Leadership

Teaching beyond boundaries

Everyone has an opinion on those teachers who pack up and head abroad to work, and many British teachers don’t realise the educational opportunities that are available to them around the world.

Everyone has an opinion on those teachers who pack up and head abroad to work, and many British teachers don’t realise the educational opportunities that are available to them around the world.

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      string(388) "... themselves, in a nutshellthe TLA helps teachers to make small changes in theirpractice that can have a large and sustained impact inthe classroom, often extending beyond its boundaries.Indeed analysis of teachers’ projects demonstratesthat many have been the catalyst for improvementsthroughout their school, even influencing what happensin other schools.Under ..."
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      string(4917) "Celebrating Teachers! ■■■■■16……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Celebrating Teachers!Sara Morgan and Margaret Noble reflect on the benefits The Teaching and LearningAcademy has brought to teachers, pupils and schools and herald a new future for the TLAafter the abolition of the General Teaching Council for England.How can teachers receive public and professionalrecognition for their own learning anddevelopment? That was the simple yetsearching question that the General Teaching Councilfor England (GTCE) sought to answer when it launcheda pioneering scheme back in January 2004.Since those first steps, some 17,000 teachers haveenrolled in the Teacher Learning Academy (TLA), withmany more thousands benefitting as a result of theirschool’s involvement. But what is the TLA; how doesit work; and perhaps most importantly, what might itsfuture hold, once the GTCE is abolished next spring?■■■ A Future for the TLALet’s deal with that final question first. Last year’sannouncement – namely, that the Government plannedto bring forward legislation that would lead to theabolition of the GTCE – cast a long and unwelcomeshadow over the TLA, with many of us fearful forits survival. However we are delighted to reportPolicy andpractice17……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………that all the uncertainty has now been removed, withthe news that an alternative home has been found,thereby safeguarding the TLA for present and futureparticipants. From this autumn, a consortium of highereducation institutions from the Cathedrals Group willrun the TLA, having bought its intellectual propertyassets in an open sale. This includes the TLA brand, itsframework, resources and web pages.■■■ What does the TLA do?The original mission of the TLA will remain unchanged.Designed and led by teachers themselves, in a nutshellthe TLA helps teachers to make small changes in theirpractice that can have a large and sustained impact inthe classroom, often extending beyond its boundaries.Indeed analysis of teachers’ projects demonstratesthat many have been the catalyst for improvementsthroughout their school, even influencing what happensin other schools.Under the continuing leadership of the GTCE, theTLA’s national framework offered teachers at all levels– from supply to school leaders – the opportunity togain public recognition, celebrating the professionallearning and innovation taking place in their classroomsevery day.Flexibility has been central, alongside academicrigour and accessibility. To that end, the emphasis hasalways been on learning that is embedded within dailypractice. In other words, that occurs as part of everyteacher’s professional life, rather than an extra activitythat is bolted on.Alongside reflecting national priorities and initiatives,over the years many projects have had a clear local bias,with teachers exercising their creativity to inspireprogress. Projects demonstrate the diversity of existinglearning and teachers’ continued commitment toimprovement, with many having their roots inperformance management objectives and schoolimprovement priorities. Research shows that whilesome teachers have followed an established course orprogramme, a majority have worked within their schoolor network of schools, accessing external expertiseand support as needed. In many cases, their work hasinvolved collaborating with colleagues, whether in theirown school or another nearby.Inevitably the range of projects has reflected nationalpriorities and initiatives – such as the national strategies,Assessment For Learning and Every Child Matters. Butthere has also been a clear emphasis on teachers andschools making things work within their own setting. Byencouraging teachers to try new or different approachesin their classrooms, the TLA has generated higherstandards of teaching and a wealth of new ideas. Duringthe last eight years, its powerful impact on classroomsthroughout England has been inspirational – and longmay it continue. Box 1 provides evidence of the impactthe TLA has made.Creating and demonstrating impactIn 2008, the National Foundation for EducationalResearch (NFER) was asked by the GeneralTeaching Council for England (GTCE) to makean independent evaluation of the TLA’s approachto professional learning – and the results wereimpressive.Analysing 30 TLA presentations and 18 detailedschool case studies over"
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Professional Development

Celebrating Teachers!

