This week, I'm sure you don't want to spend ages reading my ramblings; lesson plans, marking and data sheets are probably a slightly higher priority for you at the moment, and rightly so. Whilst I want you to be relaxed about the review process we are about to undergo, I'm sure you want to give the best possible account of yourself.
This will be the last time we undergo a quality assurance process this year. Let's make it outstanding. Let's show exactly what we can do. Be confident and innovative in your planning. Show progress. Make sure your plans are flexible so that you can add a mini-plenary or a progress check whilst you're being observed. Fall back on the things you've done well this year with your classes. Most of all, enjoy it - if you do, the children will.
In other news, we will be having a planning meeting this Wednesday, which will form a vital part of our work for the next year. I want us to become an outstanding department - and whilst we're pretty damn fine, there are always things we can do to improve further. It's vital that you attend, as I wish all of us to share in the goals and ideas we create, so we can work together to improve the outcomes (attainment and enjoyment related!) for our pupils, and us.
Finally, thanks to those of you who have shared resources in the last week or so - there have been some great ideas and solutions disseminated amongst us. This is a key aspect of achieving excellence, so thank you again.
Finally finally - this week we say good bye to Kirsty and Wayne, who, I a sure you will agree, have had a terrific impact on the department in their time with us. Thank you for your contributions and effort - I'm sure you'll do very well in your careers.
Sunday, 26 June 2011
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Midsummer
Amazingly, we're here at midsummer already - in just a few days, the longest day will be with us. It seems that it is only two minutes since we were arriving at work in the dark, and leaving in the depths of night. Now, a mere month or so later, we're putting in the same hours but it feels so much better - to me at least!
Last week was typically fantastic, typically typical of you all. The moderation meeting was incredible, entirely thanks to LS's organisation and the excellent way in which you all worked together; the clarity of feedback and open way in which it was accepted was superb. It was heartening to see that we appear to be marking accurately and looking for the same qualities in the pupil's work. Also, Love Music week was an outstanding addition to the school calendar. Hearing various types of music on the corridor was really enjoyable - and it seemed to fit well with aspects of the year 8 scheme, which was nice.
Personally, it's been great to hear some of your ideas for using technology in the classroom. I sincerely hope some of these ideas come to fruition as they are excellent. Can I also implore you to consistently share resources and ideas? Please, do not be shy about the things that you do well and the successes you have. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and have to be confident to enough to share all of these as a team - if we do that we can ensure we become an outstanding department.
Have a look through these links at your leisure and see if anything takes your fancy. See you all Monday for another week, hopefully a bright and enjoyable one.
Last week was typically fantastic, typically typical of you all. The moderation meeting was incredible, entirely thanks to LS's organisation and the excellent way in which you all worked together; the clarity of feedback and open way in which it was accepted was superb. It was heartening to see that we appear to be marking accurately and looking for the same qualities in the pupil's work. Also, Love Music week was an outstanding addition to the school calendar. Hearing various types of music on the corridor was really enjoyable - and it seemed to fit well with aspects of the year 8 scheme, which was nice.
Personally, it's been great to hear some of your ideas for using technology in the classroom. I sincerely hope some of these ideas come to fruition as they are excellent. Can I also implore you to consistently share resources and ideas? Please, do not be shy about the things that you do well and the successes you have. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and have to be confident to enough to share all of these as a team - if we do that we can ensure we become an outstanding department.
Have a look through these links at your leisure and see if anything takes your fancy. See you all Monday for another week, hopefully a bright and enjoyable one.
Monday, 13 June 2011
In brief...
Just a brief missive this week, due to ongoing computer issues and the lack of LLN meaning I won't be able to send it out this evening. Hopefully, you have all enjoyed a relaxing weekend of rain, no emails and rain.
The final stretch of this year is underway, and we're straight back into the thick of it. This week sees us building up to a couple of pieces of Controlled Assessment for years nine and ten, moderating another piece and, as ever, teaching engaging and thought provoking lessons. Thanks to those of you who created this half term's schemes, and those who have already begun saving their differentiated lessons on J Drive. Although it's the final half term, there'll be no pressure drop - we've also got a QA fortnight coming up.
