Creative Teaching & Learning

Learnings that Last

Arthur Costa argues for Habits of Mind as the engines of effective thinking.

learningsthatlast.pdf

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      string(351) "This research published by the Royal Academy of Engineering and the University of Winchester’s Centre for Real-World Learning found that schools that adapted their teaching to encourage students to develop ‘engineering habits of mind’ reaped the benefits not just in science and maths, but in pupils’ communication skills ..."
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      string(350) "... teaching which are most likelyto encourage young people to develop a passion for engineering in today’s busy schools andcolleges:1. Clear understanding of engineering habits of mind by teachers and learners.2. The creation of a culture in which these habits flourish.Week Commencing 3rd April 2017http://www.raeng ..."
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Leadership Briefing 11.08(128)"
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      string(5803) "Leadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.LEARNING TO BE AN ENGINEERKeywordsEngineer,learning,schools,teaching,encouragement,students, pupilsachievement,engineeringhabits,professionSummaryThis research published by the Royal Academy of Engineering and the University ofWinchester’s Centre for Real-World Learning found that schools that adapted their teachingto encourage students to develop ‘engineering habits of mind’ reaped the benefits not justin science and maths, but in pupils’ communication skills, artistic ability and confidence toengage in class discussions.The report reveals the results of three pilot schemes working with teachers in southern England,Greater Manchester, and Glasgow and East Ayrshire, describing ways in which curricula based onengineering habits of mind have boosted their pupils’ achievement and also enhanced the teachers’confidence to engage with the engineering profession. Some 22 primary schools, 11 secondaryschools and one further education college took part in the research programme, involving 84 teachersand more than 3,000 pupils.The report finds that by creating a culture in which engineering habits of mind flourish, learners acrossall subjects demonstrated improved literacy, numeracy and communication skills, deemed vital foran engineering career. By equipping teachers with ways to better engage children as engineers,the methods outlined could help inspire more students into the profession and address the well-documented shortage of professional engineers faced by the UK.The report identifies a ‘signature pedagogy’ of the best teaching and learning methods to build thisculture – including tinkering workshops and sustained engagement with professional engineers.It explains that engineering habits of mind can be embedded across a wide range of subjectsappropriate to different schools’ specialisms and local contexts, and identifies an urgent need forprofessional support for teachers wishing to adopt this approach.The research also explored how thematic curricula with real-world contexts can actively linkengineering, design and technology, computing and science lessons, and enhance professionallearning networks for teachers to ensure that effective teaching methods and curriculum design canbe shared rapidly.Main Points: ■ The report identifies four principles that underpin the kinds of teaching which are most likelyto encourage young people to develop a passion for engineering in today’s busy schools andcolleges:1. Clear understanding of engineering habits of mind by teachers and learners.2. The creation of a culture in which these habits flourish.Week Commencing 3rd April 2017http://www.raeng.org.uk/publications/reports/learning-to-be-an-engineerLeadership BriefingLeadership Briefing – www.teachingtimes.comReports Summaries – a weeklyservice of essential summaries,in-depth reports and criticalanalysis that’s new and relevantto education, linked to originalsource documents.3. Selection of the best teaching and learning methods, the ‘signature pedagogy’ ofengineering.4. An active engagement with learners as young engineers. ■ The research demonstrates that teachers:1. Find the reframing of engineering as a set of habits of mind to be a helpful and practical wayof moving beyond the often contested space of individual subject disciplines.2. Can apply the concept of signature pedagogy in practice, teaching in ways that developthese engineering habits of mind appropriate to their own educational contexts.3. With targeted professional learning support, can implement and evaluate ways of designingnew curricula using these different pedagogies, so beginning a process of improving theirown teaching practices. ■ It is possible to create the climate for EHoM (engineering habits of mind) to flourish at Key Stages1, 2 and 3 using three elements of a signature pedagogy for engineering – the engineeringdesign process, tinkering and authentic engagement with engineers – to cultivate the desiredengineering habits of mind. ■ A professional learning community that offered targeted support for teachers to design, implementand reflect on the impact of small scale curriculum interventions in a range of different subjectsdid begin to change their practices. ■ As well as acquiring more confidence and capability in the target habits, there weresignificant improvements in terms of mindset (perseverance, learning from mistakes, playfulexperimentation) and the development of confidence as independent learners. The approachproduced significant improvements in learners’ understanding of engineers and engineering. ■ The mutually supportive environment of a professional learning community coupled withsupported opportunities for the designing of small scale tests of change was helpful in enablingteachers to begin to change their habits. But even in a supportive environment teachers found itdifficult to relinquish some of their former practices. ■ The effective cultivation of EHoM requires a school culture supportive of exploring habits ofmind and using interactive pedagogies, complementary summative and formative assessmentpractices, practical timetabling, appropriate physical space, available local engineers, andproactivity by senior leaders. ■ Effective school leaders recognised the commitment and investment necessary to bring about awholesale culture"
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Leadership

