http://dotcoe.blogspot.com/

I seem to be able to do more there.

Hope to see you there soon

Dorothy

I’m looking for new blog host.

What  does anybody recommend?

Don’s latest blog post prompted this train of thought. Thanks Don.

Let’s imagine 2 teachers, generally thought of as “excellent”. Jane and Mary, let’s say, have very different teaching styles.

A fly on the wall in Jane’s class would find a thorough and well -documented approach. She can motivate pupils to work conscientiously and has evidence aplenty in jotters and on the walls of the achievements of her class. The classroom is usually quiet. The pupils know what they have to do and why, because it is written on 2 boards called “Targets for this block” and “Success Criteria”. The walls have neat displays of children’s work in each curricular area.
The fly in Mary’s classroom would get no peace. Mary’s pupils are enthusiastic and excited about learning, When you talk to them they know what they are doing and why and might show you an experiment they are doing. Some of them occasionally interrupt with apparently tangential questions and Mary and the whole class sometimes become diverted, Mary’s classroom is hardly ever quiet. Some of her displays are a bit haphazard and have a “work in progress” look. The same is true of some of the children’s jotters. The children love being in Mary’s class.

When both of these teachers are promoted, they have to observe other teachers’ lessons. They both think they are open-minded and accepting of different styles of teaching. However, when Jane has to observe lessons of teachers who are like Mary, she finds it difficult, often impossible, to see what she is looking for. She knows how to be an excellent teacher and she can’t find the evidence she needs to reassure her of the quality of Mary’s teaching. For example, there is a box on the observation feedback form that says “Pupils are hardworking” She can’t tick it because they did no writing during the observation.

By contrast when Mary observes other teachers she finds easily the places where excellent teaching is going on, When she sees teachers like Jane, she can happily can tick lots of the boxes provided on the feedback form. When she observes other teachers who are like her, she can also recognise excellent practice because she knows how to look for it, perhaps by talking to the teacher and the children and listening to their conversations, by finding out the process that’s going on with the “work in progress” stuff.

Back in the HT’s office though, where ticks in boxes are counted, Jane appears the better teacher. She and the teachers who are like her get ticks from her and from Mary. On the other hand, Mary doesn’t get ticks and teachers like her get ticks only if they were observed by Mary. Consequently, Mary and her peers might be asked to provide more jotter work, tidier displays and quieter children.

Senior Management concludes on this evidence, that perhaps Mary’s promotion was a mistake, while Jane’s was clearly a good choice. Jane will perhaps go on to become a QIO, whereas Mary will be given dinner duty and other “very important” management tasks. She may give up her promoted post to become a Chartered Teacher.

Amongst the teaching staff however, because of her more open approach, Mary is thought to be the better manager. Her observations are non-stressful and her feedback sessions are constructive and positive. She has the respect of many colleagues. Jane has no idea why. And she never asks.

I’ve just come back from an extraordinary event. You can see details here. To put it briefly, P6 and 7 pupils from schools across the Borders came together to perform songs that they have been learning separately, with an orchestra (Scottish Borders Community Orchestra in which I played). The songs, about Borders culture and life, were written and composed by Lin Marsh. In addition to this massive undertaking, four 6th year pupils (my 17 year old son among them) got together over a number of weeks with composer Stephen Deazley to arrange the songs for the orchestra and write their own composition together to be performed by the orchestra. The whole thing came together tonight when about 200 primary kids sang their hearts out for just over an hour, demonstrating not only their own skill and enthusiasm, but also Stephen’s considerable charisma. I’ve participated with many groups in music making and I have never seen so many eyes constantly trained on a conductor.

The songs themselves were full of character. And though of course I am biased, each arrangement was very well suited to the tone of the song it had started with whether about horses, weaving, the Eyemouth fishing disaster or Technochild.

The only sour note was from the SBC councillor who shall remain nameless, who came forward to do the thanks at the end and all he had to say to the children was that he had noticed one or two of them fidgeting! And he had just watched 200 kids giving their all - focus, concentration and vocal quality for over an hour!

There’s another performance tomorrow, and I’ll be keeping an eye on him, to see if he manages to sit without a fidget throughout.

Or perhaps I’ll forget his stupidity and pay attention instead to the truly inspiring faces of the young people on the stage.

This week I’m on a placement at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. I’m part of a small group of teachers helping to freshen up the Teacher Packs on Romans and Vikings. Today we toured the Early People Gallery with Dr Andy Heald, a curator. What a lot I learned from this very knowledgeable man who is clearly passionate about his job and has an ability to communicate his enthusiasm in an engaging way.

I am going to enjoy this week.

More about the Hunterston Brooch in the image above here.

I’ve been struck by the way in which Neil’s Bebo is used by his friends to maintain the link with each other and with Neil. They still, 3 weeks after his death, post messages to him, recounting their feelings of loss and grief and telling him about things that are happening for them in the world they shared. To me this is extraordinary and a really powerful use of social media that I could never have imagined. (Apart from the fact that the situation is almost unimagineable anyway)

Reading their posts makes me cry - with yearning for the old normality with Neil in it obviously - but also with appreciation of the very evident goodness and firm faith in the power of personal relationships that is in these young people. They have been faced with a terrible event which will affect the rest of their lives.They are using the powerful medium to share their grief, remember Neil, and to support each other.

I can’t help worrying though.This medium is so ephemeral. Like all of us, sadly it won’t last forever. I expect that posts to Neil’s Bebo will gradually reduce in quantity and frequency, though I’m sure, as with blogs, many more people read than post and will continue to do so. But if it were suddenly to disappear…

Neil, you will always be with us, your quick wit, ready smile and quizzically raised eyebrow never forgotten. It hurts unbelievably to have you taken from us when you had so much to give, and we loved you so much. The many tributes from your friends on your Bebo and the Memorial website show what a tremendous impact you had in your short life in so many areas from great academic and scouting achievement to more subtle personal support and “being there” for others. The two videos your friends have made show a bright boy, becoming a confident young man, who had an easy rapport with others, lovingly nurtured and encouraged by your family.

You brought musical skill, enthusiasm and humour to our family band, unafraid of the potential “un-coolness” of a teenager actually wanting to play traditional music with his relations. The close bond you had with your Dad was never more evident than when you played those airs and reels together.

Neil, you have been taken from us far too soon. We miss you sorely and always will.

Rest in peace.

A bit more complicated than seagull seagull and London Bridge is falling down!

What a pleasant afternoon I’ve just had. Some of the Chartered Teachers who have access to the Chartered Teachers Reunited area of Blackboard VLE meet for lunch every 6 months or so at the Riverhouse in Stirling and it is always a most civilised and convivial occasion. The food and service are excellent and affordable, the setting is relaxing and the location means that it’s within reasonable travelling distance for those from the North East as well as the Borders.

This time, we took forward our plans to form a Chartered Teacher Association, which will be very exciting. We have planned to get together in the near future to agree how the group might serve education and Chartered Teachers themselves. More detail to follow.

Follow this link to see the photos

http://www.flickr.com/gp/17778438@N00/5WK32y