4 Jul 2012

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      string(385) "... guiding and facilitating theirlearning. Far from this being a passiverole, teachers found that they neededto be responsive to the students,questioning and prompting them togo beyond the boundaries of  theircurrent understanding.Curriculum reform may see morefreedom given to teachers to explorenew ways of  teaching and learningand make it easier for ..."
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      string(487) "Teachers can sometimes feel under pressure to use technology in the classroom simply to make learning more engaging for students, but if bringing technology into the classroom becomes just another box to tick; then neither teachers nor students will get the most out of what it has to offer. Technology should be an integrated part of teaching and learning in schools, having a role to play in all subject lessons as well as distinct ICT lessons. Enter ‘Digital Literacy’…"
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      string(3915) "using superimposedtext to provide key information aboutearthquakes. One particular group,who called themselves the ‘WorldCreative Association’, chose to applytheir out of  school interests to aclassroom situation by creating a Legostop-motion animation representingwhat it might be like to be in anearthquake.Digital literacy can also bedeveloped in cross-curricular activitiesthat support a whole-school approachto digital technologies and new media.Year 5 and 6 pupils at Knowle ParkPrimary School in Bristol and theirteachers Andy Dewey and Joe Tett,took part in a project to produce theschool’s new prospectus, which for thefirst time was to be in digital formatand made available as a DVD.This cross-curricular, collaborativepiece of  work saw the childrenworking to draw on their ownexperiences and opinions of  theirschool to create short film clips.These clips were used to promote andexplain the different aspects of  schoollife they thought it would be useful forpotential parents and students to knowabout.Each group of  five or six children,of  mixed ages and abilities, weremade responsible for the content ofa certain section of  the prospectus.Supported by their teacher who askedquestions such as ‘what will that meanto the parents and children who willwatch the DVD at home?’ the studentscarefully planned what to film andwhat to say. They had a clear visionof  what they wanted to create. Theywanted it to be informative andentertaining and were keen to expresstheir pride in their school.Talking to teachers like Ben,Andy and Joe, it became clear thatwhilst each teacher had their ownunique classroom approach, therewere a number of  similarities in theirexperiences of  digital literacy and theimplications for classroom practice.The introduction of  digitalliteracy in the classroom can requirea shift in the way that teachers work,which may take time to adjust to.Teachers have become accustomedto classrooms where the imperativeto complete an output in a given timehas become paramount. To reallyexplore digital literacy and developcritical thinking, reflection, debate andevaluation in the classroom, teachersoften need to slow the pace downand allow time for pupils to developcritical thought.Teachers who built in opportunitiesfor pupils to reflect on their work andheld regular classroom discussionsto encourage critical thinkinghad more success in supportingstudents to develop digital literacy.Teachers also found that studentsbecame, and indeed needed tobecome, more independent in theirlearning during activities. To supportindependent learning and creativityin the classroom it is important thatteachers provide enough structure andguidance to ensure that this methodof  learning is productive and effective.The teachers we spoke to as partof  our research found themselvestaking on a new role, one in which aswell as directly teaching students, theywere also guiding and facilitating theirlearning. Far from this being a passiverole, teachers found that they neededto be responsive to the students,questioning and prompting them togo beyond the boundaries of  theircurrent understanding.Curriculum reform may see morefreedom given to teachers to explorenew ways of  teaching and learningand make it easier for digital literacyto be explored across the curriculum.By fostering the knowledge, skillsand understanding of  digital literacyteachers can bring a bit morecreativity into their classroom as wellas supporting the further developmentof  their students’ subject knowledge.Futurelab has produceda handbook for teachers,providing tips and real-lifeexamples of  how to introducedigital literacy into theclassroom.Cassie Hague and Sarah Payton,Futurelabhttp://www.teachingtimes.comButton 22: Page 1: OffPage 2: Page 3: Button 23: Page 1: OffPage 2: Page 3: Button 24: Page 1: OffPage 2: Page 3: Button 25: Page 1: OffPage 2: Page 3:"
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Digital Learning

