ukedchat.com/magazine September 2015 Issue 21

Write for UKED Magazine: ukedchat.com/magazine/submit Order Printed Edition: uked.market

Supporting the Educational Community

@ukedchat @UKEdMag @UKEdSch @UKEdResources

06 ChallengingMindsets

#

14 The Art ofListening

16

Change theObjective

Getting Kids Thinking

WHY ADVERTISE SCHOOL VACANCIES WITH UKEDCHAT?

• From £85 per job listing, including social media promotion; listing on the ukedchat.com website; and featured in the UKED Magazine (if deadlines are met).

• £399 Annual Subscription - allowing unlimited number of job listings to UKEdJobs for schools (including Head-Teacher, Senior Leadership, Teaching or Teaching Assistant vacancies). All jobs receive the coverage as above.

VISIT uked.careers CONTACT jobs@ukedchat.com

From just

£85

Get subject specific email alerts for educational vacancies in your region. Go to ukedchat.com/emails

Social Media SupportCost Effective

Easy Set-upFast & Efficient Service

Access Thousands of Engaged Educators

http://uked.careers

STEP 1: Register an account from the option

at the top of the page.

STEP 2: Fill in your details. Use a pseudonym, if required, and indicate you are a

candidate.

STEP 4: Fill in your details. Remember that is information will be publically available. Add your resume title; the job categories you wish to be considered for; the level of position; and the job location/s you would

be willing to work in.Introduce yourself allows you to promote yourself and what you can

offer.

STEP 5: On the next page, add your educational details and employment. You can add notes with each entry, which opens up to reveal more information about the

entry you are adding.

STEP 6: Save and Preview

STEP 7: Once submitted, we then proof through your resumé (to stop spammers) and then publish and promote to potential employing

schools.

Extras: Your profile can be edited through your dashboard, and can include: an avatar; bookmark jobs you are interested in; update your information, or; manage

applications.

STEP 3: Click to ‘Post a Resume’ from the

top of the page.

.Careers

How to submit a Resumé to

The publishers accepts no responsibility for any claims made in any advertisement appearing in this publication. Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, the publishers accept no responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions.

Many images have been source under a Commercial Creative Commons License. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 Cover Photo Credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/53921113@N02/5645102295 by zhouxuan12345678 used under Commercial Creative Commons 2.0 License.

4 Philosophy with StudentsArabella Carter delves inside Philosophy in Schools and discusses what the experts say about developing it with your students.

ContributorsArabella Carter @MissAVECarterDr. Ahmed KharrufaTim Clarke @tim_jumpclarkeVictoria Hewett @mrshumanitiesSuzanne Axelsson @SuzanneAxelssonVictoria Hatton @funASDteacherRachel Jones @rlj1981Kieran Dhunna Halliwell @Ezzy_MoonNina Jackson @MusicMind

Contact & Social MediaEmail ukedchat.com/contact or editor@ukedchat.comTwitter @UKEdMag @UKEdChat @UKEdSch @UKEdResourcesWebsite ukedchat.comFacebook facebook.com/ukedchatPinterest pinterest.com/ukedchatScoop It scoop.it/ukedchatGoogle+ plus.google.com/+UkedchatFlipBoard bit.ly/ukedflipIssuu issuu.com/ukedchatWeibo weibo.com/3743315975

From the EditorYou’re ignorant, you know that? Don’t take it personally. I’m

ignorant too, and so is everyone you have ever met. It is part of the human condition.

What is important is your approach to your ignorance. In a recent BBC Radio 4 documentary titled ‘Is Ignorance Bliss?’ James P. Carse, Professor Emeritus at New York University, classifies ignorance into three different types:- Ordinary ignorance is simply the things we haven’t got around to learning yet, or will never learn because of a lack of time.- Wilful ignorance is the things we choose to ignore because facing them is too different or painful.- Higher ignorance is an acceptance that there is a limit to human knowledge as an individual, which we can’t not know, and applying a filter to what we choose to know.

As educators, one of our roles is to reduce the first; help students deal with the second; and teach our pupils the skills to filter and manage the third.

In this issue of UKEd Magazine we are exploring ways to get kids, and hopefully adults too, thinking.

Martin Burrett - Editor @ICTmagic @UKEdMag editor@ukedchat.com

5 Evaluation beyond subject specific knowledgeDr. Ahmed Kharrufa examines Cultural Historical Activity Theory which advocates a rounded approach to learning.

6 Challenging MindsetsIn this UKEdChat feature we look behind the sound-bites and discuss the real meaning of Growth Mindset and the impact it can have.

10 Directed Improvement & Reflection TimeVictoria Hewett shares her insight into marking, feedback and pupil self-assessment, and provides amazing DIRT sheets to get you started.

16 Change the ObjectiveVictoria Hatton writes about why it isn’t always necessary to differentiate. She argues that it can lead to WOW moments.

18 The Creative ClassroomRachel Jones discusses how to allow true creativity in your class and offers innovative and practical ideas for you to try.

Issue 21: September 2015

8 Learning Journey PromptsTim Clarke describes how his school in developing questioning skills to aid pupils on their learning journey.

ADVERTISE WITH USIf you are interested in advertising in the

magazine, please contact editor@ukedchat.com

for more information.Follow @UKED_Directory for commercial updates

Have you got a idea for an article? Find details at

ukedchat.com/magazine/submitSubscribe by email for free at

ukedchat.com/emails

Like to write a short 200 word article?

bit.ly/miniuked

Subscribe by email for free at ukedchat.com/emailsSubscribe to the print edition at ukedchat.com/magazine

STEP 1: Register an account from the option

at the top of the page.

STEP 2: Fill in your details. Use a pseudonym, if required, and indicate you are a

candidate.

STEP 4: Fill in your details. Remember that is information will be publically available. Add your resume title; the job categories you wish to be considered for; the level of position; and the job location/s you would

be willing to work in.Introduce yourself allows you to promote yourself and what you can

offer.

STEP 5: On the next page, add your educational details and employment. You can add notes with each entry, which opens up to reveal more information about the

entry you are adding.

STEP 6: Save and Preview

STEP 7: Once submitted, we then proof through your resumé (to stop spammers) and then publish and promote to potential employing

schools.

Extras: Your profile can be edited through your dashboard, and can include: an avatar; bookmark jobs you are interested in; update your information, or; manage

applications.

