I was pleased with how the presentation went today and the group provided some really useful feedback. One of the things that came up with regard to the presentation itself was that using 'pupil voice' feedback to provide qualitative data would have been a useful addition. Other people modelled this well in their presentations and, having seen it used to showcase progress today, I'd definitely utilise this methodology in the future.
Another thing that was fed back was that it would have been more effective if I'd pitched my presentation to the governors as this would have been likely to improve the bid for the Accelerated Reader programme. Approaching governors is an option I'll strongly consider if there's any additional funding required.
The group were enthusiastic about the Accelerated Reader programme and also suggested that departmental representatives would increase the likelihood of success. This would allow me to further satisfy my developmental goals of working outside my department and delegating, as well as 'future focus' and 'inspiring others' from the level one and two leadership competencies.
Explaining the Accelerated Reader programme in a staff meeting was also suggested as a method of developing the project. This would have the advantage of helping progress tutors to better support learners because they would know key information for implementing it, such as how books were differentiated, for example. It was also voiced that this would also be an area where I would be likely to encounter some conflict and reluctance with complaints about workload. To manage this, I would try to model through example and re-iterate the benefits for staff as well as learners, which was a conflict resolution strategy modeled effectively at the session today.
The final suggestion was that pictures of male members of staff reading could be added to displays to supplement the celebrities already pictured. These 'closer to home' role-models could help to create a more positive perception of reading for boys in particular, linking to Gary Wilson's idea of the importance of fostering an atmosphere of 'caring masculinity'.
Overall, I've enjoyed the Developing Leaders course and have benefited greatly from having been given time to reflect on my professional practice. Thanks to everyone involved, in particular Matt and Deb, who have given up lots of their time to share their expertise.
Monday, 11 July 2016
Wednesday, 27 April 2016
Differentiation for Challenge - Eddie Fu
How do you accelerate the progress of learning / thinking across a lesson and a scheme of work?
Eddie Fu - SLE (Specialist Leader of Education) and Head of Faculty at Holmes Chapel School
Strategies to work smarter.
Differentiation for Challenge
Engagement only gets you so far, we have to challenge students.
Objectives:
Classic Differentiation Strategies:
Moved away from 'All / Most / Some' to 'Good' / 'Even better' / 'Excellent' or 'Essential' / 'Expert' / 'Advanced'
Q: How do you stop students not covering the 'Good' and 'Even Better' if they go for the 'Excellent' task?
A: They regulate themselves. "EBI task was too hard so I moved down to the good one."
Slides are text heavy but students become used to looking at the category that they find best suits them.
Whole menu lessons - everything on one slide.
Change of mind set more than physical changes - resources can be easily adapted when you get your head around it.
Make student choice explicit
Why change?
Eddie Fu - SLE (Specialist Leader of Education) and Head of Faculty at Holmes Chapel School
Strategies to work smarter.
Differentiation for Challenge
Engagement only gets you so far, we have to challenge students.
Objectives:
- Close the progress gap between LA and peers
- Engage and support the disengaged and underachieving
- Raise attainment of the middle attainers
- Challenge all levels of ability in preparation for the next level
Techniques outlined have been great for value added measures at Holmes Chapel.
Moved away from classic linear lessons.
- Questioning
- Task
- Resources
- Roles within groups
- Skills ladder
- VAK
- Quantity speed
- Time
- Seating
Moved away from 'All / Most / Some' to 'Good' / 'Even better' / 'Excellent' or 'Essential' / 'Expert' / 'Advanced'
Q: How do you stop students not covering the 'Good' and 'Even Better' if they go for the 'Excellent' task?
A: They regulate themselves. "EBI task was too hard so I moved down to the good one."
Slides are text heavy but students become used to looking at the category that they find best suits them.
Whole menu lessons - everything on one slide.
Change of mind set more than physical changes - resources can be easily adapted when you get your head around it.
Make student choice explicit
Why change?
- Caters better for learning preferences
- Closing the gap
- Targeted learning for sub-groups
- Stretch and challenge
eddie.fu@hccs.info
Our low prior attainers are not making the progress they should.
Ideas:
Key question is a typical question from the exam - tasks are then based on levels of the mark scheme.
A resource I adapted in light of the techniques outlined:
Our low prior attainers are not making the progress they should.
Ideas:
Key question is a typical question from the exam - tasks are then based on levels of the mark scheme.
A resource I adapted in light of the techniques outlined:
Sunday, 17 April 2016
Angela Lee Duckworth – Ex-teacher and psychologist on 'Grit'
Below are her
findings:
Some of the strongest performers do not have stratospheric
IQ scores.
