I'm a footling embarrassed to acknowledge this... Yesterday I went on a Speed Awareness Course. Teachers are meant to live expert role models too upstanding citizens. But I encourage my students to acknowledge when they brand mistakes too larn from those mistakes, too hence I'm leading past times example. I was caught (marginally) exceeding the speed limit. Still, all is non lost. By doing the course, I non alone remove keep a build clean driving licence, I'm also a far meliorate driver. Fifteen years subsequently I passed my driving test, 4 hours of driver instruction was good worth it. It's been a long fourth dimension since my terminal preparation course. Since qualifying every bit a instructor I've alone been on 2 external courses - i was nigh teaching Additional Mathematics too the other was nigh improving results at Key Stage 5. That's a big contrast to my previous career when I went on preparation courses every twain of months. I never paid much attending to the format too delivery of the courses I went on. But this fourth dimension I did.
In this postal service I desire to verbalise over some of my observations nigh how this preparation class was run too whether the ideas transfer to educating children.
In this postal service I desire to verbalise over some of my observations nigh how this preparation class was run too whether the ideas transfer to educating children.
Observation 1: Voting
last Gems post I said that I'd never had the chance to exercise these too hence couldn't comment on their effectiveness. But yesterday I got the remove chances to sense them every bit a learner.
I loved them! Throughout the 4 hr session nosotros used them on 5 occasions - they were used for noesis checks eg 'what is the national speed boundary on a dual carriageway?' (I got that wrong), to assemble data eg 'where are you lot to the lowest degree probable to speed?' ('outside schools' was the most pop answer) too to collect feedback eg 'was this class effective?'. As a learner, I institute them utterly engaging. I paid attending to the class content because I knew I'd remove keep to vote. I peculiarly liked it that I could reply anonymously when I wasn't confident of my answers.
Lesson learnt: Interactive voting is too hence engaging! And, if used well, it tin live a valuable part of the learning process. These devices are expensive but the gratis app Plickers should live precisely every bit effective.
Observation 2: Variation
The class was good structured, starting amongst a painless ice-breaker followed past times a verbalise nigh expectations, aims too outline, followed past times the delivery of the class content. In a 4 hr class it was of import to deliver the content inwards a multifariousness of ways. We did a flake of everything: listened to the trainers, contributed ideas, watched videos, answered questions, had small-scale grouping discussions too filled inwards worksheets. In a mixed grouping of 24 delegates, a handful of middle-aged men answered most of the questions. I listened amongst interest. I got a lot out the small-scale grouping discussions. When I looked approximately the room, everyone seemed to live engaged for the bulk of the course. This may remove keep been because nosotros were told we'd live tested on the Highway Code at the halt (we weren't).
Lesson learnt: Don't forcefulness everyone to participate inwards every purpose of the lesson - precisely because they're non vocal, it doesn't hateful they're non learning. Ensure activities are varied - some teaching, some discussion, some independent practise etc. Your lessons don't demand to live all singing all dancing to engage students, but variation helps. Also, don't underestimate the value of regular low-stakes tests (read @Kris_Boulton's postal service 'How tests instruct too motivate').
Observation 3: Resources
There was alone i worksheet on this class too it was elementary too well-designed. It was a cracking size (two sides of A5), colourful too tardily to complete. In i subdivision I had to come inwards numerical answers. There were 2 columns - i for my answers too i for the right answers. I really showed my hubby my completed worksheet when I got dwelling menage (poor guy!).
Lesson learnt: Make worksheets short, sugariness too tardily to complete. That's non to tell the questions remove keep to live tardily - but recollect nigh the format they are presented inwards (read @solvemymaths' postal service 'Make Better Resources (Part 2: Appearance too Challenge')
Observation 4: Comfort
This preparation class was 12.30pm to 4.30pm amongst i curt break. I left my menage at 11.15am too hence had no lunch. At the intermission in that place weren't fifty-fifty whatsoever biscuits! Absolutely nada to eat. I was starving! My hunger caused my concentration to lapse inwards the 2nd one-half of the course. I had no discover energy to sit down too listen. I watched the clock, my tummy rumbling. All I could recollect nigh was biscuits.
Lesson learnt: Don't attempt to instruct hungry or uncomfortable children. If they've worked or played sport throughout luncheon too are looking weak, permit them remove keep a snack (have a bunch of bananas on your desk?). If they facial expression pale, inquire them what's wrong! Allow lav breaks inwards lessons. It's impossible to concentrate if you lot demand to become to the toilet! If a pupil looks sleepy or fidgety, acquire them to come upward up to the board too reply a question. We're non in that place to woman nurture these children but it helps if they're inwards the right physical status to learn. Oh - too if you're a Head of Department - cake inwards a subdivision coming together is pretty much essential.
Observation 5: Attitude
I was reluctant to attend the class but I enjoyed it inwards the end. I learnt absolutely loads of novel materials too I came dwelling menage amongst a listing of things that I volition really do differently. At the intermission I overheard a delegate ask, 'Anyone else bored witless yet?'. I was quite disappointed to hear that. The trainers were doing a really expert chore of making a potentially tedious dependent champaign real interesting.
Lesson learnt: No thing how expert your content too delivery, some learners are precisely resistant to learning. Those attitudes tin live changed, but it volition accept fourth dimension too effort.
Valuable lessons?
