14th October 2019

          WoW: perceived

 

Communication Focuses

READING	WRITING	ORACY
Reading widely Reading for pleasure	Spelling of subject-specific vocabulary Use of WAGOLLs to model/scaffold (visualisers, mini-whiteboards)	Purposeful and structured communication with others

 

Teaching and Learning Priorities

Climate for learning – students will be enthused by their learning and will be focused, absorbed and attentive (DMC).

Vocabulary – the words that we use and expect the students to be able to use in context, to succeed in their lives beyond Walton le Dale High School (ACH).

Purposeful Interactions by all – if students are communicating, it must be purposeful allow their needs to be met.  Interactions should enhance the learning of ALL students at ALL times (CRO).

 

This Week:

• The thought for the week in form time this week is ‘self-belief’.  Assemblies will be led by Progress Coordinators.
• NQTs – Meetings will continue this week: JMJ – Tuesday period 3; RHU – Tuesday period 4; both in RLO’s office
• New Staff (incl. JGA) and NQTs – induction CPD Thursday 17^th October in conference room: VHI – ASPIRE framework and Opening Minds.
• Wednesday – PHO will deliver a pastoral Top Tip.

Reflect on Your Practice:

It can be cringe-worthy when sitting in T&L meetings and hearing presenters espousing that it is, ‘Learning and Teaching, not Teaching and Learning…because learning comes first.’  In recent years, re-branding and re-ordering the words has allowed some to pay lip service to creating truly student-centred learning.  However, in a time where the value of direct instruction has become king (‘note to self, this does not mean lecturing’), the significance of effective teaching is highlighted.

 

Our ‘Brilliant Teaching and Learning Toolkit’ is underpinned by Barak Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction (of which there were originally 17, although these have been gradually whittled down over the years). As you read the list, there is nothing ground-breaking and it is refreshingly common-sense.  These features do not need to be in EVERY lesson, but are relevant in every SEQUENCE of learning – sequencing is a clear focus of Ofsted’s new EIF and quite right too. Over the coming weeks, reflect on the following activities and establish how effective you are in building them into your classroom practice.  The How2s are structured in a way that links with these Principles.  Use them to aid you.

 

Top Tip Schedule

Subject Heads, please ensure that someone from your department is ready to share a ‘Top Tip’ on the designated date. 

14/10/2019	Pastoral
HALF-TERM
28/10/2019	English	FRI
4/11/2019	Drama	MON
11/11/2019	SENDCO	WEDS
18/11/2019	PE	FRI
25/11/2019	Pastries and Progress Open Door Week	WEDS
2/12/2019	MFL	MON
9/12/2019	Technology	WEDS
16/12/2019	Science	FRI

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CPD Cascade

TeachingHow2s

There is a section on Principles of Instruction.  Use it to guide your own CPD and be curious about how you can develop as a practitioner.  We are all able to adapt and improve.

 

Further Reading

Tom Sherington has published this thematic guide to applying the Principles of Instruction.  It is a quick read and is useful to incorporate strategies into your own practice.  It is available in our CPD library in the staffroom.  Below, is a guide to some of the content.