Another piece I came across was his post about the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence, titled “Having the Courage in Our Convictions“. He includes a really useful graphic detailing the 4 capacities, or as Bill states the 4 purposes, which underpin the Curriculum for Excellence.

To enable all young people to become:

• Successful learners
• Confident individuals
• Effective contributors
• Responsible citizens

Much of the detail around these curriculum foundations is applicable to our own school development. We are at the stage of exploring what should underpin the curriculum design, this is very relevant to us. Here is the diagram.

Following Bill’s original post he refers to the commentary from Dave Cockburn who reflects that these 4 purposes

…will help us see the curriculum in a new light, as long as we remember that we are striving not to create a system which produces a plumber at one end and a surgeon at the other, but produces intelligent, well-informed, inquisitive people who understand the ideas of leadership and teamwork, and the vital role of intellectual enquiry and endeavour.

I certainly agree with him, this is a valuable starting point. Once you throw in the local requirements for a curriculum and wider stake holder perspectives we will be some way to establishing the foundation we need.

We are seeking to build upon the successes of what we already do and make our curriculum more relevant and connected to the community it serves.

When the Rose Review was dashed on the rocks of the parliamentary washup, and then the UK coalition government put a large red line through the proposed changes, many primary teachers were disappointed. Much of what it outlined made a great deal of sense. Despite that we are continuing with our own curriculum redevelopment.

Next week we have our second staff meeting about curriculum development and I am keen to share one of three films with the staff to provoke some discussion about education change. I am unsure about which to use and I would appreciate your thoughts on which might be most effective. I will, no doubt, share all of them in time but for now I am looking for one which resonates the most with teachers about how we should better connect our curriculum with our pupils.

An entertaining talk from Sir Ken Robinson, the follow up to his “Killing Creativity” piece. I liked the way that he described the system of education conforming, as he says:

…we have sold ourselves into a fast food model of education. And it’s impoverishing our spirit and our energies as much as fast food is depleting our physical bodies.

We should build learning establishments that are more like Michelin starred restaurants than fast food chains – providing children with a locally grown curriculum that meets the needs of those it serves and not and all for one menu.

I enjoyed listening to this from Charles Leadbeater and appreciated how he outlined the need for more learning that starts with questions and not just going through the motions of filling children with knowledge. We feel that this will be central to how our curriculum may be designed. This has led me to explore Project and Challenge Based Learning and would appreciate any thoughts from those that have experienced this approach in the classroom.

Interestingly he touches upon the food outlet idea that Robinson also used. Leadbeater perhaps refines the idea somewhat in the sense that there are thousands of schools and yes they are all have the same purpose but they should be locally unique.

A small remark that was important to me was that schools,

…often hit the target but miss the point.

Crucially we need to reposition the primary curriculum so that it has a clear and unfettered purpose and that the children understand that more than anyone else.

Dan was (very recently) a classroom teacher like me. That very fact is important. His perspective was from within the classroom and not from the outside looking in. Although Dan speaks about the changes he sees vital for the maths curriculum, what he says is relevant to the whole curriculum.

He takes apart the mundane questions presented in maths textbooks and cuts to the chase. His approach is about developing patient problem solvers in our pupils. This could be applied to how we approach topics within a curriculum. We can extract a much more general theory from what Dan puts forward and once again it boils down to children being faced with problems, challenges or questions.

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In a way the three different perspectives are clear. Meyer speaks from within the classroom, Leadbeater after seeing learning in different circumstances and Robinson from a wider more systematic stance. Arguably they are at different distances from the point of learning.

Each has their strengths, but which do you think would be the most relevant to busy teachers at this early stage of primary curriculum development?

During these weekly assemblies we share children’s achievements in and out of the classroom. We see children who have received martial arts belts, horse trial trophies, football tournament medals and swimming badges. As well as a weekly award for two children from the classteacher, for different things  - for example, making a good start to the term or kindness to others.

This week the children in Year 5 had been taking a course in First Aid training, they received a certificate and it was pointed out that some children had truly excelled, way beyond expectations. Perhaps they had found that one thing.

Later in the day we were lucky enough to listen to a small concert from some of the children taking violin, cello, piano and flute lessons. It may not be all of them, but some will have found that music is something they love, something they can excel at and be great at.

I believe this is all about providing children with opportunities. There will be those children who know their mind, who have a strong sense of what they enjoy and what they are good at. However we need to help all children develop this, by providing a curriculum that offers a breadth of life experiences (that some may never get at home).

