DEVELOPING OUTSTANDING LEARNING SKILLS Since we cannot know

DEVELOPING OUTSTANDING LEARNING SKILLS "Since we cannot know what knowledge will be most needed in the future, it is senseless to try to teach it all in advance. Instead, we should try to turn out people who love learning so much and learn so well that they will be able to learn whatever needs to be learned. " (John Holt)

Towards Outstanding Learning! Tuesday 8 th January 2013

Why am I here? Good question!

SUCCESS CRITERIA: I understand the 3 key areas that an inspector will judge my lesson on

TASK q With a partner, consider what you believe to constitute an ‘outstanding lesson’. q List three elements of an ‘outstanding lesson’. q Share your list with the wider group 3 Minutes

JUDGING HIGHLY EFFECTIVE LEARNING How far ? ‘Distance’ How well ? ‘Depth’ ‘Secure’ ‘Sustained’ How many ? ‘Numbers’ ‘Groups’ ‘Proportions’

CONSIDERING STUDENTS’ INVOLVEMENT 97% + All / almost all 80% + Vast majority / most 75% + Large majority

ENGAGEMENT Are students encouraged to be active, creative, connection -making learners when: q About two-thirds of the talk in classrooms is done by the teacher? q About two-thirds of teacher talk is organisation-controlling talk? q 1% of students ask questions in school? q 1% of these students’ verbal contributions take the form of questions?

What are the characteristics of an “outstanding” lesson?

Objectivist (lesson ceiling: ’good’) Constructivist (lesson ceiling: ‘outstanding’) Teacher as all-knowing oracle. Teacher as organiser, and but one source of information. Learning is teacher-centred, didactic, with carefully-guided activities to support learning. Learning processes are studentcentred and involve group and individual activities. Teacher generated questions are used to elicit understanding. Students construct their own learning questions. PERSPECTIVE Lesson-design rests with the Students are co-designers of the teacher and correct conclusions mark success. learning episode and the attendant success criteria.

Objectivist (lesson ceiling: ’good’) Constructivist (lesson ceiling: ‘outstanding’) Learning consists of stimulus – response relationship, and is passive Learning is an active process. in nature. Learning involves ‘filling empty vessels’ and ensuring retention. Learning is a process of ‘fire-lighting’ and connection- and sense-making. Effective learning arises from open. Effective learning stems from ended, challenging problem-solving PERSPECTIVE efficient transfers of information. exercises. Intelligence is fixed. Intelligence is created.

Personalisation: students are challenged at an appropriate level; they are engaged and enthusiastic and make significant progress that they can identify. Snappy starter: engages students, recalls prior learning, excites, creates mystery and focuses attention. Teaching styles: a variety of styles that match the content and context of the lesson, teaching in ways that the students can identify with. (VAK) Relationships: students get on well with each other and the teacher. There is a mutual respect. Ownership: giving students the tools and responsibility to manage their own learning (L 2 L). Allowing them to set their own success criteria at times, have a say in what and how they learn and to ask their own questions. Evaluation and reflection: regular and constructive feedback, link with NC levels, exams, success criteria etc. Set specific improvements & targets based on assessment (self, peer, teacher) Confidence: appropriate challenges are set to all learners. Both staff and students have a good idea of what failure and success is acceptable. Staff need to have the confidence to let students take risks. Students need to trust in the teacher and themselves and accept failure and success well. Learning coaching: helping students to identify how they “learn best” as a group and an individual. Teaching them transferable skills and processes. Wow factor: creating mystery, excitement and surprise enables lessons to be fun and helps students retain information and interest. Pace: a variety of pace allows for creativity, questioning, noticing and can help with thoughtful reflection, bursts of activity and relaxation. Environment: Creating boundaries and routines that help students feel secure, respectful and ready to learn. Having a lively and interesting place to learn will encourage questioning. Thinking skills: student’s thinking is deepened, they make their own knowledge rather than receiving it.

‘OUTSTANDING TEACHING’ IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LEARNING ! ‘Much of the teaching in all key stages and most subjects is outstanding and never less than consistently good. As a result, almost all pupils …. . are making rapid and sustained progress. ’

JUDGING LEARNING OVER TIME School’s own evaluations Discussions with students re. work, learning & teaching Discussions with staff Views of parents Scrutiny of students’ work marking, assessment, feedback, challenge, students’ effort & success, progress in line with abilities / starting points

‘LEARNING EVOLUTION’ Rigid ‘ 3 part lessons’ ‘Starters’ v dynamic starts to learning Over-reliance on end of lesson plenaries Peer & self-assessment per se / without impact

NO EXPECTATION OF SPECIFIC LESSON PLANNING JUST WELL-PLANNED LESSONS

PROGRESSION. . PROGRE SSION HOW DO YOU DEMONSTRATE PROGRESS IN YOUR LESSONS?

