Good teachers have always differentiated the work that children were involved with but the demands and opportunities of today’s schools – inclusion, raising attainment, personalised learning, curriculum access, classroom support availability, entitlement etc. - mean that it has even greater resonance and implications for today’s teacher. It also has huge implications for the teacher’s skills and competencies in terms of class management, the understanding of learning theory and appropriate teaching and learning styles, assessment, monitoring of work and lesson evaluation, the management of teaching assistants and a teacher’s own subject knowledge and the ability to extend and support in specific curriculum areas.
We will consider, amongst other things, what we mean by ‘differentiation’, how it impacts upon current demands such as personalised learning, what different forms differentiation might take, issues related to class management/organisation and the effective utilisation of support staff and a teacher’s own subject and curriculum knowledge. We will also consider the close links with assessment issues, inclusion, progression and continuity and the raising attainment etc.
Related standards: Q1, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19, 20, 22, 25, 26, 32, 33
Before the Course:
1. Jot down the ways that you, as a class teacher, might differentiate in a lesson.
2. Observe teachers in your school – identify how they differentiate.
3. Look at a range of subjects – maths, English, art, PE, science etc – do some provide greater opportunities or demands so far a differentiation is concerned?
4. Which ‘subjects’ or curriculum areas do you feel confident in being able to effectively differentiate work. For example, would you feel confident in extending or providing the right questions/prompts to a child with already well established musical talents. Or would you know how to effectively support a child struggling with letter formation.
5. Does the school have a specific policy or guidelines on differentiation (or any of the other initiatives mentioned above e.g. personalised learning, utilisation of TA etc. Review these.
Sunday 20 September 2009
English & Maths Tests
Dear All,
Roy Davies has asked me to contact you about the English & maths tests that you took at interview. As many of you may know I have been rather ill since April but am now much recovered and getting back into the stream of things. I apologise for the delay in getting back to you.
To update you on the English and maths:
1. You will be required to pass the TDA English and maths tests that you do 'on line' during the course of this year. This is mandatory and I know Roy will be discussing these with you if he has not already done so.
2. The tests that you did at interview are our own tests and intended to highlight areas of weakness and provide a support to you both in your general subject knowledge and in indicating areas you need to 'brush up' upon.
3. We usually require trainees to gain a minimum 60% overall on our tests and 60% on each of the various sections of the tests.
4. Everyone of you did quite well on the tests at interview - no one did outstandingly badly - if you had, then you would not be on the course!!!!! However, of course, there were a range of scores and I will be contacting you individually over the next couple of days to give you your 'scores' from interview and to indicate the areas that you might need to 'resit' (i.e. where you did not get 60%). Some of you gained the required 60% first time round and so have no resit areas - I will inform you if this is the case.
5. I will then contact you to discuss times when you might do your resit(s). I will be meeting you in a week or so at Burleigh - we could perhaps then discuss possible resit opportunities
6. Please do not get anxious about this - it is an exercise in identifying areas of weakness, providing opps. for revision/support and helping you to be as well prepared as possible for the TDA tests.
Regards,
Tony Beale
Roy Davies has asked me to contact you about the English & maths tests that you took at interview. As many of you may know I have been rather ill since April but am now much recovered and getting back into the stream of things. I apologise for the delay in getting back to you.
To update you on the English and maths:
1. You will be required to pass the TDA English and maths tests that you do 'on line' during the course of this year. This is mandatory and I know Roy will be discussing these with you if he has not already done so.
2. The tests that you did at interview are our own tests and intended to highlight areas of weakness and provide a support to you both in your general subject knowledge and in indicating areas you need to 'brush up' upon.
3. We usually require trainees to gain a minimum 60% overall on our tests and 60% on each of the various sections of the tests.
4. Everyone of you did quite well on the tests at interview - no one did outstandingly badly - if you had, then you would not be on the course!!!!! However, of course, there were a range of scores and I will be contacting you individually over the next couple of days to give you your 'scores' from interview and to indicate the areas that you might need to 'resit' (i.e. where you did not get 60%). Some of you gained the required 60% first time round and so have no resit areas - I will inform you if this is the case.
5. I will then contact you to discuss times when you might do your resit(s). I will be meeting you in a week or so at Burleigh - we could perhaps then discuss possible resit opportunities
6. Please do not get anxious about this - it is an exercise in identifying areas of weakness, providing opps. for revision/support and helping you to be as well prepared as possible for the TDA tests.
Regards,
Tony Beale
Sunday 13 September 2009
Links Lists Updated
As I'm sure the list of links here on the blog is going to grow as we find more useful stuff around the internet, so I have split the links into two broad sections:
EDUCATION LINKS is for useful classroom resources
PROFESSIONAL LINKS is for CPD / job information
The search bar is set to look through both this site and the educational links only.
Again, if anyone has any useful links either email me, post them as comments, or ask and I will ad your email so that you can edit the blog yourself. (Go on! It is very easy to use.)