I have enjoyed recognising particular strengths in the very youngest of our pupils in primary school and it is hugely important we nurture the fun and passion they connect with in life so that everyone knows, “What am I good at?”

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Pic: Turn, Turn, Turn! from bichxa

Here are the 4 topics so far and a selection of highlights. Make sure you follow the links to the actual documents to see the full extent of the ideas.

Endangered

Tag >> #endangeredcurr

• IT checking sources, can you believe what you read online: Save The Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus http://zapatopi.net/treeoctopus/
• Discursive writing - role of zoos in helping save endangered species – is this a good thing?
• Literacy/IT – what does endangered mean? children brain storm what they think is endangered in the world – not just animals – what about languages? e.g local languages in this country.
• Non Native Species – do these endanger native species ? Are they useful to control endangered species ? Animals such as Beaver and Boar were originally native to the UK, should they be re-introduced ? Can the current eco-system sustain them?

Survival

Tag >> #survivalcurr

• Survival Exercises – A variety of tasks based around choices in a survival scenario. I’ve personally used the NASA and the ‘lost at sea’ one with year 7, and the ‘who would you save’ with year 12 -http://wilderdom.com/games/descriptions/SurvivalScenarios.html
• Rescue Services – find out about the variety of different emergency services that often work in collaboration in any given situation – there are some excellent first hand images here http://globalrescueservices.org.uk/index.htm
• Making animals – Design an animal which would survive in e.g. Desert link directly to work on adaptation in science. Could take theme down fantasy route, linking with Imaginary Creatures Curriculum Catalyst http://bit.ly/bDKP30
• Saltwater - Water, water, everywhere but not a drop to drink! You are surrounded by saltwater on your island. Your challenge is to find a way of making drinking water. Provide children with a range of items they could use to invent a contraption. Model the science involved. Science SC1 (i.e. create a contraption to gather steam when the salt water is boiled).

Sealife

Tag >> #sealifecurr

• Choose your most amazing Ocean Road Adventure. There are many famous Ocean Road journey  around the world – for example, The Great Ocean Road in SE Australia or the roads along the coasts of California and Norway.  Choose some of these famous routes to investigate, compare features, find-out what people think about them.  Try typing `Ocena Road Journey’ into your favourite search engine.  Vote on your favourite – the one you’d most like to experience (say why).
• `Little fishes swim along’ Steve Grocott has produced a fantastic set of action rhymes on a CD.  My grandson loves this one (we sing it while watching a slideshow on Flickr or Picasa) – we took the song to India with us when we went on an educational visit and the children their loved it too.  http://bit.ly/aweCmu
• Make your own ‘Aquarium’ from boxes, write labels for the fish you put in, a map for visitors, a leaflet to get people to visit, a quiz for people to do as they go round, a cafe and a gift shop…
• Comparison – whale sharks are the largest of all sharks but live off of a diet of small fish and plankton.  To help students appreciate the largeness of this shark and the smallness of its food, on blacktop draw a 12 meter line with chalk.  Have students sit on the line and draw a whale shark outline around them.  Finish with small “fish” and “plankton” around the outline.

Imaginary Creatures

Tag >> #imagcreaturescurr

• Spore 2D http://www.spore2d.com/ (Based on a Nintendo DS game, lets you create creatures online)
• Fantasy Stories in Y1 – explore imaginary creatures and monsters using The Gruffalo,  Where the Wild Things Are and Moshi Monsters (adopt a monster online).  These stimuli can also be used to compare fanstasy settings for imaginary creatures.  Children then create their own “monster” (paint and add different textured materials such as leather, fur, etc.).  They describe their monster and then finally write a story about meeting their monster using Where the Wild Things Are as a model.
• Monsters Inc. – A combined Art/ICT project. The idea of animation is discussed with reference to Pixars ‘Monsters Inc.’ Children design a character and storyboard their short (silent or scripted) story, they then use plasticine to create their own monster and props. A visualizer/web cam/digital camera is then used along with stop motion software (I Can Animate or Monkey Jam) to capture the animation.
• Build Your Wild Self – Get students to use this site to create a human mix animal creature, you could also draw them. Print them out and get your students to write character descriptions of their Wild Self.

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I am sure that you will find some great ideas from the work of all the great educators who have contributed an idea or two. It seems to me that the need for grass roots, crowd sourced resources for curriculum design has never been greater – and which will only become even more heightened.

I hope that the documents prove useful, if you feel like contributing the documents are all open to edit. Make sure you look out for the next topic soon to be catalysed, if we all make a small contribution we can produce great things.