STEP 3: Click to ‘Post a Resume’ from the

top of the page.

.Careers

How to submit a Resumé to

14 The Art of ListeningSuzanne Axelsson explores how developing listening strategies and skills has help her class done and discuss ideas that she never imagined.

22 Getting Kids ThinkingNina Jackson offers us a possible classroom scenario which encourages teachers to not shut down a child’s creative activities.

04 UKED Magazine

Despite philosophy not being part of the core curriculum in the UK, thousands of children are engaging regularly in philosophical enquiry due to the work of educators and philosophers. Many teachers will have followed the media coverage of the recent Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) Study bit.ly/uked15sep01 on Philosophy for Children, which found that the more disadvantaged pupils participating in the trial made modest gains in reading, writing and maths. With such a positive impact on learning now being made clear, and with the profile of philosophy with children rising, now is the time to bring P4C into your classroom.

”Philosophy for Children (P4C) is an approach to teaching in which students participate in group dialogues focused on philosophical issues. Dialogues are prompted by a stimulus (for example, a story or a video) and are based around a concept such as ‘truth’, ‘fairness’ or ‘bullying’. The aim of P4C is to help children become more willing and able to ask questions, construct arguments, and engage in reasoned discussion.” (EEF- Philosophy for Children)

The press exposure provided a timely backdrop to the recent ‘Philosophy in Schools with Students’ conference at the University of Leeds bit.ly/uked15sep02. On the 30th of July 2015, experts, researchers, teachers, academics and undergraduates alike gathered to distribute and gather insights into the important work being done in schools and universities in England and beyond. Organisers Grace Robinson and Elizabeth Watkins brought forward a day of partnership as well as opportunity: a chance to reflect on the nature, purpose, and value of philosophy for children.

Nature: What is philosophy with children?

In his keynote address, Peter Worley @the_if_man of The Philosophy Foundation outlined a framework for what philosophy might be. Through the guidance of a skilled facilitator, pupils are given the tools and opportunity to have a conversation. They approach perceived problems and puzzles about reality, knowledge, value and meaning with their peers. Since the questions are conceptual, children do not need a large body of empirical knowledge in order to ‘do’ philosophy. But what makes these conversations genuine philosophical dialogue and not merely circle-time? For Worley, there are some ‘candidate’ necessary conditions in order to achieve a philosophical enquiry: the 4Rs (see more details at bit.ly/uked15sep03).

Responsive: When a philosophical problem is recognised and understood as a problem (“It is fair because we all got the same, but it is not fair because he was naughty and he still got some!” The problem is that it is both fair and not fair at the same time.)

Reflective: A kind of ‘brain-storming’ which considers Socratic question of ‘what is x?’ (“What is fairness exactly?”)

Reasoned: A rational, ordered and sequential, and therefore logical attempts to make sense of and justify a position (“So fairness must be… because...” Or “But is fairness is … then it can’t be …)

Re-evaluative: Whatever conclusions may have been arrived at during the reasoning they are not simply accepted. They are subject to further critical analysis. (“Okay so I think fairness is… but is that right because…)

Purpose: What is the point of philosophy with children?

One line of discussion which arose in many of the talks and demonstrations on offer at the PSS conference was that, despite the clear link that P4C has with raising attainment as found by the EEF, this should not be the aim or overall purpose of philosophy for children.

In her keynote address, Lizzy Lewis @lewis_lizzy of SAPERE (sapere.org.uk) set out a cross-curricular vision for philosophy in schools. She said that approaching the curriculum through philosophical enquiry “lights a fire for pupils”. This fire is more than better literacy and numeracy. It is clear that philosophy can improve a whole range of academic skills (Carl Warom of Philosophy Exchange Leeds bit.ly/uked15sep04 listed 68 of them!), but it also aims to help children think better, act wisely and improve the quality of their lives.

Value: Why should we do philosophy with children?

Shortly after receiving the death sentence for corrupting the youth of Athens, Socrates is said to have heard a flute player reciting a melody. He asks the musician to teach him how to play it. His friends are aghast at this, for what is the use of learning to play a new piece of music when death is so near? Socrates replies that there is, of course, no use at all, but that the music remains beautiful.

Educators might look to P4C as a useful tool for improving academic skills, developing the whole child and raising attainment. These are all good reasons to do philosophy. However, it might be better to set aside all these benefits. Philosophy has an intrinsic value. It is part of what it means to be human.

Arabella @MissAVECarter is a Teacher of Ethical and Religious Studies at an independent secondary school in Derbyshire. She is an advocate of philosophy with children and a supporter of the importance of good Religious Education. She contributes regularly to discussions on those themes via her blog missavecarter.wordpress.com and for @BlogSyncRE.

An Inside Look:

By Arabella Carter

Philosophy in Schools with Students

As someone working with educational technology in both research and industry, I am constantly facing the problem of how to evaluate the impact of any technology intervention. With my focus being on the development of higher level thinking skills, this makes it even more challenging, as developing such skills takes time and they are not easily measured by the traditional pre-test and post-test approach.

During my investigation of possible approaches to help with such evaluation, I came across the theories of CHAT (Cultural Historical Activity Theory) in “Vygotsky’s Neglected Legacy: Cultural-Historical Activity Theory” by Roth and Lee, and ‘Expansive Learning’ by Engeström, which also builds on CHAT. While I won’t go through the details of these, as that would make for a long and boring article (and partly because I haven’t fully understood them yet), I’ve already gained some very useful insights on what to look at when evaluating learning.

The main point for me was that it enforced my view that we should move away from judging how successful any intervention is based solely on the ‘subject-specific’ knowledge that students have gained (or were expected to gain) - despite that being the easiest bit to measure, and probably why everyone uses it as they analytical metric.

CHAT theory widens our view of what to look at in any learning session. This includes, in addition to subject knowledge, skills such as:

• Collaborating with others.This largely depends on how the roles were divided within

the task, which CHAT formally terms ‘division of labour’. Students may develop and demonstrate different types of social skills within a group. These are worthy of observing and developing as working in groups is a key skill that is required and valued by employers.

• Using available tools to reach the desired objective.Here, CHAT helps in expanding our interpretation of tools,

e.g. to go beyond technology, and to look at the use of language or different thinking skills as tools to achieve a goal.

