Passing Time and Moving Forwards

Weekends are for relaxing, so why do I feel stressed when there is nothing 'pressing' to do?

This last 11 weeks of Covid-19 lockdown have mostly been about completing teacher training, developing learning materials for students to work through at home and preparing for a change in job. This included taking part in live webinars with the lovely Geoff Petty provided by the Society for Education and Training Foundation. In a nutshell, I have just spent lots of time at a computer and only really missing my family and friends rather than life outside my home. 

Here is the Society for Education and Training foundation website link for anyone who wants to know more or to sign up: https://set.et-foundation.co.uk/

Now that the new job is under way, and PGCE work is done, I've had time to sit and see the hours of the day pass by without being filled with research and academic writing. It is quite odd after two years of study I can tell you that for sure. So, plans for passing the time... I think it is time to start trying to get fitter, to get my house in order... yes thats right: cleaning / sorting, decorating & gardening... or that is how I've passed some time for the last three weeks anyway (minus the decorating)!

But what is next? I'm not delusional, I know that along with being a teacher there will be planning and marking to complete during the evenings and weekends, but I had to do this as well as study before. I know there must be something that I can do to fill in the extra time that I suddenly have. First of all, as soon as I can safely spend time with the family I want to see them all on a regular basis... as that kind of went out of the window over the last two years. There is nothing more joyful than seeing those I hold dear! But what about when they're busy?

Keeping up this blog will help, but I feel there is more that I can do. Over the next few weeks, months & maybe years (hopeful I know), I will spend time researching different educational theories and strategies and write a little about each of them, including a reflection of anything I have applied to my own practice... that way it will help me to focus upon my own professional development as well as provide information and useful sources for anyone who tunes in, especially prospective trainees! After all  every day is a school day. 

Image by Debbie Baff (@debbaff) from https://salt.swan.ac.uk/cpd/

Part of my final reflective assignment's action plan (from PGCE) was to revisit feedback methods as part of my ongoing professional development and experiment with different techniques to further improve my practice in this area. However, with not being in the classroom at the moment, the focus will be on finding new methods, planning them into lessons and then I will hopefully try them out when I can be back in the classroom.

1st step - try using these tips!


Image source : 

Day 2, Week 2 of being a Maths Teacher

This morning Ive been informed that the work I plan for my Year 8 group for next year, will also be used in the 'cover folder' for all middle ability year 8 groups in the school in case any maths teachers of middle sets are off at any point. I'm impressed that without seeing my resources (except at interview) that they trust my judgement and planning skills, but why? They trusted me enough to give me the job, so trust that I am capable... maybe I need to give myself more credit and believe in my own abilities more! Going to add imposter theory to the list of things to research over the coming weeks... to see if there are strategies to help me work through this in order to believe in myself. Guess it is time to get on planning!

The bigger picture...

There is so much hype around the confusing messages being released from the government this week, one of which is that there'll be a 'big programme of catch up this summer'. Now I don't know your personal situation, but all the teachers I know are working just as hard in lockdown as they would be in school, for many even harder. Not having the power to stand by a student's side to help and guide them seems alien to most of us, and so any resources we provide have to have as much detail / supporting aids as possible to ensure students can access their learning. There is more marking to be done that would normally be completed in class time enabling us to reflect and work out the learning that has been successful and decipher where students are at. Many continuing learners are also working hard at home to achieve their learning goals, completing everything their teachers have set and are developing amazing independent and inquisitive learning skills which will be vital for their future. Their (the students that is) minds need a break, teachers need to recharge and rest after a hell of a summer term and then do their usual routine of planning for the following year when all their classes will change meaning new resources will be needed based on the different abilities that they will have to teach moving forwards. Yes, continue home learning to the end of term but then let students and teachers have their well deserved break!

Today I read an article written by Kevin Courtney in the NEU's May/ June 2020 edition of Educate which discusses the exam system and how the "Covid Crisis" (p.11) will have an effect moving forwards. Prior to reading this, I knew that grade boundaries are altered each year to suit that exams, but I wasn't aware that the scores would 'rank students' before the boundaries were calculated to ensure results are comparable year on year. It was clearly worth the read as I learned something new.

Oddly, I've had an email this morning forwarded by my head of faculty about a live Q & A webinar session from AQA to discuss the plans for the curriculum of GCSE and A Level for 20-21, a total coincidence of course, but it does make me wonder what changes there might be to exams and the curriculum in upcoming years to compensate for such a long stint of home learning. Could it be a reduced curriculum, could a split between moderated learning outcomes and examinations be introduced. At this stage, it is difficult to say so for now, let's just hope a sensible solution is agreed.

Looking for new books...

I've had a good look through Amazon, and my wish list for education specific books currently stands at £260... I think some of these will have to be bought in stages over the next few months. Some of the books I have purchased already that are excellent and I have found extremely useful throughout my PGCE are:

Sue Cowley's:  The Artful Educator
Carol Dweck's: Mindset
 
Of course, this list contains just a few of the resources that have guided me through my learning, there are many more I assure you. For now, I hope some of my ramblings make sense and prove useful. If you have any suggestions of books to read and review or even any new topics you believe would be good to research, please feel free to leave a note in the comments.

I'd like to take a moment to thank you for starting /continuing to read my blog even in its earliest stages. See you all in next week's installment of Life After Teacher Training.

Stay happy, stay safe and well, but most of all I hope you a wonderful week.

Wendy Atkinson
June 2020


Comments

Post a Comment