I wanted to write up my notes from the 2011 ofsted report about science education in the UK. This should help me gain an idea on how I need to lead my new faculty towards being a strong unit educating our students to the best of our ability.
According to the Ofsted subject report for science, high performing schools have:
i) clear priorities for raising standards
ii) rigorous monitoring and evaluation of performance
iii) challenging target setting for individual pupils (I read this as high expectations of pupil performance)
iv) strong focus on the improvement of the quality of teaching and learning
v) staff planning together and sharing practice
To me this list makes perfect sense. The evaluation is an important part. Do schools and departments really look at what they are doing and the impact it is making or do they hope that it is happening? What does it take for something to genuinely be embedded and how can you tell?
Good evaluation means that clear priorities can be set and monitoring means that we can work towards reaching them and not going off target.
In terms of working together and sharing practice, I have seen this happen and know what it can look like. Staff planning together formally because they team teach or are teaching the same topic and also informally as they sit in the staffroom and discuss lessons. However, not all of the schools I have worked in have had a culture of discussing teaching and learning. And I do have a question mark hanging over what makes the difference.
The ofsted report goes on to discuss the curriculum of an outstanding science department.
- The curriculum will be planned collaboratively using the best ideas from the team and there will be a forum for sharing practice.
- There is a 'plan, do, review' cycle of the curriculum plans
- There are cross curricular elements of the schemes of work, allowing students to see the uses of science in society
- Clubs are used to engage students with less focus and confidence in science
- Key stage 4 curriculum options are best suited to the students
It is interesting that the clubs can be used to engage less focused students, when often they are targeted at gifted and talented and/or students. This is something I plan to bare in mind. But it poses a challenge, how do you engage students in science during their own time when they won't engage in lessons?
The leadership and management of an outstanding science faculty has a long list of characteristics:
1. There is tracking of the progress and attainment of students
2. Intervention and planning is informed by this tracking data
3. There are clear roles and responsibilities within the faculty
4. A clear standard of the quality of teaching
5. Any evaluation takes into account the views of all the major stakeholders
6. There is a vision for the inclusion of all Learners, breaking down the barriers to engagement
7. Leadership will have good links with parents and other outside agencies
8. Departmental training is focused on areas that most teachers find problematic
9. The departmental handbook has (i) clear guidance on teaching and learning and (ii) procedures for assessment for informing planning
10. "How science works" is a significant part of the schemes of work
11. Management must challenge the performance of less effective teachers
12. There is a balanced view of the strengths and weaknesses resulting from systematic monitoring of standards
13. Tracking of students will focus on HSW as well as knowledge and understanding
14. Information on the progress of students should be passed on to the next teachers
15. Training of teachers gives subject leaders a better understanding of the issues effecting standards
From this list my main issue is with taking the views of stakeholders into account. I have managed to build relationships with parents in my current role by making myself available to them so I hope to do that in my next role.
The teaching in good science departments is described as having variety of activities such as presentations by students, investigative work, research, projects, use of models, demonstrations, use of video clips and other media resources, card sorts and group discussions. Teachers don't talk for too long, they manage time well and provide sufficient challenge in lessons. The departments also have lively and enthusiastic science teachers who are reflective and keen to improve. There is also good assessment, peer and self assessment as well as marking of work.
I will use this when I review what is happening in my science faculty. How enthusiastic are the staff and how creative are they in the types of activity they are using.
All of the comments made in the ofsted report make sense. But seeing them written in one place help to focus be mind and give me a vision for the development of my own faculty in the future.
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Saturday, 17 March 2012
Friday, 16 March 2012
Science Week
This year I decided to make a real effort and have science week events in the school. Now in the middle of it I feel like a music teacher must during the Christmas concerts, and I am not even the person doing the most work!
Before the week started I wrote a news letter with various information including some descriptions of what was happening that week; some "on this day in history" facts that are science related; links to science websites that would be useful for young people; and some "did you know" facts.
On Monday and Tuesday we had science fairs for year 9. This was great for the students who engaged with the activities. Three weeks before they had started an independent enquiry project to present at the fair. I was very impressed by the students' ownership of their projects and knowledge of the scientific method according to science teaching.
In year 7 we usually run a CSI project over the time period of a few weeks. This year I instigated this starting during science week to give both the project a fresh boost and add a little bit of depth to the activities we do in science week without much effort on our part. The students investigate blood splatter, hair types, fingerprints, unknown white powders, chromatography, witness statements, phone records amongst other things.