Charlie
EDUCATION LINKS is for useful classroom resources
PROFESSIONAL LINKS is for CPD / job information
The search bar is set to look through both this site and the educational links only.
Again, if anyone has any useful links either email me, post them as comments, or ask and I will ad your email so that you can edit the blog yourself. (Go on! It is very easy to use.)
Charlie
Electronic Documentation
I have created a new section in the sidebar of the blog for electronic versions of the various observation forms and training plans that we'll be using. Clicking on the files takes you to the mediafire website where you can quickly download them.
So far I have just the one file, which is the last section (8.0) of the red handbook. As soon as I get my hands on any more I'll upload them.
Please leave any comments about which ones you'd most like to see and then we can ask Roy/Vivienne to provide them.
I haven't uploaded the forms (such as the training plan) as I know we all have them, but if you'd like to see them too, then please let me know.
Charlie
So far I have just the one file, which is the last section (8.0) of the red handbook. As soon as I get my hands on any more I'll upload them.
Please leave any comments about which ones you'd most like to see and then we can ask Roy/Vivienne to provide them.
I haven't uploaded the forms (such as the training plan) as I know we all have them, but if you'd like to see them too, then please let me know.
Charlie
Wednesday 9 September 2009
Admin meeting and courses
We hope that you have enjoyed your first week in school and that you feel you are settling in well.
The first section of courses will be in the Adult Centre, please use Gate #4 at Burleigh, and park in the main car park, the Adult Centre is next to Gate 1. The cafeteria is open up until 2.00 so you will be able to use it for the morning break and lunch.
If you have any outstanding documentation to give in please bring it on the 10th, the original plus a copy, this could be your CRB check, confirmation of your degree and the classification or your GCSE's. Please also bring your GTP Trainee/Mentor Handbook to the Admin. Days. If you wish us to review your I.N.A., bring it along as well.
You will have the Training Plan pro-forma, which we will review at our first meeting, you can begin completing this for next week in consultation with your Mentor.
We'll also be doing the Science Test, mentioned in your offer letter, on Thursday, September 24th at 9.00, we won't ask you to do the whole test on that day being restricted in time so we will just do Test A, the sections that focus on Green Plants, Humans and other Animals, Continuity and Change, Materials, Particle Theory and Ecology, in the past Trainees have done better on these sections, except Particle Theory.
Test B we'll do on our last meeting of the term, December 10th, that focuses on Electricity and Magnetism, Energy, Forces and Motion, Light, Sound and Earth and Beyond.
Also on the 24th, we'll do the Internet presentations that have been held over from our Induction Day.
Tony will be contacting you re the tests that you did when you came for interview, he will be arranging times for the re-sits, we will be offering two re-sit sessions, one before half-term and one after, you can choose which session you wish to attend or come to both if you wish.
Trust that clarifies,
Best wishes,
Roy
The first section of courses will be in the Adult Centre, please use Gate #4 at Burleigh, and park in the main car park, the Adult Centre is next to Gate 1. The cafeteria is open up until 2.00 so you will be able to use it for the morning break and lunch.
If you have any outstanding documentation to give in please bring it on the 10th, the original plus a copy, this could be your CRB check, confirmation of your degree and the classification or your GCSE's. Please also bring your GTP Trainee/Mentor Handbook to the Admin. Days. If you wish us to review your I.N.A., bring it along as well.
You will have the Training Plan pro-forma, which we will review at our first meeting, you can begin completing this for next week in consultation with your Mentor.
We'll also be doing the Science Test, mentioned in your offer letter, on Thursday, September 24th at 9.00, we won't ask you to do the whole test on that day being restricted in time so we will just do Test A, the sections that focus on Green Plants, Humans and other Animals, Continuity and Change, Materials, Particle Theory and Ecology, in the past Trainees have done better on these sections, except Particle Theory.
Test B we'll do on our last meeting of the term, December 10th, that focuses on Electricity and Magnetism, Energy, Forces and Motion, Light, Sound and Earth and Beyond.
Also on the 24th, we'll do the Internet presentations that have been held over from our Induction Day.
Tony will be contacting you re the tests that you did when you came for interview, he will be arranging times for the re-sits, we will be offering two re-sit sessions, one before half-term and one after, you can choose which session you wish to attend or come to both if you wish.
Trust that clarifies,
Best wishes,
Roy
Tuesday 1 September 2009
Course Days Autumn Term
Below is a copy of an e-mail sent to your school, outlining all the course days plus additional meetings where your school is directly involved, Mentor Training etc. You'll be in school on all days except course days except for the Induction Day for Second Schools which for you is all day, for your school rep. just the afternoon.