• The ability to adapt to, and work within, the rules/constraints of the community and environment where learning is expected to happen.

Such rules can be those imposed by the classroom and the teacher, the school, or even the community outside the school.

In addition to these, CHAT emphasises the importance of looking into issues related to the individuals themselves, e.g. motivation, confidence, behaviour, and identity. As highlighted by Roth and Lee, these are integral to cognition, knowing, and learning; they are not independent or peripheral factors. Therefore, focusing on the material being taught rather than the students who should be learning it, leads to ignoring many of the integral parts related to cognition - rendering a teaching process that is highly inefficient.

Improvements in any of these points is a considerable achievement, which can be overlooked when only measuring progress on subject-specific knowledge.

The concepts of learning by expanding, on the other hand, help in appreciating the benefits of each of the above points from an interesting perspective: that of expanding action possibilities (and thus opportunities). Things can look different when looked at in this way, and that’s why I am a theories fan: getting different lenses to see the world through. We can evaluate the value of any skill in terms of whether it expands our opportunities, e.g. learning and employment. This is obvious for basic skills such as reading and writing.

One of the arguments I particularly liked was about working with peers with similar set of skills and knowledge. Peer learning has always been discussed as very useful - because different people have different skills and knowledge, so people learn from each other. According to this view, working with someone with the same set of skills and knowledge will not be of benefit to learning. However, if we look at working with such peers in terms of whether this expands their range of possibilities, our view will change. Solving a problem with peers expands not only the range of actions that they can do, but also the actions they ‘will have to do’. Students will have to make explicit, and explain, some of their thinking to others in the process: this is likely to lead to arguments, explanations, and debates that are very useful to the learning process. This argument is even more evident in situations where students ‘learn by doing’, e.g. labs or field trips. There are certain things that can’t be done individually e.g. measuring large areas or using certain devices. Working with peers will expand the range of possible actions to make things otherwise not possible, possible.

The same expiation of the possible actions/opportunities argument can be applied to demonstrate possibly less-recognised values of many other skills, or the use of different tools in learning such as smartphones, or search engines.

So while my understanding of CHAT so far helped me look at a much wider set of aspects (including the variety of skills used in a learning session), Expansive Learning gave me another way to look at how such skills can benefit students in their learning process.

The conclusion for me, and as far as evaluating new technology or learning approach intervention, is that learning about, or using, skills and tools that expand opportunities of learning, should not be treated as inferior to demonstrating progress in subject-specific knowledge. Now I just need to figure out how this can help with my evaluation challenge.

Appreciating the value of skills: Evaluation beyond subject specific knowledge.

By Dr. Ahmed Kharrufa

Dr. Ahmed Kharrufa is the Director of Reflective Thinking and a Research Associate of Newcastle University. His research interest is in how technology can support learning, with a focus on collaboration. Ahmed has developed Digital Mysteries, which involves students problem-solving together while developing critical thinking and communication skills.

06 UKED Magazine

A special UKEdChat feature

ChallengingMindsets

Advocating a ‘Growth Mindset’ among our pupils seems a sensible strategy in schools, as we encourage pupils to strive to overcome the learning challenges that they face each day as they enter a plethora of challenging lessons. The Growth Mindset mantra has become embedded in the language of many school leaders and teachers as they recognise that a Fixed Mindset can hold learning and progress back, potentially obstructing individual achievements.

All this is very well, and many teachers and leaders are buying into the concept, investing time and resources to understand the philosophy behind Growth Mindsets, but what do you do if you are working within a school culture where many practices are embedded in routines which are often excused by a “we’ve always done it like this” attitude when challenged.

Arguably, challenging the Fixed Mindsets of students can be easier to manage. In the main, they are open to new

ideas; they are keen to learn new ways; they are keen to try out new things; it is easy to support students who get stuck in a rut. Enter the staffroom though and you could be faced with the complete opposite, with colleagues who are well and truly stuck in a Fixed Mindset, thank you very much, and being happy to come and go without little willingness to improve or challenge their own teaching – and woe betides if you accidentally pour yourself a coffee using their treasured mug!

This is where the Mindset concept in schools can fail, with the Mindset architect, Carol Dweck, speaking at the Festival of Education earlier this year, stressed that the idea should not be used as a ‘feel good thing’ and challenged that ‘It’s a learning thing’. This is true, but the outcome will be low due to the fact that most adults working within schools, and those influencing students outside the school setting have a fixed mindset, continuing to treat students accordingly. Speaking at the Annual Visible Learning Conference in Texas, John Hattie asserted that this will continue to stay low unless we change our practices in the classroom.

Hattie contended that practices in schools help embed a fixed mindset in pupils: we put students in ability groups; scoring them on tests that help to label them; place them in ‘intervention’ groups, and so on, which all helps feed the fixed mindset. It is what a school does that is key, so a growth mindset is not about words, it’s about the actions

and strategies within a school that needs to be challenged if you are going to have a truly growth mindset culture.

The challenge is to understand the Mindset theory fully and to embark on a whole-school culture change journey, adopting the idea as a strategy which all can buy in to. As Dweck argued, “Sheer effort isn’t the ultimate value – it’s about learning and improvement”, and this needs to be embraced by everyone within the school community: pupils; parents; teaching assistants, teachers; leaders, and; governors!

Here are our tips to encourage a Growth Mindset culture within your school:

1. READ THE THEORY BEHIND THE CONCEPT: Too many people advocate the Mindset theory, but have not fully read the research. Read Dweck’s book (It’s not rocket science, and really is an easy read) to get to grips with the ideas behind it, and think how the ideas could be implemented in your school. Encourage others to read it, and pass the book around your colleagues!

2. CHALLENGE THE FIXED MINDSET – Forgive us if we portray Fixed Mindset individuals in a negative way – it’s easy to do and we must not quick to demonise those with a Fixed Mindset. It will take time for these individuals to move away from their corner. Encourage, challenge and highlight the positives outcomes that this could achieve for pupils. It is within everyone’s best interest – few can argue against this!

3. TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THE CONCEPT – Yes, you. No-one should take charge of the mindset concept. Your mindset is your mindset. It’s not management talk, it’s a theory which you can take charge of.

4. EXAMINE PRACTICES AND STRATEGIES THAT LABEL OR DEFINE – Examine the impact that various strategies, practices or interventions could be having on the individuals. The whole school culture needs to be scrutinised, with anything that encourages a fixed mindset in need of being questioned.

