I have my personal aims for the year and departmental ones.
My personal aims are:
To try out some of the activities that I see in "science in school", "physics education" and "school science review". Then if I feel they are effective add them to the scheme of work.
To boost the number of literacy strategies that I use in my lessons to support my students develop their ability to write lengthy passages.
Construct a high quality themed year 6 scheme of work based on the 5E form of lesson planning.
Continue to develop my work and support of the work of the ASE on a regional and national level.
All this along side trying to teach the best lessons I can: Those that allow students to explore their own ideas and come up with their own conclusions.
Let's see how it goes!
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Tuesday, 11 September 2012
Sunday, 9 September 2012
Planning using the 5Es (or 7Es) of lesson planning
The 5Es are engage, elicit, explore, explain, elaborate.
When planning I start with elaborate and engage. I decide what it is that I want the students to be able to say/do at the end of the lesson to show their understanding. Then I will think of how to introduce the lesson. It maybe that I want them to explain fractional distillation, so I will start the lesson with images of products made from oil.
For the elicit phase I think about how what science I need the class to have before we can move on. So for fractional distillation they need to understand boiling and condensing.
Explore and explain are the main part of the lesson. I might refer back to the engage section. The students might complete an experiment like how temperature affects the size of crystals formed, working out the efficiency of a kettle, observing a demonstration of fractional distillation, plotting the locations of earthquakes on a map. Then after the students have investigated something for themselves they explain what they found. It might be as a whole class discussion, it could be a Cloze procedure, but something that involves some degree of teacher input to ensure the students are on the right track in their thinking.
Then they need to apply what they have learned in a context in the elaborate phase. This bit is what the lesson is all about. It allows the teacher to assess that students. This is the bit of the work that I would mark.
Sometimes you can do as perfect a lesson as others.
For example F=ma. I could just tell them the formula and get them to do questions. I know ultimately I want the students to answer questions using F=ma, so that will be my elaborate. I now have to think of a context requiring F=ma that the students can answer questions about that can also engage them. Stopping distances might be one, I have a video clip of Jason Bradbury demonstrating that the stopping distance of a car is more than a motor bike. That could be the engage and the students can explain it and carry out calculations about it in the elaborate phase. Before they can explain stopping distances using F=ma students need to understand balanced and unbalanced forces, so I would question them about it in the elicit phase.
For acid/alkali indicators I would dream up a scenario where the chemist needs to know if the chemicals are acids or alkalis. In the elicit phase I might ask for a common acid and alkali. Then we would make an indicator and test it in the explore and explain phase respectively. In the elaborate phase we would use the indicator to test the unknown chemical and the students can write down what they have found in their own words.
I find using the 5Es makes the plenary of the lesson the most important part and encourages me to teach constructivist lessons.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
When planning I start with elaborate and engage. I decide what it is that I want the students to be able to say/do at the end of the lesson to show their understanding. Then I will think of how to introduce the lesson. It maybe that I want them to explain fractional distillation, so I will start the lesson with images of products made from oil.
For the elicit phase I think about how what science I need the class to have before we can move on. So for fractional distillation they need to understand boiling and condensing.
Explore and explain are the main part of the lesson. I might refer back to the engage section. The students might complete an experiment like how temperature affects the size of crystals formed, working out the efficiency of a kettle, observing a demonstration of fractional distillation, plotting the locations of earthquakes on a map. Then after the students have investigated something for themselves they explain what they found. It might be as a whole class discussion, it could be a Cloze procedure, but something that involves some degree of teacher input to ensure the students are on the right track in their thinking.
Then they need to apply what they have learned in a context in the elaborate phase. This bit is what the lesson is all about. It allows the teacher to assess that students. This is the bit of the work that I would mark.
Sometimes you can do as perfect a lesson as others.
For example F=ma. I could just tell them the formula and get them to do questions. I know ultimately I want the students to answer questions using F=ma, so that will be my elaborate. I now have to think of a context requiring F=ma that the students can answer questions about that can also engage them. Stopping distances might be one, I have a video clip of Jason Bradbury demonstrating that the stopping distance of a car is more than a motor bike. That could be the engage and the students can explain it and carry out calculations about it in the elaborate phase. Before they can explain stopping distances using F=ma students need to understand balanced and unbalanced forces, so I would question them about it in the elicit phase.
For acid/alkali indicators I would dream up a scenario where the chemist needs to know if the chemicals are acids or alkalis. In the elicit phase I might ask for a common acid and alkali. Then we would make an indicator and test it in the explore and explain phase respectively. In the elaborate phase we would use the indicator to test the unknown chemical and the students can write down what they have found in their own words.
I find using the 5Es makes the plenary of the lesson the most important part and encourages me to teach constructivist lessons.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Location:Bristol,United Kingdom
Wednesday, 29 August 2012
National Strategies - why did they go?
I am often bemoaning the lack of quality CPD during my career. I believe that is because I have experienced quality CPD through the national strategies.
Why do I feel like that?
The national strategies made sense to me. The resources were of high quality and there was always something to take back to the classroom. Moreover, the consultants who delivered the course would follow up.
Since then no idea or initiative has felt like it has been followed up. In school few or no examples are given as to what an initiative should look like in the classroom.
I want joined up CPD, that is supported and followed through. Is it so much to ask?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Why do I feel like that?
The national strategies made sense to me. The resources were of high quality and there was always something to take back to the classroom. Moreover, the consultants who delivered the course would follow up.
Since then no idea or initiative has felt like it has been followed up. In school few or no examples are given as to what an initiative should look like in the classroom.