Learning To Be An Engineer

30 Mar 2017

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      string(342) "... sense.Habits of MindThese three experiences convinced me we needed to finda way of immersing the school in the common languageof the Maps and the Habits of Mind. Once we had thecommon language then the strategic plan and the visionwould be much easier to communicate. So Habits ofMind as a ..."
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      string(4682) "vision for the strategicleadership of teaching and learning, but it was now beingmodified and more sharply focused; place thinking atthe centre of everything we do and school improvementwill surely follow.■■■ How did we put our vision intopractice?I was convinced, but what about the whole school? Howcould it be presented as not another initiative in a schoolsuper-saturated with initiatives? I had two things goingin my favour. First, I was privileged to lead a teachingand learning group filled with talented and enthusiasticpractitioners who collectively were highly effective andquite obviously enjoyed teaching. All wanted to becomebetter at it, and there was a sense that individually andtogether they were capable of producing increasedstudent success. I also knew I would have the explicitsupport of the Headteacher and other senior leaders.Accessing the world’s best ideasIt was through the contributions of the consultantprovided by TSI that the next part of the jigsaw fellinto place. There was an international perspective tothe teaching of thinking that stretched across the globe.The consultant talked about his experience as a cognitiveco-ordinator in a school in New Zealand. He sharedhis model of how the school organised its cognitivecurriculum and the impact of it on their outcomeshelped focus our thinking. It seemed to me that only byhelping staff access the world’s best ideas, practices andtraining would we produce world class teachers as expertleaders of learning in world class classrooms.Fostering positive behaviours and dispositionsThe original plan was to skill-up some of the team inthe theory and practice of Thinking Maps, with thePolicy andpractice29……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………intention of introducing them in an INSET sessionin September 2007. TSI then introduced me to BenaKallick and the Habits of Mind developed with ArtCosta. Again it was so obvious; why do schools spendso much time dealing with immature and unintelligentbehaviour in classrooms when what we should be doingis strategically developing our learners’ intelligent andmature behaviours through a process of recognition andreward? We needed to focus on what it means to be aneducated person and the intelligent dispositions of asuccessful learner – thinking flexibly, being persistent,being able to communicate with clarity and precision.It made complete sense.Habits of MindThese three experiences convinced me we needed to finda way of immersing the school in the common languageof the Maps and the Habits of Mind. Once we had thecommon language then the strategic plan and the visionwould be much easier to communicate. So Habits ofMind as a parallel strategy were at the last minute addedto our INSET days. We trained members of the teachingand learning group to help us lead the session, and onthe whole it was fairly well received. There would be aprogramme of training learners across the whole schoolin the first six weeks on how to use the Hyerle ThinkingMaps. Staff would generally commit to using the Mapsacross the whole school.Less time was given to the introduction of theHabits of Mind and maybe the strategy was not fullyunderstood but I was not disheartened because we hadspent a lot of time as a school discussing the type oflearner we wanted to see and the Habits clearly wouldhelp us focus on developing our learners instead ofwringing our hands about their deficiencies. Perhapsit was an error to deliver two completely differentpedagogical approaches in one day but I was convincedof the need to not light only one fire but many and theHabits of Mind were used collaboratively with the Maps.The focus on learner dispositions was after all central toour discussions as a school. We had said they were poorlearners and poor thinkers and I was challenging staffThinking to learn ■■■■■30……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………to answer a fundamental question: We"
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Thinking to learn