View Larger Map

Yes that’s me and a colleague doing some throwing and catching work with our Year 5s during a PE session.

Since it started Google Streetview has been criticised by many for possibly breaching privacy laws and some residents in Buckinghamshire have even blocked the images being taken.

That said, I think the new imagery provides an incredibly rich educational resource. I think it can be used in a number of ways to support curriculum work:

• Illustrate places that are crucial parts of topics, such as historical monuments or geographical features.
• As part of a local area study explore the Street View imagery (where available) to start discussions and activities before going on a walk.
• We used Street View to look at a type of building described in detail in Streetchild used in Year 5.
• Help children picture part of storytelling or writing by following a path or looking at a setting using Street View imagery.
• Explore the maths that surrounds us all using the resource and Maths Maps.

Let me know of any further uses you have for Street View in the classroom – or indeed if your lesson has been caught on the Google cameras.

I have spent the last half term as a Foundation 2 (4 and 5 year olds) classteacher in my new school. Combined with a multitude of other factors, including finding my feet as a Deputy Headteacher, it has been the most challenging and intense seven weeks of my teaching career.

I thought I would take some time to reflect on what it was like to go from teaching Year 5 (9 and 10 year olds) to Foundation 2.

Pitch

One of the biggest challenges was adjusting the pitch of what I was teaching. This applied at every level, from what I was planning to my expectations for the children. I suppose this would be natural as I was teaching children 5 years older for so long. I have a much better appreciation for the ways I can adjust what I am teaching to suit different needs, including the way I use my voice or how long we spend working together.

Care

This is central to what occurs in the Foundation stage. What school should be about – I perhaps lost sight of this working with the older children. Finding things, tieing laces, scraped knees, getting changed, toilet trouble, tired children, family news – the care for children at this age is much more important than anything else. It is a care that gives them boundaries and helps to develop their independence and confidence. However this is energy sapping – I know from having a 4 year old at home – but times that by 30 and you quickly realise at the end of the day that you are emotionally drained as much as anything else.

Starting School

Foundation 2 is the first time they begin to experience elements of school as it will be for the next 5 years or so. It is an important time for the children as they have to adapt to new expectations and ways of working. I have learned so much about where the children are when they enter school, what sort of level they are working at and even the broad range of abilities that are evident even at this age.

Organisation and Preparation

Above anything else I have learned how important it is to be super organised and prepared for anything at this age group. You can lose the focus of a little group in seconds if you don’t have want you need to hand. The classroom needs to reflect this level of organisation and done well will facilitate the independent learning going on.

Sometimes you have to respond to something unexpected and it takes all of your attention – a nasty scraped knee, a nosebleed or a toilet problem. You have to just go with it.

Every Second Counts

A big lesson I have learned is that you have to take every opportunity for learning. Counting the children for register, counting the milk cartons, counting the fruit, counting the letters we are using, counting the people in a picture…

Specialist

The role of a Foundation teacher is such a specialist position. The level of care that is required and the expectations for teaching and learning make it such a unique role in school. My time in Foundation has shown me every facet of the role. I think part of the specialism is being able to cope with the energy sapping days and to remain focused on the myriad of ways children are learning. I have a much firmer respect and appreciation for the role of teachers in Foundation and the crucial part they play in helping children start school.

Comfort Zone

There have been some real lows over the last seven weeks, admittedly I have found it a serious struggle at times. But I have learned from it all. I have had a comfort zone and in the last half term I have been as far from it as I can remember. You learn to find comfort in other things, I have adapted to each new challenge as best I could.

I took one day at a time and as Dai Barnes pointed out to me when I was finding it tough:

“Life is many days. This must end.”

“Every life is many days, day after day. We walk through ourselves, meeting robbers, ghosts, giants, old men, young men, wives, widows, brothers-in-love. But always meeting ourselves.”

James Joyce – Ulysses

Cross curricular

I would like to see a whole school curriculum approach to learning in the same connected way as it is done in Foundation. A small number of areas of learning that just make sense and approaching contexts for learning in a holistic manner. There is the balance between child initiated learning and teacher directed work. I think my time working in this way will have a big influence on the way we re-develop our curriculum in the future.

Technology

By the time I was finishing my time I was hitting my stride a little better, so to speak, and was considering the role technology has to play in this early stage of school. One thing was how aware the children were of technology in their everyday life, clearly this is mainly from the exposure to mobile and online technologies at home.