WHAT IS PROGRESS ? Movement D D I i S T A N C E from 1 state to another - information → knowledge → understanding - dependence → inter-dependence superficial / initial confidence → deeper state journey towards completing activity involving growing awareness / understanding - intensity of engagement / interest / curiosity / success - numbers enjoyment / D E P T H

SHOWING PROGRESS IN 20 MINUTES

QUESTIONING Ask students (no hands up): • What do you know that you didn’t 5, 10, 15 minutes ago? • When you go home this evening and are asked for one thing you learnt today in _______, what will you say?

SCALING • Use mini whiteboards or scoring sheets for students to score their understanding against the lesson objectives at the beginning of the lesson (0 -10) • Regularly refer back during the lesson, adding new scores, with the time the score is recorded • Where necessary, ask students to explain how and why they have changed their score

CONFIDENCE RATING • At the start of the lesson, students write their name on a post it note • Students place their note on a wall thermometer showing confidence levels or in a three column table, very, quite, not (related to a skill or knowledge) • During the lesson, students are encouraged to get up and move their post it when progress is made during the lesson

RAG RATING • Students to place planners on desk with coloured card facing upwards to show level of knowledge and understanding as the lesson progresses • Red- do not understand • Yellow- not sure • Green- fully understand Individual students needs can then be addressed as the lesson unfolds, when the situation changes, the card is changed by the student

FACES • Students to draw faces next to lesson objectives in their book at the beginning of the lesson to show their confidence/ ability in relation to the objective • At regular intervals, students draw a face in the margin to show they now feel against the lesson objective • This could also be done on mini whiteboards, divided into 3 columns- to show change at 3 stages in the lesson

EXIT TICKETS In order to exit the lesson, students need to complete an exit ticket Headings on ticket: • What have I learnt? • What do I already know? • What might I need extra help with? • How have I progressed in the lesson? (tick face)

MAXIMISING PROGRESS SEE 10 P’S MAT!

EXAMPLES OF OUTSTANDING PROGRESS

HISTORY Y 10 Understanding how the status and roles of women changed during the First World War Mid-lesson Learning climate & learners’ state : enthused, interested, immersed, intent ‘ 3 s’ and ‘ 4 s’ - inter-dependence Increased access to range of sources [visual / written ] and key questions [latter differentiated] All / almost all absorbed Teaching – constantly checking / probing [as and when necessary] High quality differentiated questioning by teacher per group - impact Almost all deepen and widen understanding of different roles adopted by women and accepted by society due to changing demands and needs brought on by war Heightened thinking evidenced through increasingly challenged analysis, synthesis of key ideas, increased questioning by peers of each other, and meaningful evaluation

ART & DESIGN Y 9 ‘Fruits of the Earth. ’ Exploring shades of colour and layering paint to produce textured effect inspired by knowledge of Kate Malone’s work. Creating a painting of a fruit in the style of Kate Malone. Lesson 2 of 5 Immediate involvement in learning – accessing materials and previous folder work from onset Almost all / all quickly absorbed in re-engaging with accessing examples of KM’s work – paper / on-line / previous painting / mixing colours, layering paint to create texture Almost all can explain purposely intentions & immediate next steps Teaching is enthusiastic, inter-acting with individuals with well focused questions / demonstrations to inspire and energise Timely interjections to stop / share / inform learning for small groups / all learners impacts clearly on students’ emerging technique / thinking After 25 minutes almost all / all learners : - moving from knowing about techniques → showing understanding via experimenting with colour mixing / layering different colours / developing simple and more complex textures / beginning to apply emerging skills to fruit sketches

PLANNING FOR PROGRESSION

PLANNING FOR PROGRESSION KEY CONSIDERATIONS Challenging all students Meeting individual needs Developing skills, knowledge, understanding – literacy / numeracy Monitoring progress & adapting teaching Questioning & discussing to assess effectiveness of teaching Students understanding how to improve

WELL-PLANNED LESSONS Learning objectives / outcomes = shape / direction Pitch / challenge Need [esp most & least able] Learning scenarios → progression information → knowledge → understanding dependence → inter-dependence Checking & feedback opportunities Key skills – as and where appropriate removing barriers / supporting progress E N G A G E M E N T

TASK What is meant by deep learning? How do we know when children are in a state of deep learning?