View on Amazon at

bit.ly/mindpotentialPaperBack: £7.69 Kindle: £7.49

Prices correct at time of publication

5. REMEMBER THAT MISPLACED EFFORT PRAISE IS EITHER INEFFECTIVE, OR EVEN HARMFUL – As Dweck reminded us, “Sheer effort isn’t the ultimate value – it’s about learning and improvement, so don’t use growth mindset as a feel good thing, it’s a learning thing!

6. SHARE THE IDEA – Whenever possible, share the Mindset strategy to all stakeholders. You cannot, and should not, enforce Growth Mindset onto individuals. It is up to them to make that decision, and it’s a personal decision.

We have heard a lot of talk about the growth mindset idea, but we need to understand that our actions may be counterproductive to putting it all into action. Arguably, it is more important that adults working in schools have a growth mindset more than students, as it is their actions that can have such a dramatic impact on learning attitudes. Actions speak louder than words, and if we are to believe that growth mindsets are important for our pupils, then we need demonstrate actions to make it happen.

Never miss an issue...Subscribe to UKED Magazine

Receive the magazine via email by going to

ukedchat.com/emailsAvailable free online

Subscribe to the printed edition of Magazine and get it delivered straight to your door for as

little as £1 per issue

The magazine is free. Just pay Postage and Packing*

Monthly individual copy £2.50 p&pYearly individual copy £24 p&p

Monthly 5 copies £6 p&pYearly 5 copies £60 p&p

See details at

ukedchat.com/magazine*Prices for UK delivery. Overseas may vary.

Learning Journey Prompts

08 UKED Magazine

By Tim Clarke

Our aim as a school was to consider questions we could use to encourage the pupils to think about and discuss what they were learning, as opposed what they were doing. As a new (opened in September 2013) and growing (currently 68 pupils but predicted to have 630 by 2021) school we have discussed the concept of the journey of development we are on and often to talk to the children about their learning journey. Most of our children have some experience of packing for, going on and unpacking after a journey. I particularly like the concept of ‘unpacking’ the learning from the activity with the pupils.

Following a fantastic day’s training on Growth Mindset with Barry Hymer and seeing an example of a 3 course menu of questions, I created a draft version of “Learning Journey Prompts” for us to use with our pupils. Staff have been keen and supportive, moving the initial idea forwards in lots of ways. These include redesigning a ‘Kebab Lesson plan’ to include specific questions at specific points, and creating small laminated cards with questions that can hang from our lanyards for easy access. Staff have also been involved in rewording some of the questions to make sure they are more appropriate for the age group.

PACKING for a Learning JourneyWhat are we going to learn today? What interests you? Why is it important?What skills do you have that might be helpful? Have you learnt anything similar before?What might be a challenge for you? What questions might you ask? What might you need to help you today?

GOING ON a Learning JourneyWhat have you been thinking about? How does this link to what you have learnt before? How do you feel?What success have you had? How do you know? What challenges / barriers have you found?How might you check your work? What questions might you ask?What strategies / advice have you used? How have you been involved? How have you worked with others?What choices have you made?What are you going to do differently now? What should you do to develop your learning / further your thinking?What do you want to find out more about?

UNPACKING from a Learning JourneyWhat 3 things have you learnt? What did you learn that you didn’t know before? How have your ideas / opinions changed?What was important about this learning for you? How have you challenged yourself? How were you successful today? How do you know?What could have made this session better for your learning? What do you need to develop this learning?What have you learnt that you could use elsewhere? How will you use what you have learnt?What have you learnt that you could share with someone else?

Tim @tim_jumpclarke is headteacher of @cornerstonecofe. He is fascinated by teaching & learning and is a keen networker who is driven by needs of the learners.

ukedchat.com/magazine 0908 UKED Magazine

Work in aneducational company?

UKED Magazine & UKEdChat.com are read by thousands of educators each day.

Work with us to support your business.

Cost effective and wide educational reach

Contacteditor@ukedchat.com

for details.

Nominate your favourite UK & international

educators to follow on Twitter

Recent

Discussions

Schools on TVbit.ly/uked15sep05

The Power of Twitter for Developing Teaching Practice

bit.ly/uked15sep07

Every Thursday night from 8pm (UK)

Search Twitter for the#UKEdChat hashtag

How can we best Facilitate Personalisation and Choice in modern day classrooms?

bit.ly/uked15sep06

Differentiation is Easy”bit.ly/uked15sep08

bit.ly/edtweeps2015

10 UKED Magazine

I’ve always felt marking to be an important yet time consuming aspect of the job. Throughout my NQT year I felt that my marking went unnoticed by the students most of the time; they just wanted to know what grade they got and didn’t take notice of the advice they were given. A lot has changed since then and I’ve realised the power of meaningful feedback.

This year I’ve worked on engaging learners in the feedback process by developing meaningful self and peer assessment as well as incorporating Directed Improvement and Reflection Time (DIRT) into the planning of my schemes of work.

I feel if we spend the time marking, it might as well be beneficial and productive for the students; it should have an impact and encourage development of their work. Therefore a few months ago I set about creating some DIRT sheets (below), which I’ve used with my classes in a number of ways. For instance after GCSE students completed an exam question, they were given feedback and re-wrote their answer to the same question – it was quite clear when marking it the second time around that the feedback had been beneficial and they’d progress. Another way I’ve used them has been after KS3 pupils have created a piece of extended writing, pupils were given feedback and then had the choice to either improve their SPaG, to level up or to quite simply improve their answer.

Since creating my original DIRT sheets, which have been used across the school, as well as my departmental DIRT display, I’ve become more and more interested in marking and feedback. I was recently invited to take part in the work scrutiny which I found really insightful and have since been researching techniques.

Whilst I was thinking about and researching marking and feedback, I decided to make a few subject specific DIRT sheets for other staff to use.

I’ve found they help to make the improvements stand out in their books and for some reason they help to improve presentation, which is never a bad thing.

How to useThe idea is that once learners have read and taken on board

the feedback in which they are given, they then improve or level up their work on a DIRT sheet.