Digital literacy

15 Dec 2010

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      string(3036) "weresimilarities in their experiences and the implications for theirclassroom practice.In developing students’ digital literacy, teachers wereinitiating a culture shift in the way in which technology isconceived of in the classroom. There was a need for criticalthinking, reflection, evaluation and for making space andtime to create an atmosphere of debate and discussion aboutboth subject knowledge and technology use. For teachersand students who have become accustomed to learningin classrooms where the imperative to complete an outputin a given time has been paramount, slowing the pace andallowing time for critical thought was difficult at first.Teachers who built in regular opportunities for reflection,creative thinking and critical discussion in class had moresuccess in supporting students to evaluate, for example,whether they were using the most appropriate technologyfor communicating their ideas, whether they were consideringtheir audience and how well they were collaborating.Teachers also found that students became, and indeedneeded to become, more independent in their learning duringthe activities. The teachers spoke of a need for building goodrelationships in the classroom and for providing enoughstructure and guidance to support students to develop theircreativity and work independently.This was a new role for theteachers, one in which, as wellas directly teaching students,they were also guiding andfacilitating them in theirlearning. Far from this beinga passive role, teachers foundthey needed to be responsiveto the students, questioningand prompting them to go beyond the boundaries of theircurrent understandings.Teachers involved in the project also found that digitalliteracy can support both National Curriculum aims and aschool’s own educational ethos. For example, a secondaryscience teacher found that in addition to supporting hisstudents to become digitally literate subject specialists he wasalso able to address a whole-school focus on communicationskills. Other teachers found that synergies existed with thesecondary National Curriculum’s personal learning andthinking skills framework.At a time when the National Curriculum aims to reduceprescription and give schools more flexibility, practitionerspotentially have more opportunities to explore new ways oflearning in the classroom that respond to the needs of theirstudents. Digital literacy can both support and be supportedby these aims and opportunities.A practitioner handbook and the project case studies canbe found at http://www.futurelab.org.uk/projects/digital-participationBecta have also recently produced a framework aimedat supporting teachers to integrate digital literacy into theirclassroom teaching http://schools.becta.org.uk/index.php?section=tl&catcode=ss_tl_dl_02Cassie Hague and Sarah Payton are researchers withFuturelab.In developing students’ digital literacy, teacherswere initiating a culture shift in the way inwhich technology is conceived of in theclassroom"
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Creative Teaching & Learning

Integrating digital literacy in the classroom

14 Jun 2010

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      string(374) "... wade deeper int o the murky waters ofrestructuring our management points and questioningsome of the ways we’ve traditionally done things, it’sperhaps worth thinking beyond subject boundaries andfocusing on the essential skills that all good teachers need,irrespective of their specialism. It’s important to rememberthat energy spent producing ..."
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      string(1429) "literacyknowledge? What training have you under taken in thepast year? What evidence do you have of its impact inyour classroom?”Ironic ally, for me, whole-school impact isn’t simplyabout appointing co-ordinators of (say) literacy. I t isn’tabout lengthy and tangled curriculum audits. It isn’t aboutearnest whole-staff training sessions. Rather, it’s aboutsimplifying what we expect as the essential ingredientsin good classroom practice and creating the opportunitiesfor our staff to develop their skills and k nowledge,underpinned by a performance management process thatplaces these skills at the core.So as we wade deeper int o the murky waters ofrestructuring our management points and questioningsome of the ways we’ve traditionally done things, it’sperhaps worth thinking beyond subject boundaries andfocusing on the essential skills that all good teachers need,irrespective of their specialism. It’s important to rememberthat energy spent producing great paper-based structureswill rarely be as pro ductive as time spent deploying theright people in the right job, even if that makes for a messystructure. And it ’s vital to cling on to the main purpose ofthe whole pr oc ess: a school-wide impact which isconsistent across every classroom in the school. “Standby for action” indeed.Geoff Barton is head teacher at King Edward VI School,Bury St Edmunds, a 14–18 training school."
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Leadership

Bringing Down The Barriers

1 Jan 2005