Skip to main content

Flipping blip! A decade in teaching: how did that happen?

2013-07-19 07.58.23

As I’m between jobs at the moment, I’ve had time to think and reflect.  Thus, the realisation that I’ve been teaching for ten years hit my head.  Ten years? A lot can happen in that time. Anyway, after treading water for a while, I’m about to take up a new leadership post. It’s almost time to start wearing a watch again, so I thought I’d share what I’m looking forward to and what I’m not.  I have a plan. Sort of.

2013-08-27 10.31.18

Looking forward to:

    • - having to learn stuff again in a different place. From different acronyms to finding my way around the building;
    • - Being part of a vibrant learning community with a clear vision;
    • - being in a school that values reading though the Drop Everything And Read scheme.  The only bonus of commuting for two hours each day is that I got to read a lot.
    • - leading on teaching and learning (more on this below),
    • - being challenged,
    • - still teaching some geography. I have a number of KS3 classes, but nothing beyond. This should allow me to focus on adapting to the new role,
    • - not having to commute.

I’m expecting my first term to be tough, having to establish myself with students and staff and then get something done. 

And what does the role involve? I include this here for those aspiring to an AHT post:

  • Helping to lead CPD in the school (there is a team of three on SLT focused on Teaching and Learning, which is very exciting and shows where the school’s priorities lie).
  • Feedback and Assessment.
  • Closing the gap, or planning for every pupil.  Focusing on what can be done in the classroom.
  • Line managing three departments: Science, Art and Life Skills.

All in all, I’m very much looking forward to starting.  This time next week I’ll be suited and booted on the first real day.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

What makes a learning experience profound? Personal reflections and possible implications for classroom practice.

I have recently begun a Leadership Pathways journey.  As part of the first core day, we were asked to reflect on a profound learning experience. This got me thinking about how many profound learning experiences I have both been involved in, and how many I have been able to give to others.  Our group came up with a huge long list, but these are my five. Emotional Connected Demanding Reflective Collaborative As always, these are personal thoughts and quite mixed up.  I put them here so that I can look back on them (plus they’d get lost inside my world-cup-free brain) 1. Emotional I can’t think of a time where deep learning hasn’t engaged my emotions.  From being awe inspired to that tingle feeling when a student gets a light bulb moment.  From this-is-the-happiest-day-ever, to I-think-I’m-about-to die.  How often do we engage the emotions of those we teach?  Here, I would argue that having a safe learning environment is not always conducive to profound

The danger of Teaching and Twitter conversations: poorly formed bipolar arguments.

Sometimes in life, there really are only two options.  Get the wrong one and you can look like a muppet.  Take this useful sign for the toilets in Morocco.  I successfully navigated it, choosing the right option.  The result? No egg on my face.  As a mountain leader, there are many right or wrong decisions that I’ve faced, as there are all over life.  It’s not a good idea to let inexperienced young people walk themselves down Snowdon.  They may die or be seriously injured.  If someone is showing the signs and symptoms of hyperthermia, you need to treat it fast in a specified way.  There is no real arguing with this sign: Other options are less obvious.  Take this sign recently spotted near to where I live: Now, I wouldn’t consider sleeping in a bin.  However, faced with a sub-zero night, I could see the appeal.  The danger? Being tipped into one of those huge lorries with a compactor. (by the way, I only really considered all of this thanks to questions from my four year old boy).

Banned Word Board

Today I want to share some simple ideas that I have found to be very effective in the classroom. I can't say that they are my own original ideas, although I have played around with them. The first is the Banned word Board. This is a simple display in the classroom that lists a number of words that are not allowed to be used by pupils in their written or oral answers. The effect has been an increase in the quality of written work, and I have almost made comments such as 'Sir it's simple, the stuff just affects the thing and causes people problems'. Pupils are now more able to use specific language, something that is vital especially at GCSE. I have had to make a few modifications, such as the introduction of 'Heavenly Words' This is an additional display placed on the ceiling. I found this necessary as pupils needed some stimulus in finding replacement words. After advice received after posting the idea on the SLN forum , I have also introduced semi-banned words