TLC 2- Challenge

This has been one of my favourite sessions to deliver. We started by talking about proxies for learning, and how incorporating challenging elements could help us ensure deep learning was taking place.

Then I showed the group this graph, and built some struggle time into the session. I felt this brought interesting and unexpected results, with staff reflecting on skill, ability and when it might be appropriate to challenge students. There was a long discussion about whipping eggs for meringue, which led to a debate about the importance of seemingly unchallenging processes. We concluded that even within the simplest element of a lesson, there are opportunities for students to aim to do better. 

The group shared all the things they have been trying and then looked at a few more ideas. It's clear Dalton's questioning, solo taxonomy, Bloom's taxonomy and synoptic tasks have been trialled by a few of us. 

Many of us felt that we wanted to reach the VIth form and a long discussion on how to challenge those students followed. Finally, I introduced a few more strategies to take away and try:

We left it with a few ideas about what we could try next.

And there were macaroons.

TLC 2 - Feedback and DIRT

 

We kicked off our TLC by looking at what staff have committed to researching and improving for this TLC cycle. We had a variety of responses, from looking at providing more supportive and developmental feedback for pupils to changing the style of their marking to use online electronic resources.

We looked at various methods of marking to provide effective feedback that builds pupils responsibility, resilience and reflectiveness. These included:

• Find Faults and Fix

• Plus Minus Equals

• The Dot Round

• Use of icons

• Triple Impact Marking

 

The key to using some of these types of feedback is to increase pupils responsibility by allowing them to take ownership of their feedback, by giving them developmental feedback it becomes their task to move their learning forward based off of the feedback. The dot round was used to build pupils resilience by giving them the opportunity to understand where errors are but not explicitly pointing them out.

By using these methods we hoped to build into the lessons effective DIRT, making it a regular section of the lesson.; If feedback and responding to feedback is something that students are comfortable with and do so on the recurring basis, then the students own reflective nature is growing too.

From this point Ravi introduced what she had been working on. This was a use of icons to help students focus and understand their feedback.


She set up a standard set of codes for pupils to read, then annotated the students work. The students then had to decode their code and work out what their feedback was. The benefits of this were:

• Students have to read their comments as well as their grade. (There is a lot of research to suggest that students rarely read comments when coupled with a grade.)
• Lesson time is not wasted deciphering my handwriting – Sir, does this say ‘elephant’?
• I win back in the region of one minute per student, or, let’s say, an hour a week.
• It can be used again – modifications necessary of course – next time round. It is also a useful tool for guiding future peer- and self-assessment

Ian introduced his work using the app Showbie. He had been leaving voice comments for his pupils. Pupils would then listen to the comment and work from their, leaving feedback and developing their answers in a dialogue about their feedback. This could be accessed anywhere by student or teacher and allowed for a variety of ways for feedback to be left by the teacher or student. This meant that pupils who wished to deliver work in alternative means, e.g. video, picture, etc, were included.


He found that the benefits were:

• It was fast. In the end I managed to mark 32 pieces of homework in 45 minutes.
• The feedback to the pupils was very detailed.
• As each voice comment could be up to 1 minute in length, the feedback could be a very detailed comment that could take some time to write.
• Most pupils found it easier to listen to this than read a long comment, they were not put off the way they would be looking at a lot of words.
• They could hear the tone in my voice, they knew when I has happy or disappointed. Any ambiguity was often removed.

As we moved towards the close of the TLC the groups got together to discuss how they are going to continue their work into the area of feedback and DIRT they wish to explore. Staff were looking at how to measure and record the impact that they will be making on their respective classes. It was good to see staff so enthusiastic about what they were doing and what benefit they would get out of it.

Roll on TLC 3 when we get to see the presentations of the staff.

Rav and Ian

 

TLC 2 - Encouraging Independence in the Sixth Form

We started TLC 2 by discussing some of Ofsted's best practice reports.  These reports detail what some of the best schools and sixth form colleges are doing to improve independence in the sixth form.  

Rossett staff were asked to discuss with each other what they thought of the articles and if they thought that they could use anything from them to improve their teaching and learning.  The overwhelming feeling by many of the staff was that it is nice to know what we are doing already is considered best practice.   