Some of the smartest kids aren’t doing so well.
Concepts [in English] are hard, but not impossible. I’m firmly
convinced every one of you can learn these things if you work hard and long
enough.
Doing well in school, and life, depends on much more than
your ability to learn quickly and easily.
Studied which people were successful and why in schools, the
military and private companies. In all contexts there was one constant: grit.
It wasn’t social intelligence, it wasn’t good looks, physical
health or IQ, it was grit.
Grit is passion and perseverance for very long-term goals.
Grit is having stamina. Grit is sticking with your future, day-in and day-out.
Not just for the week, not just for the month but for years. It is working hard
to make the future you want a reality.
Life is a marathon, not a sprint.
Studied Grit in Chicago public schools, she asked thousands
of high school students to take grit questionnaires, waited a year and then saw
who graduated. It turns out ‘grittier’ kids were significantly more likely to
graduate, even when matched on things like family income, standardised test
scores and how safe they felt at school.
So how do we build grit? How do we instil a solid work
ethic? How do we keep them motivated for the long run?
Data shows natural talent doesn’t make you ‘gritty’. In
fact, data shows ‘grit’ is usually unrelated or inversely related to measures
of talent.
The best way to build ‘grit’ in students is something called
‘growth mindset’. This is an idea developed at Stanford University by Dr Carol
Dweck.
This the belief that the ability to learn is not fixed; it
can change with your effort.
Dr Dweck has shown that when kids learn that the brain grows
in response to challenge, they are much more likely to persevere when they fail
because they don’t believe that failure is a permanent condition.
Some things other things I'll look into:
Monday, 22 February 2016
Breaking through Barriers and Raising Boys' Achievement - Gary Wilson
Barriers to Boys' Achievement - Developing a Caring Masculinity
Keynote speaker: Gary Wilson
* Pressing concern is the disparity between the performance of boys and girls; it is common across schools in our area.
Gary Wilson:
* GW has been working in field since 1993
* GW describes himself as a 'Boys' Champion'
* More challenging means more rewarding
* Gender gap in attainment has remained constant since 1993
* Need to focus on 'Boys on the Borderline' - Bobs
* Intervention in Y11 is far too late - needs to start at primary
* Peer pressure from the Boy 'Peer Police' is also a problem
* Small group of boys who are a negative influence on the others
* However, these boys are potential 'Transformers' or 'Changemakers' who can actually be turned around to have a positive impact on others
Not on the government's agenda perhaps because:
* they wrongly believe it will affect the girls
* Tends to be poor, white working class boys that underachieve
* Highest achieving pupils today are Chinese girls on FSM
Interesting Statistics...
* Fewer than 4% of those who work in education are males under 30
* However, we cannot absolve ourselves of the responsibility by saying the problem is there aren't enough male teachers in education.
* 75% of children under 5 who are members of libraries are girls; boys need to be encouraged and encouraged especially by older male role models
* 70% of boys in high schools do not read for pleasure
* Fiction gives boys the words they need to express themselves.
* Project X - a resource designed to engage boys; it is being used internationally.
www.oxfordowl.co.uk
* Has videos and advice for parents
* Need to engage parents to make a difference
Making boys independent is very important -
Steven Biddulph - if we do everything for our boys we disable them for life.
* He recommends that 9 year old boys should cook a meal for their family at least once a week
Men Behaving Dadly
Break through gender stereotypes - boys going down to primary schools to make pancakes.
Maths and Science ambassadors?
Important to work in clusters, e.g. positive campaign to reduce the negative labeling of boys - "Boys will be boys"
Wetherspoons - A boy's revenge...
Wetherspoon was the surname of a geography teacher Martin [the founder of the pub chain] encountered at a New Zealand school, who not only assured the boy Martin that he would never amount to anything in business, but was a teetotaller.
Common Factors Affecting Boys' Achievement:
* No breakfast
* They spend too long on computers at night
* Computer games are addictive - attendance drops on the day of release of a new game
* It's a myth boys love competitions - boys who win love competitions
* Boys love a challenge - give them something they need to learn straight away as they enter the room
* Parents are money rich but time poor
Paul Ginnis
"Right boys you're going to learn this today by I'm not going to teach it."
Texting home to praise boys?