We had a visitor from Bristol University who spoke on the topic of bioethics to a group of year 10 students and also Pete, the Big Bug Bag Man, brought his large invertebrates to school in his voluminous ruck sack who amazed some year 7s and 8s. Both visitors were cheap enough for our faculty to afford without affecting the overall budget.
We also gave five copies of the official science week quiz to tutors for them to use in tutor time. Quite a few have given them back.
Assemblies have been big hit across the school during science week. Our Head of Chemistry has been delighting the students with the properties of dry ice. The climax of the performance is him pretending to smash his thumb. The gasps from the students say it all.
I also set up and ran a treasure hunt of Einstein images. Anyone who came to me with the locations of all 20 images of Einstein could have chocolate from me. About 10 students went on the hunt, but everyone I spoke to knew about them and that it was Einstein's birthday on 14th March.
In year 8 lessons we gave the students "our world in motion" posters to research and design. This is an official competition with the deadline of 2nd April. The students have to design an all terrain vehicle that will allow competitors to race in a world wide race. Engagement has been good in the project.
The week ended with a trip to the Big Bang Science Fair. I really didn't know how it would work with all the timings and students involved. But the students had a great time and we didn't lose any. It was very busy, but we enjoyed it despite that. 40/40 students said that they would go back again next year.
Through all of this I can really see the value in National Science and Engineering Week and I can't wait to set something up in my new school.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Before the week started I wrote a news letter with various information including some descriptions of what was happening that week; some "on this day in history" facts that are science related; links to science websites that would be useful for young people; and some "did you know" facts.
On Monday and Tuesday we had science fairs for year 9. This was great for the students who engaged with the activities. Three weeks before they had started an independent enquiry project to present at the fair. I was very impressed by the students' ownership of their projects and knowledge of the scientific method according to science teaching.
In year 7 we usually run a CSI project over the time period of a few weeks. This year I instigated this starting during science week to give both the project a fresh boost and add a little bit of depth to the activities we do in science week without much effort on our part. The students investigate blood splatter, hair types, fingerprints, unknown white powders, chromatography, witness statements, phone records amongst other things.
We had a visitor from Bristol University who spoke on the topic of bioethics to a group of year 10 students and also Pete, the Big Bug Bag Man, brought his large invertebrates to school in his voluminous ruck sack who amazed some year 7s and 8s. Both visitors were cheap enough for our faculty to afford without affecting the overall budget.
We also gave five copies of the official science week quiz to tutors for them to use in tutor time. Quite a few have given them back.
Assemblies have been big hit across the school during science week. Our Head of Chemistry has been delighting the students with the properties of dry ice. The climax of the performance is him pretending to smash his thumb. The gasps from the students say it all.
I also set up and ran a treasure hunt of Einstein images. Anyone who came to me with the locations of all 20 images of Einstein could have chocolate from me. About 10 students went on the hunt, but everyone I spoke to knew about them and that it was Einstein's birthday on 14th March.
In year 8 lessons we gave the students "our world in motion" posters to research and design. This is an official competition with the deadline of 2nd April. The students have to design an all terrain vehicle that will allow competitors to race in a world wide race. Engagement has been good in the project.
The week ended with a trip to the Big Bang Science Fair. I really didn't know how it would work with all the timings and students involved. But the students had a great time and we didn't lose any. It was very busy, but we enjoyed it despite that. 40/40 students said that they would go back again next year.
Through all of this I can really see the value in National Science and Engineering Week and I can't wait to set something up in my new school.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Bristol
Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Being a good head of faculty
I start as a head of faculty on May 1st. I am excited and terrified in equal measures. I know that I have the knowledge required of me to be a head of science and also the support network in #asechat and my partner. However I want to do a really good job.
We have just had a new head of faculty this year and he has split the faculty and lowered morale. The two previous new heads of faculty that I have known have also struggled to hit the ground running. Hiding in the classrooms instead of leading from the front.
So what does it take to have a good start? I am massively lucky because I am going to have a light time table for the first term. I hope this will support me in finding out the strengths and weaknesses of the team and establishing myself as the leader of the team.