----------------------
Dear Partnership School,
We have now completed our move to Burleigh Community College and will be based there for our courses and Mentor Training. There have been some difficulties in booking dates, times and locations for our courses and this has delayed forward planning. We can now confirm times and dates for the courses, along with the Mentor and Senior Mentor meeting and the Second School Induction Day, the dates are as follows:
Thursday Sept. 10th Course Day in Loughborough
Friday Sept. 11th Course Day in Loughborough
Thursday Sept. 17th Course Day in Loughborough
Friday Sept. 18th Course Day in Loughborough
Thursday Sept. 24th Course Day in Loughborough
Friday Sept. 25th Course Day in Loughborough
Thereafter courses will be on Fridays from October 2nd to October 16th and after half-term
Thursdays from October 29th to December 10th which allows Trainees to experience the full range of the curriculum during their term of training.
Mentor Meeting - Tuesday, September 15th at Burleigh Community College. 1.30 - 4.00
- more details to follow.
Senior Mentor Meeting - Thursday, October 15th at Burleigh Community College. 1.30 - 4.00
- more details to follow.
Induction Day for 2nd Schools - Friday, November 20th at Burleigh Community College. 1.30 - 4.00
(all day for Trainees) - more details to follow.
----------------------
Dear Partnership School,
We have now completed our move to Burleigh Community College and will be based there for our courses and Mentor Training. There have been some difficulties in booking dates, times and locations for our courses and this has delayed forward planning. We can now confirm times and dates for the courses, along with the Mentor and Senior Mentor meeting and the Second School Induction Day, the dates are as follows:
Thursday Sept. 10th Course Day in Loughborough
Friday Sept. 11th Course Day in Loughborough
Thursday Sept. 17th Course Day in Loughborough
Friday Sept. 18th Course Day in Loughborough
Thursday Sept. 24th Course Day in Loughborough
Friday Sept. 25th Course Day in Loughborough
Thereafter courses will be on Fridays from October 2nd to October 16th and after half-term
Thursdays from October 29th to December 10th which allows Trainees to experience the full range of the curriculum during their term of training.
Mentor Meeting - Tuesday, September 15th at Burleigh Community College. 1.30 - 4.00
- more details to follow.
Senior Mentor Meeting - Thursday, October 15th at Burleigh Community College. 1.30 - 4.00
- more details to follow.
Induction Day for 2nd Schools - Friday, November 20th at Burleigh Community College. 1.30 - 4.00
(all day for Trainees) - more details to follow.
Friday 28 August 2009
GTP Courses & Timetables Latest
We hope that you all had an enjoyable summer break. Apologies for the delay in sending the Autumn course timetable, there have been some difficulties in arranging specific dates, times and locations, thank you for your patience in waiting for the actual timetable.
We have now resolved times, dates and classrooms and are now confirming these with specific course tutors. I will be sending you the first months timetable shortly, the first course meeting will be on Thursday, September 10th followed by courses on Friday, September 11th; this will be followed by two course days on Thursday, September 17th and Friday, September 18th, all of the above at Burleigh.
Please ensure that you attend the Inset days at your school before the term actually begins, also If you have received your C.R.B. clearance form, please send it to us, we can then enter you on the TDA database.
After the initial three weeks, the course days will be Fridays until half-term and Thursdays from half-term until Christmas.
We look forward to seeing you all again on the 10th.
Best wishes,
Roy
We have now resolved times, dates and classrooms and are now confirming these with specific course tutors. I will be sending you the first months timetable shortly, the first course meeting will be on Thursday, September 10th followed by courses on Friday, September 11th; this will be followed by two course days on Thursday, September 17th and Friday, September 18th, all of the above at Burleigh.
Please ensure that you attend the Inset days at your school before the term actually begins, also If you have received your C.R.B. clearance form, please send it to us, we can then enter you on the TDA database.
After the initial three weeks, the course days will be Fridays until half-term and Thursdays from half-term until Christmas.
We look forward to seeing you all again on the 10th.
Best wishes,
Roy
Monday 24 August 2009
September Timetable Latest
Hi Everyone,
We have had some enquiries about the September timetable and you may not have received a reply to an e-mail, mainly because we are still negotiating the dates with Burleigh College, they have not released timetable availability to us yet, officially we do not move there until August; and we have just had our week of Ofsted inspection combined with us doing final assessments, sorry if you've not had a reply to an e-mail.
As soon as we can give you definite dates for the Centre based training, they will be sent to you but for most of you, your term will begin with your School INSET days.
We'll be in touch shortly.
Best wishes,
Roy
We have had some enquiries about the September timetable and you may not have received a reply to an e-mail, mainly because we are still negotiating the dates with Burleigh College, they have not released timetable availability to us yet, officially we do not move there until August; and we have just had our week of Ofsted inspection combined with us doing final assessments, sorry if you've not had a reply to an e-mail.
As soon as we can give you definite dates for the Centre based training, they will be sent to you but for most of you, your term will begin with your School INSET days.
We'll be in touch shortly.
Best wishes,
Roy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