Directed Improvement & Reflection Time

Sheets

Victoria Hewett is Head of Humanities at a secondary school in Kent. She freely shares whole school and subject specific teaching and learning resources via her blog at mrshumanities.wordpress.com and can be found on Twitter @mrshumanities.

Find these sheets at ukedchat.com/WSR00030

by Victoria Hewett

ukedchat.com/SEE00002 ukedchat.com/SMA00004 ukedchat.com/SCO00003 ukedchat.com/SSC00008

ukedchat.com/SFL00002 ukedchat.com/SMU00001 ukedchat.com/SEH00005

ukedchat.com/SDT00001 ukedchat.com/SPE00001

ukedchat.com/SGE00001

Find hundred more resources at

ukedchat.com/resourcesand link to your own resources

ukedchat.com/magazine 11

12 UKED Magazine12 UKED Magazine

Upload your resources to online storage like Dropbox or Google

Drive

Write a few details and provide the link on

ukedchat.com/resources

Everyone can access your resources without signing in and you retain control

& the right of your resources.

Finished? Try one of these…ukedchat.com/WSR00010

By @misstait_85

First to Five competitive quizukedchat.com/WSR00027

By @ICTmagic

Find hundred more resources at ukedchat.com/resources and link to your own resources

Browse our community pages to find other educators to collaborate with

ukedchat.com/communityand even add yourself

Find great deals and discounts for leading educational companies atukedchat.com/directory

Guess what? gameukedchat.com/WSR00026

By @ICTmagic

The UKED Market is being developed for educator and schools to find educational products from a range of big and small

provides in one central place. Contact us via

ukedchat.com/contactfor details about how you can sell your products.

ukedchat.com/magazine 13

ukedchat.com/ictmagic

The best digital resources from

Sonic Pi bit.ly/uked15sep09

Spreeder bit.ly/uked15sep11

Meerkat bit.ly/uked15sep13

Code-Monster bit.ly/uked15sep15

Adobe Voice bit.ly/uked15sep10

Follow @ICTmagic on TwitterGet email updates viaukedchat.com/emails

Sushi Monster bit.ly/uked15sep12

Refraction bit.ly/uked15sep14

FotoBabble bit.ly/uked15sep16

14 UKED Magazine

The Art of

Listeningby Suzanne Axelsson

ukedchat.com/magazine 15

Epictetus once said that:

“Whoever is going to listen to the philosophers needs considerable practice

in listening”I would like to update this and write whoever is

going to participate in a philosophical dialogue needs considerable practice in listening, children and adults alike. Working philosophically with preschoolers soon revealed itself as a mission for myself to explore listening.

I needed to learn how to listen to the children without a learning agenda – to be open to their creativity and to become a facilitator of the dialogue rather than a leader of the dialogue. The children needed to learn how to listen to each other – so that it was not a series of monologues listened to by the teacher. Most importantly there was a need to listen to understand rather than listen to answer.

I remember the day before our first structured philosophy session thinking “this is never going to work”. The children could barely sit in a morning meeting without testing how much space they could take or exploring how others would react to pokes and prods – and then it struck me... a circle of chairs, dimmed lights and candles in the middle. The children gathered the next day, they sat quietly and they participated in a ten minute philosophy session. I was over the moon.

We also used talking rings (essentially serviette rings) – a silver one for the facilitator and a perspex one for the children. The idea being that if we want the children to listen to each other, then we as adults should not elevate our listened to status. We too need a ring to allow us to talk, just as the children. The talking rings are a concrete way for the children to see the turn-taking of a dialogue, and that there is both talking and listening. Those with the ring can share their ideas and opinions, the others listen – never be just quiet, as being quiet is passive, and listening is an active verb. Having a second talking ring (it can be a stone, stick, ball etc) allows the facilitator to fluently support the children communicate their ideas through open questions.

After each session I would read back to the children the notes I had taken during the session, trying my best to write verbatim (including pauses). The children are encouraged to correct or adjust their ideas – in the early days of our philosophy sessions, when the children were 2-3 years old, this was our

meta-dialogue. Now, two years later we have explored different ways of engaging in a meta-dialogue – from exploring their ideas through play to actual dialogues about the dialogue.

Listening is a skill that takes time to develop – we do lots of listening games, art explorations and activities to support listening, self-regulation and collaboration. Philosophy is, after all, a community of learners, and building the community is an essential part of the process. These listening games and play have been an important part of the pre-verbal philosophy. For example, passing an object around the circle requires the children to not only give but also to receive – just as a dialogue is about talking (giving) and receiving (listening) – without both parts the object does not get round the circle easily – it also requires taking turns – if we all talk at once there is no-one left to listen. The bubble game has also helped a great deal with turn taking and self-regulation. We sit in a circle and as I blow bubbles I whisper a child’s name, that child gets to come into the middle and pop the bubbles. Often I will choose the same child several time in a row to pop the bubbles in the middle of the circle as a way of practicing not to switch off the instant they have had their turn as they never know when their turn will come next. The game is very popular with the children and it has developed over time with the children to meet their needs as a group and as listeners.

TIME is, without a shadow of a doubt, been the most important part of the process. Giving the children and myself the time to explore listening and philosophy at our own pace so that it can be anchored as a genuine skill. I have worked with the same children for close to three years and have seen how their 10 minute series of monologues has developed into 20-50 minute dialogues. I have also seen how it has enabled the children in all their dialogues, and parents have confirmed the same thing at home that their children question and argument their case in a respectful way.

Suzanne Axelsson @SuzanneAxelsson is a teacher at Filosofiska Preschool in Stockholm, Sweden. She shares her learning journey on her blog Interaction Imaginationat interactionimagination.blogspot.se and has given listening and play workshops and presentations in Canada, Sweden, Palestine, USA, UK and Iceland.

Image credit: flickr.com/photos/34547181@N00/6023268510/ by Philippe Put used under Commercial Creative Commons 2.0 License.

Whilst many teachers and leaders are enjoying a well deserved break, we are launching our 2015 Twitter Use Survey again over the next month, as we

explore how educators are using Social Media to improve learning experiences within their classrooms. The research is part of a Doctorate Study with the Uni-versity of Glasgow, with this stage of the research openly welcoming educators

from around the globe.