Luckily, there are also a few exciting events coming up. The first of these is Love Music week, which fits superbly with the year 8 scheme, so dig in your crates for some old school bangers and drop that heavy bass on some unsuspecting pupils. Or something. You may prefer playing Take That at them, or maybe some Boomtown Rats, if you have no taste.
Enjoy the week, which will hopefully be warmer and dryer than today. Remember to let me know any ideas you've had for using new technology - it's been good to hear some of you mention using blogging with some classes, or for personal development.
The final stretch of this year is underway, and we're straight back into the thick of it. This week sees us building up to a couple of pieces of Controlled Assessment for years nine and ten, moderating another piece and, as ever, teaching engaging and thought provoking lessons. Thanks to those of you who created this half term's schemes, and those who have already begun saving their differentiated lessons on J Drive. Although it's the final half term, there'll be no pressure drop - we've also got a QA fortnight coming up.
Luckily, there are also a few exciting events coming up. The first of these is Love Music week, which fits superbly with the year 8 scheme, so dig in your crates for some old school bangers and drop that heavy bass on some unsuspecting pupils. Or something. You may prefer playing Take That at them, or maybe some Boomtown Rats, if you have no taste.
Enjoy the week, which will hopefully be warmer and dryer than today. Remember to let me know any ideas you've had for using new technology - it's been good to hear some of you mention using blogging with some classes, or for personal development.
Sunday, 5 June 2011
Teachnology
Yes. Teachnology. A truly awful pun. A pun which I refuse to make apology for.
For, this half-term, I wish to see us all embrace teachnology with our arms wide open and the beatific smiles of the newly converted plastered across our faces. We have a school blog, we have laptops and smartboards, we have cameras and cables that connect the cameras together. We also have surprisingly tech-savvy pupils. Pupils who tweet. Pupils who can hyperlink PowerPoint slides. Pupils who are engaged by digital story telling and by learning experiences which reflect their world.
Yet, to be honest, we're sometimes scared of this, reluctant to embrace the changes and challenges of modernity. It's entirely understandable. I'm terrified of technology too. I tried to use a different way of creating a blog today, panicked and deleted it. I have no idea how to upload a video to YouTube, and had to be shown how to create a mailing list on Outlook (Thanks for that, VQ!).
As such, I have a challenge. For each of you, this half term. I want you to try and embrace a new piece of teachnology in your lessons, or in your general approach to teaching. It might be joining twitter and taking part in the #ukedchat discussion. It might be starting a blog for the pupils in a specific class, which they manage themselves, and which you moderate. It might be part of our improving use of Moodle. You might even wish to start blogging yourself...
If this seems intimidating or ineffable, ask and I will help you create a twitter account, or a blogger account. I'll work out how we can upload videos to YouTube, and help set up a channel for our school, or create stories like this.
There is a brave new digital world out there - we can be a part of it, and guide our pupils through it.
For, this half-term, I wish to see us all embrace teachnology with our arms wide open and the beatific smiles of the newly converted plastered across our faces. We have a school blog, we have laptops and smartboards, we have cameras and cables that connect the cameras together. We also have surprisingly tech-savvy pupils. Pupils who tweet. Pupils who can hyperlink PowerPoint slides. Pupils who are engaged by digital story telling and by learning experiences which reflect their world.
Yet, to be honest, we're sometimes scared of this, reluctant to embrace the changes and challenges of modernity. It's entirely understandable. I'm terrified of technology too. I tried to use a different way of creating a blog today, panicked and deleted it. I have no idea how to upload a video to YouTube, and had to be shown how to create a mailing list on Outlook (Thanks for that, VQ!).
As such, I have a challenge. For each of you, this half term. I want you to try and embrace a new piece of teachnology in your lessons, or in your general approach to teaching. It might be joining twitter and taking part in the #ukedchat discussion. It might be starting a blog for the pupils in a specific class, which they manage themselves, and which you moderate. It might be part of our improving use of Moodle. You might even wish to start blogging yourself...
If this seems intimidating or ineffable, ask and I will help you create a twitter account, or a blogger account. I'll work out how we can upload videos to YouTube, and help set up a channel for our school, or create stories like this.
There is a brave new digital world out there - we can be a part of it, and guide our pupils through it.
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