What makes the perfect head of science? Alessio recently asked this on the TES forum. The thread is here: http://community.tes.co.uk/forums/t/557936.aspx and my specific response is:
"Communication is really important [to be a good head of science]. Someone who talks to their staff and is aware of how they tick. A team is a group of individuals who use their strengths and interests to work together, a leader must facilitate this.
The head of faculty must be friendly and approachable, but not one of the lads/girls and certainly not have obvious favourites. Opportunities, responibsilities, top groups, praise etc need to be shared fairly.
Strong knowledge about curriculum matters and current thinking regarding pedagogy. The head of faculty doesn't need to be the best in the faculty if they have good people skills and a strong knowledge.
Most of all though a head of faculty needs to have a vision and direction for the faculty. That vision needs to be the best for the students whilst also taking consideration the work life balance of the staff."
I suppose this leads me to the question "what is my vision for science education?" which I might not be able to answer until I know more about my specific group of students and their aspirations.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
We have just had a new head of faculty this year and he has split the faculty and lowered morale. The two previous new heads of faculty that I have known have also struggled to hit the ground running. Hiding in the classrooms instead of leading from the front.
So what does it take to have a good start? I am massively lucky because I am going to have a light time table for the first term. I hope this will support me in finding out the strengths and weaknesses of the team and establishing myself as the leader of the team.
What makes the perfect head of science? Alessio recently asked this on the TES forum. The thread is here: http://community.tes.co.uk/forums/t/557936.aspx and my specific response is:
"Communication is really important [to be a good head of science]. Someone who talks to their staff and is aware of how they tick. A team is a group of individuals who use their strengths and interests to work together, a leader must facilitate this.
The head of faculty must be friendly and approachable, but not one of the lads/girls and certainly not have obvious favourites. Opportunities, responibsilities, top groups, praise etc need to be shared fairly.
Strong knowledge about curriculum matters and current thinking regarding pedagogy. The head of faculty doesn't need to be the best in the faculty if they have good people skills and a strong knowledge.
Most of all though a head of faculty needs to have a vision and direction for the faculty. That vision needs to be the best for the students whilst also taking consideration the work life balance of the staff."
I suppose this leads me to the question "what is my vision for science education?" which I might not be able to answer until I know more about my specific group of students and their aspirations.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Rudgleigh Ave,,United Kingdom
How do you learn to plan lessons?
We have a GTP student working with us at the moment. She is reflective and caring. My Year 12 students get on with her well and she has a very positive way of interacting with the students.
However, she is thinking about leaving the profession. The reason for this is the time that it is taking for her to plan. It seems to be taking all her time and getting harder not easier as she progresses through the course.
However, I am finding describing how to plan very difficult. I just know what I want to do. How did I learn?
I can remember struggling to plan lessons I left to the night before during my NQT year, but I always came up with something. What happened in the transition between the struggle and now when I have a clear idea what I will do in lessons up to three weeks in advance?
Is it simply experience?
Aside: it would probably help if we had complete schemes of work available to plan from and the wikid scheme is not easy for experience teachers to follow, so I can understand why a student teacher would struggle.
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However, she is thinking about leaving the profession. The reason for this is the time that it is taking for her to plan. It seems to be taking all her time and getting harder not easier as she progresses through the course.
However, I am finding describing how to plan very difficult. I just know what I want to do. How did I learn?
I can remember struggling to plan lessons I left to the night before during my NQT year, but I always came up with something. What happened in the transition between the struggle and now when I have a clear idea what I will do in lessons up to three weeks in advance?
Is it simply experience?
Aside: it would probably help if we had complete schemes of work available to plan from and the wikid scheme is not easy for experience teachers to follow, so I can understand why a student teacher would struggle.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Bristol
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Organising a teachmeet
The ASE west subcommittee have decided to organise a teachmeet. This is doesn't seem that interesting as a lot of people do this and there is a teachmeet somewhere in the country at least twice per week in the term time. It does get quite interesting when you consider that only one of the organisers know what it is and what it entails. That organiser is me, and I am not one of the main ones responsibilities.
I heard about teachmeets where I hear about most things, on twitter. The first one I went to was at Clevedon School. It was a very positive evening with a wide variety of ideas shared by the presenters. I wouldn't say my world was set alight, but it was great to be in a room with so many positive people and that is something different.
So how do you get the idea of how a teachmeet runs and how to market it across?
