Teaching and Learning BulletinIssue Nine - September 2015

CONTENTSSummer TEEP Training

Dining Room Changes

ReadingImproves Learning

Visualisers in Lessons

Perception:A Powerful Learning Aid

Powtoon

You Say, We Do!

To contribute to this bulletin please forward any thoughts you have about TEEP or associated topics to alan.bennett@st-chads.halton.sch.uk

Sarah Marshall used TEEP procedures to introduce staff to the structure of the TEEP model of teaching for effective learning which included taking part in an expert’s challenge to understand the 5 underpinning elements on which the TEEP model is based. On day 2 staff were introduced to the TEEP learning cycle and how to use it as a planning tool. They then spent the afternoon implementing what they had learnt by planning their first TEEP lesson for St Chad’s and took part in their first TEEP peep. All staff thoroughly engaged with the TEEP training and are ready to put what they have leant into practice in the classroom.

While most people were enjoying their last few lie-ins at the end of the summer holidays 17 new members of St Chad’s staff were embarking on the first phase of their TEEP journey with a 2 day training programme at All Hallows Catholic College in Macclesfield. On day 1 Ann- Marie Connor and

Since our return from the summer break there have been a number of changes to the school facilities, the timing of the school day, the one way system and to certain aspects of the school uniform. All of these changes have been implemented to help to improve the quality of teaching and

learning, the student’s behaviour to learning and the time available for lessons. With so many positives it is therefore difficult to understand

the negative response that we have seen from a small number of our students. But the fact is that some people and especially some younger people find changes to their lives

difficult to manage. It is pleasing, however, to see that they are now beginning to embrace the changes and see the holistic view that it will improve their learning opportunities and ultimately their progress over time. As a plus point the new dining facilities have provided a state of the art facility that will continue to improve our provision for providing quality food to fuel those hungry children as they burn up their energy in the classroom.

Design by Adam Tate

SUMMER TEEP TRAINING

October sees the first assessment week of this academic year and now is an important time for us to consider the factors that can impact on a student’s ability to perform well in examinations.As the work of Carol Dweck has proved, no matter how able, a child’s perception of themselves as learners will determine their academic careers. If it is poor it will:

Imagine yourself in a classroom full of students... staring blankly at you. You tell the students to complete an assignment and like drones, one by one, they put their heads down and begin to type. Some look interested, others apathetic and a few kids begin to stare out the window. They will complete the assignment, but with no real passion.

Now imagine a completely different scenario; you’re walking down the aisle of your classroom and kids are literally jumping out of their seats because they can’t wait to show you what they’ve created. Well, that day is here!

We are standing at the intersection of technology and creativity and our goal is to make it as easy as possible for teachers to integrate tech in the classroom, in a way that gets students thinking creatively and thinking on their own!

Our TEEP journey has been less than a year,

but it is still important for us to think ahead and plan for our future. It would therefore, be good to have a stepping stone such as becoming a TEEP Ambassador School.TEEP Ambassador School status is awarded to schools who can demonstrate a significant

improvement in the quality of teaching and learning since beginning their TEEP training. They are also willing to host visitors from schools who are interested in the TEEP programme. Ambassador schools can demonstrate implementation of the TEEP framework across the organisation and will lead the continuing growth of the network of TEEP schools.

» Undermine their resilience, so that they give up at the slightest obstacle.

» Make them defensive learners, unwilling to challenge themselves.

» Make them over-reliant on teachers and on received opinion.

» Write-off successes as ‘flukes’. » Under-perform in exams and

tests.

» Have low aspirations and under-achieve in life.

All of these can have a negative impact on a student’s ability to understand, revise and ultimately perform well in assessment and examinations. It is therefore and important part of our preparation to consider ways of challenging a child’s perception of themselves as a learner and ensuring that all students develop a ‘can do’ approach to learning and successfully completing assessments.

PERCEPTION:a powerful tool for aiding learning

Check out this great new teaching tool at http://www.powtoon.com/

Reading is the key to unlocking learning and study after study has shown the correlation between reading, and particularly reading for pleasure and improved literacy skills and an ability to do maths. In 2013 the British Cohort study of 17,000 people from birth carried out a series of cognitive tests with children who read regularly and children who did not. In all cases those who were active readers performed better in the tests and were confirmed as being ‘brighter’ children. Their spelling was better, their vocabulary was wider and they had better maths skills.

Reading clearly introduces young people to new words, so the link between reading for pleasure and vocabulary development is expected. But the link between reading for fun and progress in maths may be more surprising. This study came at a time when more and more people in education were beginning to worry about how little students were reading for pleasure. So developing a love for reading at an early age became a priority in schools throughout the UK.

At St Chad’s we are equally concerned and have begun accelerated reading and corrective reading programmes in an effort to ensure that all children can read and subsequently go on to be lifelong readers.

Upon my arrival at St Chads at the start of September I was presented with a visualizer for my classroom. Having used basic devices before I knew of their immediate benefit to the students. However this model had a series of exciting features that will help me create more engaging lessons. It allows me to create videos, to highlight both on the screen and my whiteboard, take photos, offers a side by side view with the camera on my PC and allows me to create a direct link from the camera to my Powerpoint. This feature is particularly useful to display student’s work and can act as a prompt in lessons as you can pre-plan opportunities.

I have found the device straight forward and easy to use as well as being portable so

it can be used from classroom to classroom. It is a great tool for supporting TEEP lessons and making IT an effective part of the teaching and learning process.

Mark FarrerLead Practitioner for History

In recognition of promoting platforms for pupil voice we have created a ‘You say, we do’ box in the entrance of the science block. All science teachers have distributed slips to classes and pupils could fill these in to share their favourite ‘prepare to learn’ activity along with any areas of science that interest them. As a department we will review a sample of these slips (depending on the amount that are handed in) and act on this feedback from our learners. We will ensure that there are lessons planned that include some of these

favoured starting activities and also address any science topics that may exist outside our curriculum. We plan to run each survey over the half term and implement some ideas in the following half term; there will also be a focus on different parts of the TEEP cycle. It’s great to hear about activities the pupils enjoy and also promote scientific literacy by addressing concepts that pupils hear about outside the classroom in everyday life.

Victoria BrennanTEEP Champion for Science

LEARNINGREADINGimproves

Using a Visualiser in TEEP lessons

SUGGESTED READINGThis is a thought-provoking book which looks at how we use a variety of ‘machines’ to aid the learning process. In the book Ferster attempts to determine just how effective technology has been in supporting and enhancing learning. His view, as he sums up in the final page, is that “Teaching machines can be only as effective as the pedagogical methods they employ…and how they stay focused on the learner”. And he clearly believes that insights into the educational technology of the future can be found by looking at its past.

The review happens at the end of each lesson, right? Wrong. A review can take place whenever it helps to improve the understanding of the students.

Having regular review spots in your TEEP lesson is the best way of ensuring that all students are keeping up with the pace of the lesson and have been understanding the content.

With this in mind we have collected some great ideas from the Science department, including a learning/review wall which allows students to choice a type of review they feel would help them to u n d e r s t a n d the lesson they are in.

His skilful tour spans centuries of innovation, experimentation, failure and success. He guides us through the early years of distance education and educational broadcasting, and thence to satellite communication, audio-visual media, e-learning, learning management systems and games-based learning, before finally arriving at current developments such as cloud computing, massive open online courses and the free online “micro-lectures” of the non-profit Khan Academy. It is only a pity that Ferster does not afford time for mobile phone technology as teachers are still unsure about how

best to use this form of technology in the classroom. That apart this is a good book which provides a useful insight into the use of technology as a tool to support and aid learning.

When does a review take place?