Boys Want to Know:
Key Idea: Feel good - do well
'Top Lads'
'Breakthrough Boys'
Possible School Application: Breakthrough Boys Notice Board - praise for the 'bad lads'
What boys want:
Barriers for Boys:
1. Lack of independence - if we do everything for our boys we disable them for life.
2. Language development - Boys are forced to read and write before they are physically and mentally ready to. (In Scandinavia boys don't start school until 7 and have better results)
* Action Point - Find list of books which show boys in non-stereotypical way.
3. Boys aren't allowed enough time to reflect - plenaries are important
Homerton Report:
"School for many boys represents a system of hostile authority and a series of meaningless work demands"
Something to wake them up...
A new name for peer assessment?
Pimp my Write
'The Essential Difference' shows that, on average, male and female minds are of a slightly different character.
“I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal. It is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, a child humanised or dehumanised.”
Keynote speaker: Gary Wilson
* Pressing concern is the disparity between the performance of boys and girls; it is common across schools in our area.
Gary Wilson:
* GW has been working in field since 1993
* GW describes himself as a 'Boys' Champion'
* More challenging means more rewarding
* Gender gap in attainment has remained constant since 1993
* Need to focus on 'Boys on the Borderline' - Bobs
* Intervention in Y11 is far too late - needs to start at primary
* Peer pressure from the Boy 'Peer Police' is also a problem
* Small group of boys who are a negative influence on the others
* However, these boys are potential 'Transformers' or 'Changemakers' who can actually be turned around to have a positive impact on others
Not on the government's agenda perhaps because:
* they wrongly believe it will affect the girls
* Tends to be poor, white working class boys that underachieve
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/the-filter/11965045/White-working-class-boys-are-the-worst-performing-ethnic-group-at-school.html
* Highest achieving pupils today are Chinese girls on FSM
Interesting Statistics...
* Fewer than 4% of those who work in education are males under 30
* However, we cannot absolve ourselves of the responsibility by saying the problem is there aren't enough male teachers in education.
* 75% of children under 5 who are members of libraries are girls; boys need to be encouraged and encouraged especially by older male role models
* You're 9 times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD if you're male
* Girls use up to 30x more language in play during early years
* Number 1 killer of men aged 18 - 25 is suicide
* 40% of children under 4 have televisions in their room* Girls use up to 30x more language in play during early years
* Number 1 killer of men aged 18 - 25 is suicide
* 70% of boys in high schools do not read for pleasure
* Fiction gives boys the words they need to express themselves.
* Project X - a resource designed to engage boys; it is being used internationally.
www.oxfordowl.co.uk
* Has videos and advice for parents
* Need to engage parents to make a difference
Making boys independent is very important -
Steven Biddulph - if we do everything for our boys we disable them for life.
* He recommends that 9 year old boys should cook a meal for their family at least once a week
Men Behaving Dadly
Break through gender stereotypes - boys going down to primary schools to make pancakes.
Maths and Science ambassadors?
Important to work in clusters, e.g. positive campaign to reduce the negative labeling of boys - "Boys will be boys"
The kind of ideas that might help us to improve...
Wetherspoons - A boy's revenge...
Wetherspoon was the surname of a geography teacher Martin [the founder of the pub chain] encountered at a New Zealand school, who not only assured the boy Martin that he would never amount to anything in business, but was a teetotaller.
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/columnists/rebecca-tyrrel/rebecca-tyrrel-jd-wetherspoon-is-named-after-a-teetotal-geography-teacher-from-new-zealand-8493703.html
Common Factors Affecting Boys' Achievement:
* No breakfast
* They spend too long on computers at night
* Computer games are addictive - attendance drops on the day of release of a new game
* It's a myth boys love competitions - boys who win love competitions
* Boys love a challenge - give them something they need to learn straight away as they enter the room
* Parents are money rich but time poor
Paul Ginnis
"Right boys you're going to learn this today by I'm not going to teach it."
Texting home to praise boys?
Boys Want to Know:
- Who's in charge?
- Rules?
- Applied consistently
Key Idea: Feel good - do well
'Top Lads'
'Breakthrough Boys'
Possible School Application: Breakthrough Boys Notice Board - praise for the 'bad lads'
What boys want:
- "Don't shout at me"
- "Give me help when I need it"
- "Give me a chance when I ask for it"
Barriers for Boys:
1. Lack of independence - if we do everything for our boys we disable them for life.
2. Language development - Boys are forced to read and write before they are physically and mentally ready to. (In Scandinavia boys don't start school until 7 and have better results)
* Action Point - Find list of books which show boys in non-stereotypical way.
3. Boys aren't allowed enough time to reflect - plenaries are important
Homerton Report:
"School for many boys represents a system of hostile authority and a series of meaningless work demands"
Something to wake them up...