I want joined up CPD, that is supported and followed through. Is it so much to ask?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Beechwood Rd,Bristol,United Kingdom
Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Tumblr
I have started a tumblr account. It is a cross between a blog, Facebook and twitter. http://helenrogerson80.tumblr.com
You can have several different types of post: text, photo, quote, video and link. The posts can be tagged with numerous tags.
I like the idea of being able to share teaching ideas. Twitter is too "busy" and the 140 character limit restricts what can be said and how it can be categorised so it can be found later.
Full blown blogs: well I should follow blogs, and have new posts pushed to me. I should probably set up RSS feeds to collate these blogs so I can read them. But often the blogs of my favourite educators are long and political. Not something that quickly inspires me, but something that involves thought.
So I want to try and use tumblr as a short and easy way to share teaching resources, ideas and successes. A quick picture, video or link.
http://helenrogerson80.tumblr.com
If anyone wants to join me I'd appreciate the company.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
You can have several different types of post: text, photo, quote, video and link. The posts can be tagged with numerous tags.
I like the idea of being able to share teaching ideas. Twitter is too "busy" and the 140 character limit restricts what can be said and how it can be categorised so it can be found later.
Full blown blogs: well I should follow blogs, and have new posts pushed to me. I should probably set up RSS feeds to collate these blogs so I can read them. But often the blogs of my favourite educators are long and political. Not something that quickly inspires me, but something that involves thought.
So I want to try and use tumblr as a short and easy way to share teaching resources, ideas and successes. A quick picture, video or link.
http://helenrogerson80.tumblr.com
If anyone wants to join me I'd appreciate the company.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, 4 August 2012
Olympics - inspiring a generation
I am fed up on reading tweets from teachers about how the Olympics will inspire them in September. Why weren't they doing this in June/July and even before this?
I know a lot of people have been, and have witnessed this myself when a few key members if staff have the passion. Personally I have had the Olympics in my mind to use constantly and wrote a project we used in 2010! I have been talking Olympics with my form class and used the In The Zone resources with year 9. Year 7 at our school went to see the torch relay.
These teachers need to find what is happening in the world. I just hope they aren't the same ones talking about making lessons relevant to students.
I should add a note that I love the Olympics and have since 1992 when I was 12. And I love sport in general.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
I know a lot of people have been, and have witnessed this myself when a few key members if staff have the passion. Personally I have had the Olympics in my mind to use constantly and wrote a project we used in 2010! I have been talking Olympics with my form class and used the In The Zone resources with year 9. Year 7 at our school went to see the torch relay.
These teachers need to find what is happening in the world. I just hope they aren't the same ones talking about making lessons relevant to students.
I should add a note that I love the Olympics and have since 1992 when I was 12. And I love sport in general.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Location:Rudgleigh Ave,Bristol,United Kingdom
Thursday, 2 August 2012
Page 25 Geoff Petty Evidence Based Teaching
Geoff Petty states in his book "evidence based teaching" that subjects have their own "epistemology or theory of knowledge and enquiry".
I haven't really thought of this before. I have often been told if you are a teacher you can teach any subject. But really I know this isn't the case. My experience hasn't just given me a bigger subject knowledge and range of activities to lean on, but also an idea of the skills and big ideas students need to grasp in order to be able to progress in my subject. These are at the heart of my teaching, but I don't feel like it is explicit to me or the students I have taught in the past couple of years. This can be attributed to a "weird" key stage 3 curriculum I taught at my previous school and the odd structure to the 2006 and 2011 GCSE specifications in my opinion.
The book gives an example of a history teacher who used displays to explicitly show students the development of a skill and this display was improved/adapted as the skills of the class developed. I am pondering if this is something I can use to help improve my teaching.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I haven't really thought of this before. I have often been told if you are a teacher you can teach any subject. But really I know this isn't the case. My experience hasn't just given me a bigger subject knowledge and range of activities to lean on, but also an idea of the skills and big ideas students need to grasp in order to be able to progress in my subject. These are at the heart of my teaching, but I don't feel like it is explicit to me or the students I have taught in the past couple of years. This can be attributed to a "weird" key stage 3 curriculum I taught at my previous school and the odd structure to the 2006 and 2011 GCSE specifications in my opinion.
The book gives an example of a history teacher who used displays to explicitly show students the development of a skill and this display was improved/adapted as the skills of the class developed. I am pondering if this is something I can use to help improve my teaching.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Saturday, 21 July 2012
Diptic and Instagram
It isn't directly related to teaching science, but I am pretty excited by these two services.
Diptic allows me to put several photographs together in one place.
First I chose a layout:
Then I select two photographs. This can be from the iPhone, from Flickr or from Facebook. I don't use flickr, I use Picasa instead as this blog links to it, but I do use Facebook.
Then it is possible to move the borders, adjust brightness, contrast etc and also add filters for various effects.
I can then export to the social media application of choice:
I am using Instagram to save my beautiful pictures.
Once uploaded to Instagram I have more filter options should I choose them.
And I share my image with the world. Or at least those people who follow me.
I am not a great photographer, but between these two services I can make my photographs beautiful.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Diptic allows me to put several photographs together in one place.
First I chose a layout:
Then I select two photographs. This can be from the iPhone, from Flickr or from Facebook. I don't use flickr, I use Picasa instead as this blog links to it, but I do use Facebook.
Then it is possible to move the borders, adjust brightness, contrast etc and also add filters for various effects.
I can then export to the social media application of choice:
I am using Instagram to save my beautiful pictures.
Once uploaded to Instagram I have more filter options should I choose them.
And I share my image with the world. Or at least those people who follow me.
I am not a great photographer, but between these two services I can make my photographs beautiful.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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