In my case badly, firstly my colleague didn't use the teachmeet section on the wiki website to create the pages, he made his own wiki. Secondly we all struggled to make a logo naff enough to go on the teachmeet wiki and make it into a link to our pages. Thirdly advertising seems to have been forgotten and even our own committee members haven't signed up for the event yet!
Luckily, one of the other Field Officers has come to my rescue and sent a "how-to" document. It has included things that I haven't even thought about, like who to contact at the ASE to get the email around to members that it is happening, and to make sure there are signs directing visitors.
I have to take my hat off to everyone who manages to organise a successful teachmeet: It isn't straightforward or easy.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I heard about teachmeets where I hear about most things, on twitter. The first one I went to was at Clevedon School. It was a very positive evening with a wide variety of ideas shared by the presenters. I wouldn't say my world was set alight, but it was great to be in a room with so many positive people and that is something different.
So how do you get the idea of how a teachmeet runs and how to market it across?
In my case badly, firstly my colleague didn't use the teachmeet section on the wiki website to create the pages, he made his own wiki. Secondly we all struggled to make a logo naff enough to go on the teachmeet wiki and make it into a link to our pages. Thirdly advertising seems to have been forgotten and even our own committee members haven't signed up for the event yet!
Luckily, one of the other Field Officers has come to my rescue and sent a "how-to" document. It has included things that I haven't even thought about, like who to contact at the ASE to get the email around to members that it is happening, and to make sure there are signs directing visitors.
I have to take my hat off to everyone who manages to organise a successful teachmeet: It isn't straightforward or easy.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Rudgleigh Ave,,United Kingdom
Sunday, 4 March 2012
Physics education vs Science Education
I am a member of the Institute of Physics, have a physics degree and I mainly teach physics, however I consider myself a science teacher. I would say that my love of teaching is greater than my love of physics. Although I find that science principles and laws just work intriguing and that physics underpins everything interests me greatly. My students look at me strangely when I get excited by physics when principles "just work".
On Saturday I heard the President of the Institute of Physics ask for members to investigate the state of physics teaching in their local school. He indicated that he would like all members of the IoP support physics education.
During the talk we were shown facts about how there is an ever increasing number of students doing physics and a record number of physics trainee teachers, but these numbers are not enough. The upshot is that the IoP believe that there is still work needed to improve the headline figures like the number of schools with physics graduates working as teachers and ensuring all schools offer physics A-level as quite a few don't.
Sir Peter Knight would like to know:
How many students at your school sat As and A-level physics last year?
How many of the students sitting A-level physics are girls?
How do you encourage students to think about choosing A-level physics?
How many specialist physics teachers does your school have?
Once members have answered these question we are to email the answers to physicsforall@iop.org
The message behind these questions, or at least the one I heard, is that we need more physicists in the UK and the way to achieve this is to have more physicists teaching in school.
I think that it is absolutely vital that we have well trained, knowledgable teachers. However, I am not convinced that using physics graduates is the only way, and I am certainly not convinced that a good grounding in university physics makes for a good teacher.
As a teacher of science I see physics in the context of science. I want my students to see science in everyday lives. I don't teach physics because I passionately believe that everyone should love it and want to study it. Do I owe it to physics in the UK to shift my views?
When I consider the ASE presidential address and Robin Millar's points on "science for all" I am conflicted between teaching and encouraging the physics graduates of the future and teaching scientific literacy for the masses. Are the two possible and/or compatible? Maybe they should be, but I don't believe we have achieved it yet in the English education system.
Having said all of this I really appreciate all the work that the IoP are doing to support physics education. I never regret paying my £100 per year membership fee because I know they are doing good work. And since I started teaching in my school we have had 3 students apply to do physics at university, so maybe I am already doing what the IoP would like.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
On Saturday I heard the President of the Institute of Physics ask for members to investigate the state of physics teaching in their local school. He indicated that he would like all members of the IoP support physics education.
During the talk we were shown facts about how there is an ever increasing number of students doing physics and a record number of physics trainee teachers, but these numbers are not enough. The upshot is that the IoP believe that there is still work needed to improve the headline figures like the number of schools with physics graduates working as teachers and ensuring all schools offer physics A-level as quite a few don't.
Sir Peter Knight would like to know:
How many students at your school sat As and A-level physics last year?
How many of the students sitting A-level physics are girls?
How do you encourage students to think about choosing A-level physics?
How many specialist physics teachers does your school have?