A new name for peer assessment?
Pimp my Write
'The Essential Difference' shows that, on average, male and female minds are of a slightly different character.
- Boys need systems with short-term targets and rewards
Non-verbal Communication:
• Words chosen and used = 7%
• Tone of voice = 38%
• Non-verbal accompaniment= 55%
Ginott (1972)
“I am the decisive element in the classroom. It is my personal approach that creates the climate. It is my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humour, hurt or heal. It is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated or de-escalated, a child humanised or dehumanised.”
Others working in the field:
* Ross Wilson
* Keith Topping
* Sue Palmer
Friday, 12 February 2016
In School Variation
According to Sutton Trust Report 'Improving the impact of teachers on pupil achievement in the UK':
The biggest single variable that explain variation in achievement is teachers; it is estimated to have an impact of up to 30%.
Pupils can gain up to 1.5 years' worth of learning with very effective teachers.
Report concludes that "The leadership of subject or phase teaching has to start and end with the issue of consistency and variation."
The biggest single variable that explain variation in achievement is teachers; it is estimated to have an impact of up to 30%.
Pupils can gain up to 1.5 years' worth of learning with very effective teachers.
Report concludes that "The leadership of subject or phase teaching has to start and end with the issue of consistency and variation."
Leadership Style Assessment
After completing my 'Leadership Style Assessment', I found that I have predominantly style of coaching, with a large number of affiliative elements as well.
An area I would like to develop is becoming more visionary.
This means that I need to work on mobilising people towards a vision and generate self-confidence and empathy in those I manage.
The visionary style can be one of the most effective leadership styles. An organisation that has lost its way can be most effectively turned around by this approach.
The visionary leader motivates people by making it clear how their work fits into the bigger picture, and helps them to understand how what they do matters.
In doing this, the visionary leader defines standards and gives clear feedback.
Flexibility is maintained by allowing people the leeway to choose their own means of achieving the clearly stated objectives.
The danger with the visionary style is that it can become overbearing and exhausting, which can disrupt the work of effective and experienced teams.
An area I would like to develop is becoming more visionary.
This means that I need to work on mobilising people towards a vision and generate self-confidence and empathy in those I manage.
The visionary style can be one of the most effective leadership styles. An organisation that has lost its way can be most effectively turned around by this approach.
The visionary leader motivates people by making it clear how their work fits into the bigger picture, and helps them to understand how what they do matters.
In doing this, the visionary leader defines standards and gives clear feedback.
Flexibility is maintained by allowing people the leeway to choose their own means of achieving the clearly stated objectives.
The danger with the visionary style is that it can become overbearing and exhausting, which can disrupt the work of effective and experienced teams.
Goleman's 6 Leadership Styles
Thoughts / Discussion:
- All 6 styles have a place in leadership; you need diversity in a team.
- Should a leader have to lead by example?
- Yes - but a balance needs to be struck; sometimes a leader will have to give directions that they haven't necessarily publicly modeled, e.g. 'This is what you need to do'.
Leading Teaching and Learning
Intended outcomes for the session:
- Leadership strategies used to improve the quality of T&L
- Understanding principles, models and practice of effective T&L
- Know how to identify outstanding T&L and be able to lead on this through example
Thought for the day:
- Education is more than just meeting the measure.
Did you know? Shift Happens
Raising Boys' Achievement - Gary Wilson
* Historically, boys have underachieved. More girls passed the eleven-plus, so the bar was raised for girls so there were equal numbers attending grammar schools.
* Boys continue to be outperformed at the Foundation Stage and have been since that assessment phase began.
* At KS2, boys are slightly ahead in Maths, and a huge gap has begun to appear by this time in English, most notably in writing.
* In SATs at KS3, for the fifteen years that these were taking place, girls had the upper-hand, notably in English.
* By GCSE, girls outperform boys in every subject.
So why does it happen?
"There is no simple, single reason why boys underachieve...neither is there a quick fix."
No two boys are alike, but there is a lot of common ground.
Ideas put forward have been 'laddish' culture.
Inappropriate teaching and learning styles
Boys can throw up smokescreens as it's far better to be seen as being not bothered about winning than to try and fail.
Wilson warns against the dangers of knee jerk reactions.
No two cohorts of boys are exactly the same; different barriers affect different groups.
He advises a whole-school approach:
* Research the precise nature of the problem
* Raise awareness of the issues across the whole school
* Need to create a 'caring masculinity'
pp.36,38,46,62,72,80,82
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