20 May 2013

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      string(5701) "Habits of Mind. Once“ It seemed to me thatonly by helping staff accessthe world’s best ideas,practices and training wouldwe produce world-classteachers as expert leadersof learning in world-classclassrooms. ”ThinkingSkills62Volume3.4nCreativeTeaching&Learningwe had the common language, then the strategic plan and the vision would bemuch easier to communicate. So Habits of Mind as a parallel strategy were atthe last minute added to our INSET days. We trained members of the teachingand learning group to help us lead the session, and on the whole it was fairlywell received. There would be a programme of training learners across the wholeschool in the first six weeks on how to use the Hyerle Thinking Maps. Staffwould generally commit to using the Maps across the whole school.Less time was given to the introduction of the Habits of Mind and maybe thestrategy was not fully understood. 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Idecided that the Maps and Habits alone werenot enough to ensure good or outstandinglearning experiences for our learners. Themodel of learning for St Robert’s was still beingdeveloped, but could it be sustained? Alongsidewhat we had already done, we introduced moretraining on Habits of Mind, Questioning, Higherorder Thinking, Philosophy for Children andCreative Thinking and invested heavily in thedevelopment of individual expertise in teachers.There was now an energy for collaboration onlesson design and for practising what had beenlearned. Certain classrooms became powerhouses of collaborative energy.I understood that becoming a Thinking School was difficult enough – sustainingits momentum might be impossible. My aim from the outset had been to developa leadership, well informed, deeply developed and widely distributed, in order tosupport the development of the emerging learning model. Crucial to this wouldbe the redirection of CPD. It was necessary to communicate the message that‘Thinking’ is the heartbeat of learning. Strategically, we had immersed the schoolin a culture of thinking but to sustain it, levers had to be added in order to ensurethat the vision of a Thinking School became the school’s priority for all teachingand learning. Part of setting out our clear expectations of all staff was the needto ensure that it was understood by everyone that becoming a Thinking Schoolwas not just another initiative or ‘badge collecting’ exercise. Instead, it was tobe the foundation stone for improving the quality and enjoyment of the teachingand learning experience for both staff and learners alike.Sharing best practiceIt is the criteria we set for observing lessons and the performance managementtargets, which crucially make our expectations clear to all staff. We gave a clearsignal that we expected all staff to contribute to the development of questioningand thinking tools as well as thinking skills in our learners. We also differentiatedour performance expectations according to responsibilities.“ There was now anenergy for collaborationon lesson design and forpractising what had beenlearned. Certain classroomsbecame powerhouses ofcollaborative energy. ”63Volume3.4nCreativeTeaching&LearningThinkingSkillsKnowledge trails1) What is a thinkingschool? – Bob Burden ofthe University of Exeterexplains how schoolscan go about becomingaccredited thinkingschools.http://library.teachingtimes.com/articles/cognitive-curriculum-thinking-skills2) Thinking maps in action– Bob Burden and JudySilver visit a primaryschool that has taken onthinking maps in a bigway and are now reapingthe benefits.http://library.teachingtimes.com/articles/thinking-maps-in-action3) Creating a thinkingschool – Nannette Painegives us a consultant’sperspective on helpingschools achieve thinkingschool status by theUniversity of Exeter.http://library.teachingtimes.com/articles/creating-a-thinking-schoolWe use our highly popular Sharing Best Practice voluntary lunchtime andevening sessions, and directed time, to support other staff who wish to learnmore. Twenty or so staff voluntarily give up their lunchtimes on a Wednesdayand we always ensure that they can take something new away with them totry in their own classrooms. Increasingly, we provide training for each other vialearning conversations. Most recently I have developed the idea of providing‘drop in sessions’ where a teacher brings along an idea for a lesson that he orshe wants help with or are seeking to improve. Over a biscuit and a cup of tea,staff from other subject areas set about the collaborative exercise of turningan idea into an outstanding component of a lesson. One teacher of a group ofa difficult group of learners was genuinely shocked by a lesson that had beenco-designed: “I"
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Creative Teaching & Learning

How we became a Thinking School

22 Apr 2013

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      string(380) "without entering the water. Philosophy for Childrensessions provide a context for practising good thinking moves so they canbecome embedded as Habits of Mind – habits the children will continuewith in many situations throughout their lives.SummaryThe central idea of Radical Encouragement is to help turn people aroundfrom feeling like the passive ..."
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      string(2273) "without entering the water. Philosophy for Childrensessions provide a context for practising good thinking moves so they canbecome embedded as Habits of Mind – habits the children will continuewith in many situations throughout their lives.SummaryThe central idea of Radical Encouragement is to help turn people aroundfrom feeling like the passive victims of things that happen to them tobecoming active creators of meaning in their lives. This is both about givingpeople ‘heart’ or courage and equipping them with the thinking tools theywill require for success in school and life. Philosophy is not formally requiredby the curriculum and many teachers would see the idea of teachingphilosophy as interesting but not really central to meeting the educationalneeds of their children. Jane Griffiths’ experience indicates that philosophycan be central. Philosophy gives children the opportunity to talk about andthink through questions of meaning and equips them with the tools to dothis effectively. It therefore helps them to give meaning to their lives. Despiteall the government papers that suggest otherwise, the real problems ofeducation are not technical ones but philosophical ones. The question formany young people is not how to learn about differential equations or thewars of roses but why bother? Philosophy can help them articulate and thinkabout this and other questions, and, at the same time, draw them into thepleasure of thinking and learning for themselves.Rupert Wegerif is Reader in Education, School of Education,University of SouthamptonThe pictures used in this article are not of pupils at Berwick First SchoolReferencesClaxton, G (1999) Wise-Up: the challenge of lifelong learning. London:Bloomsbury.Art Costa and Bena Kallick (2000) Assessing and Reporting on Habits ofMind. Alexandria, Virginia, USA: ASCDMatthew Lipman (2003) Thinking in Education (2nd Edition). Cambridge,UK: Cambridge University Press.Vygotsky, L. (1986) Thought and Language. Cambridge Ma, USA: M. I. T Press.Hobson, P (2002) The Cradle of Thought. London: MacMillanKeele University Survey: http://www.keele.ac.uk/depts/ed/research/cfss-survey-users.htmN-RAIS, Northumberland Raising Aspirations in Society: www.nrais.org"
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Creative Teaching & Learning

Radical Encouragement Through Philosophy

28 Feb 2011