Teaching & Learning @ OSCA
20th July 2011:
Interesting practice based research conducted by OSCA's talented Curriculum Leader for Communications: Rachel Thomas.
Using Doodling as a Concentration Aid
Context:
I had been working with my middle ability Year 8 class one lesson a week reading a novel called “Tulip Touch”. The class were enjoying the novel, but were always a little fidgety and restless when listening to it being read either by myself or other students. All students had a copy of the novel and were encouraged to follow during the reading but only a small number did. Any subsequent work on what we had read showed that they had been listening, but I was concerned that the students were obviously not enjoying the reading experience.
Research:
After reading an article on the Independent Thinking Website about Doodle day http://www.independentthinking.co.uk/Cool+Stuff/Articles/581.aspx , where doodling was encouraged as a concentration aid, I decided to trial it with my Year 8 class.
Students were given a copy of the novel, a blank piece of scrap paper and a pencil and were encouraged to doodle or draw whilst listening to the story. The rules were minimal – no words as they could be interpreted as writing notes, and no sharing of work during the reading, they could do that at the end of the lesson if they wished. Every student chose to take part in the doodling, and each student was asked to do a personal evaluation at the end.
My Findings:
The atmosphere in the class was noticeably different. There was much less shuffling in seats and everyone seemed considerably more relaxed. No one spoke, except when they were taking their turn at reading, and all of the rules were strictly followed voluntarily. I was concerned that the students weren’t concentrating as fully on the reading as they were previously, but the subsequent written work showed a slightly greater level of recall and understanding of the underlying themes and emotions from the characters.
Student Evaluations:
Positive 14
“It helps me because it keeps my hands occupied”
“It makes my brain work better”
“It helps to make me listen”
“You can draw what you are listening to”
“The doodles helped me to remember parts of the story”
“More fun and calmer”
“Helps me concentrate”
“I didn’t get distracted and took more in”
“You just let your pen flow whilst listening”
No effect 2
Negative - 6 students
“I got distracted by my drawing and lost track at bits when the story got boring”
“I became focused on trying to make my drawing neat”
“I became too focused on my drawing”
Rachel Thomas: Curriculum Leader: Communications
8th July 2011:
What is the OSCA Unlocking Outstanding programme?
This programme is an accelerated CPD course that aims to provide teachers with all the skills they need to demonstrate both practical and pedagogical skills to achieve an 'Outstanding' grading within lesson observations.
Although the programme is structured, the key to moving practice from 'Good' to 'Outstanding' is based mainly within the process of researching, sharing, coaching and observing. The programme will be delivered by our T&L team but with a view to train our 'Good' to 'Outstanding' to become Lead Teachers driving forward the development of Teaching and Learning not only within OSCA but also across our family of Academies..
The course will use an 'Unlocking Outstanding' wiki to ensure that whilst our time is often in short supply we have a quick and effective method for reflection and dialogue. Furthermore, the process of development will be enhanced by the regular recording of teaching with the opportunity for personal reflection.
Programme:
Workshops
- Meta-Cognition:
- The Zone:
- Challenge:
- Feedback:
Peer Coaching
1:1 weekly sessions with mentor to focus on progress
Observation
X1: Observations of T&L Team Practitioner
X1: Observation of colleague at different setting
X2: Observation of Peer
X1: Final observation to achieve certification
Research
The delivery of a three week classroom based investigation examination of the Workshop themes as an area for investigation.
The process being:
- Engaging with the knowledge base
- Coaching and mentoring
- Ongoing reflection and dialogue
- Planning your learning
- Carrying out your plan
- Evaluating your learning and its impact
- Sharing your learning and influencing practice: Inset Presentation
“The greatest mistake you can make in life
is to continually be afraid you will make one.”
Elbert Hubbard
Zoe Stucki: Vice Principal
28th June 2011:
The Teaching for Learning Development Group meet at least once a half term to share and discuss strategies and techniques to help the students at OSCA learn. The group is regularly attended by a large number of teaching staff who decide themselves the focus for the meeting, recently we have looked at:
- Active Learning – teachers from three different subject areas tried out some active learning techniques. They presented the group with the resources they created as well as sharing in the successes of using active learning in their classrooms. We also discussed approaches and practicalities related to active learning.
- AfL and APP – Members of the English and Science department shared with us their recent work on using APP, and the impact this had on embedding assessment for learning within lessons. Other subject areas contributed strategies they had used for developing the use of AfL.
- Objective Led Learning - the group deliberated over ‘what makes a good learning objective’ and tested their own examples of learning objectives against the resulting criteria. This has been shared with Curriculum leaders, and the T4L development group are really excited that our work is being shared across the academy.
This year we have also looked at Questioning, Behaviour for Learning, Group Work & Speaking And Listening, but we haven’t stopped learning yet! Our last meeting of the year is on the 5th July – we will let you know what happens in our next blog!
Myk Wagstaff: Lead for Teacher Development
13th June 2011:
At OSCA we are constantly striving to provide the best learning opportunities for our students. Every member of our Academy is a learner, from the students to the teachers, we are always learning how to do things better!
Our staff development programmes work to encourage constant reflection and our learning conversations with students provide us with honest, accurate and effective feedback about how we are progressing.
Our Learning Programmes are varied and enable staff to 'tailor' their own CPD.
- 1:1 coaching and mentoring
- Teaching 4 Learning Development Team
- Improving Teachers: OSCA's very own accelerated CPD Programme
- Regular workshop opportunities in response to staff feedback and requests
Coming Soon....
- Learning Consultant observations and feedback
- Personal reflection exercises using video as a tool
- Unlocking Outstanding Programme- Moving from Good to Outstanding
Check in again soon to see: 'What Does Outstanding Actually Mean?'
Zoe Stucki: Vice Principal