Whilst we were working on some phonics activities for the “er” phoneme, I had a picture of an envelope for the children to think of “letter“. But one little girl said email when she saw it. Perhaps an isolated instance but nonetheless indicative of the need (and importance) for a clearly thought out strategy for technology at this stage of school. I will keep this firmly in my thoughts as I spend more time next half term on how my new school is using technology.

Another thing I noted was the need for technology to enhance and support the role of record keeping and evidence gathering in the Foundation stage. Learning happens and occurs at such a fierce pace, sometimes unexpected, sometimes planned – a strong tech solution for gathering, tagging and recording these occurrences would be ideal.

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After my tumultuous first week I wrote that it had been the most testing few days of my career and I would go on to say that the whole seven weeks have stuck to that template. At times I have felt like a student again, learning pieces of a bigger puzzle, at times I have started to think like a Foundation teacher – linking up learning opportunities and seeing connections.

A very capable young teacher is taking over the reins after half term and I will be working from the sidelines to support his first teaching role. I know that I have learned so much and on reflection I feel I have become a better classroom teacher because of it.

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Pics: My Life by pattyequalsawesome / A Crossroads by thorinside

TeachMeet is entering its fifth year and the unconference for teachers, by teachers has helped hundreds – maybe thousands, in fact – to try out something new, alter the way they already teach and learn, join a community of innovative educators or completely transform their way of working.

The hope was that the model would spread. It has, but as those who have created and helped pull TeachMeet together over the past four years, we want to see it spread further, deeper and with increasing quality of input from practitioners. This post outlines how we think we might manage this.

This is the beginnings of a conversation with those who care about TeachMeet. Add your views in the form of any blog post or comment or tweet – tag it #tmfuture

What are the goals of TeachMeet?

TeachMeet was originally designed to:

• Take thinking away from the formal, often commercialised conference floor, and provide a safe place for anyone to pitch their practice.
• Provide a forum for more teachers to talk about real learning happening in real places, than one-hour conference seminar slots allow.
• Showcase emerging practice that we could all aim to undertake; sales pitches not allowed.
• Be all about the Teach, with only a nod towards tech that paved the way for new practice.
• Provoke new ways of sharing our stories: PowerPoint was banned. We wanted people to tell stories in ways that challenged them, and the audience.
• Empower the audience to critique, ask questions and probe, all online, through SMS or, later, Twitter.

Over the years, these ‘rules’ have altered, leading to some great innovations, others less so. The answer to “What is a TeachMeet?” has become a myriad of meanings, some pretty far off the original goals. We need to help and support people to organise, run and contribute to events that build on previous ones. We need to make TeachMeet as accessible to newbies as it was in 2005. We need TeachMeet to once more find its focus.

Supporting the “infectiousness” of TeachMeets

• Organising TeachMeets should not be easy. Taking part in them should be. But more support is needed for organisers.
• Sponsorship is hard if there’s no bank account into which funds can be sent.
• Without sponsorship, any event over 30 people becomes tricky to organise while also giving people a special night of learning, the time, space and mood that gets people over their self-conscious selves.
• Paying for refreshments and venues is impossible if there’s no organisation to pay them the precise sum.
• The best TeachMeets provide social space, social activity, entertaining MCs, good refreshments, good online coverage and some form of online ‘conclusion’ – this needs coordinating by the organiser(s), but it’s not a skill everyone will have the first time around.
• We’ve got a superb opportunity to curate the best bits from all these TeachMeets that are happening weekly – this needs a degree of oversight.

A means to make TeachMeet more sustainable, easier to use for sponsors and organisers, and have the ability to do something spectacular

TeachMeet is owned by the community that shape it – but there needs to be a body to manage sponsorship and sponsors, and provide support for new organisers so that they maintain the TeachMeet goals. We assume that if someone is organising a ‘TeachMeet’ they would like to emulate the success of those popular early TeachMeets, and better-supported national conference ones (e.g. SLF and BETT).

What would support from the TeachMeet body look like?

• Seeking of sponsorship all year round – including ways and means to get your message to as many teachers as possible
• Brokerage of sponsorship – i.e. one place sponsors and those seeking sponsorship can come together, in a transparent manner
• Recommendation of onsite support (good venues at discounted rates/free, A/V, event organisation [for bigger venues], catering etc)
• Suggestions for various formats that have worked in the past
• Mentoring from previous TeachMeet leaders including on-the-night help
• Featuring of content and promotion of the event in a timely manner on an aggregated, higher profile TeachMeet site
• A group calendar so that events can be seen by geography and date
• Promotion of TeachMeet through international and national events, using contacts of existing TeachMeeters
• In-event publicity (e.g. if you plan an event at a regional ICT day or national event, then we can help broker paper materials for insertion into packs etc)

But, above all, TeachMeet is reaching a point of saturation in the UK – things are going really well in terms of enthusing teachers about their own learning. We have a great opportunity to carry over a small proportion of the sponsorship and contributions towards creating a TeachMeet culture in countries where teacher professional development in this way is still blocked by barriers physical, financial or cultural. This is just one idea, harboured for a long time but unable to realise in the current setup.