Visit bit.ly/uked15twittersurveyOn average, the survey takes approximately 5 minutes to complete

Change the

ObjectiveDifferentiation isn’t always about creating lots of different

activities or worksheets. It can be, and in an ideal world in my classroom at least, I love it when circumstances allow for that. But the reality is that sometimes that can’t happen, and sometimes it doesn’t need to happen. In fact sometimes, it’s best if everyone does the same piece of work. Most of my students find extended writing challenging, so much so that many come to me not being able or willing to even try them. So when I plan extended writing activities, I like it to be an all singing, all dancing kind of affair. I like to act things out, show films, read books, get out the Lego, make potions, or even throw Baby Corn in the air. And, yes as those of you who have been reading for a while will know – sometimes I even like to break the rules by standing on a chair on a table!

These kind of lessons, the ones with the real ‘wow’ factor, work best if the whole class is engaged in the same kind of activity. Apart from anything else, the craziness I embark upon to get everyone interested and engaged with what we’re going to write about, would make it far too distracting for anyone to concentrate on doing anything else!

So in these lessons, I have to think about differentiation in a different way. I have to think about outcomes rather than input. OK, so I want all of my students to produce an extended piece of writing, but what do I really want individuals to focus on? What do I want them to learn?

For me these learning outcomes are usually something different for everyone, but in a larger class it may be that groups of students have the same objective. For one of my students it might be, ‘I really want you to focus on using full stops and capital letters’, for another it may be ‘I want you to challenge yourself and see how many different connectives you can include’ and for another it may be

content based ‘I want you to really think how you could create a surprise for your reader within the story.’

So whilst my class are all essentially writing the same piece, which allows me to make sure my input has been as engaging as possible, their individual focus is different. What they are working on and learning is personalised. The key to the success of it; is to find a way that works for you, of letting your students know what you want them to focus on; what you want them to learn. I use post-it notes, but you could stickers or even large pieces of paper in the middle of tables in larger classes.

This is really easy differentiation, but it’s differentiation that will make a difference. It will make a difference to how well your students learn but even more importantly it will make a difference to how they feel about themselves as learners. These small steps and an individual focus will make them realise that they can achieve. Go on, give it a go, personalise your objectives! What have you got to lose?Victoria Hatton @funASDteacher is an Autism Inclusion Co-Ordinator at a large mainstream secondary school in Yorkshire. Part of that role is being lead teacher in a unit within the school for students with ASC and extreme anxiety. She writes a blog differentiationiseasy.com to help mainstream staff differentiate for students with Autism.

Image credit: flickr.com/photos/86979666@N00/7829098984 by Tsahi Levent-Levi used under Commercial Creative Commons 2.0 License.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

ukedchat.com/magazine 19

Recently on UKEdChat.com

Spelling lists – to send home or not? by ConfessionsOfASencobit.ly/uked15sep21

If you would like to re-blog your blog posts on ukedchat.com, enter your details at

bit.ly/ukedreblogUKEdChatRe-Blog

Naked Education: Marking

by @retiredgrinchbit.ly/uked15sep27

Routines – Friend or Foe? by @funASDteacherbit.ly/uked15sep22

Quick ‘n Dirty Guide to Publishing by

@loni_bergqvistbit.ly/uked15sep23

The Idea of Wellbeing by @chrysalisleader

bit.ly/uked15sep24

Using SoundCloud to share Children’s Work by

@stevie_caldwellbit.ly/uked15sep25

We can’t possibly allow this! by @Dai_James1942

bit.ly/uked15sep26

Resource: OverType - Typewriter

bit.ly/uked15sep19

Parents’ Maths Anxiety can Undermine Children

bit.ly/uked15sep18

Sport TV Exposing children to thousands of alcohol-

adverts per yearbit.ly/uked15sep17

Minecraft Teaching Resources by

@DrFogLearningbit.ly/uked15sep28

Pupils take Nine Weeks to catch-up after Summer Break

bit.ly/uked15sep20

18 UKED Magazine

I have been in some classrooms that looked more depressing than the set of Prisoner Cell Block H. Within ten minutes I was counting the ceiling tiles and wondering if I might politely leave, and that is me as a grown up who is dedicated to learning. The children in that room didn’t stand a chance. A classroom like an exclusion room, and materials printed off the internet do not make for inspired and inspiring young people. I want to see the kind of lessons that children are talking about down the corridor, the sort of teaching where the class is surprised when the bell goes because they were so immersed in what they were doing. Allowing the children, (and their learning) to be more creative can reap massive rewards, here are some ideas to help you empower children to think (and learn) better.

In your lesson always set the challenge of the activity right. You need to account for various ability levels, and so activities need to be differentiated. I have checked the OFSTED website and no where does it say that these need to all be written tasks. So instead of ‘once you have finished the work read page 14 and complete questions 1 and 2,’ type approach, why not have children model their learning using playdough. If you are feeling time rich you could make this at home,

CreativeCreative

but one thing I would advise is not putting glitter in it - looks pretty, gets *everywhere.* I can feel some reading this rolling their eyes at the idea of using playdough. I have had A-level students modelling postmodern concepts before, the only limitations is the culture of expectations in the room. You need to think hard about how you phrase the task so that they are adding too or consolidating their learning.

You can chose to have children express their learning in any number of ways, but I always found that by giving the class a different means to express what they have learnt, and setting the task to stretch their thinking, the results were always of a very high standard. Another way of thinking about making your classroom a more creative place is in having a carousel of activities where they have to complete different non traditional tasks. For example, they might have to tweet (for real or using slips of paper with 140 characters) their learning, draw it, play a word game like hangman, junk model or even make a vine (http://vine.co) about what they have learnt. This works especially well as an extended plenary, and you would of course adapt the activities depending on the type of children you have in your class.

The

By Rachel Jones

Classroom

In order to do these kind of activities you need a well stocked classroom. Send an email to teacher colleagues letting them know you want to try collaging or junk modelling and pretty soon you will have enough resources. Alongside having the actual *stuff* you need to do making in your room you also need to possible retune your teacher mentality. This isn’t really stand up at the front on the class kind of approach. You design the task, or you could work with the children to redefine their learning objectives as they progress. There will be mess, you will have to relinquish having the type of classroom control where everyone sits in neat rows. I believe there is a time and a place for both types of learning, and for every activity that involves scissors or glue there should also be a silent reading or essay practice lesson. The real skill is in finding the right balance so that you can use the making activities as a meaningful hook for learning, but also be able to develop the academic skills that children will need in both their school career and later life.

