Staff Meeting - 21st September

This week's meeting gave us the opportunity to observe an 'uncut' lesson from Teachers Media.

Follow this link for the lesson.

Staff Meeting - 14th September 2011

We concentrated on creating groupings in Classroom Monitor in this meeting.

Follow this link if you need guidance.

Blogging Instructions

Hello again!

I have added a new 'page' to the Leading Learning Blog with some instructions about how to 'blog'. I start with basics like logging-in and end with embedding content from elsewhere. For those of you who are super-confident: it's there to confirm. For those who haven't done a lot of it (if at all) then they are there to get you going. Please have a look through them all - click here or look to the top of the blog to find the videos.

This is the 4th year we've used blogs in anger so I'm expecting some brilliant stuff (as usual!). Please make sure they are used as an integral part of your learning experiences. The blogs should include: links, guidance, embedded videos and activities, guided group work and communication with parents. That's all alongside the obvious celebration of work and entries from the children. Feel free to upload pictures (always check we have permission for the children's pictures to be published) - we have plenty of space on site.

The guidance isn't exhaustive and several of you use much more than I've written about - I'll add much more as time goes on.

This year - when posting on your blogs - precede your blog titles with the subject(s) that the post relates to.

For example: Science & Geography - Sounds in the Environment

This means the blog will be searchable for subjects - if you look to the top of the blog there is a search box. Imagine you are the Science Leader - you could visit each blog, search for Science and hey-presto! all the relevant work and evidence will appear. It works both ways: how often we do work scrutinies and struggle to find evidence of work then start chasing you for that evidence - well this is the answer!! Make sure the blog is integral to what you do!! I would suggest your TAs know exactly what to do and how to this.

Good luck!!

PS - Those of you who are receiving this email for the first time: I have added your email to the blog alert which means whenever I update the Leading Learning Blog (found by clicking on the Teacher Page Pencil on the school website) you get an email to let you know.

Dipping a toe in...

Hi All!

The posts on http://leadinglearningatbsmprimary.blogspot.com/ will begin again now after a break for the summer. Before I add any more updates can I remind you to visit the blog regularly to read updates and interesting bits and pieces to help spice up the learning in your classrooms.

Just a couple of sites I've discovered over the break that are bound to feature largely in our work this year and beyond. Please explore (and register if you have the time) and consider how they would be useful for your class this year, any other classes in the school, parents etc... As always: consider how you can fold this into your day-to-day learning offer...



The Khan Academy - free - bite-sized videos with activities, games and 'points' for application. This is the sort of thing BSM would produce if we had the time!! Think about how we could add to this (particularly for the younger children - although lots of this is at a lower level too.)





MathTrain - similar to the Khan Academy - but made by children!
(So maybe BSM should make the time!) - there are also adult-made videos too.

These sites would be ideal for a guided group situation for learning new skills and concepts and practising. Education City is great for practising a new skill but these sites help you learn too. 

Maybe we could think about developing MathTrain - but in another area? Science? Writing? Hmmm....

Assessing the children...

Following my comments on Friday regarding keeping assessments up-to-date I thought you ought to look at 'groups' on Classroom Monitor.

If you remember - APP was all about picking focus children to help you make sound and accurate judgements about the small groups they are in. We were never completely comfortable about this because every child is an individual. However, Classroom Monitor helps because, whilst we could say that all the children in 'red' group have achieved x, y and z objectives - we can use Classroom Monitor to 'tinker' with the data of individuals very quickly and easily. Using 'groups' is the way forward.

Have a look at these 2 videos - showing how to set up a group and then add children to it. Whilst you are doing this please don't worry that you are moving children about on the system. You are not! You're only creating a different way of looking at groups of children for yourself.



Video 1: Setting Up the Group   (click here for a printed sheet)
Video 2: Adding Children to the Group (click here for a printed sheet)

Now - you could create several groups for your literacy and maths groupings. Only you will be able to see these groups (apart from me!) so you can add as many as you like. It would be good if we had a naming convention though so I suggest this:

If you're Year 6 in 2010-2011 and it's a literacy group you're setting up call it:

Y6-1011-Lit-Groupname

Why do this? Well, because it means that you can assess (APP style) for the whole group that conatins your focus child and then 'tinker' and only be concerned with those on the screen. You won't have to worry about picking them out from a whole class list.

Let me know if there is a problem. I may post another video showing the assessment process... if you're lucky.

Good Morning Children!

I mentioned this in a staff meeting a while ago.

Good Morning Children

Follow the link and log-in with the log-in details I give you at staff meeting tonight.

Thinking Skills Website

I've seen Mike Fleetham a few times and he is very very good. His website is called Thinking Classroom and is full of useful stuff. I'm looking at a school subscription to it so don't join yet but please do join as a standard member and have a look.