This body can take the form of:

• A Limited company (with a Director and shareholders)
• A Charitable Limited Company, with a board of directors and voting rights for fellow ’shareholders’ (we could work out some way of people being ‘awarded’ shares based on [non-financial] involvement?)
• A Social Enterprise, perhaps formed as a Limited Company (see more information on what this means and how it might work (pdf))
• A Charity (this feels like a lot more red tape to pull through and perhaps not entirely necessary)

As we take things forward we invite you to contribute your ideas and thoughts to make things work smoothly. We want you to comment, probe and make your own suggestions before the end of June, using the tag #tmfuture

Pic: The main room awaits TeachMeet Midlands 2009 :: Ian Usher

London to NYC: Swim the Atlantic…

I am so excited to finally be writing about this! Just as the English school Summer holidays are beginning, teachers and educators in Europe will have the opportunity to share their great ideas and exceptional implementation of Google Tools in the classroom.

For almost 3 years I have been running my own mini campaign to bring the Google Teacher Academy (GTA) to these shores. I recall sending numerous tweets, emails and messages to organisers, certified teachers and attendees at US teacher academies, urging them to ask about a UK event. They asked on my behalf and I thank them for raising the flag for me so many times, and putting up with my pestering.

I took every opportunity to press the need for something in the UK as I was experiencing and reading about so much good practice that centred on the use of Google tools. And I have done for the last 3-4 years.

Unfortunately my wishes seemed to be falling on ears that were unable to help:

“We have many requests for Google Teacher Academies to be held in other countries, however we are unable…”

However my determination was reinforced with the GTA UK Google Group and the support shown for it. I was fortunate enough to meet with Google at BETT this year and took the idea of a GTA UK on another step, which has eventually led to this announcement.

Back in November 2008 I wrote about some of my frustrations, and why a GTA in the UK was (is) a good idea,

50 certified trainers in the UK and Europe taking innovative ideas with them back to their schools, districts and counties would help other teachers to begin to better understand Google tools and the potential they have. Admittedly Google tools are not the only thing available, but in my opinion used in the right way they hold a strong place in any classroom toolkit.

I cannot wait to see you all on July 29th at the Google offices in London to share your stories, innovations and ideas. Let’s make it a great one. Good luck with your applications.

Pic: London to NYC: Swim the Atlantic…

My first week in my new post as Deputy Head Teacher has probably been the most challenging five days of my career. Unfortunately I cannot be as candid about my experiences as I normally would be, due to a number of reasons, including some legal ones. Let’s just say “a baptism of fire” would be an understatement.

The week has been all about firsts. When you are starting somewhere new, everything you do will be for the first time. Learning about the routines for assembly, end of playtime, dinner routines, seeing behaviour policies in action, dealing with incidents. When you are thrust into situations where you are a little unsure or even completely unsure, it is a huge challenge.

Carrying something to write on has really helped as things to do, information and names have come thick and fast. I have also punctuated so much of my work with a smile, a joke to lighten the air with colleagues.

Strangely enough I have walked away from the last 5 days with a better understanding of myself, my resilience and ability to adapt. I understand the importance of my open mindedness and have a clearer appreciation for the inner strength you need to stray way beyond your comfort zone.

I have learned that you cannot plan for every outcome in certain situations and that sometimes you learn a lot more about people and yourself when all you are able to do is react. No time to think, just react. With everything stripped away, you are just left with your professional instincts.

This week I have learned that I can be visibly calm under intense pressure and the impact this has on those looking to me to lead. In fact I have surprised myself with my ability to think with clarity when pressed, it hasn’t been an act, but simply how I approached situations this week.

No other 5 day stretch has ever examined and pressurised my professional facets as those just gone.

I know for certain that I am lucky to be part of an amazing staff, a fantastic group of professionals who have supported and helped me through a tough week. I am very grateful to them for that. It is a week to be included in the memoirs one day.

Pic: Father’s Strength by Shavar Ross Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License

Give a teacher an idea and you spark an interest for a week. Lead a teacher to a community and they will have ideas for a lifetime.