We then moved on to refelct on the progress that had been made towards our targets since the last TLC.  Staff were asked to complete the evaluate section of their worksheet.  Here is a great example from Mrs Thompson:

 After this was completed, staff were asked to explain what they intend to do over the coming weeks to encourage independence in the sixth form to the other members of their learning triad.  We then asked the other members of the learning triad to critique their work and give them advice on how they could take their project to the next level.  Many members of staff found this process useful and were grateful for the feedback they received from their colleagues.  

We then had the opportunity to observe what other teachers in different schools have attempted to improve independence.  

Staff were given the opportunity to discuss the videos in particular what they could gain from them to help with their own teaching and learning.  Staff found the videos useful in particular the example of a structured way to use peer and self assessment.  This improves independence and also allows the students to see how much progress they have made.  

Staff were then given time to begin to work on their Weebly post and presentation for TLC 3.  The presentation and post will detail the project that each member of staff has completed along with the impact they think it has had on their teaching and learning.

Some examples of the the work done so far and the impact they have had on encouraging independence in the sixth form are listed below:

The use of learning mats (image below), give students a structure to follow when completing their work and as a result allows them to work independently without the need to ask for support from the teacher.

There is also the use of video's to give answers to questions on a homework/test.  This allows the class to progress at different rates depending on how well they achieved on the homework/test and it also allows all students to work independently.

The final example I will give today is the use of flipped learning which is where the students complete the notes for the lesson at home and present their findings/answer questions in class.  This encourages students to be more independent as they are responsible for their own notes.  It also allows students to develop skills that will be essential to their success at university.  

TLC 2 - Progress for All (particular pupil premium)

The aim of the second TLC was to examine current techniques checking pupil progress within lessons and understand why these are valuable to help close the gap for pupil premium students. Staff would  be able to share ideas/learn new techniques to implement in their lessons. 

The first task of the session was for staff to discuss in their triads the blogs they read from the previous TLC session. What were the pros and cons for each article......

Staff were then asked to discuss the three progress checking techniques within their triads that they had researched (and hopefully had time to trial) from the last TLC. 

Some excellent ideas were shared here with staff stating how some techniques had not been successful as they didn't show much impact, whereas some ideas had become a massive hit within the classroom with both students and staff who worked in there. A great example of this was Micky's food race track.......

Finally staff were given time to start discussing their presentations for the next TLC session on pupil progress. They were asked to consider several questions; How would they present it? Would they talk about all three techniques or the one that made the most impact? How would they show this impact? 

A great session with all staff engaged and involved when discussing their own or other' s ideas. The presentations look like they will be great for the next session.

Nat and Donya. 

TLC 2- Using IPads and technology

In TLC 2 (30/09/14) we focused on recapping our personal targets for development and also what apps we have been using in lessons with students. We did this using Socrative to get quick feedback from staff which could be easily viewed and collated.

We then moved on to a discussion of our targets in trios which prompted groups to share any new apps they have been working on and also to look at their targets and the progressing they are making towards meeting these targets.

This then led to staff demonstrating their understanding by choosing an app to use based on their level of knowledge, expertise and more importantly something they were comfortable with. Each option of app to use had a QR code which linked to a short guide to provide support on how to complete an effective presentation.

Review - We finished the TLC with the groups writing a short comment on the impact of the TLC on the development so far.

Impact on teachers so far.........

"I have been thinking about refining the work I already do on iPads- I want to have quality not quantity!  This means that I will have consistency in lessons in terms of students submitting work and me feeding back to students- I want them to see it as something valuable, not a 'fad', especially as KS5 students can be quite negative about using technology.  " (Leila)

        "The TLC so far has been good to share info with other teachers on apps that they find effective in class. Marks presentation on socrative today has given me a good idea to encourage my GCSE group answer questions and be more willing to have a go as they are all incredibly shy to come forth with information. I like the interactive questioning thats shared on the screen but can be anonymous - I think this will encourage them to answer questions more freely" (Sarah)

Mark and Dan