarly “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” or “Blood Brothers” are more modern and engaging for young people, with themes and characters closer to their real lives. However, students see the play format as being closer to a film in nature, and while this may be enjoyable, is not encouraging students to read and engage in a variety of literature for their own pleasure as well as the widening of their own knowledge and vocabulary. Many children’s rivers of reading (Kibbler, 2018) end at school. If the GCSE specification was effective, then not only would teachers be able to support students in passing their exams, but also to develop a love of literature and learning.

Pressure of results

Due to both the pressure of results, and the pressure of Ofsted inspections, teachers appear to have become fairly monotonous in their teaching, having to stick to rigid and repetitive lesson plans with a focus on analysis and evaluation, purely with the aim of getting students to pass their exams than to create a love of literature reading and creating a rich culture in student’s cultural capital.

The new GCSE specification disengages students through a range of texts students struggle to understand, and the need to analyse destroys the enjoyment of these texts. As well as this, teachers do not have the time to explore different ways of learning due to the pressure from schools and the government to push students through their exams and achieve the results made. Instead of supporting a love of learning, the GCSE specification is destroying students love of stories interest in a range of different themes. Children instead turn to films, TV programmes and games to refresh and relax their minds instead of turning to books.

References

DofE. (2012). Research evidence on reading for pleasure. Educational standards research team.

Kibbler, K. (2018). Rivers of Reading. NATE: Teaching English, 53-57.

Purewal, S. (2017). Shakespeare in the Classroom: to be or not to be? . Warwick Journal of Education, 26-35.

Abigail Ball : 11 Feb 2019 08:49 |  Tags: English GCSE Literature Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem

The impact of research on my practice – Mike

Discuss how being research-informed has impacted on an area of your practice and explain how you hope to develop this in the future.

During this training year, one of my absolute passions has been the area of ‘diversity history’ within wider history education. The term ‘diversity’ encompasses many things and so is difficult to define. Here it is largely considered as a term to explain the need to widen the history taught in the classroom so that it is ‘responsive’ to the reality of the classroom in 2018 (Mohamud & Whitburn, 2014, p. 41). This means teaching a history that reflects the makeup of the classroom. History is a unique subject in that it can help shape the identity of pupils teaching a history that excludes a sizable portion of the classroom is not acceptable in 2018. Working in a school which has a higher than average ethnic minority within its cohort makes the need for this immediately apparent when considering race. However, diversity history should aim to challenge misconceptions and reveal hidden figures throughout history who may have previously been ignored for societal reasons. That means considering the history of influential women long before the suffrage movement or making students aware that LGBTQ people have always been a part of history. Students should engage with questions of why these histories has been largely erased. For many, speaking of ‘diversity’ instantly brings to mind topics of slavery, suffrage and civil rights. These remain valuable topics, but research suggests that we need to be moving away from narratives of victimhood when it comes to the diverse history as these remain problematic. (Traille, 2007). These topics often remain go to ‘diversity topics’ however due to ease of resources.

With the research in mind I have attempted to consider ways in which to diversify my own teaching of history. The reality is that this starts with working within established frameworks – especially as a trainee. I have attempted to implement this into a Civil Rights scheme of work taught at Key Stage Three. With a sensitive topic such as this and the research in mind, I have made a conscious effort to not look overly exploitative in presenting African-American’s as victims. The first slide on Evidence 1 shows a Coca-Cola machine that was only for white people. I had chosen this image as a replacement for a suggested image of lynching – yes this has a shock value. But ultimately students can take my word for it that these atrocities happened. By choosing a more obscure and intriguing image the point is ultimately the same – racism was ingrained into society at an unimaginable level, but it avoids perpetuating a troubling victimhood any further.

Ultimately, implementing a diverse history also means fostering a mindset in students which questions the dominating histories to question where other types of people fit into our historical study. I have been attempting to raise this questioning nature with Year 8 by posing questions and think pieces so that students do not accept dominating narratives at face value. The student response in Evidence 2 which asks ‘Who says that Jack the Ripper wasn’t a girl’ was an encouraging sign of this mindset being embedded into the classroom.

Looking towards the future, I am planning two schemes of work over the summer. A Suffragette module and a wider module on protest. My approach to this planning will be with the research on diversity history in mind. For example, the enquiry question for the Suffragettes will be ‘who were the hidden suffragettes?’. Although still a typical ‘diversity’ topic, I aim to offer a more modern take on it beyond the classic story which we know. Something which seems apt at the centenary of the event. I continue to adapt current schemes (introducing a lesson on the African-American women of NASA to Civil Rights) but hope that as my confidence in this area grows that I will be able to explore more exciting opportunities at planning a diversity history away from classic narratives.

References:

Mohamud, A. and Whitburn, R. (2014). Unpacking the suitcase and finding history: doing justice to the teaching of diverse histories in the classroom. Teaching History, 40-46.

Traille, K. (2007). ‘You should be proud about your history. They made me feel ashamed’: teaching history hurts. Teaching History, 31-37.

Abigail Ball : 04 Feb 2019 09:21 |  Tags: History Research Teaching |  Comments (0) |  Close comments |  Report a problem