Allowing students to be creative I feel gives them not only autonomy over their own learning, but also encourages them to engage as they have had a say in the process. This is also true when thinking about homework, and giving children the choice over *how* or *what* they produce in terms of homework can be very rewarding for them. An example of this is the #takeawayhomework idea which did the rounds of Twitter last year, where student can select the level of difficulty of task over three ‘courses.’ Alongside an idea like that is when setting homework give the children choice of a more traditional task, or for example, writing a rap or creating an Instagram (http://instagram.com) account of their learning. Even something as simple as students blogging their work can give them the freedom to chose the template, and thus give them pride in the outcomes.

Being creative in your classroom has been identified more with primary practitioners. However, there is a lot to be gained from secondary colleagues encouraging this kind of classroom culture too. The vast majority of primary school children skip into school, eager to learn. Something happens as they grow older where school is seen as a chore, and learning is not cool. I myself will try anything that might encourage our learners to not only engage, but also take ownership of their learning - and having a creative classroom is one such tool to try.

Rachel Jones is a teacher and e-Learning coordinator, and is author of TeacherGeek. She shares interesting ideas about pedagogy and other geeky stuff on her blog at createinnovateexplore.com. You can find her on Twitter @rlj1981.

Image credit: flickr.com/photos/kwarz/13974382668 by zeitfaenger.at used under Commercial Creative Commons 2.0 License.flickr.com/photos/insidious_plots/4835875702 by christopher cornelius used under Commercial Creative Commons 2.0 License.flickr.com/photos/thehacktory/8569520817 by The Hacktory used under Commercial Creative Commons 2.0 License.flickr.com/photos/jdhancock/3948724485 by JD Hancock used under Commercial Creative Commons 2.0 License.

View on Amazon at

bit.ly/teachergeekPaperBack: £16.99

Kindle: £10.44Prices correct at time of publication

Book ShelfBook ShelfThis much I know about love over fear…: Creating a culture for truly great teaching by John Tomsett @johntomsett

I’ve delayed writing my review of this book because I wanted to find the right words to convey my reading experience. After much thought, the best word to describe this book is: humility. This is not just a book about education, this is a book about John, and John appears to be a very interesting and humble man. This is a book that extols the virtues of human spirit as much as the esoteric of education. Before you begin reading, there are numerous testimonials from a variety of well-respected individuals within the learning community, each sharing their own interactions with his words. To gain so many personal, detailed endorsements is testament to the value of the contents.

John begins by building up a picture of his childhood in 1970’s East Sussex. The son of a postman and a cleaner, he is one of their five children and as readers we are privy to memories such as household life, family staycations and the struggle to make ends meet. This is shared with the reader to demonstrate what John refers to as the foundations of his moral purpose as a school leader and as the book progresses and we learn more and more about John’s life, the value of experience in education becomes apparent. Some might feel that knowledge and experience are separate entities; in education they are sometimes pitched against each other as if one could work successfully without the other. Through his writing, John demonstrates a necessary relationship between the two.

The book is not fashioned to be used as a ‘how to’ for creating success. Everything within is offered through the perspective of John’s experience not only of the classroom, but of life, with links being drawn as to what informs his values and motivations and how they influence his work. At a time when ideology and politics are hot topics in education he has managed to produce a book that demonstrates how these are necessarily intertwined with our own background without being confrontational about it; what we do in schools is informed not only by knowledge, but by our experiences. Perhaps what this book helps to crystallise is that teachers and leaders are first and foremost people - how we walk the words of our values from the abstract to the real as school leaders reflects not just what we know but how we know and enact it. It also serves to demonstrate that education is never truly apolitical; knowledge as a mere transmission of facts only part defines what effective teaching can look like in schools because it neglects the importance of transactions of trust, care and compassion.

One of the biggest strengths of this book is its ability to transcend; regardless of current role, age or experience within teaching you will feel a connection to it. It’s possible those with some secure classroom experience may gain a

View on Amazon atbit.ly/thismuchiknow

20 UKED Magazine

Reviews by Kieran Dhunna Halliwell @Ezzy_Moon

little more than NQT’s but that is not to say those newer to the profession shouldn’t read it. At the very least, it puts a focus on teaching being about people rather than solely systems and personally, I felt I wanted to interview John throughout my time reading. Reading this book is like being given 1:1 mentor time with an expert - but John would never describe himself as an expert. He is a man who has analysed his role and shared what he feels is useful to others.

As a reader I cannot find fault. The only criticism I can come up with is stolen from a housemate who upon seeing the title ‘This much I know…’ commented that it was a thin book, yet that is exactly what makes it worth reading! It is refined. It is digestible. It is unpretentious. I get the impression motivations for writing this book were more of a personal challenge than writing for an audience; the contents within are the modest observations of a man who has committed his life to education. As someone newer to the profession, that is inspiring. It inadvertently raises questions about our own places within education and the kind of legacy we may be leaving whilst also showing that changes in policy, approaches and ideology are not the only drivers of our practice.

If you’re looking for a book that will encourage you to reflect without explicitly directing you to or a book that will make you think about how what is done in a classroom is shaped by the backgrounds that shape us, then I highly recommend this book. Equally, if you are looking for a book that offers insights into tried and tested practice, supported by anecdotes and reasoning, this book will be a useful addition to your library. I enjoyed reading and it is no exaggeration to say that John’s journey will be kept in mind as I continue on my own; this book serves as a timeless mentor packed full of informed, personal experience, and as readers what we choose to do with that is up to us.

www.UKEd.Careers

Sign up to subject and age group specific job alerts in your region

bit.ly/ukedjobs1bit.ly/ukedjobs2bit.ly/ukedjobs3bit.ly/ukedjobs4bit.ly/ukedjobs5

North England & MidlandsNorthern Ireland

South EnglandScotland & Isle of Man

Wales

uked.careers/resumesSchools can browse potential candidates at

Schools can get new potential candidates emails via

bit.ly/ukedschools

From just

£85November 2015

Makers in the Classroom (DT, Design & STEM)Deadline: 4th October 2015

December 2015Religious Education & World Culture

Deadline: 1st November 2015

January 2016Technology Enhancing LearningDeadline: 21st November 2015

February 2016Home/School Collaboration (Homework, parents)

Deadline: 18th December 2015

March 2016Careers and Development

Deadline: 29th January 2016

April 2016Revision & Testing

Deadline: 26th February 2016

May 2016Assessment & Feedback

Deadline: 25th March 2016

June 2016Transition & Moving On

Deadline: 22th April 2016

July 2016Sport & PE (Olympics)

Deadline: 20th May 2016

August 2016Well Being (For teachers & pupils (PSHE))

Deadline: 17th June 2016

September 2016Classroom ManagementDeadline: 22th July 2016

October 2016STEM (Science, Tech, Engineering & Maths)

Deadline: 19th August 2016

Write for our October Space & Science issue, or future editions of the magazine

Go toukedchat.com/magazine/submit

to tell us your idea.

