QUESTIONS TO ASK OURSELVES
What do we want our students to learn from us?
Results?
Do we want children to get excited about school because they want to learn something new or do we want them to get excited about getting an A and beating their classmates?
What they learn- or how they learn it?
- Should they focus on how well they are doing or on what they are doing?
- ...and why?
- Or should they do what we do; commit to continuing learning?
- Are we modelling the right attitudes to learning?
Reflecting on our purpose allows us to become better at what we do.
Our initial observations
what do we see when we assess our students?
Collection and use of data
how do we use the data we have gathered to create better learning?
Questions we ask
What questions do we ask ourselves in order to ensure that we keep on improving?
Teaching is an ongoing journey- we don't simply arrive
The Focus is on the Student
Considering what and how they learn
Real World Learning
are students give a chance to connect their learning to the world around them?
Thinking Skills
do they get a chance to deepen their thinking and make connections between ideas?
Having a Say
Do they get to make their own learning goals?
So where to go from here?
- join a professional learning community- in school, online, both
- keep a reflective journal or sets of notes
- participate in professional learning on a regular basis
- challenge yourself to learn something new about your students and your teaching
Learning from our peers
Visiting classrooms allows us to see how others teach.
- set up a meeting with a teacher you want to visit
- Go in with a goal in mind (e.g. questioning techniques)
- take notes on the topic you are investigating
- make time to discuss your observations with the teacher (within 48 hours)
- set goals for how you will use your new knowledge to transfer it into skill
- reciprocate- allow others to visit you
This all helps to create a community of learners that is the PLC
SHARING OUR IDEAS
The more we share our ideas, thoughts, questions and observations, the more we learn; the more we learn, the more we engage; the more we engage, the better we teach; the better we teach, the better our students learn.
Twitter: @loremipsem