Learning Consultants Blog

January 2012

In the Learning Consultants’ previous blogs we talked about how we were going to make ‘Stuck’ boards. Now from then we have had them designed into posters and had them hung up in every classroom, they are used a lot in lessons. When students struggle on a particular task 9 times out of 10 they turn to the ‘Stuck’ boards. This enables them to get used to the idea of not asking the teacher for an answer every time they struggle with a question.

Not long ago we launched the opening of the Teacher Lab. This is where us (the Learning Consultants) showcased the Teacher Lab and brought out all the qualities it has. We are very proud to have been the very first students to go in there and use the equipment that the Teacher Lab has to offer. Four members of our team planned a short 20 minute lesson to teach to a very small group of 3 students, and used the necessary equipment to teach that lesson. We taught the lesson three times to three different groups. They engaged in everything that they were learning about and participated in all the discussions. Another member of our team went around the Teacher Lab whilst the lessons were taking place and asked the students what they were learning from the lessons. This opening included a lot of visitors to OSCA and a qualification to us that we have the first Teacher Lab in the UK.

Recruitment in our team is taking place very shortly. We think as a group that we are doing a good job however we could to an even better job if we have more members! 

October 2011

Recently the learning consultants have been focusing on The ‘Teacher Lab’. We have stayed back after school for open evenings, parent forums and also gave up our dinner time for teachers to have an opportunity to see what the teaching lab offers to improve the learning of OSCA. The ‘Teacher Lab’ has a number of resources that get students engaged in their lessons such as: IPADs, IPODs, Net books, laptops, flip cameras, cameras, blackboard walls, whiteboard walls and magnetic walls. The ‘Teacher Lab ’works on a booking system so when teachers feel like they can use the lab to make a lesson really fun, they book it and take their class there so the students can use all the resources that the lab offers.

July 2011

Here at OSCA we have a brilliant team of Learning Consultants. This team consists of: Priya – Lead Learning Consultant, Alice, Toni, Sana, Seetal, Alysha, Manisha, Rupinder and Harkamaljit. We meet up after school every Monday and discuss the learning that takes place in our own lessons and discuss what we as learners can do to develop.

Already we have looked at several areas within our academy. We specifically focused on: Improving planner designs and how the learning triangle helps students learn in class.

Recently we all presented at a parents forum and spoke about what our jobs were predominantly based around. After school on a Monday, tasks are set, where we gather information over the 25 lessons we have and report back to the lead learning consultant, Priya or teachers of our findings. This allows the academy to focus on how to enhance progress.

In the near future we will be planning to create ‘Stuck Boards’. These boards are designed to encourage students to work their way out of being stuck! We believe this will have a major impact on the students of OSCA.