WHAT IS DEEP LEARNING? CHILDREN WHO CAN………………. . 1. Verbalise their thinking and solve problems 2. Ask questions and make decisions 3. Do something with the information they encounter, organise information in a different way and create new ideas 4. Reflect on what they have learned and how they learned it

META-COGNITIVE REFLECTIONS Arguably the most important and therefore the hardest ! 36 q What kind of thinking have you been doing? q Did anyone say/do something that changed your thinking? q What personal contribution to your group’s thinking are you most pleased about? q What did you like/dislike, find easy/difficult about this task? q What skills supported the completion of this task? q What would help your group do such a task even better next time?

HOW DO WE KNOW WHEN CHILDREN ARE LEARNING? SOME INDICATORS…. Children are explaining something in their own words Children are asking questions Children are making connections Children are re-creating (rather than reproducing) information Children are justifying their decisions Children are explaining their thinking Children are talking to each other Children are active- doing something with the information Children are reflecting at a conscious level Children are offering analogies and metaphors of their own: Oh I get it- it’s a bit like… Children are redrafting, revising, re-thinking and so on

INDEPENDENCY INTERDEPENDEN CY

LEARNING EXPERIENCES COGNITIVE IMPLICATIONS

COGNITIVE SKILLS- BLOOMS TAXONOMY Creating generating new ideas, ways of viewing things, planning & constructing / inventing Evaluating justifying, hypothesising, judging, experimenting Analysing Applying Understanding Remembering comparing, deconstructing, exploring implementing, using information explaining, interpreting, summarising recalling, recognising, listing, describing, retrieving, naming http: //www. thinkingclassroom. co. uk/Thinking. Classroom/Thi nking. Skills. aspx

Thinking Starters Captions Odd One Out Thinking Box Slow Reveal What if?

Lateral thinking puzzle V Cloth Cap British Army 1914 Steel ‘Brodie’ Helmet first issued in 1915 The strange case of the steel helmet…. Why did head injuries increase when the steel helmet replaced the cloth cap as part of the British soldiers’ uniform?

CHANGE What proportion of learners D E P T H find out more know more understand / absorb more are challenged to advance thinking than at the ‘start’ of an experience

SUPPORTING THE LEARNING - criteria for successful learning ‘what a good one looks like’ - modelling - scaffolding - self-supporting materials H A N D I N G O V E R

GOOD OR OUTSTANDING ? Quality of ‘change’ Proportion - informing knowing understanding of learners - all / almost all most / vast majority large majority some few

NEW OFSTED SCHEDULE No satisfactory teaching. ‘Teaching requires improvement as it is not good. ’

ESSENTIAL LEARNING CLIMATE Environment Relationships Values Expectations Routines

‘OUTSTANDING TEACHING’ ‘Teachers and other adults generate high levels of engagement and commitment to learning. ’

ENTHUSIASM & IMAGINATION Passion & Inspiration Relevance & Meaningfulness Swift start – stimulating interest igniting curiosity

IMPORTANCE OF TALK - learning is a social activity : talk is essential - language, thinking & learning are interrelated - understanding is at its deepest when co-developed

CHECKING KNOWING → UNDERSTANDING ‘Teachers systematically and effectively check pupils’ understanding throughout lessons, anticipating where they may need to intervene and doing so with notable impact on the quality of learning. ’

CHECKING KNOWING → UNDERSTANDING Monitoring the learning - watching listening questioning

EFFECTIVE QUESTIONING Whole class V One to one / pairs / small groups

EFFECTIVE QUESTIONING Stimulates thinking Promotes reasoning Inspires interaction Deepens learning Accesses learners’ minds

TIMELY FEEDBACK Teacher one to small group / pairs whole class ? Self-feedback Peer feedback I M P A C T

JUDGING OUTSTANDING LEARNING All / almost all learners can do …. . understand …. . significantly more / better than at beginning of learning experience HAs …. MAs …. LAs …. SEN ….

COMMON SHORTCOMINGS Over-teacher talk / direction Planning for activities alone, without considering the experiences ‘Laboured’ or ‘rushed’ informing ‘Laboured’ or ‘rushed’ knowing Limited planning for ‘letting go’ Insufficient time for developing understanding Shortfalls in expectations for all learners Superficial / ineffective monitoring & feedback Limited recognition of & response to needs - fear of complexity / reluctance to change direction

FURTHER READING. . AND THE MAIN THING IS… LEARNING (keeping the focus on learning for pupils and teachers) Mike Hughes 9 x 4 A FRAMEWORK FOR DEVELOPING THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EXCEPTIONAL TEACHING Tom Cassidy & Charles Cassidy Teachers Shared Area> SRS Teaching and Learning Further CPD training at SRS: ‘Effective Questioning’ Tuesday 15 th January 2013 Multi-purpose room 3 pm-4 pm