22 UKED Magazine

Monday morning. Jimmy, John and Martha sit in a huddle, anticipating and wondering what the next teaching and learning instalment will bring to their education experience.

Jimmy: (leaning in towards John and Martha, head slightly to one side) Good weekend? Shattered I am. Spent so much time thinking about the History homework, and the Maths stuff, then there was the Geography project, and I had to fit in some on-line gaming, my head’s completely fried, and I don’t think I can think anymore. My brain just ain’t workin’.

Martha: (grey under the eyes and a little more tired than usual) Me too. I had to do such a lot of thinking about all sorts of things this weekend! Not just about school work, but my bike got a puncture coming down the mountain and I had no way of fixing it. Phew…it was a nightmare. So, I had to think about the extra time it would take me to get home and what I was going to tell my mum and dad because my phone battery had gone dead too. Flipping heck I was in right a state…I couldn’t think about anything.

John: (eyes wide, listening intently to the others) Nothing much to report guys, just one of those typical, didn’t do much, just lazy weekends really.

Jimmy: Well….you know what’s going to happen next don’t you? Every Monday morning, the same old same old routine…one of those thinking sessions! (Huffs!) Guys, I think my brain has run out of batteries! I’m so tired, been thinking so much on the weekend that my brain is frazzled, all mushed up an’ stuff.

Martha: Yeah…me too. I haven’t got an ON/OFF button for my thinking, I just can’t turn it on when the teacher wants me to, or anyone else for that matter, and then when I’m doing other stuff, I get some great ideas, but I can’t share them because it’s not the right ‘Thinking Time’ in our school day. (Huffs too!)

John: (slowly tucking his hand into his trouser pocket and in a secretive way, slowly slides a little doodle pad out to show them – sketches, words, doodles and all sorts, just a maze of John’s thinking in a little notebook! – making the sure Mrs Halliwell doesn’t see) Sorted guys. I got myself a…. Thinking Space. My Nan gave it to me and said whenever I needed to think, share my thinking stuff, or just got a great idea, I could jot it down in here. It’s fab. And….she bought me some well cool sharpies to doodle with too. I get the most brilliant ideas at the weirdest of times, not when I say to myself, right John time to think, but when I’m just watching TV, or talking to my nan, or just having a shower. It’s great. This is my ‘Thinking Time’ and it comes alive in my doodle book. Shhhhhh….she’s coming.

Jimmy & Martha: (wide eyed, curious and excited by this new Thinking Space, they are intrigued and look at each other with raised eyebrows and a sense of approval. The gently nod their heads…giving John the thumbs up!)

Jimmy: (to Martha and John) Best we turn our thinking switches on then guys, here it comes, one of those weird questions and a picture. That Monday morning ‘Thinking Time’

Martha: (with a sad and deflated expression, whispers to the boys) I just can’t turn my brain on when someone else asks me to think, forces me to, when I’m not ‘in the zone and stuff’ it doesn’t work like that……why can’t it be when I want to share my thinking? Ohh….I’m gonna to be rubbish a this…..again!

John: (with a slight urgency in his rocking motion towards them, reaches into his bag and pulls out two Doodle books for Martha and Jimmy, those Thinking Spaces as he calls them) My nan says, because we are such good friends you two could have one as well and we can see, and share, what we think at different times…..? There was three in a pack anyway…and I thought…great share with you two, my best buddies.

Jimmy & Martha: (Together in an excited voice) Cooooooool.

ThinkingGetting Kids

by Nina Jackson

ukedchat.com/magazine 23

Nina Jackson is an Education Consultant and leading practitioner in outstanding learning and teaching. Author of ‘Of Teaching, Learning & Sherbet Lemons’ ‘The Little Book of Music for the Classroom’ Twitter: @musicmind Blog: Teach Learn Create (TLC) at teachlearncreate.com/blog. She is also Associate Director with Independent Thinking Ltd.

Image credit: commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colored-Pencils.jpg by Evan-Amos used under Commercial Creative Commons 2.0 License.

Of Teaching, Learning and Sherbet Lemons:

A compendium of careful advice for teachersPaperBack: £16.99

Kindle: £16.14

Prices correct at time of publication

Getting kids to think (or anyone else for that matter) at a given, prescriptive time, when the curriculum, syllabus or lesson demands it, isn’t the best way of developing the thinking process and trying to get the best from learners. We need to be aware that our thinking processes change on a daily basis depending on our physical, emotional and cognitive state. When getting kids thinking me mindful of these factors, as none of us have ON/OFF Thinking switches in our brains.

However, my top tip for you is to give learners opportunities and experiences of capturing their thinking at different times. This can be in any format. Digital, Doodle Books, Talks, Art, Graffiti Walls, Learning Tiles & Tattoos - any form that helps with the thinking process, which is unique to that individual. We are all the same and yet we are all different.

Our three learners Jimmy, Johnny and Martha, without realising what they were discussing at the time, were being quite philosophical about their own thinking and what works and doesn’t work – sometimes. Talk is good, talking can be thinking in action and yet there is so much more I could share with you….in fact we could be here for weeks on end chatting and debating about ‘thinking’. But, for now I will ask you to think about thinking in a different way, and wonder how you can capture magical moments of creativity, awe and wonder from learners, as well as the critical, logical and reasoning of thinking. Hang on….I’ve had a thought…..

Maybe, some thinking is best kept private!

View on Amazon atwww.bit.ly/sherbetlemons

Generic DIRT sheet by @MrsHumanitiesA non-subject specific Directed Improvement and Reflection Time Sheet for students.Download at ukedchat.com/WSR00029

ukedchat.com/resources