Once members have answered these question we are to email the answers to physicsforall@iop.org
The message behind these questions, or at least the one I heard, is that we need more physicists in the UK and the way to achieve this is to have more physicists teaching in school.
I think that it is absolutely vital that we have well trained, knowledgable teachers. However, I am not convinced that using physics graduates is the only way, and I am certainly not convinced that a good grounding in university physics makes for a good teacher.
As a teacher of science I see physics in the context of science. I want my students to see science in everyday lives. I don't teach physics because I passionately believe that everyone should love it and want to study it. Do I owe it to physics in the UK to shift my views?
When I consider the ASE presidential address and Robin Millar's points on "science for all" I am conflicted between teaching and encouraging the physics graduates of the future and teaching scientific literacy for the masses. Are the two possible and/or compatible? Maybe they should be, but I don't believe we have achieved it yet in the English education system.
Having said all of this I really appreciate all the work that the IoP are doing to support physics education. I never regret paying my £100 per year membership fee because I know they are doing good work. And since I started teaching in my school we have had 3 students apply to do physics at university, so maybe I am already doing what the IoP would like.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
What makes good quality CPD?
I have been inspired before by a chat topic on twitter via the hashtag #addcym (education wales) and I have been again this evening as the topic was about what makes good cpd.
There are four factors in my opinion: something I can use, personalised, allows me to reflect and be something I don't already know.
I have already bemoaned the lack of cpd at my school in a previous blog post and I written about how I have taken control of that and managed to put together things that are concrete to put on my CV. However, what is the point of cpd if it is poor? It just becomes another waste of time.
Good quality cpd is not easy to achieve on a whole school level, I will admit that. Making it good quality would mean making it personalised and although it is something we are to strive for as teachers I don't believe that being truly personalised is possible. How is it possible that a visiting speaker giving information about autism can take account for all the range of knowledge in the room? I find this with ICT training, it always seems to be at a level below my own knowledge. However, I would list personalisation as one of my factors that make cpd of a higher quality.
As part of that personalisation if cpd is going to be any use to me then I have to learn something new. This isn't very easy to achieve, or at least it hasn't been for me until recently. (Until I discovered that you can use twitter for better things than finding out about the latest celebrity rants. See my previous blog posts on twitter and creating your own cpd). I find cpd provided by school to be on topics I have already investigated and didactic so don't get into the "how", so I don't learn much.
What is possible in any cpd session is reflection and I would insist that any good session allows for and encourages this. When I ran a session for science teachers in the past I gave lesson objectives to staff to help them think about specific lessons and better focus their reflections. Then we discussed what we thought in a plenary session.
Lastly, in any cpd session that I participate in I want ideas that I can take straight back to my classroom and implement. So it needs to be clear enough for me to understand, have resources that I can use if I am unsure and be something I am not already doing.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
There are four factors in my opinion: something I can use, personalised, allows me to reflect and be something I don't already know.
I have already bemoaned the lack of cpd at my school in a previous blog post and I written about how I have taken control of that and managed to put together things that are concrete to put on my CV. However, what is the point of cpd if it is poor? It just becomes another waste of time.
Good quality cpd is not easy to achieve on a whole school level, I will admit that. Making it good quality would mean making it personalised and although it is something we are to strive for as teachers I don't believe that being truly personalised is possible. How is it possible that a visiting speaker giving information about autism can take account for all the range of knowledge in the room? I find this with ICT training, it always seems to be at a level below my own knowledge. However, I would list personalisation as one of my factors that make cpd of a higher quality.
As part of that personalisation if cpd is going to be any use to me then I have to learn something new. This isn't very easy to achieve, or at least it hasn't been for me until recently. (Until I discovered that you can use twitter for better things than finding out about the latest celebrity rants. See my previous blog posts on twitter and creating your own cpd). I find cpd provided by school to be on topics I have already investigated and didactic so don't get into the "how", so I don't learn much.
What is possible in any cpd session is reflection and I would insist that any good session allows for and encourages this. When I ran a session for science teachers in the past I gave lesson objectives to staff to help them think about specific lessons and better focus their reflections. Then we discussed what we thought in a plenary session.
Lastly, in any cpd session that I participate in I want ideas that I can take straight back to my classroom and implement. So it needs to be clear enough for me to understand, have resources that I can use if I am unsure and be something I am not already doing.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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