I was pleased to reckon in that place was some expectation of mathematical agreement on this course. We were shown percentages, graphs too probabilities too nosotros calculated stopping distances. This was encouraging but, alas, in that place was a signal at which the trainer was asked to run something out too she said, quite unashamedly, 'my maths is a flake rubbish at the moment'. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few people chuckled. These bad 'mathitudes' drive me crazy.
Overall, the class was real good run. Trainers are precisely similar teachers. We all remove keep to engage learners inwards gild to impart our knowledge.
Next fourth dimension you lot become on a preparation course, recollect nigh what industrial plant good too whether you lot tin accept whatsoever teaching ideas from the trainers. Being a learner for an afternoon was real helpful - a shift inwards perspective is a useful evolution tool.
I loved them! Throughout the 4 hr session nosotros used them on 5 occasions - they were used for noesis checks eg 'what is the national speed boundary on a dual carriageway?' (I got that wrong), to assemble data eg 'where are you lot to the lowest degree probable to speed?' ('outside schools' was the most pop answer) too to collect feedback eg 'was this class effective?'. As a learner, I institute them utterly engaging. I paid attending to the class content because I knew I'd remove keep to vote. I peculiarly liked it that I could reply anonymously when I wasn't confident of my answers.
Lesson learnt: Interactive voting is too hence engaging! And, if used well, it tin live a valuable part of the learning process. These devices are expensive but the gratis app Plickers should live precisely every bit effective.
Observation 2: Variation
The class was good structured, starting amongst a painless ice-breaker followed past times a verbalise nigh expectations, aims too outline, followed past times the delivery of the class content. In a 4 hr class it was of import to deliver the content inwards a multifariousness of ways. We did a flake of everything: listened to the trainers, contributed ideas, watched videos, answered questions, had small-scale grouping discussions too filled inwards worksheets. In a mixed grouping of 24 delegates, a handful of middle-aged men answered most of the questions. I listened amongst interest. I got a lot out the small-scale grouping discussions. When I looked approximately the room, everyone seemed to live engaged for the bulk of the course. This may remove keep been because nosotros were told we'd live tested on the Highway Code at the halt (we weren't).
Lesson learnt: Don't forcefulness everyone to participate inwards every purpose of the lesson - precisely because they're non vocal, it doesn't hateful they're non learning. Ensure activities are varied - some teaching, some discussion, some independent practise etc. Your lessons don't demand to live all singing all dancing to engage students, but variation helps. Also, don't underestimate the value of regular low-stakes tests (read @Kris_Boulton's postal service 'How tests instruct too motivate').
Observation 3: Resources
There was alone i worksheet on this class too it was elementary too well-designed. It was a cracking size (two sides of A5), colourful too tardily to complete. In i subdivision I had to come inwards numerical answers. There were 2 columns - i for my answers too i for the right answers. I really showed my hubby my completed worksheet when I got dwelling menage (poor guy!).
Lesson learnt: Make worksheets short, sugariness too tardily to complete. That's non to tell the questions remove keep to live tardily - but recollect nigh the format they are presented inwards (read @solvemymaths' postal service 'Make Better Resources (Part 2: Appearance too Challenge')
Observation 4: Comfort
This preparation class was 12.30pm to 4.30pm amongst i curt break. I left my menage at 11.15am too hence had no lunch. At the intermission in that place weren't fifty-fifty whatsoever biscuits! Absolutely nada to eat. I was starving! My hunger caused my concentration to lapse inwards the 2nd one-half of the course. I had no discover energy to sit down too listen. I watched the clock, my tummy rumbling. All I could recollect nigh was biscuits.
Lesson learnt: Don't attempt to instruct hungry or uncomfortable children. If they've worked or played sport throughout luncheon too are looking weak, permit them remove keep a snack (have a bunch of bananas on your desk?). If they facial expression pale, inquire them what's wrong! Allow lav breaks inwards lessons. It's impossible to concentrate if you lot demand to become to the toilet! If a pupil looks sleepy or fidgety, acquire them to come upward up to the board too reply a question. We're non in that place to woman nurture these children but it helps if they're inwards the right physical status to learn. Oh - too if you're a Head of Department - cake inwards a subdivision coming together is pretty much essential.
Observation 5: Attitude
I was reluctant to attend the class but I enjoyed it inwards the end. I learnt absolutely loads of novel materials too I came dwelling menage amongst a listing of things that I volition really do differently. At the intermission I overheard a delegate ask, 'Anyone else bored witless yet?'. I was quite disappointed to hear that. The trainers were doing a really expert chore of making a potentially tedious dependent champaign real interesting.
Lesson learnt: No thing how expert your content too delivery, some learners are precisely resistant to learning. Those attitudes tin live changed, but it volition accept fourth dimension too effort.
Valuable lessons?
I was pleased to reckon in that place was some expectation of mathematical agreement on this course. We were shown percentages, graphs too probabilities too nosotros calculated stopping distances. This was encouraging but, alas, in that place was a signal at which the trainer was asked to run something out too she said, quite unashamedly, 'my maths is a flake rubbish at the moment'. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 few people chuckled. These bad 'mathitudes' drive me crazy.Overall, the class was real good run. Trainers are precisely similar teachers. We all remove keep to engage learners inwards gild to impart our knowledge.
Next fourth dimension you lot become on a preparation course, recollect nigh what industrial plant good too whether you lot tin accept whatsoever teaching ideas from the trainers. Being a learner for an afternoon was real helpful - a shift inwards perspective is a useful evolution tool.
