Word for today...

PNEUMONOULTRAMICROSCOPICSILICOVOLCANOCONIOSIS

hmmmm..... use that in a sentence in class today :)

Objectives! Objectives! Objectives!

I have found that students are very familiar with the fact that learning / lesson objectives are found on the board for each of their lessons. So much so that they will point out when they arent there and ask if 'they are ours' when they come into the room.

However, my concern is that they have become a little bit complacent about these guidelines for the lesson due to:

• the varied nature of use by teachers,
• relevance to the lesson,
• reference in the lesson
• and even ambiguity of meaning of these objectives for the particular period they are in your room.

As a result I like to spice it up every so often by getting them to create their own objectives for the lesson. Give them the topic and then say 'right what do you want to get out of today? Set L/O's which will help you to do that'.

At the end of the lesson evaluate the progress and challenge made in the lesson and then rank or RAG (red amber green) the objectives in terms of these areas.

Students can then set a target for next time based around the idea of challenge and progression for them to aspire to.

The majority of students I have done this with are incredibly honest with you and with themselves in this feedback area stating that they went for the 'easy' option and didn't set targets which pushed themselves as much. They then realise what you are on about when you are 'nagging'...encouraging(!) them to push on and add more into their work.

I have found it to be a worthwhile and very encouraging activity which students love to do and which challenges them to push on in their own learning and you to step out the way and let them!

Building bridges

Whilst teaching a yr8 class I used the following teaching tool in order to check linked learning.

We were looking at the journey taken by the SS Empire Windrush from the West Indies to the UK and were looking in a couple of lessons time to create an empathy piece based around the journey.

Over previous lessons in Geography we had looked at migration and why people move, in History they have been looking at the Slave trade, in RE looking at prejudice and the Expressive Arts are also linked into the Slavery topic.

In order to see what they had learnt I placed the above subject names on the tables and we began to discuss what they had learnt they thought would be relevant. When they answered they had to hold up the name of the subject they had learnt that information in. It was slow to start but soon they were shooting up with their signs and even began to hold a couple of names up if they felt it crossed two (or more) subjects.

Afterwards I got them to do a review and add info into their books - colour coded in terms of subject - about the topic ready for the next few lessons...

Consistency rules...

I have a class which to some people would be a nightmare waiting to happen - but I think their great!

Behaviour - excellent

Interaction - excellent

and great sense of humour...why?

Consistency. The classroom guidelines were laid out lesson one and have been stuck too ever since and as a result they have the security in knowing how things work and whats expected of them.

Consistency is the foundation stone of a good learning environment...

Word for today

Bouncebackability....nuff said

Be kind rewind...

I have come to the conclusion that at times I am a formula 1 teacher.

I dont mean I have lots of money, live in Monaco and am surrounded by models...ohhhh no, I just mean I teach at about 200mph!

This is a problem I need to address as some of the class can keep up but some get cut off and 'pit' early claiming they dont get it.

'Be kind...rewind' needs to be the mantra I adopt and review needs to happen at more place in the 'race' than just at the end. In this case of tortoise and the hare the hare stops and waits for the tortoise so they can finish the race together and leave feeling they have all achieved.

Walking back to happiness?

Got a class thinking today about why people say 'remember the good ol days' and are always talking about the past.

They thought for a while and then one boy said 'I think its cos they havent done nothing good lately!'

Out of the mouths of babes eh!

Shoulder to shoulder

I have become aware more and more that though we are individuals and thrive on recognition of our own ideas/skills/talents, its when we put those ideas/skills/talents into an arena which contains people we trust and will help us to build these areas of our lives (while we help build theirs) we begin to see true success.

A single chord rope is easily broken...a 3 chord rope is so much stronger.

When we put our ideas etc... out there and they are knocked back its those around us we trust who lift us up and say 'try again!'

Within our classrooms we should be trying to build environments in which students are building peer relationships which allow them to experience the impact of the '3 chord rope' where their peers encourage them to try and then pick them and up and say 'try again!'

Thank you for being a friend...

In this world of NOW NOW NOW and ME ME ME we dont take the time to stop, breathe and say thank you to those people who mean the most to you.

So to all the people who mean a lot to me - thank you.

Thank you for the kind words, the nudges, the support, the fun, the laughter, the wisdom, the honesty, the care and so much more.

Take a moment today - stop and then say thank you...you'll feel better!